“Of course you are!” cheered Dillon with a wide grin before grabbing the man to his chest and slapping his back. Stepping to the side, he added, “You didn’t doubt a fellow Texan’s plan, did you?”
They all stood in an arc, watching the dancing flames, waiting for the last two. Flash’s nerves itched.They need to hurry up!We have to move before another one falls this way.
Focused on the spot where she’d crossed the burning log, Flash detected a dark shadow, then a wailing cry, and, in a split second, two men in khaki turnout gear tumbled through the flaming curtain, rolling in a heap across the dusty ground. As they untangled themselves, it became evident that Lieutenant Garcia had made a flying tackle to push Scotty the rest of the way through.
Everyone huddled around in concern, and Flash crouched at their sides. “Are you two OK?”
Kevin looked hale and hearty, but steam rose off the soles of Scotty’s boots, while black streaks charred his protective pants and coat. His safety goggles, oozing with the rubbery smell of melted plastic, looked like something out of a Salvador Dalí painting, and the ends of his hair were singed.
“We made it,” Kevin replied as he let go of his charge and pushed up.
Scotty ripped the hot plastic and smoldering cloth from his face and coughed. Round, frantic eyes peered up at the ring of firefighters before an embarrassedscowl overtook his expression. Rolling to his hands and knees, his elbows shaking, he sat back on his feet and resecured his hard hat.
“You better not tell a soul about this,” he spat angrily.
“Who would we tell?” Shane asked.
“Hey, we’re only human,” Flash offered. “I was terrified, and I’m the one who promised it would work. Now, let’s get out of here.”
Kevin slid a hand under Scotty’s armpit and hoisted him to his feet. “She’s right. Another trunk could fall on us any minute.”
They ran. It had been five minutes since Garcia ordered the crew to vacate the area, and the situation was deteriorating fast. Vibrations shuddered through Flash’s ankles, calves, and knees as she plowed ahead, once again outpacing the pack. Her lungs burned as she heaved through the wet rag covering her mouth and nose.And you wanted to battle a wildfire,she complained to herself.
“Look!” sounded Red’s voice. “I see a plane!”
Flash glanced skyward in anticipation; then her spirits fell. “It’s a passenger plane and way too high to be our water bomber.”
It seemed the burgeoning line of flames to their left kept up with them as they sped down the freshly cut lane. On their right, the full-blown conflagration dominated the landscape. Another massive gust attacked from the north, bowing blazing treetops in an arc over the stream and above them, threatening to plummet down to consume them. But the wind did something else; it forced the fire to expand to the south, temporarily halting its westward advance.
Fearing more towering pines might crash across the stream, Flash slowed her strides and called to Kevin, “Look! There’s an opening to the south now. If we dash through that wooded area, we could get far enough away from the main blaze.”
They ran a few more yards, while Kevin glanced from the soaring inferno to the unburnt fuel. Then he waved, leading the way. “Here! We can find the road down here, and there’s a lake not too far if we need it.”
Pivoting, the others trailed Kevin and Flash into the unaffected wooded area. By the time they found the road taken by the larger half of the hand crew, the airtanker soared into view, descended to swoop over the wildfire’s southwesternedge, and released its load. A tremendous billow of steam and the hiss of sizzling logs being doused followed. They had dodged a bullet, and, as far as Flash knew, everyone made it out alive.
That night, showered and changed into smoke-free casual wear, Flash and her crew gathered at a roadhouse in the small historic town of Kernville, California, to celebrate containing the massive wildfire. It wasn’t out yet, and that would probably take another week of strenuous work, but Cal Fire had declared the metropolis of Bakersfield and the surrounding smaller towns safe.
“The next round’s on me!” called the smoke jumper’s captain.
Kevin grinned and reached to nab a pint from a passing server’s tray. “Cheers to the Texans!” he shouted with appreciation.
“Hear, hear!” echoed the replies.
Flash smiled, proud she’d come and contributed to the cause of this celebration, thrilled to be alive. Adrenaline still coursed through her veins when a petite blonde with styled curls and a confident smile claimed the stool beside her. It was clear the young woman in cutoff jean shorts and a blue, pink, and white checkered shirt barely buttoned over her perky breasts had spent time and effort perfecting her look. Blue eyes raked over Flash with appreciative appraisal.
“So, you’re a real-life firefighter, am I right?” the woman ventured flirtatiously. Country music boomed from a jukebox somewhere, yet not loud enough to drown out laughing and cheering.
“I am,” Flash answered. Memories of dozens of similar scenarios crossed her mind, tantalizing her with the anticipation of fun, games, and a night of pleasures. Then fell the boom of reality—they had all been fleeting and meaningless, nothing more than a way to unwind after a tense day on the job. Now Flash had a genuine relationship with a gorgeous, sultry, tough-as-her-acrylic-nails FBI agent, and she wasn’t about to blow it for a one-night stand, no matter what this nymph had in mind.
“Thank you for rounding up that fire and saving our little town,” she beamed with a bashful glow. Her lashes blinked, and her lips parted as she gazed at Flash invitingly.
“You are quite welcome, miss. It’s my job.”
“Amy,” she answered. “I’m Amy Silverton, and you are?” She leaned closer, rubbing a finger along the rim of Flash’s half-finished glass. Flash had encountered enough flirtation to recognize exactly what Amy was up to, but relishing in a little admiration wouldn’t hurt. It had been a while since she’d been approached by a fan, and, after the horrendous events of the summer, her ego could use a bit of a boost.
“Flash Cash from Houston’s finest,” she replied, angling her head toward her admirer.
“I should’ve known a long drink of water like you hailed from Texas,” Amy quipped with a grin. Flicking her fingers off Flash’s glass, she waved to the bartender. “She’ll have another on me, and I’ll take a Tequila Sunrise.”
