4 and A Half Hours Later
Arnold was in Gerald's hospital room.
"What'd they say?" Arnold asked. "Doc says I'll make a full recovery, he wants me to stay overnight, unfortunately. The only thing he didn't understand was how I got this kind of injury. If only he saw." Gerald replied.
"Yeah… It'd be weird if I see another violent fire like that. I always knew fire can rage, but I never knew how violent fire can also be." Arnold replied.
"Hey… I can't thank you enough for bein' beside me, man." Gerald gave a small smile at Arnold. He would smile back.
"So what happened with Stephen? Did he make it?" Gerald soon mentioned. "I'm sorry… I wish I had better news…"
"He's dead… isn't he?"
"Unfortunately… yeah." Arnold looked over. Gerald wiped away the tears building up. "When are we bringing in Swayzak?"
"After the funeral, I have to get all the evidence in order. I have Olivia and Sapphire working on it." Arnold replied. "Hey, Arnold, I need you to do me a favor, for Stephen. He told me before we left the factory when you were getting the hose."
"Anything for Stephen."
"Don't tell anyone about Adcox."
"What? Why? He killed people, Gerald! He has to-"
"I know what he did was wrong and I'm with you on it! But with Adcox dead, how is he gonna pay for the crimes? And besides, Stephen told me not to let anyone know of what he did, not for his reputation as a veteran firefighter, but because he did it all for the Department. He didn't care about losing his job, he didn't want to lose the Department."
"He never partnered with Swayzak then… He killed those people 'cause they were the ones getting firefighters killed and then they profited off that money of the dead firefighters, and had the power to shut down stations…"
"Do it for Stephen, please?"
"Alright." Arnold soon saw Spinelli had arrived. "Hey. You feelin' ok?" Arnold walked up to her. "Yeah… I'm ok. You?"
"Yeah. How'd you get here?"
"The stealth cycle." She replied.
"I'm glad everyone's alright, unfortunately, I can't say the same for Stephen and John." The two hugged. "Where are the others?"
"They're on their way."
"Spinelli, thanks for having my back in that factory." Arnold smiled. "We work as a team, and nobody gets left behind." Spinelli soon smiled.
"I couldn't have picked a better team." Arnold smiled.
"So when are we bringing in Swayzak? That son of a bitch needs to be brought down!" Spinelli soon mentioned. "After Stephen's funeral, I'm also gonna arrange for an arrest so that way he doesn't escape our grasp." Arnold started. "We're gonna stay here for the night, we still have a little bit of work to do. Until Gerald is discharged, we're not leaving."
"I wasn't planning on leaving." Spinelli smirked. "You cheeky…" Arnold couldn't help but smirk.
"Listen, Arnold… there's something I have to confess about me… I just kept quiet on it in hopes of not ruining our close friendship…" Spinelli started. Arnold put a hand on her cheek, and on her shoulder. "Spinelli. Don't worry about it… I already know. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I know, and nothing will change." Arnold smiled.
The cat was now out of the bag.
"Wait. You already knew I had a crush on you?" She asked. "I may have. Point is, don't worry about it. I know I'm married, but nothing changes our friendship. You're one of my best friends and I wouldn't have it any other way." He smiled. Spinelli smiled and hugged Arnold. "I know you're married and all that but… I love you, Arnold. With all my heart!…"
Arnold just smiled and hugged her back. Arnold only kissed Spinelli's forehead.
"Nothing changes our friendship apart from this minor change." Arnold smiled and kissed Spinelli's forehead again. She could only smile and hug Arnold tightly.
"You're awfully wet, you know that?" Arnold mentioned that her entire suit was wet from the factory fire. "Not our fault it was a big fire." She shrugged.
Arnold only chuckled as they kept hugging. Spinelli felt extremely relieved now that she admitted her crush to Arnold.
Later The Next Morning
It was the middle of the day after the factory fire, and Arnold and the Vigilantes went back toward their normal identities (most of them at least) and got several hotel rooms for all of them.
Arnold and Rhonda slept together, Olivia and Spinelli were in the same room as well and slept together. Nadine, Ariel, and Sapphire were in a different room sleeping in different beds, but Ariel slept with Nadine. The same was said for Travis and Warren, sleeping in different beds.
The sun was up on a bit of a cloudy day, and Arnold was starting to wake up, nearly forgetting what occurred last night. Arnold then saw his wife sound asleep next to him. He then had a cheeky idea.
Arnold decided to slowly kiss her neck, wanting to awaken her.
"Wake up, darling." Arnold snickered. After a minute, he heard her giggling awake. "Arnold, stop! Not in front of Spinelli and our daughter!" Rhonda kept giggling.
"I just missed doing this." Arnold kissed her behind the ear. "You're awfully romantic this morning." She giggled. "Guess I just wanted to show you how much I love you." Arnold kissed her.
"Aww. You're so sweet!" She smiled wholeheartedly. "How about we get our day started and meet our new recruits like I said last night?" Arnold offered.
"Mmmm… Okay. But not before this." Rhonda turned around and mounted Arnold and started a passionate kiss between them. She rubbed her hands around his face while his hands rubbed against her ass.
They soon separated.
"Now?"
"Now we do." She smirked. He couldn't help but smile.
Later
"Sheesh, it better be worth waking up this early…" Spinelli groaned. "It's literally the middle of the day, Spin." Arnold chuckled.
"Alright, anyhow… Guys, I'd like you to meet our newest recruits for the Physician Response Team, Kliff Warren, and Travis Montgomery!" Arnold smiled. "These guys are former Hillwood Firefighters, like our very own, Ariel here." Arnold then smiled at her. She smiled as well.
"Alright well, these two will be in charge of surgeries in the PRT, and they'll also be with the UFRT. Almost like Ariel in the QR Helicopter."
"AKA the knife mobile?" Spinelli snickered. "C'mon. That's not cool…" Arnold lowered his eyelids. "What?"
"Say, we haven't gotten a chance to get a good look at the PRT. Do we get a chance now or what?" Ariel asked. "I'm glad you asked! Guys?" Arnold looked at them. Travis pulled out the keys for the truck from his pocket.
Outside
The PRT truck rolled out from the Hyperjet, with its siren lights on.
"Oh, my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! That is sick!" Ariel admired the truck. "A portable operating room. Extremely useful when a patient needs immediate surgery in the field!" Arnold started. "With this bad boy." Arnold slapped the hood. "We can save even more lives!" He smiled.
"This is definitely your biggest accomplishment yet!" Rhonda hugged her beloved husband. Arnold smiled as he hugged her back. "I can't take all the credit here, Phoebe also pitched in on this idea!"
Spinelli then approached him near the hood of the truck.
"So it's settled, with this knife mobile, we're saving even more lives!"
Everyone cheered for the new PRT truck as the scene soon switched to the cloudy sky, and would soon fade into another day, honoring fallen firefighters.
Three Days Later
It was the day of Stephen and John's funerals, a particularly cloudy day as well.
As the bagpipes played during the walk to the cemetery, three Ladder trucks were leading the way, Truck 46 led the way with the UFRT behind it, followed by the new PRT truck. Every Fire Engine and Ladder there were covered in black bunting. The trucks were behind the firefighters who were all walking.
Many members of the bagpipes held City Fire Department flags, the flags of the United States, and the flags of the City of Chicago.
Two Engine companies carried the caskets. Engine 51 carried Adcox's casket, and Engine 17, the lead Engine, carried the Lieutenant, Stephen McCaffery. Both trucks were in single file.
The members of Engine Seventeen were walking alongside the right side of the truck, including the Fire Investigator, Rimgale. Brian was walking with Stephen's son who was only nine years old, and with Stephen's wife, who was now a widow.
Shadow and the Vigilantes were behind Brian and the McCafferys. The Hyperjet, QR Jet, and QR Helicopter all hovered above and ahead of them. The three aircrafts carried the American flag. The Hyperjet on its top, the QR Jet had a flag on top as well, and the QR Helicopter had one on its right leg. The QR Helicopter would carry the Fire Department flag on its other leg.
The UFRT and PRT trucks did the same thing. The UFRT carried the Fire Department flag, and the PRT carried the American flag.
With Ariel being out of the helicopter since she was with her team and fellow firefighters, Impulse was controlling all three aircrafts along with the two trucks. (Quite a multitasker.)
The siren lighting was seen through the bunting of the Engines that carried the caskets. The members were walking alongside the trucks.
Every Chicago Firefighter, past and current, was walking behind the trucks in their formal blue uniforms and white gloves. A powerful and moving sight to everyone who looked over.
At the Cemetery
John Adcox's casket had the Fire Department flag on it along with his burned and smoldered helmet. Stephen's casket had the same flag but his burned helmet was given to his son.
Adcox had no family left so nobody took his helmet off the casket.
". . . In the Chicago Fire Department, the alarm code 'three-three-five' signifies that the company has returned home to quarters. We will now ring out that code to welcome home Firefighter John Adcox, and Lieutenant Stephen McCaffery." Rimgale finished his speech and started ringing the bell beside him.
Stephen's brother, Brian, had a tear slip down his face. Stephen's son, Sean, watched two firefighters take off the flag from his father's casket and fold it. It would be handed to his mother.
Rimgale had seen one too many firefighter funerals for a lifetime.
The flag was then handed to Mrs. McCaffery, who would break down in tears.
"Honor Guard, hand salute!"
Every firefighter saluted, including the Vigilantes to honor the fallen firefighters.
Adcox may have committed crimes, but he was a hero and respected firefighter before the crimes against Swayzak and his aides. Axe was the most respected and admired firefighter in the Department. From once a young and exciting rookie, to a veteran who had committed crimes behind everyone's backs.
Thirty Seconds Later
"Honor Guard, dismissed!
Everyone stood there for a few minutes before leaving. Brian hugged Stephen's widow as his son would just stare at his father's casket while holding his helmet.
"Shadow, it's time." Rimgale came up to Arnold. He nodded.
Later
Elevator doors opened as two police detectives, Fire Investigator Rimgale, and the Vigilantes all came out to apprehend Swayzak. One of his associates was still on the loose.
"And while I'm the first to admit…"
"Gentlemen, may we help you?" The guards tried stopping them. "Police. We need a word with Solomon Swayzak."
"Outta our way!" Spinelli barged through them and stepped on one's foot.
"OW!"
They all walked past the guards.
"Solomon Swayzak, how you doin'?" Rimgale started. "Please." A guard started.
"This'll only take a minute." Rhonda politely said before frowning. "Now get the hell outta our sight!" She then threatened.
"I'm in the middle of a press conference." The corrupt politician said.
"These detectives would like to question you why you secretly paid Donald Krosgrove, Jeffery Holcomb, and Alan Seagrave to create a phony manpower study." Rimgale said sternly as he threw a document full of files that had all the evidence of Swayzak's crimes.
Reporters immediately grabbed and saw all the evidence. They all immediately started asking countless questions.
"That's how you made money off firemen dying, and later shutting down stations across the city, putting more men at risk!" Rhonda added.
Brian approached Swayzak.
"You see that blinking glow in the corner of your eye? That's your career dissipation just went into overtime." Brian smirked. Rimgale smiled at Brian. Arnold also smiled at Brian since karma came back at Swayzak.
Every news reporter in the room was asking numerous questions as camera lights flashed, taking photos of Swayzak for his crimes, along with the Vigilantes.
"I'll have my aids look into this as soon as possible! This press conference is over!" Swayzak tried to keep calm. "Not so fast there!" Both Arnold and Spinelli said as they held back Swayzak.
Ariel stepped forward. "Martin Solomon Swayzak." Ariel started as she started handcuffing him. "You're under arrest for the deaths of seven firefighters this year, a phony manpower study, and paying people to have firemen killed. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
"What?! I can't be arrested! I'm running for mayor soon!"
"Looks like that chance will have to wait until another lifetime or two." Ariel replied sternly. "All yours, P.D." Ariel told the detectives.
The detectives soon took Swayzak with them as he kept making excuses.
"Great job, Ariel!" Arnold had a hand on Ariel's shoulder. "And great job to everyone on this team." Arnold smiled at his team. "How's about we stick around for one more mission here?"
They all smiled at one another. "Let's do it!"
They all started to walk out as they all high-fived while cameras were flashing and taking photos of all of them.
In the Afternoon
The Hyperjet and QR Jet were outside the Station as it was a quiet and sunny afternoon in Chicago. The trucks were just peeking out of the garage.
Brian was upstairs as he looked over his uniform. He picked up his helmet and only stared at it. Shadow and the others were outside, around the garage doors. Arnold was seated on the bumper of Engine Seventeen as they were all conversating.
The station alarm soon went off.
"First alarm. Engine 17 and Truck 46 respond to structural fire. Seventeen-Eighteen West Maplewood."
"Seventeen-Eighteen West Maplewood, got it, Cap?" Grindle told Pengelly, who was drinking coffee.
"Hey, get to the trucks and we're the first two!" Otis, the driver for Seventeen said as a truck door was closed.
"Let's go!"
One fireman grabbed his helmet off the roof of Engine 17.
Every firefighter downstairs started gearing up. Brian looked at his helmet, and then looked at his locker. The trucks were heard getting revved up downstairs.
"You guys heard that. Let's get goin'!" Shadow told his team. "Ariel, you're in the chopper, Nadine, Montgomery, and Warren, all in the UFRT. Rest of us are in the Hyperjet and QR Jet."
Brian slid down the pole in his turnout gear. He then started walking.
"We're headed West, boys!"
"… Your damn business!"
Brian walked to Engine Seventeen while the sirens on Truck 46 reflected inside the station. Most of the firefighters left still gearing up just looked at him, mostly happy for him. He hadn't responded to a call-out since the factory fire.
Brian soon got into Engine Seventeen while it started to roll off. The sirens were on and started blaring and honking its horn several times. Truck Forty-Six followed behind as its sirens started blaring as well.
The Hyperjet, QR Jet, and QR Helicopter all took off. The UFRT took off as well and followed behind the two trucks.
Brian adjusted to his seat, and saw the nervous rookie in front of him, buckling up his uniform wrong.
"You're doing it wrong." Brian then helped the rookie with his uniform. Something his brother always corrected him in, even as kids at the firehouse when their father brought them to his job.
"Forty-one, Twenty-Eight."
"Copy"
"Requesting additional ambulances, over."
"Copy that, Fifty-One."
"Over on the South side…"
"Thanks." The rookie said. "You're alright." Brian replied. He then looked at Grindle, who was named Lieutenant after Stephen died.
Grindle was looking back as he smiled at Brian.
Brian put on his black firefighter helmet and smiled and then looked out the window, with the sunset reflecting off their faces. The rookie took a deep breath and looked at his fellow candidate.
The sirens soon went silent. Brian looked out the truck window, with the truck engine purring. He stared into the distance as he slowly started to give a small smile. It was until that point that Brian realized… This is where he belongs, inside a Fire Truck. His brother's death hurt tremendously, but he honored the McCaffery legacy and continued to be a firefighter.
Arnold and Rhonda saw Brian from the Hyperjet, and they smiled at each other. They held hands as they looked at the three trucks below. Olivia soon joined them, along with Spinelli.
Nadine, Travis, and Warren all smiled in the UFRT as they all saw the sunset. Ariel smiled from the QR Helicopter as she also saw the sunset.
Brian was still looking out the truck window but was happy. For once he understood what it meant to be a firefighter, and was glad to be back where he belonged. It may have taken a while for Brian to decide, but he knew where belonged… With his Engine company, in a firefighter turnout uniform, honoring the McCaffery family name. He would then wave at the Hyperjet overlooking them, he saw them wave back. He gave a small smile.
Soon, Engine 17, Truck 46, the UFRT, Hyperjet, QR Jet, and QR Helicopter all rode off into the sunset of Chicago, passing by a gas station and soon nearing a neighborhood. Not only were firefighters a family, but so were Shadow and the Vigilantes. Everyone on that team was family, and Arnold couldn't have hand-picked his team any better. Travis and Warren may be new to the team, but they were excited about the new adventure they were embarking on, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The Vigilantes have come a long way, both team-wise, and vehicle-wise. From three simple vehicles to emergency response vehicles to help out in any way. The new Physician Response Team, the Ultimate Fire Rescue Truck, The Aid Car, and the QR Helicopter.
The Trucks and Aircrafts were soon all out of view and it was just now the sunset of Chicago and the buildings in the distance.