Fire Fight

Thrill Rider:

As I jump through the window and fall onto the floor, I regret it almost immediately. Most of the building is already on fire. All I see when I look around are bright-orange flames eating at anything and everything. I've been in ten seconds, more or less, and already, I'm sweating all over. The insane heat is squeezing the sweat out of me like a sponge and as if that wasn't bad enough, the smoke is kicking the air out of me.

"Remember fire safety," I tell myself. "Think back to Firemen A-B-C."

I think back to when Firemen A-B-C visited my kindergarten class.

"Always Be Careful," Firemen A-B-C said while pointing to a chart with a smiling fire truck. "Remember kids. Fires are very dangerous. When you see a fire, be sure to tell your parents."

"Hmm," I say, "I don't think I need to tell my dad about this. Ahh, never mind! Okay. What else do you remember about fire? Smoke rises so stay low."

I drop to my knee.

"Use something like a wet cloth to cover your mouth."

I look around but I don't see anything like a wet cloth. I look down and instead grab the collar of my suit. I then pull it over my nose and mouth.

"What else? What else? Don't open doors unless you first touch the door knobs. Stop, drop, and roll. Always be careful. Wait, no. That last one is from Firemen A-B-C. Though it does still apply."

I'm kicked back into reality when I hear the sound of gunfire.

"Dad," I shout, crawling as fast as I can toward the source. I crawl and crawl around the dozens of blazing flames until I come to some sort of clearing in the fire. There, I see my dad, Officer John, pinned down behind an iron support. He tries to lean out but is immediately fired upon, and by now other than Iron Fire.

"Remember the name," Iron Fire shouts, shooting at my dad. "Iron Fire! The greatest arsonist Los Angeles had ever known--"

Iron Fire not seeing me and being too busy with my dad, I have the element of surprise. I run up to another support and climb it as fast as I can. Once on the second floor, I run up to Iron Fire and jump. Screaming as I fly through the air, I knock him down.

"Thrill Rider," my dad yells, coming out from behind the cover. The second he sees me, he points his pistol at me. "Freeze!"

"Now," I ask. "Really? Now? In case you haven't noticed, things are really, really bad now!"

I point to the dozens and dozens of blazes surrounding the two of us.

"That doesn't matter," my dad shouts. "You're under arrest for--"

Before my dad can finish, he's cut off by the screams of a certain arsonist. Iron Fire screaming as he pushes himself up, he aims and fires at me. Steam of fire heading right for me, I turn and run for any covers.

Jumping and hiding behind some machinery, I cover my head as the fires shoot past me.

Officer John:

"Thrill Rider," I shout, watching as the vigilante runs from the arsonist. He runs and hides behind one of the abandoned machinery. Covering his head as he screams, the arsonist, apparently calling himself Iron Fire, walks toward him.

"Shoot," I cry. "I can't let that man burn Thrill Rider! As much as I hate him, I can't let him be killed!"

"Freeze," I yell again, this time aiming at Iron Fire.

"No," Iron Fire shouts, turning from Thrill Rider to me. "Burn!"

He fires at me and forces me back behind cover. The moment his back is turned, Thrill Rider runs out from cover and jumps into the air. Doing a flying kick, Thrill Rider knocks Iron Fire to the ground.

"Thanks for the help," Thrill Rider says, waving at me.

"Don't thank me," I shout, pointing a finger at the vigilante. "After he is down, I am taking you into custody!"

"For what?"

"Assault, destruction of property, evading policies, and so many more things," I answer. "Oh, and theft. I have proof you stole a motorcycle about a week ago!"

"I paid for that! I left money behind! More than enough for both the motorcycle and the broken window! Oh, and in case you're wondering, no! No, I didn't steal that money! I actually worked and saved that money! You can't arrest me for that!"

About to shout something back at the vigilante, our attention is drawn to Iron Fire. Moaning and groaning as he pushes himself up, Thrill Rider rushes to stop him. However, Iron Fire unleashes another stream of fire. It forces Thrill Rider back.

I then watch as Iron Fire aims at the floor. Shooting what can only be oil, he lights the oil on fire before turning and running away.

"He's getting away," I shout. I look for a place to climb up but all I see is fire. Bright, burning fire.

"Hold on," Thrill Rider says. He runs back before jumping off the second floor. Landing on his feet before falling to the ground, he pushes himself up and runs to me. The second I can, I pull out my handcuff and slap them on Thrill Rider.

"There is a time and place to arrest me," Thrill Rider says as he raises his cuffed wrist. "Now, in a burning building, is not the right time or place."

I look at the fire as it seems to grow. It blocks the set of double doors I took to get in.

"How did you get in," I ask, looking at Thrill Rider.

"Window by the fire escape," Thrill Rider answers. "This way."

He takes a step but then stops.

"What? Why are you stopping?"

"Uhh, can you take this off?"

Thrill Rider once more shows me his cuffed wrist.

"No," I shout. "You're under arrest."

I can't be sure but I feel like Thrill Rider just rolls his eyes at me. He most definitely shakes his head.

"This way," he repeats, guiding me through the fire. The two of us run through the burning building, we only stop when we reach a wall.

"There," Thrill Rider says, pointing up. "That's the window I used to get in here."

I look at where he's pointing and see an opened window. However, the window is on the second floor, and we're on the first.

"How do we get up there," I scream. "The stairs are blocked!"

Thrill Rider and I look at each other as the fire surrounds us. It blocks any way out for us, trapping the two of us.

"Officer John," Thrill Rider screams as we back away. "I have an idea. Quick, climb onto my shoulder!"

"What?"

Thrill Rider drops to his knee and cups his hand together.

"Climb onto my shoulder," Thrill Rider yells. "Now!"

I sigh and swallow a split wad as I step onto the Thrill Rider's cupped hand. He then lifts me up.

"Please do me a favor," Thrill Rider says as he raises me. "Don't leave me behind! This is not how I want to die!"

I ignore Thrill Rider's banter and focus on climbing the wall. Reaching the open window, I pull it and pull myself through. Crawling through on my stomach and ending up on a fire escape, I turn around and look at Thrill Rider.

I reach in and hold out my hand.

"Give me your hand," I say. Thrill Rider jumps and grabs onto my hand. As he grabs onto my hand, I feel myself being pulled in. "Wow. You are heavy."

"That's not me," Thrill Rider shouts as he walks up the wall while I pull. "It's the body armor I'm wearing."

My teeth grind and turn to dust as I pull Thrill Rider up, he finally makes it to the window where he lets go of my hand and climbs through.

"Come on," he shouts as we both climb down the fire escape.

Escaping the burning building, Thrill Rider and I can finally breathe some fresh air. While still bent over and breathing heavily, Thrill Rider grabs my shoulder.

"Listen to me," Thrill Rider goes on. "Last night, there was a fire. An old apartment building burnt down. I was there. That was also Iron Fire. You need to learn who Iron Fire is. Fast. Also, I am really, really sorry about this."

"Sorry about what," I ask.

"This."

Before I could react, Thrill Rider takes both my hands and cuff them together. He then knocks me to the ground. Screaming as I fall, Thrill Rider apologizes again before running off.

"Again," Thrill Rider shouts as he runs. "Very sorry. Super sorry. Bye"