Page 8 of Hot Zone

“Shit,” I said as we arrived at our destination.

“What is it? Do you know this house?” Fox asked. “It isn’t one of ours, is it?”

“No, but someone I know lives here.”

An older gentleman was standing out front, so I hopped out and hurried to him.

“Are you the one who called it in?”

“I am. I live across the street. I saw the smoke and called it in.”

“Do you know if anyone was home?”

“I don’t think so. I saw the car leave like normal around nine.”

“Okay, thanks.” That was good anyway. He lived alone, so if he left for work, the house should be empty.

I stalked back over to the pick-up and watched as the engine pulled in and the crew started pouring out. I pulled out my phone and dialed Steven’s number.

“Hey, Dad,” he answered.

“Steven, I need you to call Mars. His house is on fire.”

Mars

This had been the strangest day. Kismet had been acting odd even before we left the house, prowling around like an anxious tiger. She’d settled down when we first arrived at the shop, but she still wasn’t acting like herself. The rest of the day started out like always. I fixed myself a cup of tea and took a seat to pull some cards and do a reading for my day.

The first card I pulled was the Tower card, which isn’t bad in and of itself, but it was followed by the Three of Swords, which was concerning. Those two together indicated major upheaval and possibly even loss.

I flipped over the third card and laughed. The Ace of Cups. Upheaval, loss, and a new relationship. That all tracked since I had the worst luck in love, but that wasn’t anything I didn’t already know.

I’d stared at them for a minute. That reading should have been complete, but I strongly felt like I needed one more card. “Okay,” I said out loud. “What else do I need to know?” I flipped overanother card and laughed. The Sun, which was basically good fortune and happiness.

Now I knew the universe was punking me because good fortune and happiness weren’t for me, no matter what the cards said.

I put the cards away, finished my tea, and got to work, but the reading had left me a little off balance. Like there was something there that I needed to be aware of. When Ziva came in, I told her I needed a minute and went into the healing room to meditate.

I lit my copal resin and went through my normal ritual before sitting down. I took a few deep breaths, focusing on each inhale and exhale. I repeated my mantra over and over in my head.I am healthy, I am happy, all things work in my favor. I am healthy, I am happy, all things work in my favor.When I was done, I slowly opened my eyes and took a minute to check in with myself. A peaceful sense of calm had settled in my spirit. Something was definitely coming, but whatever it was, I’d be fine.

I tried to hold on to that feeling. The one that said Iwouldbe fine, not the one that said something was coming, and luckily, we were pretty busy all day, so I didn’t really have time to dwell on it.

“What are we doing for lunch?” Ziva asked.

“I don’t know, what sounds—”

The door flew open, interrupting what would no doubt be our normal back and forth with neither of us having a preference until one of us got annoyed and picked something.

Steven stood there wide-eyed. “Mars, my dad just called me. They are at your house. It’s on fire.”

“My house is on fire?” Of course it was. I closed my eyes and pictured the Tower card. Yep, there’s the upheaval. “Umm, okay, I guess I need to go, Ziva. Fuck, where are my car keys?”

“Don’t worry about them. I’m driving. Just come on.” Steven grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door.

It was a short drive from my shop to the house I rented on San Jose Street, but I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing.In with the positive, out with the negative. I was striving for peace and radical acceptance of whatever happened, and it worked, at least it did, until we pulled up to find a fire truck, an ambulance, and three police cars with lights flashing parked in front of my burning house.

I hopped out of Steven’s car and rushed towards the house, but not too close. I didn’t have anything important in there. Besides, even if I did, it wasn’t like I was arun into a burning buildingkind of guy. I just needed to get close enough to see what was happening.

Steven’s dad, Samuel, was standing there in front of the fire truck, shouting out commands to the men who were trying tosave my house. There were two hoses stretched out across the lawn as the firefighters attacked the blaze from multiple angles.

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