Chapter 6: The Barton Call

I dressed in the teacher's room with my hair dripping and sat down at the long table with Gilles's spare coat around my shoulders.

The scanner on the shelf was the only thing in the building making a sound.

It crackled and murmured.

I had listened to that scanner voice for fourteen months from the other side of the glass.

I had never once sat in a room where the men were out on a call and I was not the one sending them.

"Control, Four.

"We're on scene, Lamphere Road.

"Fire showing from the basement windows, two lines going in."

It was Gilles.

The girl I had trained answered him evenly.

"Four, Control.

"Copy, on scene."

She did it right.

She said every word at the pace I had taught her, and I found my lips moving along with hers.

I stopped them with my hand.

The men went into the basement in two teams.

Ansel's flat voice came on and went off.

Normand called for water twice, and she repeated it back each time.

Then Tibo's voice broke in.

"Control, Four.

"This is Tibo.

"My low-air alarm just went.

"I'm in the back room and I can't find the line."

I stood up so fast the chair went over.

I stood there with both hands flat on the table.

I did not touch the base radio.

I was not on the schedule, I was not allowed to speak, and my voice was a rasp.

I whispered it anyway.

"Follow the hose, Tibo.

"Left hand on the line.

"Walk it out."

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