A Burning Hunch

Officer Jonathan Peterson:

I stare at my computer screen as I tap the end of my pen against my notepad over and over again.

"Iron Fire," I repeat to myself. "Iron Fire."

I replay everything that happen last night; the man in the iron suit, being trapped in that burning building, even Thrill Rider. As I think about everything that happened, I finally see the result I asked for appear on my computer screen.

"Finally," I think as I stop tapping my pen and read over the information. "I knew it. I knew this Iron Fire guy had to have a record."

It took a while but after some combining and intense research, I finally find a lead on who Iron Fire is.

"Kenneth Orr," his police record states. "He was first arrested for setting fire to his neighbor's mini-van when he was 17. In the years afterward, he was arrested four more times for setting fires in other places. That's funny."

As I keep reading, I see a sidenote in the record.

"During his last arrest, he attempted to set fire to a hardware store but Thrill Rider caught him. He knocked Orr out before leaving him in front of the police station with evidence. Orr was sent to prison for three years. He was released only a month ago. Hmm."

I look at the profile picture of Kenneth Orr. A tall, built man with messy black hair and a serious look, I compare it to Iron Fire.

"Thrill Rider," I curse," This is all your fault. If Kenneth Orr was Kenneth Orr, then he would be easy to arrest but no. Because of him, because of your careless vigilante ways, you turned him into Iron Fire. I mean, why else would a full-grown man put on an iron suit and go by a ridiculous name."

I shake in disapproval.

"After Kenneth Orr," I tell myself while rubbing the spot on my forehead where Thrill Rider hit me. "I am coming after you."

"Officer Peterson," a voice says. I look up and see my partner, Officer Ben, standing before me with a cup of coffee and a donut in hand.

"Thanks," I say, taking the coffee and donut. I take a bite of the donut before washing it down with the coffee.

"Uhh, those were mine," Ben says, pointing at the cup and donut.

"Ohh," I say, pulling the cup away. I clear my throat. "Sorry."

"No," Ben says, taking a seat beside me. "No. It's fine. Anyway, have you finally learned something about Iron Fire?"

"Yes, I have," I say with a smile. I turn my screen and show it to Ben.

"Kenneth Orr," Ben reads. "Are you sure?"

"It had to be. After all, a partial fingerprint is still a fingerprint. The crime tech found his prints on the open garage door. Come on. Let's go find him."

I get up from my chair.

"Uhh," Ben says after reading a little of his record. "Officer Jonathan, that may be a little hard. According to his record, Kenneth Orr doesn't have a fixed address. Or any associates. I mean, he does have a brother, but this said his brother lived out of state."

"What," I say, going back to the screen. Ben points at his section of the record where his past associates are supposed to be, but all that is there is an empty box. "Shoot."

I sink back into my chair.

"If Kenneth Orr doesn't have any associates or a fixed address, then how are we supposed to find him?"

Brian Wane:

"Thanks," I say, handing the cab driver some money. The cab driver nods his head before driving off. While he drives off, I turn around and look at the abandoned building in front of me.

"Hello potential target," I say, pulling out my camera to snap some pictures. The abandoned building in front of me is a crumbling, rotting house. Surrounded by a rusted fence, the windows, what few there are, are all shattered and broken. The front door is hanging from only one hinge and practically all four walls are covered in spray paint.

I take a few more pictures before reaching into my pocket and pulling out a printed map. I look at the map for a bit before looking around.

"This is the sixth place I've been to," I tell myself. "It's not an apartment building or a factory so I could be wrong, but still."

I look back down at the printed map in my hands.

"The apartment building and the factory Iron Fire destroyed aren't too far from each other," I say. I compare the distance between the circles on the map. "Both places are less than ten blocks from each other."

Again, I feel a wave of doubt hit me right in the head. I pocket the map before taking a walk alongside the fence. As I walk around the corner, I stop when I see a car parked right behind the house.

"What the heck," I say when I see the small red car. Only, it's not the car that grabs my focus but rather, the hole in the fence next to the car.

Running up to the car, I place my hands around my face and look through the windows. The backseat is covered in bright red gasoline can, and in the front passenger's seat is a welding mask.

The second I see the welding mask, I see myself back in the burning apartment building. I'm hiding behind a fountain with Thrill Rider as a man in a very similar mask is shooting at us.

"It's him! Iron Fire! I've found him!"

I reach for my phone and begin to dial but before I can finish, I hear the sound of the fence shaking. Instantly, I shove my phone in my pocket and hide behind the car. I clap my hand over my mouth and stay as still as I can.

"This is going to be quite the fire," Iron Fire shouts as his car beeps and he opens the door. As Iron Fire reaches into his car, I pull my legs back and stay as flat as I can on the car. "The fire department will have a real fight on their hands. And so will Thrill Rider when I see him."

Iron Fire slams the door shut before turning and walking around. Judging from the sound of it, he's wearing his iron suit. I can hear the sound of his iron feet stepping against the ground before I hear the sound of a shaking fence.

When I hear a door close, I pull my hand off and reach back into my pocket. I pull out my phone again and dial 9-1-1. Before I hit the green call button, I make sure I have the app that disguises my voice is on.

"Hello," I say, "My name is John Doe. Please, listen to me. I think there's going to be a fire at the abandoned house on Keller Road."

"Keller Road," the operator repeats. "Sir, what do you mean by you think there's going to be a fire?"

I stop talking for a bit to look at the house as the inside starts to light up.

"Call it a hunch," I answer before hanging up.