Page 58 of Phoenix Rising

“What’s the current status of the evacuation efforts?” she asked.

Becky shook her head, her expression reflecting the urgency of their predicament. “The evacuations are underway, but the roads are becoming increasingly impassable. The weather is making it difficult to get people out in time.”

Together, Lucinda and Becky worked tirelessly to coordinate the response. The EOC became a command center for managing the escalating crisis, and every decision was crucial. Lucinda was responsible for overseeing the medical supplies and setting up a triage area, while Becky focused on managing the evacuation and coordinating with the media.

The hours dragged on as they dealt with the mounting pressures of the disaster. Despite their exhaustion, the shared goal of navigating the crisis kept them focused. The personal issues that hadonce stood between them were momentarily set aside as they worked side by side.

As the days progressed, the storm’s fury showed no signs of abating. The rain continued to fall, and the floodwaters rose steadily. Lucinda’s concern grew as the situation worsened. The possibility of the dam breaking became a looming threat that they could no longer ignore.

One afternoon, as Lucinda took a brief respite in the break room, she received an urgent call from Becky. “Lucinda, we need to discuss the dam’s status,” Becky said, her voice carrying a note of apprehension. “It’s showing signs that it might breach within the next few hours.”

The news hit Lucinda like a physical blow. The thought of the dam failing and unleashing a catastrophic flood was a nightmare scenario. She hurried back to the EOC, where Becky and the team were already preparing for the worst.

The storm raged on, and the minutes seemed to stretch into hours. Lucinda busied herself with coordinating hospital resources, trying to keep her mind off the looming disaster. Every so often, she would catch a glimpse of Becky across the room, her presence a steady reminder that even in the midst of a crisis, they were tethered together.

As the hours passed, the EOC became a hive of activity. City officials, emergency response teams, and hospital staff moved with urgency, preparing for the worst. The rain continued to pour, and with each passing moment, the tension in the room thickened.

By evening, the roads leading out of the city were completely flooded, leaving the EOC cut off from the rest of the city. Lucinda stood by the large windows, watching as the water levels rose in the parking lot, the streets outside turning into rivers.

"We’re trapped here," she muttered to herself, though she knew it wasn’t entirely true. The EOC was fortified and equipped to handle situations like this. But the thought of being isolated in this building, with only Becky and a handful of city officials, made her stomach twist.

She turned away from the window just as Becky approached again, her face grim.

"They’ve shut down the roads," Becky said. "No one’s getting in or out tonight."

Lucinda nodded. "We’ll have to hunker down here for now."

Becky’s gaze lingered on her, something unreadable in her expression. "How are you holding up?"

Lucinda hesitated. It was a simple question, but the weight of it hit her harder than she expected. "I’m fine," she said, her voice quieter than before. "Just…trying to focus on the job."

Becky took a step closer, her fingers grazing the back of Lucinda's hand. "We’re doing the best we can."

"I know," Lucinda replied, her voice tight. She looked away, trying to focus on the maps and reports scattered across the table, but the proximity of Becky made it hard to think clearly.

"Lucinda," Becky said softly, her tone shifting, "I know we agreed to take things slow, but...I just need you to know I'm here. I know this isn’t the time, but I don’t want us to keep pretending we’re just colleagues."

Lucinda's chest tightened at the words. She had been avoiding this conversation for weeks, afraid that if they acknowledged their feelings, everything would come rushing back too fast. But now, standing here with Becky, surrounded by chaos, it felt impossible to keep running.

Lucinda wrapped her arms around Becky's waist, Becky's hand cradling the back of Lucinda's head.

"I'm scared," Lucinda admitted.

"Me too," Becky agreed.

They stood there in the dim light of the EOC, the sounds of the storm outside fading into the background as the reality of their situation settled between them. There was no easy fix to what had broken between them, no magic words that would erase the pain of the past. But in this moment, they weren’t just two professionals trying to save a city; they were two people who cared about each other deeply, trying to find comfort in one another.

Lucinda's heart raced as she looked up at Becky, her eyes searching for some reassurance, some sign that they could do this.

"We’ll figure this out," Becky said, her voice steady. "One step at a time."

Lucinda nodded, her throat tight with emotion. "Yeah. One step at a time."

They stood there in the quiet of the EOC, holding on to each other as the storm raged outside, knowing that whatever came next—whether it was the floodwaters or the challenges of their relationship—they would face it together.

The storm that would soon envelop Phoenix Ridge in flood water was not a sudden event. It had been building over weeks, a relentless and unforgiving force that nature had been brewing forsome time. The city, known for its usually temperate climate, was now under siege by an unprecedented weather system.

As the hours ticked by, the tension in the EOC was almost unbearable. The floodwaters outside continued to rise, and the situation became increasingly precarious. Lucinda and Becky worked side by side, their focus unwavering despite the mounting stress.

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