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A headlamp flashed through the smoke, and Nova appeared against a backdrop of burning forest. Somehow, the fire in her eyes sparked brighter than the light of the fire. “We’ve got a spot fire picking up steam and heading for an abandoned mining claim, so you three are with me.”
Booth refilled his water jug and hefted his PG bag. Slung his Pulaski over his shoulder and caught up to Nova. “Can you afford to pull three off the crew for a spot fire?”
“Politics. Historical preservation of the Kootenai National Forest or some such thing,” she said.
“Is there anything even left out there to save?”
“Old cabins, mostly.”
“Anyone live up there?”
“No, it’s administered land. Hikers might stop over, but the area is so remote I doubt it.”
“Hey, Nova,” Rico called from behind. “You’re friends with that pilot Aria, right?”
Nova scrunched up her face and flicked a questioning glance at Booth. “Um, yeah. Why?”
“I was thinkin’ about asking her out. Could you put in a good word for me?”
“Sure.” She smiled at Booth. “If you carry my pack out when we’re done.”
“Pfft. No way. Carry your own stuff.”
“Rico, you dummy. That was a test,” Eric said.
“Well, ain’t no girl worth that. I’m already carrying the saw pack and my own junk.”
“When will you learn, man?” Eric laughed. “There’s always pain involved when it comes to women.”
Rico snorted. “Guess I’ll be single forever.”
Nova shook her head. “Hopeless.”
Booth laughed. “No pain, no gain.”
Rico and Eric fell back a few yards, talking about the new hire at the Hotline. A blonde bombshell, to hear Rico talk about her. Booth hadn’t noticed. He only had eyes for a certain bossy redhead.
The mine was a mile-long hike up a steep slope beyond the head of the fire. It had several structures scattered throughout a flat area. Booth imagined the mine had once housed multiple families, but now it was being reclaimed by nature. Two smaller cabins had collapsed in on themselves, but the main log cabin looked to be in pretty good shape. Well, other than the dilapidated porch, busted glass windows, and overgrown vegetation. Several smaller sheds and outbuildings dotted the landscape.
Nova dropped her pack and chugged about a third of her water. “Okay, guys. I think the waste rock dump will hold the left flank, but we’ll need to keep the fire from running up that ridge behind the cabins. With this wind, it’ll push the fire right over our heads, and we’ll have a blowup on our hands.”
Booth had been there, done that. Two years ago, a fifty-five-mile-an-hour wind gust had caused a fire to take off. In less than an hour, the fire had gone from six acres to a thousand, closing off his escape route. He’d been forced into his fire shelter. It’d saved his life, but the whole time he’d felt like the foil-wrapped potatoes he tossed into the campfire.
One of the few times fighting wildfires when he’d really thought he wouldn’t make it out alive. He stared at the burning treetops waving in the wind. “Looks like we have our work cut out for us.”
Rico and Eric began grumbling and unpacking their gear.
The head of the fire sizzled and snapped. Booth paused. “Shh! You hear that?”
Everyone stared at a section of flames roaring far above the tree line. Black smoke billowed from the spot.
Eric created a visor with his hand. “What the heck is it?”
A rumbling sound rippled from somewhere in the fire followed by a giant crash.
Booth stepped in front of Nova.
The trees cracked and swayed. A booming kathump, kathump shook the ground.