Page 259 of Wrong Pucking Jersey

“That wasn’t the reason why I joined the fire department. That wasn’t why I trained long and hard in the gym, doing all those reps and weight-lifting sessions to be able to carry people double or triple my size to safety. My objective was to save those who needed it, and I wanted to do that with my peers who saw the same vision. That was the problem, though. None of the older staff who had been in the department had that vision. They had families to return to. Graduations to attend. Lives to continue living when we’re not running into burning fires. Those similar to me didn’t last long before they switched departments, but that doesn’t break the cycle happening here and now. It doesn’t change these men who don’t wish to change their way of thinking.”

“You wanted to make them see how wrong their views are,” I whisper.

“It’s why I stubbornly stayed, even though I’d had enough. It didn’t matter, though. That night, I rushed back in to get the kid, helping my colleague lift the woods. He had to hold them with his shoulders while I crawled in to get the child, who was curled up and waiting for death. When I grabbed the kid, he told me to head out first because it would take a minute or two for him to slowly lower the woods without trapping himself in the same position as the kid. If even one person had come with me, I could have helped him remove the woods in a way that would free him. Then we could all run out together, but I had to go down numerous flights of burning stairs to get the child out. By the time I handed the child to the paramedics, I had turned around to watch the building cave.”

He pauses and looks at his sling.

“His agonizing scream being cut off is the last we heard of him.”

“I’m sorry, Maddox,” I whisper, fighting tears.

“There were no repercussions? No punishment?” Wolfgang questioned.

“Nope.” He actually laughs. “When the public doesn’t get to hear what truly happens, it stays in the file that gets placed in the archives, just in case you need legal evidence to confirm the deceased. Even if it reached the public, Strattonville was still stubborn as hell. They would bring up the mere idea he was gay and brush it under the rug as if his life didn’t matter.”

Maddox lifts his head to look at us once more.

“That’s why when I saw the same chief, I remembered what had occurred five years ago. The distraught and sadness I carried for failing my colleague. I couldn’t see the same thing happen again, especially to someone I love,” he admits as he looks my way. “I’d die if it meant I got my Baby Girl out. That’s all that mattered to me at the moment. However, I won’t deny, such actions have consequences, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m kicked off the team.”

“They won’t kick you off.”

We turn our heads to the door to see Damien and Ace, both of them carrying bags of food.

“We brought lunch,” Ace announces. “That hospital food is garbage.”

“Glad to see you two are awake,” Damien approves.

“Hey,” I greet them as they enter the room.

We exchange more greetings before the room is set up to have us all eat Chinese cuisine.

“They’ll have to give me some sort of punishment,” Maddox brings up after we’ve eaten a bit. Damien helps him eat a good portion of his food, and Wolfgang ends up helping me when my arms and hands get too tired.

“Who’s going to punish the Strattonville Hero and Captain of the Strattonville Vipers for punching the Captain of Saskatchewan Pincers for tackling and attempting to stop you from saving the woman you love?” Ace questions before biting into a sushi roll. He chews on it before putting it to the side of his cheek to continue. “Iris managed to get the full clip. It’s gotten sixty million views.”

I almost choke on my rice.

“SIXTY what?!” I gasp. “Views?

“Yup,” Damien emphasizes. “It’s strictly on Puckbunnymoscow’s page. There’s a new function that’s now stopping people from recording footage and reposting it, so you can only share. The news stations have been blowing up her phone to get permission to use the clip for their reports. It’s the only way they can share and talk about it with footage.”

“That’s a blessing and a curse, I guess,” Ace notes.

“For Iris?” I ask.

“No. For Jayce,” Ace reveals. “Jayce and Oscar were both arrested shortly after the incident.”

“What?!” That has me and Maddox stunned as we exclaim the single word and obvious surprise.

“Hold on. The police think Jayce is behind the fire?” I question. “And text messages to Wolfgang?”

Jayce may be desperate to succeed, but I can’t see him being so cruel.

And where does Oscar lie in all of this?

Wolfgang sighs.

“The text messages,” he begins as he looks our way. “The police investigation states they’re from a phone once registered in Jayce’s name. The problem or, I guess dilemma, that’s stopping them from charging Jayce is the same phone is now registered in Oscar’s name.”

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