Thank fuck, thank fuck, thank fuck.
His children, Rayah, they were all safe. Just the building and all those kids’ work. Sadie’s classroom was at the back of the school. Rayah’s was nearby.
“What’s the fire like?”
“Spreading fast. Better think about day care tomorrow.”
Jonny didn’t give a shit about day care tomorrow. There wouldn’t be anyone hurt. Just the building to sort and prevent the flames from tearing into anything else, and there was a lot to tear into, but the teachers and everyone was safe. Rayah was safe.
He ran down to the side of the building, barking instructions, watching how the flames were moving, their colour, feeling the direction of the wind. His team shifted as if they were synchronised swimmers, the moves well-practiced, telepathy their chosen method of communication.
Jonny paused, sensing something, not sure what. A crowd had started to gather a few metres away from the burning building, people watching with horror and excitement, fire bringing out curiosity and wonder. He saw Rayah standing further back and knew she’d be upset at the building where she had worked for so long. The part currently on fire was the new build, not the old, listed building that contained over a century of history and they needed to do what they could to prevent it from spreading there or into the large hall that was between them.
He watched the trees nearby, the sound of the flames flickering almost blending with the newly budded leaves rustling. Then he heard a noise he could never put into words, could never explain or describe what it was.
“Move!” His voice bellowed, carrying through the air.
No one question it; maybe they had noticed the same or had the identical instinct, years of studying flames and accelerants ingraining subtle signs into their subconscious.
And then it was. Sparks like fireworks flew through the sky and the flames burst into a monster that coloured everywhere orange and red, the bang deafening Jonny’s ears as he went to ground.
Petrol. He knew the smell. Knew the type of fire it would cause. Same as the flat when Will was thrown back. Knew this was the same guy.
He scrambled back up and began shouting instructions, taking the equipment he knew he needed for this, leading the ranks. Like when he was a child and a firebug himself, the flames gave him energy. They were his foe, a beast that needed to be sleighed, made to retreat until every ember had died. This was his computer game, only it was as real as it came, the people he was saving the ones he loved.
Black smoke plumed into the sky, the stench thick and claggy. Jonny pulled on his breathing equipment and headed closer, knowing he needed to get to the source and douse it, killing off the fire’s food supply. Will was next to him, knowing the drill, his movements confident and brave.
Dense smoke hit him as he headed into the building, spraying what he could, relying on his equipment. Will’s voice fed into his earpiece, doing his usual commentary about what was going on in there as he surveyed. It was a calming mechanism, told any rookies that they were okay, made sure everyone was aware.
“There.” It was one word from Will that made Jonny startle.
He saw the remains of a device and the accelerant that led up to it, where the flames were burning brighter. This had been planned well and potentially would’ve been fatal had they tried to tackle the original fire from inside the building.
“Arson. With a huge intent to injure. But why in a fucking school? And why after hours?”
“Damage to the building to cause disruption, upset…”
“Or hurt the staff. A warning.”
Jonny would’ve stilled if they didn’t have to keep moving. He remembered the little girl’s tale of a man with a gun in her bedroom at Felley Manor and wondered if someone had sent a warning.
Rayah.
“Keep your mind on what we’re doing.” Will’s words were harsh. “Your kids are fine.”
“I know. They went swimming after school.”
“It’s your woman then.”
Will was trying to keep them focused in his own way. Other members of their team were joining them, the flames no longer feeding on anything new, they were starting to take control, winning the battle.
“I don’t have a woman.”
Will’s laugh suggested that Jonny was lying.
Smoke grew denser as the fire began to recede. Jonny felt his skin being coated with the chemicals in the air and knew how long his shower was going to be afterwards. How long it would be until he got that shower.
But it would be worth it.
