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A Life in Constant Flux

Chapter 2

Eliot had started by wandering up to the police line and asking what had happened. A police officer had responded without turning his head away from the fire. The current theory was vandals had started the fire in the next building over, but this structure was the latest casualty. Eliot asked if anyone had been spotted in the building. The police officer shrugged, no one that they were aware of, the building was an abandoned storage facility. The only person that they had brought out this way was a cute little blond thing that had been wandering down toward an alley. She'd watched from behind the police line here for a few minutes before wandering off.

Eliot knew a fitting description of Parker when he heard one. And he also knew she was crazy enough to go inside that mess if there was something in there she wanted. He wasn't sure what that thing was, but the way Parker had fled back here without any concern for covering her steps made him suspect that she was here to save something from inside this building that was rapidly going down in flames.

So Eliot had flashed one of his fake badges that Hardison had made of him and slipped between the police barriers. He'd stolen a firefighter's uniform and protective gear off one of the trucks and plowed his way between fire hoses and ladders and voices screaming over the flames for more reinforcements. He finally stopped at the door that led to Parker's living quarters.

As the smoke thickened he donned the helmet and respirator and squinted through the haze. This side of the building wasn't aflame on the outside yet, but smoke poured out from underneath the rather inconspicuous grey door, not a good sign for whatever lay on the other side.

He shook his head and tried the door only to find it locked. He backed up a pace, threw a hard shoulder into the door and watched it crumple inward as he stepped inside. It was painfully bright, flames licking at the edge of his vision. The floor was scattered with debris being devoured by blankets of fire. He carefully navigated his way toward the corner where Parker kept most of her stuff, calling up the memory of the last time he'd come in here.

He slipped the respirator off so that it wouldn't muffle his voice. "Parker! You in here?"

There was no answer but he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He snapped his head in that direction to watch a figure disappear behind a wall of smoke.

He snarled and lumbered in that direction beneath the weight of the protective gear. He stole another breath of real air out of the respirator before pushing it to the side again, the smoke searing his throat. "Parker! Whatever's here isn't worth your life. Let's go!"

Over the roaring of the flames he heard the sound of someone roughly rummaging around frantically.

He plodded forward, around debris and flames until he was standing next to an overturned chair and several drawers that had been pulled out of their dresser and discarded across the floor. Parker was on her stomach pulling things out from under the bed. He watched her frame shake as she was wracked with a series of harsh coughs. With one hand she held a piece of fabric over her nose and mouth to try to filter out the smoke, with the other she kept rifling through her possessions, no doubt looking for whatever item had drawn her in here despite the danger. She flinched as a piece of flaming paper fluttered through the air and settled on her shoulder. It smoked for a moment as it burrowed down through her shirt and met skin. She cried out as she brushed at the shoulder with one hand until she dislodged the stationary, but the damage had been wrought, he could see the burned, pinked flesh.

This had gone on long enough. He trudged forward and scooped her off the ground, arms wrapped around her waist.

She snarled. "Get off! I need to find it!"

He braced his muscles as she started squirming, clawing and kicking like a crazed animal.

"Parker, calm down. It's Eliot. We need to get out of here, this building's not gonna last much longer."

As if to highlight the point, a support beam to their left started to emit a sickening groan and began teetering to the left.

His words did absolutely nothing to pacify her resistance. "Let go!"

A fist pounded against the side his neck, taking him by surprise for a moment. But his grip didn't waver and he began walking the two of them out toward the exit.

He had thought that with distance from her possessions, when Parker actually looked around to see the maelstrom that surrounded them and the true danger they were in, she'd realize the importance of escaping while they had the chance. Her audible complaints stopped; perhaps she realized the futility in arguing with Eliot. But her aggression didn't die down in the least bit. Eliot found her almost escaping from his grip twice as he moved them away, but each time he readjusted his grip, braced his muscles against her small frame, and trudged onward.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he passed from the building into the alley way and down the road. The danger finally behind them, he started surveying Parker for damage. She was breathing heavily, straining against the smoke inhalation she had been exposured to. Her fighting died down as they moved out toward the emergency vehicles but her gaze never left the building. Not as they moved away, not as he set her down. The only reaction she did give in those few silent moments was when the building shuddered and the roof collapsed downward, flattening the side of the building she'd called her own. Her body shook in response, trembling slightly. He could've sworn he saw tears streak a path through the soot and down along her cheek, but he chalked those up to the smoke burning her eyes. Parker didn't cry, he'd never seen her cry. Until tonight at least.

He sighed as he released his grip on her, although he hovered just inches away in case she made a dash for it. She was wheezing now, her lungs sucking in all the oxygen they could get.

"Eliot, where are you guys?"

It was Nate's voice in his ear. He'd completely forgotten about the comm.

"We're at the entrance to the alley between Parker's building and the-" he looked around for some indication of what the other building was, his eyes zeroing in on a faded sign with chipped paint. "Between Parker's place and Cosset's Fishery."

"We'll be there ASAP for a pick-up. Have you two ready to move."

He took a closer look at Parker. She still hadn't spoken; her eyes were fixed on the flaming building. He took off his helmet, placing it on the ground next to him.

She hunched forward as another round of coughs went through her.

Eliot shook his head and went to press his respirator up to her face, only to have her bat it away.

"Leave me alone. I don't need your help."

But he wouldn't be thwarted. He held it there, not forcing it on her, just waiting patiently as her eyes dart between his face and the device he held in his hand.

"You're suffering some smoke inhalation. You need the oxygen."

Ultimately her shortness of breath won out and she nodded, allowing him to place the mask over her face. He looked to the rest of her body next, finding a few more small burns besides the one on the shoulder, although that one was the worst of it.

By the time the sound of the car engine interrupted them he had pretty much decided she was going to be ok with some follow-up care at their place. A hospital wouldn't be needed. He nodded as Nate hopped out of the car to help Eliot move Parker into Hardison's vehicle.

As Nate went to shut the door on them in the back seat Eliot pressed a list into Nate's hand, a list of equipment he needed lifted off one of the ambulances out front. Nate gave a quick nod and shut the door as their pulled away from the curb. Eliot kept his eye on Parker. She had scooted over to the other side of the car, as far away as she could physically get from Eliot while she was confined in the same vehicle. He observed that her gaze never left the burning building until they had turned the corner and it was out of sight.

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