The inside of the building was pitch black and full of smoke. This was nothing like the movies. Eyes and ears nearly useless for navigating. The earpiece in the mask allowed Edd to stay in contact with Faye, but the roaring thunder inside the building nearly deafened his senses.

This was nothing like training.

"There. Flames to the rear of the building. Lets get on it", Faye said calmly through the headset. They both moved up, when the headset rattled off another voice.

"Captain, Jackson here. Owner of the building is here. Said there were 2 custodians working the night shift, but only one clocked out. The other may still be inside. 360 Assess shows no exterior threats, but the owner advises of a small store of Ammonium Perchlorate at the rear of the building, and scattered Acetylene/Oxygen tanks for welding on the A wall".

"Shit, Goddammit. Okay, College boy, we're now on Search and Rescue. Tower 2 LT, Send me 2 truckies to assist in search. Battalion 1, Send a Second Alarm response. Jackson, send me some water, we're about to be on it." Edd thought to himself how wild it was for her to run the scene from the inside.

He had no more than finished that thought, when the bright orange light flashed in front of him.

They were on the fire. Instinct kicked in. He opened up the hose, and flared the cold streamed directly onto the light. Steam flashed up on him, and he nearly lost his footing, before Faye pushed him forward. "No retreat till we have our patient. Now push it!"

They both pushed forward on the fire, heat rising up them like a demon's claws, trying desperately to pull down another helpless soul. Every foot gained toward the rear of the building was a hard battle, and every second that their support wasn't there was an eternity. As they pushed past a machinist table, Faye leaned down, and felt the floor, searching for a body they all hoped was still alive.

"HERE! Victim Found! Trapped under Acetylene tanks, A Wall, 60 Feet in. Follow our line to us" Faye yelped in near crazed excitement. "Okay, boy, keep that flame backed up, I gotta get these tanks moved before we can do anything. Keep the hose trained, keep it from flashing, and we'll do the rest".

Edd took a knee, digging in for the fight. Every time a flame lapped up too close, he knocked it down with a jet from the line. He knew he couldn't hold it for long, though. First day material says when Perchlorate is involved, it doesn't take much to set it off. The clock was ticking. It hadn't gone yet, but it could at any minute. A biting question, though, is why this company was carrying it.

Finally, the two truckies ran in, and helped pull the tanks off. The man was clear. They quickly packed him out, and Edd and Faye made a fighting retreat.

They had no more than cleared the doorway, when the old familiar thunder fired off.

The back wall of the building was incinerated, as a fireball shot into the sky. The windows that hadn't already broken under the heat were blasted out, as 2x4's and metal plates flew through the air like construction grade missiles, landing all around like a concrete rain. The blast was so powerful, it knocked out its own fire. The roof sections that weren't blasted clear began to collapse in a domino pattern, leaving just the front and side walls standing, and a twenty feet section of roof dangling from the side of the building.

Everyone was alive. The custodian came out with just minor burns and smoke inhalation. The building was a total loss, but a small price to pay for what could have been. The tower company commenced to going through the rubble, checking for anything missed. Apparently, they were lucky. Their were 17 steel drums of Ammonium Perchlorate, but only 6 actually went up. A 4 inch steel wall had stopped the fire from setting off the other 11 drums.

Edd began to shed his gear, cooling off from the experience of his first time in. Faye pulled her airpack and jacket off, and lit another cigarette. She sat on the back of Engine 4, staring straight through the battalion Chief, at the owner of the building. Faye had questions. Many of them. Why did they store Perchlorates in a building supply unit? Why were their no fire alarms or sprinklers? Why was the owner so quick to get there?

She ran up to the owner, while he talked to the chief. Seeing her anger, he began to walk away, and Faye was ready to give chase, when Chief Masters put his arm out. "Forget it, Faye, he's already explained. He was storing the Rocket Fuel for a third party contractor that buys for the air force. It's all legal, no matter how mad it makes you".

"I'm not mad, Jeff, just hungry", she scoffed, as she took another long drag of the Red 100 hanging from her lips.

"You really gotta quit smoking. You know those things will kill you, right?" Masters said.

"Not if a fire does first", she quipped back. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I'm taking my boys off scene, making us available for next call, and getting breakfast. I'll see you on the next one." She tossed the butt of the cigarette on the ground, walked back to the truck, and called dispatch.

"FIRE-COM, Tower 2, Engine 4 Available for Callout, Returning to Quarters". She hung up the radio, and sounded the airhorn. Edd and Dixon got in the back of the cab, and Jackson put the truck in gear. They pulled off scene, and back to the station.