Page 22 of Passions Ignite

Zoey scanned the ground. “I see it, but we can’t just focus on the fire. We have to look for anyone who might be trapped. There are isolated cabins out there.”

Lux tightened her grip on the controls. “If we don’t stop this thing from spreading, there won’tbeanything left to save. We need to focus on containment.”

Zoey turned her head, her expression hard. “And what if people are out there waiting for help? We can’t just leave them to burn.”

“I’m not saying we ignore them,” Lux said. “But we can’t be reckless either. We need to fight this fire, and we need to do it smartly.”

Zoey crossed her arms, her gaze locked on the flames below. “We can do both. Weneedto do both.”

Lux’s frustration flared. “You’re not seeing the bigger picture, Zoey. The fire is unpredictable, and if we don’t contain it, we could lose control of the entire situation.”

“And if we focus only on the fire, we’re risking lives,” Zoey shot back. “There are families out there who might be trapped. We can’t just prioritize one over the other.”

Lux clenched her jaw, her eyes flicking between the horizon and Zoey. Both were beautiful, and neither was on her side. She frowned and stared at the controls instead.

“I didn’t say we’re prioritizing anything. I’m saying we need to act strategically.”

Zoey’s hand gripped the edge of her seat. “Strategic doesn’t mean ignoring the people who need us.”

Lux inhaled sharply, the air in the cockpit thick with the heat of their argument and the intensity of the fire below. She felt the weight of Zoey’s words, the concern and urgency they carried. But she also knew the reality of the situation they were in.

“Look,” Lux said, we’ll scan the area for survivors, but we can’t lose sight of the bigger problem. The fire is moving fast. We have to be faster.”

Zoey’s eyes softened slightly, but her resolve remained. “I get that. But I need you to understand those people are counting on us. We can’t fail them.”

Lux exhaled, the tension between them crackling like the fire below. “I know that. But you need to trust me on this. I’ve done this before. We can do both, but we need to be smart about it.”

Zoey’s gaze met hers, and for a moment, the intensity of the fire below was matched by the heat in Zoey’s eyes.

“Fine,” Zoey said finally. “But if I see anyone down there, we’re going in. No arguments.”

Lux nodded, a part of her relieved that they had reached some kind of agreement, even if it was a fragile one. “No arguments.”

8

ZOEY

The constant thrum of the helicopter’s blades was a dull ache in Zoey’s ears as she leaned forward, eyes fixed on the expanding fire line below. The flames were relentless, tearing through dry brush and timber like a predator on the hunt.

The fire’s orange glow was bright, even in the harsh light of midday, and casted long shadows across the rocky terrain they hovered over.

Zoey clenched her jaw, anxiety twisting her gut into knots. “It’s moving too fast,” she muttered, more to herself than to Lux, who sat beside her in the cockpit. “If the wind keeps up like this, we’re going to lose the entire section.”

Lux’s gaze was locked on the same burning horizon. “We can’t let it get into that rocky terrain. If it does, we won’t have a chance of containing it. The ground teams can’t navigate those rocks.”

Zoey knew she was right. The rocky terrain ahead was treacherous—steep and filled with boulders the size of cars. If the fire spread into that area, it would be nearly impossible tocontrol, and they would have to wait for it to burn itself out. That could take days, and the damage would be catastrophic.

“We don’t have enough air support,” Zoey said. “If we get too close, we’ll be putting everyone in danger. We can’t afford to lose the helicopter.”

Lux turned to look at her, and Zoey felt a strange jolt in her chest at the intensity of Lux’s gaze. “We need to go in closer,” Lux said. “We need to hit it hard before it spreads any farther.”

Zoey shook her head. “That’s reckless. We need to hold it back long enough for the ground teams to get the campers and hunters out. They’re still evacuating.”

“We’ve got to think bigger than that, Zoey. If we don’t stop this fire now, it’s going to keep spreading, and there won’t be anything left to save. The ground teams can handle the evacuation. We need to focus on the fire.”

Zoey bristled at the suggestion. It wasn’t just about the fire; it was about the people on the ground. Their safety had to come first. “You’re not listening,” she said, her tone sharper than she intended. “If we go in too close and something goes wrong, we could crash. We can’t help anyone if we’re dead.”

Lux didn’t back down. “I know it’s risky, but we have to try. If we don’t stop it here, it’s going to spread into the next valley. And then we’re looking at a full-scale disaster.”

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