Dread and hope ripped my heart to shreds as Mal disappeared into that burning building. Had my brother gained one last chance at life, or had I just lost the two most important people in my whole life?
“Who the hell was that?” Captain Demoe hollered.
“His name's Malik Long, sir. He, uh,” Drew cleared his throat. “Works over at Firehouse fifteen.”
“Oh, I remember that little sonofabitch.” The police captain's brow furrowed. Brendan wasn't the only one that hated the Long family. Old wounds run deep in this city. “He's a fireman now?”
“No, sir. I think he's just volunteering.”
“If he comes out of there alive,” the old man began to growl. “I want him arrested for reckless endangerment, theft of fire department property—” An explosion inside the building stole some of Demoe's bluster. A pillar of flame erupted from the third floor windows. “Everybody back!”
The whole face of the building groaned, then rippled under the intense heat and years of neglect. Finally the support pillars to either side of the entrance gave way and the front of the building collapsed. A landslide of smoldering wood and concrete came down in sheets. It crushed both the main doors and Mal's motorcycle.
I screamed. The thunderous cracking sound was deafening and the vibration tore through my whole body. The main entrance was gone. Even if they did survive the explosion, how were they going to get out?
Several agonizing minutes later I finally heard sirens in the distance, the fire department had finally managed to reroute some of the water trucks up here. But what good would that do now?
I had gone completely numb and was in a daze. I let an officer sit me in the passenger's seat of one of the cruisers. They would never get in there in time to rescue Mal or Brendan or that little girl. I idly rubbed my stomach, feeling for a bump that wasn't there yet.
What am I going to tell our child, Mal? My whole world was crashing down around me. My face was ruined with sobbing tears. How could I even go on after this? You promised you'd never leave me again.
You promised.
I watched the orange tendrils lick out the open windows and was soon lost in the hypnotizing flames that consumed the blazing building. It was so hideously beautiful that I felt sick.
And then there was another crash of exploding windows. A huddled mass of something was launched out of the second floor window, on the side of the building. Flames licked out after it, as if angry that whatever it was had escaped.
Part of the smoking form on the grass rolled away, then stood up and peeled off his breathing apparatus.
I screamed and ran from the car like a madwoman.
EMTs and a few nearby officers beat me to the human wreckage. Mal was stripping off his ruined leather jacket and helmet when they arrived. He helped the EMTs and officers move Brendan and the little girl to a safe distance, then took me into a massive embrace. He was sweaty, covered in char and soot and smelled terrible. I didn't care.
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you.” I whispered, sobbing near uncontrollably. I was so relieved that it felt like someone had lifted a boulder off me. “I thought you were gone.”
“I made you a promise,” was all Mal replied. I never wanted to leave those strong, stinky arms but I tore away anyways. I needed to check on Brendan.
Brendan was in rough shape, the young girl was worse, but it looked like they were both going to make it. They were both loaded onto stretchers and were made ready for transport to the hospital.
“On the ground!” Officer Winter came running over, gun drawn. It took everyone, even the other officers, by surprise. “Malik Long, you're under arrest!”
“What!” I shoved Winter to little effect, then was pushed out of the way. “Are you fucking joking?”
Captain Demoe ambled up to us, but didn't intervene. He watched as Mal was forced to the ground and cuffed in front of everyone.
“Captain,” Brendan wheezed from all the smoke he'd breathed in. He reached out for Demoe, who took his hand and moved in closer so that Brendan wouldn't have to shout.
“Don't do this...” Brendan's words were broken and incredibly labored. It must have hurt him considerably to talk at all. “Malik saved my life. The girl's life too. We broke into his firehouse earlier today. Roughed him up and he still came. To help.”
Brendan was standing up for Mal? It was something I'd never thought I'd see, ever. Brendan hated Mal, didn't he? Maybe having his life saved by his enemy changed his perspective.
I hoped so.
“Get him out of here,” Demoe told the EMTs, releasing himself from Brendan's grip. Demoe muttered that he'd let the fire chief decide what to do with Mal, then impatiently waved for the EMTs to take Brendan.