LONDON'S BURNING
Inner Eye
Thunderous clouds hovered over Blackwall, threatening rain. Adam Benjamin found himself gazing out of the window in the Mess. In the distance he could see plumes of grey smoke billowing into the sky. He longed to join the rest of Blue Watch in the thick of the action, but today he had been assigned to the ALP, and at present they were not needed to deal with the scrap yard fire.
Rob Sharpe was also in the station, not feeling very "hyper" at the moment as his partner (of the male variety – not that it made any difference) had just left him. He wasn't great at all the feelings and emotions stuff. It would be better if everyone was a mind reader…
"Anything interesting happening?" Hyper asked, as he joined Adam at the window.
"Nah," Adam replied, not shifting his gaze.
Hyper didn't seem too interested in the view the window had to offer. "Tea?" he asked.
"Sure," Adam was still transfixed by what he could see of the shout.
Which, to be fair, wasn't much.
Hyper busied himself in the kitchen. "Reckon they'll be appointing a new cook soon?" he wondered allowed.
Adam shrugged.
Since Maggie had left, they had not had the best record for keeping station cooks at Blackwall. The first replacement used to work in a school – it became obvious after she had cooked their first meal! Then there was Lila, who only wanted the job because of her fascination about men in uniform, her cooking abilities left a lot to be desired.
"They're looking for ways to save money…" Hyper continued, then realised he was talking to himself as Adam was more interested in the scrap yard fire miles away from them.
He continued with the tea making.
"I don't suppose you fancy a night out sometime?" Hyper asked casually.
"Hmmn?" Adam failed to be distracted.
"I was just wondering, a club or something?"
"Yeah, whatever… hold on…" Adam finally gave his full attention. "With you?"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Like a date…"
"Don't be daft!"
Adam grinned. "I can't, mate, I've got plans."
"You always have plans, what is it this time?"
Adam was always trying some scam or other, whether it was to make money or get a girl, it usually had some sort of catch.
"You're not chasing that gypsy girl?" Hyper guessed, as Adam had shown a keen interest in a girl at a shout they had just returned from.
"She was all right, and she wasn't a gypsy!"
"She was weird!" Hyper cut in.
Her flat had been on fire, or so her neighbours thought. Shadbrook had been dealing with it and Blackwall's ALP had been called out. But by the time Adam and Hyper arrived, Steve Prentiss was on hand to explain the situation.
"It's just a misunderstanding," the girl was at his side.
"Really? Heavy smoker are you?" Steve retorted.
"Well no, it's not smoke… well it is… but it isn't…"
"What's going on?" Hyper wondered as the ALP pulled up.
"Someone saw smoke in one of the flats," Steve explained. "Turns out it was a special effects machine!"
"It's not special effects," the girl tried to cut in.
She was much shorter than Steve as she stood next to him trying to argue her case. She looked to be in her mid twenties but dressed much older, displaying a full collection of various bangles and earrings.
"It was magic," she tried to tell him for what seemed like the thousandth time. "I was looking into the future. I have the Inner Eye."
"Yeah right," Steve didn't believe her. "I'm going to call the police," he informed Hyper. "You don't need to hang around."
"No!" the girl tried to stop him. "You can't, bad things will happen."
"Like you getting arrested for wasting our time?"
"No, I mean…" she grabbed his arm to stop him getting back into the appliance. "Look Mister, one of you is in mortal danger, I saw it, the crystal ball never lies!"
"Mortal danger eh?" Steve scoffed.
"Yes."
"Like what?"
"Well, I don't know cos you interrupted me! The smoke is part of it…"
Steve just rolled his eyes, totally unconvinced. "I suggest you do your smoke generating outside in future!"
"It's not… oh never mind," the girl gave up trying to explain and stormed off in a huff.
Adam and Hyper had witnessed the disagreement as they climbed back into the ALP.
"Do you reckon there could be something in that?" Adam wondered, looking in the direction the girl had taken back towards the flats.
"Nah, you don't believe that stuff do you?" Hyper wondered.
"I had my palm read once."
"And what did that say?"
"That I was going to live a long and happy life."
"Oh well, we can't dispute that then!"
Adam grinned.
They drove back to Blackwall.
The clouds had finally lost control of the raindrops, which were now hitting the ground so hard they bounced up again. The plumes of smoke from the scrap yard however, failed to be deterred.
Hyper had moved to the Watch Room to keep track on the comings and goings to the scrap yard. More crews were being brought in. Adam joined him as the bells went down.
"This is it," Hyper took the print out.
"No rest for the wicked!" Adam grinned.
"Speak for yourself!" Hyper called after him as he followed Adam towards the ALP.
They headed for the scrap yard.
DO Griggs surveyed the scene of the fire controlling the scrap yard. A BA team emerged from the cloud of smoke as if they were just appearing from some sort of time warp.
Geoff Pearce took off his BA mask as he greeted ADO Coleman and DO Griggs. "We couldn't find him," Geoff reported on the missing workman they had been sent to find amongst the carnage.
Next to him, Recall also pulled off his BA set.
"What about Green and Fields?" Griggs questioned.
"No word yet," Hi-Ho replied from his position on the BA board. "Would you like me to contact them?"
"Get a progress update, Hi-Ho," Coleman told him.
George Green led the way into the pile of accumulated junk in search of a guy who had been trying to salvage something as a car battery exploded sparking off a chain of events leading to where they were now. Sally Fields was immediately behind him.
"You got anything yet George?" she asked, trying to look over his shoulder.
"Nah, 'e probably ain't even 'ere!"
There was a call from Hi-Ho on the radio, George reported back that they had not found anything. Griggs insisted they continue the search. They were right underneath countless scrapped cars now, digging a small tunnel and trying not to topple any of the perfectly balanced lumps of metal above them.
The fire itself had taken over the small Portacabin, which had been containing a cocktail of strange ingredients to feed the fire. Car batteries and aerosols were amongst them, plus the cabin was made of timber. More smoke filled the yard than anything, it had become thick and black now. It was anyone's guess as to what the fire had now found to devour.
They continued to search as more appliances arrived outside. Suddenly, George spotted something. He stopped so abruptly that Sally walked into him.
"There!" he pointed.
She looked to see what could be a man's leg sticking out from behind one of the severely crushed cars on the bottom of the pack. The leg was wearing blue overalls with a black boot attached to the bottom.
"That's him," she was certain as they made their careful approach.
"They've found him," Hi-Ho relayed the news to Coleman and Griggs as, inside the scrap heap, George and Sally worked to free the trapped man.
Adam and Hyper had arrived on the scene to find the fire was now under control. Although thick smoke still billowed skywards.
"Ever get the feeling you've missed the party?" Adam moaned.
"Maybe you should turn up earlier!" Recall grinned.
"We were held up by a fortune teller," Adam explained.
"Oh yeah?" Recall raised his eyebrows. "What did they have to say?"
"A load of bollocks," Hyper muttered.
"She reckons someone is in danger…" Adam started.
"Oh it was a she, was it!" Recall didn't need any further explanation for Adam's keenness to tell the story.
Their moment of light humour was interrupted as the pile of scrap cars towering above them began to sway dangerously.
"Look out!" Hi-Ho had spotted them.
He reached for the radio, but it was too late.
The tower toppled over, everyone tried to take cover from the shower of metal, which mixed with the slowly easing rain. Hi-Ho dived out of the way as an old Ford Escort plummeted to the ground where he had been standing.
He recovered and looked around. There was no sign of George and Sally. He reached for the radio, but there was no response.
In seconds, the falling cars subsided, few were left still standing. Griggs, Coleman, Hyper, Adam and Recall tried to take in the scene as the smoke began to clear and reveal the level of destruction that lay before them.
Everyone fell silent as Hi-Ho tried to call George again. He was met with more silence.
A short time passed and still there had been no word. Griggs was about to dispatch a rescue team when they heard more creaking noises from the pile of old cars. They all spun round, preparing for yet another collapse, but instead Sally emerged after throwing a car door from her path. She looked up to find everyone's eyes on her.
"Is this a welcoming committee!"
Behind her, George also emerged and together they lifted the unconscious man free from the debris.
Adam glanced at Hyper. "What were you saying about mortal danger bollocks!"
Hyper shrugged. "Coincidence."
Adam grinned. "Yeah, whatever you say, mate!"