Hazard [Station 71] Read online

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  HAZARD

  By Xyla Turner

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my family, friends, and readers! Without you, none of this is possible.

  Thank you, Paige Tyler, for this awesome opportunity.

  Thank you, Siera London for your friendship and introduction to Paige Tyler & the Dallas Fire & Rescue Kindle World.

  Thank you, Phoenix Pen, for your editing genius.

  Thanks to my Protector, Provider and Provision Way Maker.

  Much Love,

  Xyla Turner

  Chapter 1

  Axel Hazard

  Sweat poured down my face. I trudged through falling debris in the abandoned warehouse; dark, smoky, filled with fumes. My training taught me, this could be an explosive. There was a little girl inside the building; I had to get to her.

  A beam fell, missing my arm, but it caught the back of my calf, sending me to my knees.

  “Fuck,” I huffed, pain shooting through my body, clothed in fire retardant gear.

  I wasn’t burned, but the pain from the beam kept me on one knee for a few seconds longer than I needed. Getting back up, I trudged forward in search of the little girl. She was in my sights. Fear and uncertainty marred her face as she huddled up with a teddy bear almost as big as her. The thing was highly flammable, I was certain.

  Several burning beams surrounded us. The girl was within reach, but then, something hit me and… she was gone.

  Lights shined bright and sirens rang, indicating the simulation was over.

  “That’s a wrap,” the chief yelled rolling his eyes.

  What happened?

  I was seconds away from getting the girl.

  “Hazard,” Frank, one of my team members, called. “Don’t.”

  What?

  I took off my headgear, so I could hear what he said.

  “Hazard,” Chief Whitley yelled for me.

  “Yeah,” I answered the chief, before I saw his face.

  “Man, you couldn’t even get the prize if it was right in front of you. What the fuck?” Toad said before he let out his diabolical laugh.

  The simulation had a way of making things slower once you reached reality. My bearings would catch up with me after a few moments. The chief must have noticed it just registered because he walked toward me as my eyes pierced into Toad.

  “Come again,” I barked back.

  “Hazard,” Chief bellowed this time.

  “I said—” Toad repeated, but I was already in the man’s face. My fist connecting with his jaw.

  “FIGHT!” someone yelled.

  That’s when it all began.

  Well, not really. It had started six months ago when the probationary firefighter or probie, as we call them, began to spread his wings like a peacock at the station house. That’s not how our house operates. We have our differences, but there’s no one better than the other. We have various strengths, and we utilized our team based around those strengths. It works for us. This probie, though, had been pissing me off since day one.

  Granted, he was good in training but that doesn’t mean shit when you’re surrounded around a forest of fire with no visuals, and you still have victims to retrieve. If you can retrieve them.

  We called him Toad because he croaked loud, but was nothing but a small reptile with hot air. He didn’t really have a choice in the matter. The name was suitable as far as we were concerned.

  Somehow, I was the person in his sights. I’d been with this house for seven years. Through that time, I was promoted to team lead. Nobody had much to say about it, even the veterans who had twenty years in. Then, Toad comes along, and he tries to show everybody up. Most of the older ones just swat at him but it irritates the hell out of the rest of us.

  Therefore, it’s not my first fist connecting with his jaw. It’s like the fifth time, we’ve got into something because he won’t shut the fuck up. It grates my nerves when he tries to compete against his team mates. More importantly, it makes me feel unsafe because I don’t trust him in the field.

  With this job, we are the ones running toward danger on a regular basis. Not just fear and present danger but the all-consuming threats that can easily spread to city blocks. Fire doesn’t have a conscience, cannot be mediated or talked down. It’s a damn fire and something to be feared. Nobody needs a Top Gun who thinks he’s above the threat because he beat some training goals or rescued a fake girl in a simulation. That doesn’t mean shit when that fire hits your ass.

  He was dangerous and a thorn in my goddamn side. Which is why the chief was still trying to get me to have him on my squad. Chief kept saying some shit about taking him under my wing instead of under my fist. There was no way that was happening. He was not only annoying but going to get someone killed. My squad was solid, if we were all on the same shift or split into a three-person engine.

  Joe was the pipe man, Rik was the backup, Sub was my doorman, Rex my backup, Cheeto, and I were the hunters. We had other jobs we could do, but those were the areas where we excelled. Therefore, Toad was not joining the team, since he only excelled at running his damn mouth. I had no time for that shit.

  “Fuck, man,” Toad croaked after he got finished wiping the blood from his busted lip.

  This dense boy never seemed to learn, even after this being the fifth time I punched him in the face. A few others took a couple of swings at him too. I’m telling you, he talks too damn much. Always bragging and shit. A few of the guys had some petitions going around to get him transferred. Apparently, the prick wanted to stay put because the Chief said, he ain’t budging.

  “Cool it. I said,” Chief Whitley snapped. “Hazard, in my goddamn office.”

  Fuck.

  That meant he was going to ream me out another asshole. I didn’t have time for that shit either, but I respected the man a great deal. He and my father were the best of friends until the fire of ’09 took him out of commission and killed my dad. They were both in the same unit and ever since pop’s death, Chief took over. Put me under him, helped my career and wouldn’t let any other house take me. He wanted to be sure I was taken care of in the right way. That also meant, I was chastised worse than the others.

  Well, not really. But it felt like it when I disappointed the old man.

  “Didn’t bring you in here for this shit,” he snapped. “I brought you here, so you could be great. Grow, thrive and lead.”

  He was buff man with red cheeks and a pot belly from Lionel’s weekly beef stew, I’m sure. Chief would always eat at least three large bowls. It was good as shit, but Chief over indulged every week.

  “You need to help that boy, not hurt him,” Chief yelled, and I swear the pictures on the walls shook. “Now, I need you to fucking lead.”

  “Chief, sit down. Okay. Fine.” I was concerned when the redness in his face turned purple. “Fine. Okay. Just sit down.”

  My hand was waving him down as I rounded the large oak desk cluttered with papers and other shit. His faded blue eyes considered mine, and he bent to sit down by the time I was within reaching distance. Squatting on my haunches, I grabbed his wrist and pressed both fingers against the vein on the inside to check his pulse. His breathing was heavy. I didn’t like him getting this worked up.

  “Just need you to help him,” Chie
f said between breaths. “He needs guidance.”

  “Chief, that’s what you’re here for,” I absently said as I pressed his wrist to feel his pulse more clearly.

  He jerked his wrist, causing me to look at him.

  “Ain’t going always be the case,” he rasped in a small whisper. “You got to step up. More than you have.”

  The seriousness in his voice caused an eerie feeling to pass through me. This man was literally the only thing I had left in my life. My mom had packed up when I was around four years old, leaving me with my pops. He left due to the nature of job we led and then there was nothing left. The rest of my family lived in Dallas, Texas where pops grew up. He would occasionally visit, and we always stopped by Station 58. Even though, those visits were so long ago, I kept in touch with some of the people we met there. A friend of mine, Jax Malloy was a fire fighter at Station 58. He owned a ranch and was a former rodeo rider too. His wife is sweet and when I’m on a training or in the area, I always get some of her baked goods. The woman is wicked with cupcakes.

  The sad part is that I have a bunch of long lost cousins on Pop’s side, but I don’t even know who they are, yet I stay in contact with friends. Plus, Pops cut off all my mother’s people, so there was no contact on that side either. Hence why Christmas was spent with my station family.

  “When’s the last time you’ve been to the doctor?” I asked, ignoring the pang in my chest.

  “Two days ago.” He didn’t hesitate.

  “What they say?” I asked.

  “Get the results next week.” He exhaled loudly before he repeated. “Need you to step up.”

  “Okay. Okay.” I nodded and let his wrist go. “Step up. It’s done. Okay.”

  “Okay.” Chief looked relieved and leaned back against the leather, creaky chair. “Know it’s in you.”

  I nodded my head, and stood, before saying, “Let me know about those results and take it easy.”

  Chief grunted as I headed for the door, repeating for him to let me know.

  This was another thing I didn’t want to think about.

  Not at all.

  Chapter 2

  Trecia Wilson

  It was yet another holiday, and I was spending it in the carryout line at Lenny’s. The sad part is it never failed when I said I wanted to have take-out.

  “Take out,” the waitress yelled. “How many?”

  Goddamn.

  Does it matter if it’s take out, how many people I’m ordering for? No, it does not, and I swear, I want to rip that elf’s hat off her nappy head and wring her neck for being so damn loud. It’s violent, but stupid people make me violent. Why are you yelling for the whole restaurant to know I’m here by myself on Christmas day?

  Why?

  “It’s just me,” I say in a low voice, through clenched teeth.

  She must have taken the hint because she nodded and asked me what I want. I quickly tell her. After explaining, I want the chocolate milkshake, I take my receipt and sit down. Then, I can blend in with the other people waiting to be seated. At least until they bring my food.

  About fifteen minutes of waiting, two large men come inside the restaurant. Despite their regular clothes, they had on large, yellow boots like they were clowns or something. My eyes must have lingered on them because a rough chuckle cut through the air like a knife.

  I looked up at the smiling man, but I quickly notice the ring on his left hand. It’s an automatic for every single woman. Look at that third finger from the thumb to see if this could be the one. Well, in my case, I’m looking to give me an excuse as to why I am not available.

  However, this guy must be faithful because he elbows his partner who turns his eyes on me and I deadpan.

  Holy hell.

  The first guy was hot with a nice chocolate coating that made him a Blair Underwood candidate, but this other guy was equally hot with the muscle-bound Zac Efron look but much taller. They were both hot, but the black one was married. The white guy was looking at me with a scowl on his face. Then he shook his head at his friend and that, oddly enough, crushed my whole soul.

  The man shook his head like he was disgusted with the thought of me. I mean, I knew I was a bit on the hefty side. Well, my size twenty, I wore damn well, thank him very much. I didn’t look sloppy, and I was always well groomed. Eyebrows were arched, hairs were plucked but today my hair was probably in the damn ponytail and not out. The crochet locs were my new favorite hairstyle. My hair could grow but sometimes I would forget to have it down around my face and thus, I kept it in a ponytail. My lipstick was intact, it was a golden tint that matched my bronze coloring. The red in my hair only accentuated my earth tone colors. I looked fine, but his dismissal hurt.

  I’m not even sure why because if he had made a move, I would have shut his ass down. I didn’t date anymore. Not after Chester and his stupid ass harem, he had going on. What were the damn odds I was recruited to be a part of a harem under the guise of great sex and a man who was the most attentive to my needs than any man I’d ever met? Well, he wasn’t just interested in me, but Julie, Hazel and Sara Ann.

  Imagine my surprise when I was invited to dinner where everything was explained to me over a nice seafood dinner that Hazel had cooked specifically for me. I barely cracked the lobster tail before I was grabbing the claw ready to cut one of those bitches if they tried to stop me from leaving.

  After that bullshit, I was done. No dating and definitely no online dating. Something in me had shut down and according to my mother, thirty-five was too early to close my vagina. She on the other hand had created several online profiles for me and herself, to meet guys. She was twenty years older than me and her pussy was open for business. Now that had to be some sort of holiday card.

  Mom getting busy more than her daughter.

  I rolled my eyes and turned toward the busy restaurant and fixated on a little girl trying to use a fork to put corn in her mouth. It was an epic fail as she was surrounded by kernels of corn on the floor, her clothes and somehow in her hair. Her father smiled and tried to take the fork, but the girl wouldn’t budge. She wanted to learn how to use that fork, just like everyone else. That little girl would be a fighter and I could relate.

  “Ah, you’re here,” a round waitress with two hefty bags of food in each hand came toward the tall men. “Is it just the two of you?”

  “Yeah, Nancy,” the guy who shook his head replied with a gruff voice. “It’s just us.”

  “Okay,” she nodded. “It’ll be two trips.”

  “That’s fine. We just want to thank you for your generosity,” he said with a smile.

  Damn.

  He was a gorgeous man.

  Zac Efron had nothing on him. Those eyes were on the Nancy lady and I swear the older woman swooned.

  “Oh Hazard, it’s no problem.” She blushed. “Anything for you boys. Y’all saved us.”

  I had no idea what she was talking about, but I was mesmerized just like she was as they took the mountain of bags outside and came back in three more times. That was a lot of damn food and where was it going? I didn’t know Lenny’s catered food. Well, not that I had any events to have them catered, but still. That was a lot of food.

  “Thanks again, Nancy,” the hot guy bent down to give her a hug.

  As round as she was, he completely engulfed her, and all I saw was her pudgy arms at his sides. Then the black guy followed suit but landed a kiss right on the red-face lady’s cheek. She nearly passed out from the hotness in the restaurant and so did everyone else who was at the front.

  Once they left, a few women, even with men, were fanning themselves. The men were scowling, but I had a notion they might get lucky on Christmas day and not because of Santa Claus.

  I wasn’t fanning myself, but I did have a vibrator that sat upright on my nightstand that ran out of juice earlier, so it was recharging. I hope it was ready because my fantasy just took on another shape. A hot, bulky guy with yellow, big ass, rubber boots.

  ***
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  Despite the Christmas holiday, my new assignment started on December twenty-sixth. This time it was not at a corporate office with disgruntled employees. My job as a mediator could virtually be anywhere, but I was completely shocked when the assignment included a government office. Usually, the government kept their dirty laundry to themselves. They did not want outside mediators to handle their inside work. When I confirmed with Scott, my manager at the Mediate Network, that it was in fact, the Municipal Services building in Queens, he confirmed with a similar shock.

  Once I arrived there in my smart suit, heels clacking on the black tile and moving toward the office, printed on my assignment sheet, I came up short. A bunch of cubicles fill the place and there did not seem to be a main office. As I turn around to focus on something or someone to get my attention, I noticed a woman who looked friendly enough to approach.

  “Hi,” I wave at the woman. “Hello.”

  “Yes,” she answers but keeps typing. “What can I do for you?”

  “I’m looking for,” I say while pulling the paper away from my face since it was hard to see if it was too close. “Room three-oh-four. I’m looking for Joseph Whitley.”

  The woman looks up with her eyebrows push together but she stops typing. She reaches for a file and flips it open before she says, “Are you the mediator?”

  “Yes, Trecia Wilson,” I share.

  “Yeah, you’re supposed to be at this address.” She holds out a paper. “We’re just the people that pay you.”

  Taking the paper, she extended toward me, I look over the address that’s located in the Bronx. The south Bronx, to be exact and I try to think what’s over there. Nothing is registering, so I look over the paper again and come up with a blank. It must have been a government contractor, which made more sense. Even so, I found it odd.

  “Okay, thanks.” I say but pull out my phone to text the updated information to Scott.

  Back down the rabbit’s hole, to find out where I’m spending my next six weeks.