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Chapter Thirty-Five
XAN
Sweat sticks to everybit of me, my muscles sore and strained from the fight. Black soot stains my gear and I know any second now I’ll feel the crash.
That moment when my body realizes I’m not in danger anymore and my adrenaline stops. A sagging tiredness will wash over me and I’ll want to collapse wherever I’m standing.
“It’s great to have you back, man,” Rich says. “The fucking dream team showing nature who’s boss.” He lets out a masculine bark that gets a whoop from the men and an eye roll from the ladies on the crew.
He’s joking of course, his eyes flashing with the memories of last year. But he’s also not wrong, there’s nothing like the high of coming out of a shift having successfully contained the flames.
We also know we’re lucky. No wind today. The valley was unusually calm, and it felt like Devine intervention. Like God made it so, just to prove a point.
The pain of Gus’ death is fresher than it’s ever been, but when I was out there working with my crew, moving in unison I saw what I do for exactly what it is. We are battling nature. And nature will always be superior.
Gus didn’t die because I made a mistake. The winds shifted suddenly, a powerful gust changing the entire scope of the fire. We all made mistakes that day. None of us were prepared for how quickly the flames changed, how fast the forest went up, and equipment that malfunctioned.
We were all to blame and none of us was to blame. Horrifying and unfortunate, but this is what we all signed up for. We all know the risks. We all fight for the reward.
Back at the base we get ready for the shift debrief and the crew leader nods at me to follow him.
My heart kicks up again and I run my fingers through my sweat soaked hair.
“What’s up?” I ask, my voice lowered.
“I think you should get cleaned up, head home, Ryker.” His voice is tight, and my stomach drops out from under me. Did I fuck something up? Am I back too soon?
“It’s fine,” he continues. “Everything’s fine. But we figured out who started the fire. A woman confessed. She was arrested at the Marchand place a few hours ago. But Alexander this fire was started because of you.”
I’m not understanding anything he’s saying and then I think to the motorhome fire. To Briggs’ stalker. Arrested at the Marchand house.
“Fucking hell,” I say scrubbing at my face. And when I’d decided that nature was just nature. That it had nothing to do with me. This fire had everything to do with me. The lives that would be at risk because of someone on a revenge path.
“Is she?” I ask and Greg shrugs.
“No one got hurt, that’s all I know. We got the statement from the police that a woman started the fire to be sure you’d away from the Marchand place. They didn’t give me any other information. But Alexander?” His tone switches to deeply commanding and I feel the need to stand at attention like a soldier.
“Are you okay?” He asks gruffly, like the question itself is more comfortable to say as a order.
I take a deep lung filling breath of fresh air and nod. “I’m ready to be back. One hundred percent.”
He scrutinizes me for a moment before reaching out a hand and I shake it. “Good to hear. Now get out of here and take care of your family. We’ll see you next shift.”
My family.
I spin on my heel and follow his order.
#
Briggs’ motorhome is parked outside my place when I get home, my heart in a panic after checking the voicemails and texts left throughout the night. I knew they’re here, and with my head on straight I have time for the fear of it all to fully settle.
I wasn’t there to help her. I wasn’t there to protect her.
But she protected herself. She can take care of herself.
The door bangs aggressively as I enter the house and it takes a moment for the scene to register. My sisters all crammed together in the couch and with them is Millie and Briggs. The sight is so normal, so mundane my chest tightens at the perfection of it.
The sound of the door startles Briggs awake.
