Page 66 of Burning Justice

“Mile marker thirty-two. There’s a turnout on the side of the highway. You’ll be able to get on the train there.”

“We’ll be there.”

She hung up in time to see Crew, Tristan, and Crispin race over, Rio right behind them. “The smokejumpers are in trouble. Let’s go.”

Kane lay still while the fire rolled over him. Crackling. Popping. The heat in the fire shelter made him feel like a potato wrapped in foil and set in a bonfire to cook. Right about now, he was feeling medium rare.

He held still like so many times in his life when he’d been forced to hold the line. To keep steady and wait. If anyone could do it, it was these people he’d been working with all summer. We can do this. Their team was solid.

Still, he hummed “Amazing Grace,” trying to keep his thoughts focused. He was all the way at the last verse, that slight sound coming from his lips, while in his mind he sang the words at full volume as if he were alone in a small country church.

The only one left.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow.

Or ash.

The sun forbear to shine.

In winter in Alaska, at least—though this far south they’d have sunlight around lunchtime. It probably felt to the locals as if they lived in darkness.

But God.

Oh boy. That was a whole sermon in itself. But God. Wasn’t that always, forever, how things began, how they continued each day, steady as the turning of the earth? And how they would come to completion. Those two words set everything to rights.

In his heart.

In the world.

In You, Lord.

He focused his thoughts and kept humming.

But God, who called me here below, will be forever mine.

Forever Yours. Kane had made that choice years ago, the same day his cousin Ridge had made that pledge. They’d given their lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Because how else were they going to have peace in their hearts and hope for the best kind of future?

The alternative wasn’t worth considering.

Like Peter had said to Jesus: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” He had the words of eternal life, and none other. Where else was Kane supposed to find peace and healing? He hadn’t found it.

He’d found Jesus.

No, Jesus had found him.

The distant rumble of an engine broke through his thoughts. Enough Kane braced. He thought he heard someone shout, but didn’t hear more. The retardant plane had made it here after all.

Liquid hit the fire shelter, the sensation like a pile of rocks being dropped on him. The chemical that would protect them and dissolve the fire right where it burned. It would keep them safe from being overcome with destruction.

Kind of like what Jesus did with him, giving him a covering, protection from what would destroy everything and leave his life in ruins.

He waited, counting. Forcing himself to stay until he knew for sure it would be safe to get up. Then he moved slowly, inch by inch.

Hot air clouded with ash particles wafted at his face.

Kane coughed, displacing the fire shelter as he sat up. Unhooked it from his feet. Shoved it to one side.

The clearing was black. Thick clouds in the air obscured everything.

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