Chapter 9
January turned into February…and things felt blessedly normal for lack of a better word.
The cops were still sitting on Chesnick's place…but he hadn't so much as poked his nose around there. His mail was spilling out the slot…newspapers were piling up at the door. The guy was gone.
And so were the fires…
It had been an arduous task…but the firefighters from Station 51…all three shifts…had worked their way through every business in a five mile radius and checked for Chesnick's signature explosive devices. And they found a bunch.
Kelly even dared to breathe a sigh of relief that this might actually be over.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He was able to get back to working on Chicago Fire on his days off. With his knee acting up he hadn't wanted to push it…but now everything was okay. He was finally able to lose the brace…and it was back in the dresser drawer where he hoped it would stay for a good long time. And he'd managed to keep the whole incident out of his medical record.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He and Alyssa were able to get out of town for a couple of days for Valentine's Day weekend. They went up to Michigan…to this little bed and breakfast he'd found online…and they'd gotten the "Honeymoon" package. They got the biggest room in the place, with a fireplace, champagne and chocolates, a deep sunken tub, and a king size bed.
That very first night, he'd pulled the big down comforter off the bed and made a nest in front of the fire. He slowly peeled off his wife's clothing…taking time to savor every beautiful inch of her…before he laid her down and made love to her…over and over again…like it was the last night of the world.
The next day they walked outside, down a winding road on the property…looking out at acres of fresh, clean, white snow. It was so beautiful…so pure…nothing like you see in the city. He laughed when Alyssa scooped up a handful and threw a hastily made snowball his way. Soon they were both laughing as it escalated into an all out war…until they fell into a snow bank together, rolling over and over and getting covered in it.
And then they hurried back to the inn…and made good use of that tub.
On the last night he took her to a little bistro in town, where they sat at a table in a quiet corner…shared a bottle of wine and dined on Chateaubriand…and the most amazing dark chocolate cheesecake either of them had ever tasted.
And they came back to some special touches he'd arranged. While they were out he'd had the innkeeper come into the room, light the fire, turn down the bed, and scatter red rose petals across the satin sheets he'd requested. There was a mixed CD that he'd made before they left Chicago with all Lyssa's favorite ballads…and it was already playing softly in the CD player. As the clothes hit the floor piece by piece they heard Bryan Adams raspy voice singing
Baby you're all I want when you're lying here in my arms I'm finding it hard to believe…we're in Heaven And love is all I need…and I found it there in your heart It isn't too hard to see…we're in Heaven
Kelly easily lifted Alyssa into his arms and carried her to the bed…and as he laid her down and climbed in beside her the song switched…
It's forever…this time I know it …there's no doubt in my mind
Forever…until my life is through…girl, I'll be loving you forever
Their wedding song…
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Engine 51…Truck 81…Ambulance 61…Squad 3…"
They rolled up on the scene.
A tire and battery shop had turned into a raging inferno. The flames were shooting a dozen feet into the air and thick, heavy, black smoke poured out every broken window. The smell of burning rubber permeated everything within a hundred yards.
"Severide…" Chief barked. "I need you to do the fastest search in history. I doubt there's anybody in there…but we gotta be sure."
"Copy that…" Kelly said.
Then he turned to his men.
"You heard him…gear up! In and out!"
And he pulled his hood and mask into place.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Inside, the conditions were getting more and more tenuous by the second. The smoke was so thick…and the showroom was ablaze…all the tires melting, piles of burning rubber…the wall mounted ones made for a dozen rings of fire.
Mills had the Thermal Imaging camera in hand. There was no one in this front room…and nothing was showing up in the office either. Exactly what they had expected.
So they moved on to the shop. The storefront was deceptive. This place was huge…about the size of two or three high school gymnasiums…a dozen auto bays…hydraulic tools…oil, lubricants, gasoline…
All highly flammable…the temperature was fast reaching the point where they were in danger of a flashover. Any moment the whole place could go up and blow them all to Hell.
"Hey! Over here!" Mills called out.
He was following the signal…the camera had detected signs of life.
In one of the bays they found a man down.
They rolled him and Kelly caught a glimpse of a security uniform…and a gaping head wound. He stepped back to let Mills and Clark lift the victim…and he nearly fell backwards when he stepped on tire iron that lay on the floor.
He'd bet his bottom dollar that's what made that head wound.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He spun around...he thought he saw something…or someone. There was someone else in there. And he began to move in that direction.
Severide found himself facing a tower of fire…and a pile of tires almost five feet high came tumbling down on him! He barely dived out of the way…barely managed to avoid being hit. And when he rolled away and sprung back to his feet he saw a giant human torch coming toward him!
A look of sheer horror crossed his face when he realized it was Darren Chesnick!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chesnick lunged for him but Kelly managed to stay on his feet. His mind was racing…how the hell was he gonna get this guy out of here? And he was determined to do just that. Get Chesnick out of there and hand him over to the cops.
But Chesnick had his own agenda. He was prepared to die in this Hell of his own making…and he had no problems taking Severide with him.
The flaming giant lunged again and this time he knocked Kelly off his feet. His helmet went flying…Kelly felt the breath leave his body as Chesnick fell on top of him and they grappled while Kelly fought desperately to gain the upper hand. Every breath hurt like hell and he was certain he'd cracked a couple ribs.
He managed to get out from under the hulk of a man and staggered to his feet. Chesnick must be insane…or one of those weird people who don't feel pain…his clothes were burning off and he still kept coming. He grabbed Kelly by the upper arms…and effectively managed to pin them to Severide's sides. He pushed and Kelly trued to resist…to stand his ground. But he was no match for Chesnick. The man was probably twice his size…and solid as a rock. Kelly staggered back until his tank hit a Craftsman tool box. He used what little leverage it provided to push forward and managed to free his left arm from the monster's grip.
But when he tried to wrest his right arm free Chesnick gripped it harder…it felt like he was crushing bones with his bare hands! Kelly tried again to break free, and he managed to twist away…but Chesnick used that motion against him and Kelly felt his right shoulder being torn from the socket.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He roared in pain…someone had to have heard him…had to have heard the struggle. How much time had passed? Where the hell was the cavalry?
With his right arm hanging useless at his side, he didn't have a chance. And Chesnick was still fighting with every bit of strength he had. How was the guy still standing? Kelly looked into his face…and it was like he'd just looked into the face of Death.
His thoughts were no longer on the fire…he could only think of Alyssa and the kids…
That gave him one last burst of strength. He pulled with all his might and broke free of the steel grip of the man who was determined to make sure neither one of them ever saw the light of day again.
But Chesnick had a final burst of strength too. He lunged at Kelly again…and Kelly couldn't even react. Chesnick was fading fast…but he managed to get his hands up to Kelly's face…the flesh was almost burned completely off of them…and he clawed until he pulled off Kelly's mask.
Then with the last drop of energy he had…he knocked Kelly to the floor.
The last image Severide saw was the towering inferno collapsing down onto him.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The men followed the sound of Kelly's PASS alarm…and they found him unconscious…pinned by a giant mass of humanity…
The showroom was impassable now so they'd had to find an alternate way in. Being in that building was sheer madness…but they weren't about to leave a man behind.
Cruz, Hermann, Otis and Clark pulled the huge man off of Severide…it took all four of them to lift and carry him to the exit they'd made. Mills and Casey grabbed Kelly…and got the hell out of there!
Shay and Dawson rushed to meet them with the gurney, and the men laid him on it. They raced him to the back of the ambo and Mills climbed in behind them without even waiting for orders. Otis ran around to the driver's side and Casey slammed the doors shut.
Dawson ripped open Severide's turnout coat…cut his red suspenders and then his shirt.
While she was doing that…Shay dropped an ET tube to protect his airway. Mills passed her the ambu bag and she attached it to the valve and inflated the cuff. Mills grabbed a stethoscope and checked for breath sounds.
"This doesn't sound right!" he said.
Dawson pulled her stethoscope into position.
"Tension pneumo!" she said. "Get me a large bore needle!"
Mills handed her what she'd asked for…and she plunged it into Kelly's chest. When she did that a rush of air escaped.
"Step on it, Otis!" She yelled. "Or we're gonna lose him!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alyssa grabbed the phone on the second ring.
"Hello?" she said nervously.
Phone calls in the middle of the night were always bad…especially when you were married to a firefighter.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
She ended the call and hit a number on her speed dial.
"Nicky…" she said when her brother answered. "I just got a call…I need you to come stay with the kids!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Five minutes later her brother was at the door and Alyssa was in full blown panic mode.
Kelly hadn't called her…and that meant he couldn't. They had an unspoken agreement…he always called…so she wouldn't worry unnecessarily. But instead Leslie had called. And she confirmed Alyssa's fears.
"Nicky…it's bad!" she cried as she yanked open the door. "He's unconscious…he has a collapsed lung…they're rushing him into surgery!"
Nick Boungiovanni caught his baby sister in his arms. There was no way he could let her get behind a wheel in this state. He grabbed for his phone and dialed his brother Joey.
Joey rushed over in his pajamas…having run through the alleyway rather than driving the two blocks. He'd stay with the kids…and Nicky could take Alyssa to the hospital.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When they arrived at Lakeshore they were shown to a private waiting area off the ER. A clerk offered to bring them coffee or water…or anything else they wanted. And she sent the hospital chaplain in to be with them.
They'd come and get them as soon as they had word.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The team arrived…no one even bothered to go back to the firehouse to change. By this time Shay and Dawson, Otis and Mills had joined Lyssa and Nicky…and at least now Alyssa had a better idea what was wrong with her husband.
Casey crossed the room in a few strides and he hugged Alyssa tight.
And Chief Boden cleared his throat.
"Alyssa…it was Darren Chesnick. He's the one behind all these fires in the past six months. It looks like he got caught in his own trap…and he tried to take Kelly with him."
What Chief was saying took a moment to register with her. A man Kelly had befriended…tried to reach out to. Someone who had been in their house…eaten at their table. And he tried to kill Kelly…
The room spun out of control…she was hot and cold all at the same time…and her legs went weak.
Casey caught her before she went down and helped her over to a sofa. Shay and Dawson pushed through the crew…and checked her pulse and respirations. Someone passed a cup of water forward and Leslie held it to Lyssa's lips so she could drink.
"What happened to him?" she asked in a small, hollow voice.
Boden sighed wearily and knelt down in front of her.
"He was taken to Loyola…to the Burn Center. Third degree burns over eighty-five to ninety percent of his body."
Alyssa just stared straight ahead.
That meant Chesnick wasn't expected to survive.
