Chapter 48 I'm the Firestarter Twisted Firestarter

Cade walked into the fire house on the east side of town. He rarely worked over at the East End Station; he was always at North End or Central. But it was nice to work at Engine Co. 28 where he got his start all those years ago, before he was a fixture over at Engine Co. 23. Looking over the two large fire trucks in the station, he nodded and carried his gear and overnight bag towards the company office. East End, unlike North End had two companies in it, Engine 28 and Truck 26, so there were a lot of people in the station, not unlike working at Central Station which was the largest station.

He knocked on the door to the Engine Company's office and waited until he was called in. Cade looked across the desk at Lieutenant Hyde, one of the officers that originally trained him when he had gotten onto the force.

"They haven't retired you yet?" Cade asked.

"They haven't fired your ass yet?" Hyde asked.

"I'm sorry to hear about your brother," Cade said.

"Well, he lived a good life and fought hard, but the cancer finally got him."

Cade nodded, "Just like it got Darcey."

"So I have your big ass on the tail of my engine tonight? You know the drill. you're in hydrant so, just make sure I have water."

Cade nodded, and grabbed his stuff. He placed his gear on the engine and he headed into the crew quarters, which were shared with the Truck Company. He dumped his bag on the chair and looked for someone he knew that was senior.

"Moore," Cade said, "Where is the open bunk?"

"Hey," the guy said, "Over by the window, when we heard you were coming we gave you the window because we know you like it."

Cade nodded and walked into the bunkroom. He got his bunk set and headed out to the kitchen to see what house chores he had to do today. That was when he heard the roaring of the crew. Cade smiled, it should be a good night with a lively crew.

When he came into the dayroom, he was shocked to see who was leading the chaos. Jake Jagielski, someone he would never suspect for being in the center of the joking. Jake was always just so laid back, not the joking around type. He was never that way at any other station he worked.

"Hey look its iron face Burke. Why did the Chief send such an old man down here?" Jake asked.

"Simple, he wanted you guys to see a real firefighter."

"There are five in this room," Jake shot back.

"Yeah, there are some pretty good firefighters in this room, and some good men."

"Are you counting yourself, Red?" Jake asked.

"I would have to if there were five Jake, since after what I saw you do the other night, you wouldn't be counted as a man."

There were ooo's coming from the group of people standing and sitting in the room. Jake looked at Cade and shook his head.

"What would you know about that, Cade?" Jake asked.

"Considering I was there."

"As I said, what would you know?"

"You attacked a pregnant woman, something I would report that you knew she was pregnant."

The rest of the crew looked at Jake and started to walk away.

"It's your word against mine, and her husband punched me."

"What are you a three year old, Jake? If you don't believe me talk to Lieutenant Mortelli over at Engine Twenty-one; he was the one who responded to the call."

Jake shook his head, "You're an ass, Cade. What happened to the belief in brotherhood and never stabbing a brother in the back?"

"What happened to the value of representing this uniform even when you are out of the uniform?"

Jake suddenly grabbed his forehead, and bent over in pain. Everyone was silent, and the he straightened himself up. He noticed the crew was starting to distance themselves from him. This had happened before, Cade's instincts told him, and they were starting to pull away from him and fear him. Not good for a functioning crew.

"Oh! You're one to talk Mister High and Mighty! Mister Abandons a Daughter, Mister Know It All; you know how many of those Burke maxims I've heard? If you're so smart, Cade, why are you still a Grade A firefighter; and not a Lieutenant or a Captain, in this department?"

"That's simple Jake, very simple, because someone has to keep young punks like you in line and what it means to be a firefighter."

"Whatever, I've done well since we've separated, I've blossomed."

Cade shook his head, "Have you?"

Jake threw up his hands and walked out of the room. Cade walked into the kitchen and looked at the job board.

"Now who am I?" Cade asked.

Jake ended up in the locker room and stumbled into the bathroom. First comes the hea aches, then comes the violent flashes, Jake remembered. He collapsed into a stall, next would come the disorientation and then the dizziness. Falling face down into the toilet, finally came the vomiting. With that he blew his wad, and his lunch came out of him. When the first wave ended, he thought about it and shook his head, this is becoming too much of a regular thing. Yet, he still kept telling himself it was nothing.