"It's good to see you two, it's been a little tougher than I had hoped for to catch this damn arsonist." The head investigator, Rimgale, started. "I've been working with the rookie Brian, but we haven't found anything so far." Brian only nodded.

"Sounds like that's where we step in now." Shadow said.

"We really could use you guys' help, not sure what's going on about these arson fires, it's just been a little confusing to figure out." Brian said.

"Don't worry about a thing, we'll soon catch the arsonist. We never let anyone get away from us. Right, Shadow?" Rhonda looked at Arnold. "That's right."

"Hey, don't mind me asking but… Are you two married by any chance? I'm just curious." Brian asked.

"Happily married for so many years. Shadow here is simply the love of my life." Rhonda smiled at Arnold. Arnold only smiled back. "And she has been the love of my life for as long as I can remember. And I'm more than happy to have married such an amazing and beautiful woman." Arnold then squeezed her hand.

"Woah… Sounds like you two have that early relationship romance. You know, you guys' bond is unbreakable." Brian said, rather impressed.

"Thanks. And Shadow and I intend to keep it that way."

"I got some documents in Swayzak's place, it's the least I can do." Rimgale said as he unlocked his door.

"I'll just go and grab the documents and Swayzak." Rimgale said as he walked upstairs.

"You guys… smell something weird? Or notice anything funny?" Brian asked as he smelled something off in Swayzak's home.

"I FEEL something off." Shadow said.

A beeping went off on both Arnold and Rhonda's forearms.

"Something's in here, and more body movement was detected from us here." Rhonda said as she looked at her PCU.

"This isn't supposed to be here, right?" Arnold saw a hissing tube coming from what appeared to be a jukebox. "It's releasing a toxic gas, which means…"

Running footsteps were heard.

"Look out!"

The assaulter tried charging at the two, but Arnold immediately tackled him and slammed him against the wall.

The two wrestled on the ground, but Arnold soon kicked him away and electrocuted the assaulter into a wall charger.

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" The man would have an imprinted scar of the wall charger.

"We have to get out now!" Rimgale said as he carried an unconscious Swayzak.

"Brian?!" Arnold noticed Brian was knocked out by the gas. "C'mon! You guys get out! I'm right behind you!" Arnold exclaimed as he picked up the unconscious Brian.

"C'mon, Brian!" Arnold started dragging him out.

Walls started to swell as fire was building with the ongoing gas. Sparks were flying from the broken wall charger.

Arnold was outside and managed to get Brian outside, out the front door Rimgale awaited.

BOOM!

CRASH!

An explosion went off and blasted everyone near the front door back.

Arnold and Brian were mostly safe.

"Shadow, you alright?!" Rhonda kneeled down next to Arnold. "I'm… I'm fine. Where's Rimgale?!"

"Uh, guys? I have JUST a minor problem." Rimgale soon said. He was impaled by the nearby fences. He was impaled around his right shoulder.

"Anyone gon' help me? No? Alright well, it's not like this hurts or anything…" Rimgale was surprisingly calm.

"Property of Stephen McCaffery…" The QR Jet and QR Helicopter were shining spotlights down at the boat, which was owned by Stephen.

"You're not meaning to tell me…" Gerald started. "It must've been the Lieutenant behind all these fires! The evidence is right here!" Spinelli exclaimed as she pointed at the toolbox full of things necessary for an arson backdraft.

"Hey! What are you guys doing on my father's boat?" Stephen coincidentally was coming over to see his boat.

"Better question is why have you been lying to us!" Spinelli yelled back. "And why aren't you at work, actually?" Gerald asked, with a suspicious tone.

"I'm planning on selling that boat, even though it was my father's, I feel like I can't with it anymore!"

"All units, come in! We have a situation here! I want all units to meet me at my location now!"

"You're so lucky our leader is calling us back, or else…!" Spinelli angrily said.

Gerald and Spinelli grabbed the Hyperjet's tethers and Impulse reeled them back up.

Sapphire and the two QR aircraft's flew off toward Arnold's location. The Hyperjet soon took off as well.

Stephen felt his heart racing as he went to check his boat.

"Son of a bitch…!" Stephen was shocked to see the toolbox of chemicals in his boat.

Later

Several ambulances and Fire trucks were at Swayzak's place as they had taken away both Swayzak and Rimgale for injuries.

"There's something off about Stephen in the way you guys described him…" Arnold said as he had a hand on his chin. "He acted almost as if he WAS guilty. Not sure whether he is though or what." Gerald added.

"You guys really think Stephen is behind all this? The Fire Lieutenant?" Arnold kept questioning. "I'm telling you, it has to be him! The evidence was all there! He was hiding it!" Spinelli told Arnold.

He then sighed. "Alright, I guess we have no choice but to soon bring him in. We still aren't sure of anything. I want all of us at that firehouse tomorrow night."

"Think we'll be finding something out there?" Olivia soon asked. "I don't know, sweetheart. But we are going to find out." Arnold ruffled Olivia's hair.

"Fire Lieutenant or not, I'm ready to bring him down!" Spinelli exclaimed. "Easy there, hotshot. We'll soon see whether we do bring down Lieutenant McCaffrey or not." Arnold calmed Spinelli. She only took a deep breath. "Alright, fine."

The Next Day

"Sucks I'm gonna be out of action in the meantime. You're gonna have to continue the investigation without me, kid." Rimgale told Brian, who was bedside. Rimgale was wearing a cast for his arm.

"You were lucky to have survived something as awful as that." Brian replied. "I faced worse fires in my time as a firefighter."

Brian only took a deep breath. "Kid, I know you're worried whether you do find out who's behind this, but I have bunches of confidence in you. I know you'll soon figure out who's behind the arson attacks."

"Alright… When will you be discharged from here?"

"Sometime tonight hopefully."

"Alright, I'll see you by then, Mr. Rimgale."

Flashback to Earlier

"I hear a lot of great things about you two, according to Ariel, that is." Arnold started. He was meeting with Travis and Kliff. "Warren, according to your record, you're a former surgeon, then later an anesthesiologist, and a two-year active Firefighter. Almost like Ariel, except she was a Veteran when we recruited her." Arnold looked over their files.

"Ah, Travis, here's your file. Excellent." Arnold admired. "Ten-year firefighting Veteran and one of the best paramedics, impressive." Arnold gave an impressed look. "Hey, Ariel, looks like you might have competition." Arnold smirked. "Let's not make a contest here…." She playfully rolled her eyes.

"So, Kliff, I see you were one of the best surgeons in the entire state, very impressive. Now tell us, WHY did you want to come forward to the PRT? You know our jobs are a lot more dangerous than your old jobs, so why join us?" Arnold asked.

"Well, it all started in my rookie year as a firefighter. Even though I love running into fires to save people, I also felt a little homesick, y'know? And when I heard of the PRT, it was a chance to also help people in need in the field. I had also seen about the UFRT you guys had."

"Ok, ok…. Now, Travis. Your reason?"

"Well, I'm obviously not a surgeon or anything like that, but I felt like this could really be a big chance to make an impact and save many lives. The mayor is never capable of doing any of this, so it was up to you guys to make this kind of thing a reality. Like Warren said, this is a chance to save more lives than EVER, and I want to be a part of those efforts.

"Ok… Alright then, I'll be handing you guys some papers, specifically a test, to see whether you two are qualified. Warren, I know your record is great, but since it's been a while since you handled a knife, I wanna see whether you're still qualified for the job. Montgomery, with Warren being the head surgeon, I wanna see how well you do alongside him. Honey?" Arnold looked over at Rhonda, who had the test forms in hand.

"I'll give you two an hour, once you're done, I'll soon see what the results are and come back once I'm done checking them." Arnold said. They nodded.

An Hour Later

Arnold soon came back, and they were just finishing up their forms.

"Alright, you guys, hand 'em over."

The forms were handed over, and Arnold went with Ariel to look them over.

Later

Arnold came back with Ariel after looking over the forms with her and Impulse.

"Warren… I'm proud to say… You're the head surgeon for the Physician Response Team, and Travis, you'll be alongside him." Arnold said with a smile.

"Wait, really?! Awesome!"

"Aw, yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!" Travis and Kliff high-fived.

"Now remember, I want you guys strictly on these three things, the Aid Car, Physician Response Team, and the UFRT, nothing else, it'll all be handled by us. And otherwise, stay in the lair when those three aren't needed."

"Alright."

"You got it."

"So anyways, welcome to the team." Arnold smiled with Ariel.

"Say uh, Shadow? Will we be living close by? Or how will it be?" Warren asked. "Well, that all depends on you guys. Whether you'd like to live here, or live nearby."

"I think maybe here, gotta be ready at all times."

"Love that spirit and attitude!"

"Shadow? If we're going to live here, do we get to know who's behind the suits or…"

Shadow sighed. "Well… I'm a little surprised you don't recognize this place but… The names Arnold. Arnold Shortman."

"THEE Arnold Shortman?! Husband to the daughter of the Lloyds?!"

"Ok, well that's not how I thought I was being remembered by but uh yeah."

"Well, unlike Warren here, I know you by everything you've done for the city, outside the suit that is. Charity donations, your private company which isn't THAT private but pretty private on what they work on. I mean, you have so much accomplished that your name is a household name now!" Travis mentioned.

"Why thanks! Alright, you guys will soon get to know all of the team. And quick question, you two have any relationships?"

"I'm married to a Doctor at SliveStone Memorial." Warren replied. "I'm gay. And no, I don't bite." Travis chuckled.

"Welcome to the team, Travis and Warren." Arnold soon said with a smile. The two smiled as well.

Present Day

It was a very dark night down in Chicago, a calm night for now.

"Ugh, it sucks we have to be inside this stinkin' firehouse, but-"

"But be grateful we aren't having to see them after a shower." Ariel rolled her eyes. "Rather see Arnold in the shower." Spinelli thought to herself. She blushed and had a goofy smile.

"Nothing in the Lieutenant's locker that can tell anything." Gerald said as he quietly shut his locker.

Arnold was about to say something when he noticed something extremely odd.

"What is it?" Gerald looked at Arnold. "Why is Adcox in a towel first of all, but that's not the focus here…" Arnold looked closely at Adcox's back.

John was in the bathroom as he looked over himself in the mirror.

"Wait a damn minute….!" Arnold quietly said.

"What is it?"

"Gerald. Last night at Swayzak's place, I had to fight off a home invader, I remember pushing the guy into a wall charger…"

Gerald soon looked over where Arnold pointed.

"Swayzak's place smelled like gas, and the invader would've left if he valued his pathetic life, but there's something that adds up here…! If the place smells like gas, anyone would immediately leave, but when they smell gas and don't leave… They know exactly what they're doing."

"Which means…" Gerald and Arnold looked at Adcox who was washing his hands. Something on John's back looked odd but reminiscent…

Adcox was starting to overhear what they were talking about, he gave a side-eye as he finished washing his hands.

We're getting extremely close to action-filled chapters! And if you're wondering about the flashback, I honestly didn't know how to fit in Travis and Warrens introduction to this story... See you next chapter!