Page 21 of Fire Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #1)
Chapter
Twenty-One
The next morning, Ash found Eliana standing by the couch, phone in hand, looking as though she had not slept enough either. Dark smudges marred the delicate skin beneath her eyes.
“Morning,” he said gently, coming closer. “You’re up early too.”
Eliana nodded, managing a small smile of greeting. “I’ve been awake for a while. I keep thinking about Mateo.” She locked her gaze on his, worry etched on her face.
“Any updates from Detective Parker?”
“Not yet,” she replied. “But they are patrolling that forest area. I’m sure we’ll hear something as soon as they learn more.” She set her phone aside, exhaling shakily.
Ash closed the distance between them and reached out, gently tracing her shoulder. “You are not alone in this. The police patrolling the orchard.”
She nodded again, though anxiety still flickered in her eyes.
“I have to head into the station for a while. But if you need me, call immediately. I’ll have my phone on.”
“I’ll be okay. The police are on-site. Talia and Gerald will be in. And… we still have to handle the orchard’s basic business even without the rest of the staff here.”
He wanted to sweep her into his arms. “Eliana,” he murmured, leaning closer. “I hate leaving you, but I will be back as soon as I can.”
They exchanged a brief, tender look. Then, very softly, she reached for his hand. “Thank you. Go do what you need to do. I’ll keep safe.”
He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, feeling her breath hitch. “Call me if you need anything.” With reluctance, he released her hand and turned to leave. Outside, he cast a last glance at the farmhouse. He slipped inside his truck, started the engine, and drove away. His chest ached, hating that he was leaving her.
The drive to the Fate Mountain Fire Station took him through winding roads flanked by tall pines. Though the scenery was usually comforting, it did little to ease the tension coiled in him. He inhaled long and slow, focusing on the steady hum of the truck’s engine. If something dire happened, Eliana would call. He had to trust that the police would do their part.
When Ash arrived at the station, he immediately noticed the usual bustle of the morning shift. Firefighters checked hoses, monitored fuel levels, and replaced gear in the trucks.
“Morning, Chief,” said Alec as he approached with a clipboard. “We just ran the standard equipment checks. Everything seems in order.”
Ash mustered a tight smile. “Thanks, Alec. Good to hear.” He started walking through the station, nodding to a few crew members who greeted him. Guilt flickered in his mind again, but he forced himself to focus. The entire Fate Mountain community relied on the Fire Patrol in emergencies. He had to be present, had to be effective.
He ducked into his office, scanning the shift assignments. While he read, his office phone rang. “Ash Bright,” he said into the phone, trying to keep his voice level.
“Chief, it’s Detective Parker. We have a situation. There is a wildfire close to the GPS location from the phone. Police units went in by road, but they hit thick smoke and active flames. They cannot get through.”
Ash’s heart dropped. A wildfire at the GPS location? It felt too coincidental to be random. “Understood, Detective. We’ll head out immediately.”
Ash ended the call, adrenaline surging. He stepped out of his office, alerting his crew. “There’s a wildfire. We have to roll out now. Assemble your crews, load up the brush trucks, and prep the aerial support requests. This could be bad.”
At once, the station burst into activity. Firefighters dashed for their gear, helmets in hand. The overhead lights blazed as the big station doors grumbled open. Ash moved quickly among his people, issuing instructions for water reserves, foam stock, and coordinating routes.
Within minutes, two heavy brush trucks and a standard engine rumbled out of the station. Ash led the way in the first truck, seatbelt buckled firmly as he drove.
The rest of his team followed close, radio comms crackling with dispatch updates. They took the main road heading toward the forest. Smoke became visible far ahead, a dark smear on the horizon.
“This is command center,” said a dispatch officer over the radio. “We have partial info that the local police are forming a roadblock at mile marker 14. Smoke is blocking visibility. They require your Fire Patrol to proceed with extreme caution. Also, they recommend you call in helicopter units if possible. The terrain is steep.”
Ash relayed the message to his crew. “You heard it, folks. We will see the police units by mile 14, then we decide how to approach the fire line.”
The trucks arrived at the designated mile marker, where the road curved into a thick column of smoke. Police vehicles, lights flashing, sat in a loose blockade. Parker himself stood in front of a squad car, talking to another officer. A swirl of ash and smoke blew across the asphalt. Ash braked the lead truck, rolling down his window.
“Detective!” he called out, voice muffled by his protective hood. “What’s the situation?”
Parker came closer, wind tossing stray embers around them. “We scouted ahead, but the flames reached the road. We cannot get normal cruisers or untrained personnel past it.”
Ash nodded. “We will call in the choppers to start dropping water. My brush trucks can push in if the smoke is not too intense. But we need to move fast.”
The detective nodded firmly. “I will keep some units here to manage the perimeter.”
Ash’s heart pounded against his ribcage. He motioned for Alec and Jake, explaining the plan: one brush truck would lead, using heavy foam lines to push through any flames crossing the road, while the second brush truck followed to maintain a corridor of safety. The third vehicle, a standard engine, would remain at the blockade, prepared to provide extra water if needed.
“Alec, radio dispatch for the helicopters,” Ash said. “Tell them to target the ridgeline ahead of us. We need them controlling the spread while we navigate through.”
Alec clicked his comm device. “Copy that, Chief.”
Ash readjusted his grip on the steering wheel, took a breath, and started forward. Sirens wailed. Thick smoke soon engulfed the truck, dimming the daylight until it felt like dusk. It was hard to see more than a dozen feet ahead. The heat increased, and embers drifted in the air like ominous fireflies. Ash flicked on the truck’s specialized fog lamps, attempting to pierce the smoky gloom.
Behind him, the rest of the crew doused the edges of the road with water and foam. Flames flickered in patches among undergrowth. Occasionally, sparks flared up into wild arcs when the wind gusted. The radio crackled with updates from the helicopter pilots, who were now making water drops in strategic spots to corral the blaze.
“Keep steady,” Ash called, gripping the wheel. The main road ended, and they followed gravel road into a dense stand of pines. The vehicle lurched over uneven ground. Branches overhead crackled with small flames. The brush truck’s tires rattled across rocks, sending up clouds of ash.
At last, Ash came to the GPS location from the phone. Ash slowed the truck, scanning the area. Smoke swirled, but flames appeared more sporadic. Ash turned off the siren and hopped down, instructing his team to fan out, extinguish spot fires, and search for any structures or signs of life. The second truck stopped behind them, its crew leaping into action with hoses and axes.
Ash trudged forward, peering through gaps in the smoke. They were close to a small ramshackle cabin, its door half open, singe marks on the walls.
He waved to Kyle. “Over here,” Ash shouted, forging a path toward the half-burned cabin. The smell of scorched wood and wet foam was overpowering. He tried the door, which creaked ominously, and stepped inside with Kyle close behind, flashlight beams cutting through the gloom.
The interior was dim. Sleeping bags, a few random boxes, and scattered clothing lay about. “Mateo?” he called, his voice echoing against the walls.
A weak sound came from a second room. Ash rushed inside. There on the dusty floor lay Mateo, hands bound, face bruised, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. Ash’s heart lurched in relief and horror at once. Ash dropped to his knees, pressing two fingers to Mateo’s pulse. It throbbed, albeit weakly.
“Mateo,” he said gently. “Hang in there. We are going to get you out.”
Mateo’s eyes fluttered, a moan escaping his cracked lips. Dried blood stained his temple. Soot and sweat coated his clothing. Ash carefully tore at the ropes binding the young man’s wrists, while Alec checked his vital signs.
“Looks like they ran off,” Kyle muttered, pulling medical supplies out of his paramedic kit. “Probably left him to burn.”
A spike of anger flashed through Ash. These people had nearly killed Eliana’s orchard, kidnapped Mateo, and tried to hide their crimes behind a wildfire. He swallowed the fury and focused on freeing Mateo, carefully loosening each knot until the young man could move his arms. Mateo grimaced, pain evident in his features.
“You are safe now,” Ash said, his voice thick with emotion. “We have to move him.”
Kyle and Ash exchanged a glance, and Kyle nodded. Gently, they hoisted Mateo to his feet, supporting him on either side. The young apprentice let out a strangled cry when he put weight on his left leg. The two men helped him out of the cabin.
Outside, the flames crackled in the surrounding brush, though helicopter drops had helped reduce the inferno to scattered hotspots. His radio crackled with updates from the rest of his crew, confirming they were holding the line against the fire’s spread. Ash felt shaky relief wash over him. They were not too late.
He pressed his comm button. “We found Mateo. He’s alive.”