When I first started this story, I didn't have a clue of where this story would end up, I thought maybe within 20 chapters this story would flop or something. But all the support for this story is tremendously amazing and I can't thank every single one of you enough for the support! We're reaching 80 chapters for this story and there is still plenty on the way for this story! Anyways, with that finally being said, a happy 4th of July today and I hope you will enjoy this new chapter!
Half Hour Later
Around a half hour passed by after the car wreck call, three of the five vehicles returned to quarters. Who was still out? Truck and Squad 55. Where are they?
The scene shifted from MedStar to a commercial gas station where two large red trucks were there. Truck and Squad. Squad was only parked away from Truck since the Ladder was filling up with fuel.
"Remind us again why we're still out?" Travis gave a skeptic look at Michelle. "I told you, Trav, we're headed to see Gibson! He's been out of action for more than a week now and he could use some friends right now." Michelle replied as she leaned on the truck.
"Sheesh, this sun is makin' me burn up, and it's only morning!" Spinelli groaned. Arnold shrugged. "Wouldn't be surprised if there are grass fires later today." He said.
Spinelli scoffed as a siren chirped. Another Ladder company showed up at the gas station. Everyone looked to see who was approaching.
Truck 66. Truck 66 arrived to get fuel as well. Unlike Truck 55, Truck 66 was a four-wheel Ladder. Ladder 55 was a six-wheeler like Squad. But both Trucks had 100-foot ladders, the only thing they had in common.
"Oh, great… That company? Not to mention the horrible Lieutenant they have." Spinelli scoffed.
"Here we go…" Donovan adjusted his pants.
The members of Company 66 got out of their truck, and their Lieutenant as well.
"Well, looky here, fellas. House 55 got a new truck and more members." Their Lieutenant mocked them.
"Welch…" Michelle scoffed and frowned.
"What? Afraid we're the better Truck company? It's expected, and it's ok to be jealous." Welch gave a sarcastic smile. He then saw the engaged Lieutenants of station 55. "Girl who constantly has her fists closed! Don't let jealousy blind you from the fact we're the better house." Welch shrugged with a smile. "Wouldn't be surprised if your bugle gets ripped off along with your rank."
Spinelli frowned and clenched her fists. "I'll rip YOUR HEAD OFF!" Arnold immediately grabbed her waist to hold her back. "HEY! EASY!" She kept reaching out wanting to smash her fists against Welch's face. "AH!"
Welch snickered. "Like always, you let simple facts anger you. Oh, angry Lieutenant, you still have a lot to learn."
"LET ME AT HIM! LET ME AT HIM!" Spinelli kept reaching over. "DON'T JUST STAND THERE, HELP ME OUT!" Arnold shouted at the others since Spinelli was stronger than he thought.
Travis, Cruz, and Michelle stepped in to hold her back.
Welch laughed. "You know, Lieutenant, you should really hold back your guard dog when it gets rabid."
Spinelli and the others froze. "You know, there's nothing stopping me from holding her back now." Arnold frowned.
"I'LL PUNCH HIM SO HARD HE'LL FEEL IT UNTIL NEXT YEAR!" Spinelli angrily yelled while looking back at Arnold. "Welch, I suggest you and your crew just get the hell out of here!" Michelle exclaimed while holding Spinelli's arm.
"Station 55, full response, Truck 66, Engine 51, respond to house fire in 683 West Drive." The dispatcher said through the radio.
"First one to the scene is on command!" Welch exclaimed.
"COME ON, WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?!" Spinelli yelled at her crew.
They let go of her as they headed to their trucks.
"LET'S GO, FIFTY-FIVE, MOVE IT!" Michelle yelled.
Squad 55 was the first to drive off, sirens blaring and horn honking. Truck 66 was about to roll off, but Ladder 55 abruptly rolled in front of them and drove off with sirens blaring. Truck 66 aggressively honked its horn at them.
"Dispatch, this is Truck 55, we're en route." Tommy radioed. "Copy, Fifty-Five."
While Truck and Squad went their route, Truck 66 took a sharp right behind them.
"PEDAL TO THE METAL, JASON, GET THIS TRUCK MOVING TO BEAT FIFTY-FIVE!" Welch shouted at Jason.
"Those guys want to play that way? We'll play along." Michelle gave a serious look. "Tom, you're the best driver, I'll leave this in your hands." She gave a nod at him.
"You got it, Cap!" Tommy pushed his foot down on the pedal.
Squad and Truck 55 rushed by an intersection.
Within a couple of minutes, Squad arrived at the house fire with Truck 55 behind and soon driving ahead to a different position.
Truck 66 soon arrived after a minute.
Lieutenant Welch hopped out of his truck. "DAMMIT!"
"Fifty-Five always responds first, and we're last to surrender." Michelle smirked after adjusting her SCBA. "Alright, Squad, Truck, you're on primary search! Engine, back them up with a hoseline inside, and I want hoses out here! Company 66, you're on ventilation!" Michelle handed out orders.
"Copy, Cap!"
"You got it!"
Truck and Squad masked up at the entrance of the house. "Alright, Squad, Truck, let's move it in!" Arnold gave the go-ahead to Spinelli, who had an axe in hand.
She stepped up to the door. "CLEAR!" She smashed open the door. "Alright, let's move it!" She headed inside.
"Let's go, Fifty-Five!" Arnold shouted as they started heading inside with halligans, axes, and sledgehammers.
Once the supply line was hooked up from the hydrant to the Engine, Dean and Ben had a hoseline ready to backup the search units.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT! CALL OUT!" Travis yelled. He then felt a door to feel its temperature. "Aye!" He looked back to Donovan. "We can't breach this door! If we do, we have a backdraft with our names!"
"Got it! Let's keep going! Let's just hope nobody is in there!" He shouted.
"Cruz! Suarez! Check that room up ahead! Murray and I will take this room!" Arnold shouted. "Copy, Lieutenant!" Cruz and Suarez went ahead of the two to the next room.
He banged on the door. "FIRE DEPARTMENT! CALL OUT! ANYONE IN THERE?!"
A small weakened voice tried to speak but only ended up as a cough.
"We have someone!" Cruz lined up the sledgehammer. "CLEAR!"
CRASH
"Captain! Do you read?" Dean radioed.
"I hear you, Smith."
"Captain, the first floor is fully involved! Most of the fire is coming from the kitchen and we're barely making any headway! I- I think we're gonna need a second hoseline in here!"
"Copy, Smith, diverting exterior attack for fire attack!" Michelle replied.
As Warren and Dean slowly backed away until more hoses were inside, Cruz and Suarez came down the stairs and headed outside.
"NEED A MEDIC OVER HERE!" Cruz shouted as he laid the man down.
THRASH
"FIRE DEPARTMENT! CALL OUT!" Arnold banged on a door.
"help…." A weakened voice spoke.
"WE GOT ONE IN HERE!" Murray exclaimed. Arnold slid the halligan through the crack of the door. Arnold started to yank the halligan away from him. "CLEAR!"
CRASH
"Murray, you get the victim out, I'll keep looking on this floor! We have to keep looking, there's still more rooms to clear!" Arnold told him. Murray nodded. "Got it!"
As Murray headed inside the room to get the victim, Arnold headed out for another room.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT! ANYONE HERE? CALL OUT!" Arnold yelled.
With flames crackling all around, smoke slowly thickening…
"HILLWOOD FIRE! CALL OUT IF YOU CAN HEAR ME!" Travis yelled. Spinelli grabbed his shoulder. "TRAVIS, WAIT! OVER HERE!" She pointed at an open room.
He squinted for a moment. "I see her!" He walked over to the room.
Soon, Arnold walked up behind her. "Hey! D'you find anyone?" He asked.
"Yeah, Montgomery's getting her out now!" Spinelli replied. "This floor is all clear, Truck should've cleared the first floor!" Arnold mentioned.
"Well, let's get the hell out of here! Trav!" Montgomery came with the person over his shoulder. "I'm with you guys!" He replied.
Creak…
CRACK
CRASH
Flaming wood came crashing down from the ceiling and blocked off the exit path.
"Shit!..." Spinelli grimaced as they backed away.
"Chief! We have one last victim here but we can't get him out! Our way out is blocked! We're at the rear of the second floor! West hallway!" Arnold radioed.
"Copy! Sending a RIT team your way!" Stella replied. She looked around but noticed the three other Squad members still inside clearing the first floor with hoses backing them up.
She motioned over the Lieutenant of Truck 66. "Welch, you're on Rapid Intervention! Meet up with Squad on the second floor, rear of the floor and the West hallway!"
"Copy, Chief!" Welch grabbed his axe and put on his SCBA regulator on his mask.
"Cruz, Murray, you're on Rapid Intervention! Meet Lieutenant Welch on the second floor! We have four people trapped behind a firewall! Smith, Alexander, get your hoselines up to the second floor and meet with Rapid Intervention!"
"Going with Welch? Why do I feel like throwing up now?" Cruz shook his head as he and Murray started heading to the stairs.
Within a minute, Dean and Donovan were upstairs with the hoselines and Rapid Intervention met up with them.
"Chief said they were at the rear of this floor, West hallway! The ceiling must've gave way!" Welch said. "Come on!"
Cruz and the others were severely skeptic of Welch's behavior all of a sudden.
"The longer we take standing around, the longer our people are still there!" Donovan exclaimed. "Well, let's get movin'!" Cruz added.
"Aye! I found 'em! Over here!" Welch yelled and waved them over.
Dean and Donovan went ahead with the hoses.
"We should be able to put this out and break through with our axes!" Dean shouted as the hoses were switched on.
Within a couple of minutes, the flaming wooded debris was extinguished and the others grabbed their axes and sledgehammers.
"She's all yours!" Donovan and Dean backed away from the debris.
"Stand back!" Cruz shouted as he swung his sledgehammer.
CRACK
THWACK
CRASH
CRACK
"AYE! GUYS! STAND BACK! We can breach it from over here!" Arnold shouted to the others.
"Copy!"
Arnold looked at Spinelli. "Ready?" He grabbed his halligan. "Ready as ever!" She replied while clinching her axe.
"STAND BACK!" Arnold shouted and swung his halligan. The halligan broke through a piece of wood, showing the other side of the hallway.
Outside, Stella looked up at the gray smoke, which was slowly getting darker and darker…
"Emergency traffic! Emergency traffic! The building's about to flash! Two minutes max! I want everyone out of the building NOW!" Stella shouted through her radio.
CRASH
CRACK
"We're through! Come on!" Arnold waved both Travis and Spinelli.
Spinelli looked at her SCBA device. "We're getting out at good time 'cause I'm almost out of air!" She exclaimed.
"Well, what are we even waiting for? Let's go!" Travis went ahead with his victim.
The primary search team went ahead first and rapid intervention followed behind.
Within a minute…
"Hey! Chief! We're all out!" Lieutenant Welch said after yanking off his mask.
"Everyone accounted for, Captain?" Stella looked at Michelle. "Everyone's out, Chief! She nodded.
CRASH
BOOM
KA-BOOM
CRASH
KA-BOOM
WHOOSH
An explosion went off, blowing the entire lower level and releasing a dark smoke cloud near the place and several fireballs shooting from the top level.
As more and more house debris kept falling from the explosion, many of them started getting up after the explosion.
"Everyone alright?" Stella called out while looking around.
Some gave a thumbs up, others replied, "All good, Chief! We're fine!".
"We're good, Chief!"
Minutes Later
As the sirens from the Aid Car blared, Arnold went to the front of the Squad truck, only to see…
"Spin." Arnold smiled as he found her pouring water on her head. "Man, and here I thought I'd never feel this cool water ever, sheesh." She slapped her helmet against the bumper.
Arnold leaned over. "Give me a sec." He kissed her forehead.
As Warren came by, handing over a water bottle, Arnold walked to the front of Truck 66.
"Nice job, Lieutenant." Arnold tossed the bottle at Welch.
Welch stared with a frown. "Yeah, yeah… Bigshots…" He tossed the bottle at his chest aggressively.
"Aye, if you have a problem-" Arnold stepped forward, but Warren held him back. "Easy, Lieutenant!"
"How about telling that rabid Lieutenant to back down for once? I'm sure he hasn't heard those words before."
Welch immediately stood up but his crew held him back as well.
"BACKING OFF?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BACKING OFF WHEN YOU'RE AROUND HER?!"
Before the two even argued, hands were thrown, but the Chief immediately stepped in.
"AYE! HEY!" She stepped between them. "THE HELLS THE MATTER WITH YOU TWO? HUH?" She looked at 66. "Welch! I want you and your Truck company to return to quarters! NOW!" Stella then looked at her son. "And I expected better out of you, Lieutenant! Not only as my son, but as Lieutenant! Squad and Truck, return to quarters! I won't ask again…!"
The members of Ladder 55 looked in confusion. Stella looked at Spinelli. "Don't think I didn't hear of your near-scuffle." She pointed.
Spinelli shrugged and lowered her eyelids. "Big whoop…" She dropped her water bottle.
"I'm not asking again…" Stella glared at the three companies.
Soon, Squad 55 soon took off after packing up their gear. As the Squad engine revved off, Truck 55 soon took off and followed behind. Truck 66 would go their own way in a different direction.
Soon, back at the firehouse, Squad soon rolled inside the engine bay and parked. Truck 55 followed them inside and parked behind Squad.
Several truck doors closed as they hopped out of their trucks. Several doors were slammed shut, in particular, the two Lieutenants and Captain…
"I can't believe that damn rat! I mean, who the hell does he think he is?!" Spinelli groaned. "Believe me when I say it but he's the only person to really get me worked up… He constantly trash-talks us when we clearly sweep the floor with them!" Michelle looked at the others. "Think we let him get in our head and that's what got us sent home?" She asked the others.
Some of them shrugged. "We usually don't let stuff like that affect our work, to be fair." Travis mentioned. "Now that you say that," Tommy started. "It did feel like a weird call today." He shrugged.
"I don't think something like this has happened since we went head-to-head against Eighty-Eight on Training Day." Arnold added.
"You're not tryin' to say that…?" Spinelli looked curiously at him. He only raised his hands. "I'm only saying. But I got a bad feeling about Company 66." He replied.
"Let's just hope NOTHING happens, Shortman…" Michelle grimaced and shook her head quickly. Arnold would only nod in agreement. "I'm with you there."
Spinelli then walked over to Arnold and leaned over for a kiss. Arnold smiled after their kiss and wrapped an arm over her.
Michelle looked over and smiled. "Awww. Has anyone told you how cute you two are together?"
"Surprisingly, not as often as you'd think." Arnold shrugged.
"You two are more than cute together." She smiled.
"Means a lot coming from you, Cap. Thanks." Spinelli smiled. "Come on, guys, we're yet to know when the wedding is." Michelle smirked.
"Oh, that's gonna be a lot of fun for sure!" Travis mentioned.
"Well, we're yet to talk to my parents but we're thinking a month and a half from now." Spinelli nuzzled against Arnold.
Cruz patted his Lieutenant's shoulder with a smile. "Aye, congrats, Lieutenant! We're all looking forward to that big day!"
Arnold smiled at the love of his life. "I'm more than looking forward to it, Cruz. It'll be worth the wait to officially call her my beautiful and loving wife." Arnold smiled while holding Spinelli's hands.
Spinelli blushed yet smiled. "I just can't wait to finally marry the man who has been there for me since day one. I love you, Arnold, and nobody else can ever change that."
The two leaned forward for a kiss.
"You two are the only two people I know who know how to make a relationship work, and I'm more than jealous and impressed…" Travis chuckled.
All the two could do was shrug.
Hours Later
"One thing that's fitting in my mind is that explosion at that house…" Arnold was in his mother's office discussing the call earlier.
Stella sighed but started thinking. "Come to think of it, you do have a point. I mean, I've never seen a house explosion that violently." She replied.
"Haven't the F.D. arson investigators found anything?" Arnold asked.
"Says it'll be a few more hours before we get any definite answers but so far, it's showing signs of arson." Stella replied. "But we won't know for sure yet. Ok, hun?"
"Alright, Mom."
"Now, about pushing up your wedding date…" Stella smirked at her son.
The station alarm went off.
"Station 55, Station 41, Station 26, Third Box Alarm, full house response to high-rise fire." The dispatcher said through the intercom.
And just like that, everyone raced toward the engine bay to gear up.
With everyone in their respective trucks, sirens blared and horns honked as Truck 55 was the first to race out of the station while the other trucks had their siren lights on.
Truck Company 55 took a right turn and sped up and raced away while the rest of the house was behind.
Sirens blaring, the horn honking, the American flag waving in the wind as the truck was racing, the view of the truck speeding through the street.
"Looks like we'll be first on the scene again, guys! I can see the high-rise in the distance!" Tommy called out.
"Aye, Cap, we're neck-and-neck with our old pal, Welch!" Travis saw Truck 66 a block across from them and racing to keep up with them.
"Don't worry, Cap, this new truck will beat their old bucket of bolts hangin' on for dear life!" Tommy told Michelle as he pushed his foot down, revving the engine more.
Michelle saw the opposition truck across. "Don't worry about 'em, I'm not interested in a pissing contest against them, Tom. Just focus on driving. If they want to take command, they can have it." Michelle shrugged.
Tommy only sighed but kept his foot down.
"So we're gonna take orders from them this time? Great…" Donovan lowered his eyelids.
Dean then looked out the window only to see no truck across the street. "Aye, I think we lost 'em! They probably got held up!" He pointed out and adjusted his SCBA.
Michelle smirked. "See? I told you, it all works out in the end-" A very loud honk was heard, but not from their truck horn…
HOOONK
SHATTER
CRASH
SCREECH
SKID
CREAK
SHATTER
CRASH
CRACK
THUD
SHATTER
CREAK
HISSSS
With the Aerial ladder preventing it from turning onto its roof, pure destruction occurred at the intersection… Several siren light cases shattered, the middle of the truck crushed in, crashing against the curb after skidding, equipment flew and landed all over the area and near the truck, the aerial ladder was out of place and damaged, the ladder control box damaged, the rear tires just barely moving, the front siren lights still flashing along with the headlights, broken glass lying around the entire truck, the left mirror broken off, the left side siren light partially torn off the roof, and just an entire mess as two trucks collide… One truck stopping abruptly after T-boning another truck and leaving it lying on its left side…