MAIN Firefighter feature

The red and blue of the fire truck's sirens fought the faint green light of the crashed spaceship.

The firefighters inside peered out the window at the cloud of mist that spilled out of it like a toxic wave.

Some the trees and plants nearest to the crashsite were already darkened. A birch's bark was already ribbed, and the leaves and branches were shot through with green light.

Some people were on the ground, writhing as their chests and cocks swelled.

Fire Lieutenant McCoy grit his teeth, told his men to double-check the seals on their hazmat gear.

Fiero was the only one to say, "But the police haven't secured the scene! In fact, they're not even here!"

And McCoy snapped back, "Doesn't matter. We're fire and rescue. So we rescue."

Dylan said, "But what if those things are hostile?"

"We don't have any evidence of that. But if you need a security blanket, take a fire axe, a Halligan tool, something."

Dylan nodded. Reluctantly.

"Any more questions from the class? No? Then let's move."

When they entered the cloud, they found themselves lost. McCoy used the radio to keep them in line, until they reached the spot where the civilians had been.

Past tense.

The fog had thicken in their absence, so they couldn't see anything else. Instinct made them bunch up.

Fear made them clutch their tools a little tighter.

"Alright," McCoy said. "We need to circle this thing, and find any victims."

"Or the aliens," Fiero muttered.

McCoy didn't hear him. Apparently. "Brooks, Chandler, you follow us with the truck. Use the tracking system. Try to stay close to where we are, but do not enter the cloud. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Let's-"

Dylan's voice wobbled. "Sir?"

McCoy turned around.

Some of the aliens had emerged from the light green smoke.

They didn't look friendly.

Or, perhaps, they looked a little too friendly.

Especially when they started walking toward the firefighters.

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