Page 1 of Forged By Fire

Chapter One

Firefighter Leslie Granger cast a longing look at the chocolate cream pie sitting on the counter at the fire department. She’d been ready to make the first cut when the alert went out calling both crews of Company B to respond to a fire. She could almost taste the sweet chocolate and whipped cream confection, but it would have to wait.

She slapped the cover back on the pie and slid it into the fridge before taking off at a jog.

Her friend and fellow firefighter, Danny Bracken, laughed at her. “It’ll still be here when we get back.”

The whole station knew of her love for all things chocolate, but it was Danny who claimed that, if she didn’t get her fix each day, she’d turn into some kind of monster. One he doubted any of them would want to cross.

Leslie wasn’t necessarily addicted to it, but she did eat something with chocolate most days. Still, ever since Danny’s comment, she’d made sure to bring a package of M&Ms or something similar to work each day. Wheneversomeone annoyed her, she’d make a show of pulling them out and popping a few in her mouth as though they truly were the miracle cure when it came to calming her down.

“It’d better be.”

She and the rest of Company B quickly donned their gear as Chief Menendez raised his voice to be heard over the noise. “All right, people. We’ve got a fire alarm sounding at a warehouse in the industrial district. Flames are visible. There’s also a report that someone may be trapped inside.” He turned to look at Curtis Whitman, their resident paramedic. “Whitman, you’ll be joining Company B.”

“Yes, sir.” He sprang to action, getting ready in record speed.

Leslie glanced at the clock on the wall. It was after six on a Monday evening. Hopefully, no one was in the warehouse, but there was certainly no guarantee of that. Especially considering many of the businesses in the area kept the warehouses running twenty-four hours a day over multiple shifts.

She sent up a silent prayer that everyone was safe.

The size of the building and the fact that a fire had been verified were why both the engine and ladder were being sent. There were a lot of warehouses out there, and the contents could vary greatly. It was crucial they got the fire under control as quickly as possible before something toxic caught fire or it had a chance to spread.

Lieutenant Chet Holden, the ladder company officer she reported directly to, jabbed a thumb at the truck behind him. “You heard the chief. Let’s go, people.”

They used to only have two engine companies at Station #2. But two months ago, they’d expanded and added a brand-new station and the ladder truck. Leslie consideredit an honor to be part of the new ladder company. It also meant they were closer to the southern part of town. Right now, if that weren’t the case, it would take an extra ten minutes or more for a ladder truck from another station to get to the burning warehouse.

Engineer Bryce Keyes was the first to get the rest of his equipment on and swung into the driver’s seat.

Within seconds, Leslie, Danny, Curtis, and firefighter Jin Cho were seated and ready to go. They led the way down the street, the engine and its company not far behind them.

Sirens broke the silence, announcing their approach to any vehicles up ahead. Bryce expertly steered them through the maze of roads that led them to the industrial part of town. Even before they reached the warehouses, she could see a plume of dark smoke rising into the dimming evening sky.

The chief’s voice came over the radio. “The warehouse primarily stores paper that’s manufactured in a plant nearby. The good news is, there isn’t much in the way of hazardous material to deal with. The bad news is, the entire building is basically filled with fuel to keep this monster going.”

They traveled through a parking lot and into another that bordered the warehouse. A group of people stood to the side, many of them filming the fire on their cell phones or talking into them.

One end of the gigantic structure was fully involved all the way to the roof. It was impossible to tell how much of the inside was consumed by fire.

Bryce stopped the truck, and everyone disembarked as two men ran up tothem.

“Oh, thank goodness.” The taller, older man waved at the warehouse. “We thought everyone was out, but two people are unaccounted for. Chris, one of our security guards, and Sarah, who was updating the inventory lists. They may still be inside.”

The other man, his thin hair pulled back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck, held up his cell phone. “Should I try to reach their families? See if they went home early?”

Chet stepped forward. “Please do. We’re going to send teams in to clear the area just in case they’re still in there. But if we can confirm they aren’t, then we can put more focus on putting out the fire. See if we can keep this from being a total loss.”

The rest of Company B left the fire engine and joined them. Lieutenant Robby Warren, the engine company officer, gave Chet a nod. “We’ll lay hose lines and get a water supply established.”

“I’m going to send in two teams to look for people who may not have made it out.” Chet pointed to Leslie and Danny. “Granger and Bracken, you’ll be team one. Whitman, you’re with Cho and Keyes. Once we know the situation inside, we can adjust our plans.” Chet pointed to the entrance. “Keep your heads on a swivel.”

Leslie hoped and prayed that the missing individuals would be located quickly.

The four firefighters put on the rest of their gear, including helmets and their self-contained breathing apparatuses. Once ready, they entered at the end of the warehouse opposite the visible fire. As a safety measure, the electricity had been shut off as soon as they’d arrived. Thanks to the expansiveness of the building, headlamps on their helmets were necessary.

The beams of light illuminated the darkness around them. There wasn’t much smoke at their level at first, but Leslie knew it could change quickly.

The two teams branched off, and Leslie and Danny started calling out.

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