All the missing pieces the best of the last

All the missing pieces the best of the last

A bit lightheaded, and confounded. It’s strange, because he always imagined being overjoyed if he found it. Now that he has found the missing pieces, he feels a rush of many things, but mostly relief. Relief that he wasn’t wrong. After all this time, the final piece clicks into place. Jack saves the file and sends it back to the vault. Now all he has to do is stay alive for twelve more hours. If he can manage that, he will absolutely start believing in miracles.

***** Two years earlier.

It’s early morning when the call comes in. Structure fire. Units already on the scene. Jack doesn’t hesitate. He leaps up from bed and gets moving. These things happen fast. Furthermore, what if someone is in trouble? Currently their status is listed as standby. They will be the S&R unit ready and waiting in the wings. As he and his partner Joe Bennett pull onto the highway they learn that it is an entire apartment complex they are responding to.

With this in mind, it becomes clear why the call. It’s protocol to involve Search and Rescue teams on large fires. Jack has been to several in his career. Many in the last few years alone. Furthermore, the events he has been involved in have worsened, with each progressive disaster. In fact, some of the things he’s seen are too odd not to be a part of some type of pattern. Although a pattern of what he really can’t say. Yet.

All the Missing Pieces

Patterns. They happen in odd places. Sometimes they are in plain sight. Obvious. Other times, they are so obscure, they completely blend in. Those are the ones that usually originate from some form of malice. Not always, but more often than not. Jack has a knack for spotting patterns. It’s just something he does. Maybe that’s why he ended up in this type of work. Joe pushes the rescue vehicle to it’s upper limits. The motor roars as they barrel down the highway. On the eastern horizon, Jack can see the smoke.

It is large alright. A thick, black, roiling cloud, stands out against the otherwise cloudless sky. The scene is still active. They are being called into an active scene. He exchanges a glance with Joe. They knew what was ahead. This is going to be a search for survivors in an active scene. Jack holds tightly to the handle above his head. Joe is an excellent driver. Sadly the same can’t be said for many of the other vehicles on the road. They clear the intersection and Joe accelerates back to top speed.

According to the navigation they will be there in three minutes. This is just enough time for Jack to go over their equipment list one last time. If they’re missing anything, now is the time to know, not when they are in the middle of an active scene. Three minutes later they arrive. Fully equipped as it turns out. The first thing Jack notices is the fire. Its devastation is evident as they exit the emergency vehicle. Furthermore, at least three of the structures have collapsed. A fourth looks in danger of the same.

From Last to First

That day stands out in Jack’s memory. Not because of the severity of the fire (one of the worst Jack has ever seen) nor was it losing Joe that day. Although, he misses Joe to this day. In fact, it became about seeing the pattern for the very first time. At first he was just, low level intrigued. After all, it was an incredibly difficult day. However, in the days that followed, the pattern presented itself so boldly, it was impossible to miss.

That’s when the trouble started. Actually it was after the bridge fire. That’s when he knew the pattern was real. The bridge fire filled in the missing pieces. However, the trouble started almost immediately after he made his report. In fact, he didn’t notice the car following him at first. No one expects to be followed. At least, Jack never did, till that day. It wasn’t until he saw the same car sitting in front of his house the next day that he realized he was being followed.

Missing Pieces

Not only did that unnerve him, but also it changed the way he did almost everything. He wasn’t consciously aware of it at first. In fact, the following day, the mysterious car was gone. It vanished. It was enough to make him doubt his own sanity. In fact, that’s when he began to suspect the pattern had something to do with it. It was a gut feeling. And it was the Marina fire that clenched it. It was another emergency standby. And when they arrived on the scene, Jack knew it immediately. All the missing pieces were here. These were attacks. The pattern he’s been seeing, is in the aftermath. Furthermore, someone isn’t happy that he knows.

(Part two of three next.)

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