Page 68 of Hot Zone

“Are you there now?”

“Yeah, I thought you might want to come.”

“You thought right. I’ll be there in a few.”

“That didn’t sound good,” Hawk said.

“No, it wasn’t. The arsonist struck again… at the fire school this time.” I wasn’t sure what to make of that. It was the first fire that hadn’t been in our service area.

“That doesn’t seem to fit the pattern you’d laid out for us.” I could tell Hawk’s brain was spinning with ideas.

“It doesn’t. Up to now, every fire has been in Station sixty-nine’s service area, but this one isn’t even in the city limits.”

“So what does it have in common with Station sixty-nine?”

“I don’t know. A few of the guys went to school there, and I used to teach there.”

“Didn’t you just teach a class out there on arson?”

“Yeah, a couple weeks ago. Fuck, do you think I’m the link? Are all these fires targeted at me? They did start shortly after I made chief.”

“Could it be a firefighter? Maybe someone who wanted your job?”

“No, at least no one from Station sixty-nine. I would bet my life on it.”

“Well then, I hope you’re right because that might be just what you’re doing.” He waved at Polly, and she came over.“We’re gonna have to run, sorry. Can you get us some take-out containers, please?”

“You don’t have to leave.”

“Yeah, I do. We both know that arsonists like to hang around and watch the carnage, so you need someone to watch your back at the scene just to be safe.”

We packed up our food, and then we both piled into my truck. It didn’t take us long to get there, so there were still fire trucks on-scene when we arrived, but Fox was waiting outside for us.

“I think you two know each other,” I said.

“Yeah, Hawk, right? From TBT?”

“That’s right. We did a system for you a week or so ago.” Hawk stuck out his hand, and he and Fox shook.

“So, how bad is it?” I asked.

“It’s not too bad. The fire suppression system kicked in and put it out before it did too much damage.”

“Where did it start?”

“There were multiple points of origin just like before,” Fox said.

“And you’re sure it’s him?”

“I’m sure. Here.” He handed me his tablet. “Watch that. It’s the security feed from the school. It isn’t great, but it told us enough.”

I pressed play and watched as a familiar-looking character in aSteelershoodie walked down the hall of the school. He had the hood up, so I couldn’t make out any details, but between the shirt and the way the guy moved, I knew Fox was right; it was our guy.

“Well, shit. Hawk pointed out that it might not be a coincidence that I’d been teaching here recently and that the fires started right after I made chief.” I shook my head. The thought that maybe this was about me was hard to wrap my brain around.

“Yeah, that had occurred to me, but we don’t know anything for sure. But, like Hawk said, it would be quite a coincidence, and I don’t really believe in coincidences.”

I looked over at Hawk. “Do you think Mars is safe?”

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