The Truth of the Fire

Summary

The piercing shriek of the fire alarm tore through the late-night silence, yet I, Battalion Chief Alice Evans, remained perfectly still, a warm mug cradled in my hands. My gaze, heavy with a knowing weariness, settled on the window, listening as the desperate screams outside were swallowed by the voracious roar of flames.

In another life, when the first tendrils of smoke had appeared, I’d immediately dispatched my crews. I’d meticulously orchestrated their attack, sending them from different angles, watching as the inferno yielded, inch by agonizing inch. Only when the last survivor was carried out, charred but breathing, did I finally allow myself to sag, leaning back in my chair, eyes fluttering shut for a brief, earned rest.

But then, an icy click. Handcuffs snapped around my wrists. “Battalion Chief Evans, you’re under arrest for intentional homicide. Come with us.”