Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

JAKE

Black smoke steadily flowed through the only means of egress from the building. There were no perceivable flames from the outside. But that didn’t mean shit. The inside could be a raging inferno.

I stalked back to the firetruck and geared up with my breathing apparatus. I was going in.

“Jake!” A female voice shouted from behind.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Ellie racing towards us.

“Grace’s still in there. Heather too. Tommy went back in to help them.”

“Where’s Katie?” I asked, realizing Ellie hadn’t mentioned her.

“She’s with the paramedics.”

Captain Brown stepped up beside us, nodding as I relayed, “Marino’s in there.”

“I heard,” Cap confirmed. “I’ll allow you five minutes for recon and rescue. Understood?”

“Yes, Captain,” Mac and I replied, but all I could think of was getting into that building. There were people trapped in there who meant everything to me. I just hoped we were in time to save them all.

As we cleared the doorway, the smoke seemed to thin, and I paused for a beat to allow my eyes to acclimate to the low visibility in the hall.

I caught sight of Tommy kneeling on the floor beside a large table.

Rushing toward him, I crouched, holding out the breathing apparatus I’d brought in for him, and he snatched the mask, filling his lungs with oxygen.

I stood and set about heaving the table towards the stage, searching for Grace.

As I climbed up, I spotted a huddled group over in the corner. It looked like they’d ripped down one of the curtains and were lying almost flat with the material covering their faces.

Thank God they’d huddled close to the ground where the air was clearer.

“Tink!” I yelled.

“Ja—Ja—Jake?”

I vaulted the stage. “Tink!” I bellowed, my eyes frantically searching the group.

“You came!” She leaped for me, clinging to me like a baby monkey.

An immediate sense of relief washed over me, but there was no time to waste. “I want everyone to head toward Mac. We’ve set up a way for you all to climb down, but we’ve gotta be quick.”

Katie’s mom and another female started to help the remaining girls up off the floor.

The guys helped the kids down first. As the last girl hit the ground, I used my free hand to steady the women as they made their descent.

Once they were safe, I moved gingerly to protect the most precious cargo and climbed down after them.

I’d never been a religious man, but as I stepped out into the light, I knew today had been my epiphany.