Page 57 of On Fire

Chapter Fourteen

Dave Keller

“He should be here any minute,” Finn says, shielding his eyes from the sun by putting on a pair of dark sunglasses.

I squint. “It’s been at least ten.”

Finn glances at his phone once more before returning it into a back pocket. “I’m more concerned about him not answering his radio.”

He taps his earpiece again. “Nic, do you copy. We need a check-in.”

“Has Carlson got back to you?”

Finn shakes his head. “No. He says the truck was delivered, Nic was evacuated. I told him to get back here quick.”

I’m thinking about the way he was after the bomb site visits last Monday. “Maybe he needed a minute.”

Finn looks at me. “He never needs a minute. He’s always the guy out in front. The guy’s built of steel.”

I lean into his ear. “You and I know that’s not true.”

Finn hears me and makes a decision. “Bryce, you go the route he took the truck, but I don’t want you anywhere near that denotation area. Maybe he just lost the earpiece. It could have been a rough exit.”

McKinley walks up. “Haven’t heard a blast yet,” he says.

“Out of line,” is all I say and stare at him.

He stares right back and then the faintest of grins starts. I ignore him.

“Bryce, wait up, I’m going with you. McKinley you’re in charge. I’ll be back in ten.”

Bryce pauses. “You don’t have to go, Keller. I got this.”

“Yeah,” I say. “I do.” I quickly radio the other two city units and Carlson that I will be at least four blocks from the event site.

Bryce and I trot along the streets which are eerily empty. Everyone is either locked inside enjoying the AC and maybe watching from windows or they are lined up on Main Street in the sweltering heat.

We get within eyeshot of the bomb squad and are immediately stopped by one from their squadron. The shield lifts to reveal a woman.

Bryce explains the situation quickly. The officer touches a keypad on her lower arm and then nods.

“Nic Silvano was the driver?”

We both nod. She turns her head for a moment so she can hear better without wind in the piece.

She nods, stares at me a moment and then translates what’s in her ear: “He left here fourteen minutes ago.”

“He hasn’t returned to his unit,” I say.

“I see. Yes. Wait.” She frowns for a moment. “Hang on a sec.” She turns and leaves, moving back up the street in gear that must weigh as much as she does. I make a quick mental note to introduce her to Devon. They would probably hit it off.

Another Walking EOD suit passes her, coming directly toward us.

His face shield is already up. It’s a young guy from the tabletop training last week.

“Small bomb. A detonator and no remote. Very small range. Not sophisticated. What do you have?”

“A missing partner,” Bryce says. He’s starting to get frustrated, and the intense afternoon heat isn’t helping.