“Under control,” I report. “Three poles down, but we’ve got the fire contained. Working on restoration now.”
“Good,” he says. “Listen, I wanted to tell you that I’m glad you agreed to come down and help. You look like you’ve been part of my team all along.”
A smile touches my lips. “Thanks, Captain. It feels right.”
“It is right,” he says firmly. “You made the right choice coming back.”
Before I can respond, his tone shifts, all business as he talks to someone else. Then his voice comes back on the line. “We’ve got another emergency. The transformer at the substation is sparking. Badly. That’s the main line that powers half the businesses in town. We can’t afford for it to go down.”
My stomach tightens. “How bad is it?”
“Bad,” he says. “I need you and your team out there ASAP. I’ll meet you there.”
“On our way,” I say, ending the call.
I turn to Soren and Beckett, my expression serious. “We’ve got another situation. Transformer at the substation is sparking. That’s the main line for half the town’s businesses.”
“Shit,” Soren mutters. “That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not,” I agree. “Captain Noah’s meeting us there. We need to move.”
“What’s the plan?” Beckett asks, already pulling his helmet back on.
“First, we secure the area,” I say, my mind already working through the steps. “Evacuate anyone within a two-block radius. Then we assess the damage. If it’s just arcing, we can try to contain it with the foam. If it’s more serious…”
“If it’s more serious, we’re screwed,” Soren finishes for me. “Half the town loses power. Businesses shut down. People panic.”
“Not on my watch. We’ve got this.”
“We always do,” Beckett says, clapping me on the shoulder. “Let’s roll.”
As we load up the truck, my mind races with possibilities. The transformer is old, probably older than me, and the surgemust have put extra strain on it. If it fails, the consequences could be catastrophic.
The drive to the substation is tense, the streets dark except for the occasional flicker of emergency lighting. The magic is everywhere. It hums under the truck, a low thrum that sets my teeth on edge.
When we arrive, the scene is even worse than I imagined. The transformer is glowing with an eerie blue light, sparks flying in every direction. The air crackles with electricity, the smell of ozone thick enough to taste.
Noah’s already there, his face grim. “Glad you could make it.”
“What’s the situation?” I ask, my eyes scanning the area.
“Main line’s compromised,” he reports. “The surge has fried the insulation. It’s arcing like crazy.”
“Can we shut it down?” Soren asks, already pulling out the gear.
“No,” Noah says, shaking his head. “If we shut it down, we might not be able to get it back up. We need to fix it while it’s live.”
“Live?” Beckett whistles. “That’s risky.”
“Everything’s risky in this town,” I remind him. “What’s the plan?”
“We need to get up there and replace the damaged insulation,” Noah says, pointing to the transformer. “But we can’t do it while it’s arcing. We need to find a way to contain the sparks long enough to work.”
“Containment foam,” I suggest. “We can spray it on the affected areas, create a barrier.”
“Good idea.” Noah nods. “But we need to be careful. Too much foam, and we risk causing a short. Too little, and it won’t contain the sparks.”
“I’ll handle the foam,” Soren volunteers. “I’ve got the steadiest hand.”
