Chapter 3

Andy and Jesse were still chattering with excitement after their 'win' against the grown-up they had never met. This new guy wasn't a firefighter…even they knew that. He didn't know beans about how to put a mask on or how to listen for a PASS alarm…if he'd gone to the Academy he'd know at least that much.

"Daddy…can we call Grandpa?" Andy asked. "And tell him how good we did?"

"We beat out old record." Jesse said.

He was right…they had shaved four seconds off their time for that drill.

"Absolutely…" Kelly said as he put them down.

He looked over at Chaddock…still handing out money to the crew. For a second he wished he wasn't an officer…so he could have got in on the wager.

He grinned as he pulled out his phone.

Andy and Jesse were both hugging him around the waist as Kelly waited for the call to go through.

"Hey…Pop! You'll never guess who just clocked two fifty-six on the "down firefighter" assessment…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After Craddock had handed out close to a grand…everyone made their way toward the common room. Mills went outside to fire up the grill and Alyssa and Gabby started to organize the rest of the dinner.

Craddock flopped down in a chair at the end of a table.

This was turning out to be a tougher gig than he had thought. He had been told he'd get technical training before they went on to shoot the pilot…but right now he was supposed to be concentrating on building his character.

The writers and the producers had described to him what they had in mind…a brash, confident guy who was the best at what he did…and he knew it. He constantly pushed the envelope and would do the jobs others might think twice about. He would do whatever he had to in order to save someone or keep his fellow firefighters safe…because he knew he could.

They also said he would battle some personal demons along the way…they hadn't decided whether it might be in the form of an injury or an addiction…and that his personal relationships would be prominently featured.

It sounded like a character with some meat to it…something he could really sink his teeth into and stretch his acting abilities further than he ever had before. It was a fantastic opportunity.

But how was he gonna get anything like that out of Lieutenant Severide? The guy must be good at his job…or else he wouldn't be in charge of a squad. But he didn't want to talk about his own experiences…he just kept saying 'watch' and 'stay out of the way'.

And he had totally shut down what could have been a hot hook-up with any one of those four girls today. Was the guy blind?

Even now…he was over by the kitchen…talking to his wife and kids. Where was the camaraderie with the men? The other men seemed okay with his wife…what was her name? Alyssa…that's it. The others seemed to know her pretty well and were okay with having her and those kids around.

Craddock watched the Lieutenant and his wife…she was kind of hot…if you liked older women. She was short…tiny…well, maybe a little thick around the middle. But she had pretty eyes and a nice smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They all sat down to dinner together.

And Craddock had to admit…the food was pretty amazing. Lieutenant Severide's wife could cook…he'd give her that.

After dinner was over he watched through the window as the Lieutenant walked his wife and kids back to the car. He picked up each boy…Andy and Jesse…but how could you tell which one was which? He hugged them and put them in the car…then he led his wife around the back…

Craddock's eyebrows went up as he watched the Lieutenant lay a kiss on his wife…

Well…at least that part might work for his character.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By his third shift with Squad 3 Craddock was ready to tear his hair out.

He'd gone on a bunch of calls…but he hadn't been able to get up close to see anything. He had no idea what actually went on inside those places. He'd gotten to know a couple of the guys…Hadley was good for a laugh…some of the younger guys on Engine were okay too.

But Capp was kind of a hard ass…and Mills was totally loyal to Lieutenant Severide. Whenever Craddock tried to talk to him, he basically spouted the party line…watch…learn…stay out of the way.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was sitting in the common room…trying to decide whether or not to go to Chief Boden and tell him this wasn't working out…maybe they could send him to a different house…

Hermann, Cruz and Otis noticed the actor sitting off in a corner.

"I'da figured you'd wanna be out at Squad's sacred table…" Hermann said, cocking his head in the direction of the apparatus room.

Squad usually sat out there…occasionally playing cards…but mostly joking around…rather than in the common room.

Craddock shrugged.

"So…uh…how's the research going?" Otis asked.

"Truth?" Craddock said. "Not so good…I thought this was gonna be something exciting…but tailing Lieutenant Severide is about as exciting as watching paint dry. I mean…what does the guy do? He goes to work…he goes home to his wife and kids. Where's the action? Where's the drama?"

"Now that's a word I never heard used to describe Lieutenant Severide…" Otis said. "Boring…"

"That man's had enough drama in his life…you could write a whole TV show on that and never run out of material…" Hermann said.

"But he hasn't said anything about that…"

"Let me tell you something…" Hermann said. "I've known Severide a long time…we all have. He doesn't let you in…just like that. He's gotta get to trust you first.

The other men nodded.

"He'll joke…he can bust balls with the best of 'em." Otis said. "But he's very private…he's had a lot of shit go on…and he'll only share that with one or two people."

"And he's one of the best men in the department…he saved my ass a time or two. Trust me…if you're in a tight spot…he's someone you want watchin' your back." Hermann added.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Craddock mulled over what the men had said.

He had talked to Chief Boden though…and Boden's face darkened when he suggested shadowing someone else.

"I'll tell you something, Morgan…" the Chief said calmly. "Lieutenant Severide's got over twenty years with this department. He was the youngest man ever promoted to Squad…and now he's been there longer than any man in the entire department. He's a decorated officer…and he's one of the best men I've ever had the pleasure of serving with. So you'd do well to stick with him."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Back in his hotel room Morgan ordered room service and opened up his laptop.

He opened up the search engine and typed "Kelly Severide" into the search bar.

Then he hit enter.

Then he hit pay dirt.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He was up all night…there were several articles about a rash of fires in the Portage Park area beginning about nine months ago…on Christmas Day. An elderly couple was trapped in their burning house and they were rescued by their next door neighbor, Lieutenant Kelly Severide of Squad 3, and his father, retired firefighter Benny Severide. There was another article about Severide getting a special commendation for rescuing those people. And it pointed out that the Lieutenant was not on duty, but rather on medical furlough recovering from a work related injury. One of the pictures accompanying that article showed Severide on crutches.

Then there was another story about three houses being burned in one night last spring…including Lieutenant Severide's. And it mentioned that a juvenile was found to be responsible for it. The article gave the names of the other families too…and it said that one was the Lieutenant's brother-in-law.

Craddock had never heard that the Lieutenant had brothers or sisters…so he took a chance and plugged "Alyssa Boungiovanni" into the search engine.

And what came up there…now he knew what Hermann meant by Severide having enough drama for his own show.