GenderBender
Star
- Joined
- May 29, 2017
As the Fire Chief approached the bottom of the ladder, he glanced around. Yes, just as he had hoped, Batman was there waiting for him. This was the tenth fire in the past month and the Bat had been interested since it became clear that there was a pattern.
Two firefighters stepped forward at the moment the Chief’s feet touched the ground and lifted off his breathing apparatus. It was a mark of respect, but he wished they hadn’t done it, especially with the Bat watching. Despite being Chief, he took an active interest in the way his Department operated and when arson was involved, as it obviously had been in the other fires, he took a particular interest.
Batman stepped forward. ‘Another one?’ Soft and deep, but with a hint of concern.
The Chief walked away from the crush of fighters, giving him a chance to get his breath and steady his breathing.
‘Too early to say. The investigators will need to get into the building to be sure and that won’t be possible until the fire has been dampened down.’
‘But you have an idea.’ Statement, not question. A sign of respect for his ability, one professional at the top of his game speaking to another.
‘Let’s talk in my car. I need to get back to the station.’
The two men walked side by side away from the smouldering shell of the building. The Chief looked intently at his companion’s face, noticing the stubble visible along the edge of his mask.
‘You were on the spot quickly.’ The Chief tried to make it sound like a casual remark.
‘Yes, I just happened to be driving around and smelt smoke.’ He also tried to make it sound casual.
The Chief took the wheel and weaved his way through the Gotham traffic.
‘Well,’ he began, ‘it’s another warehouse, like the others, with lots of combustible stuff inside, so in that sense, yes, it is like the others. But,’ he paused to negotiate a congested intersection, ‘all the others had multiple sites where separate fires had been set. Not this one, though, there is one obvious site, that’s all, as far as I could see from the ladder. So, it’s possible that this is an accidental fire. Unless – unless the culprit is learning.’
They were at the station house now.
‘Or trying to confuse us,’ Batman added as they climbed out of the car.
The Chief led the way upstairs.
‘I hope you don’t mind if I take a shower, wash that smoke off me.’
He knew the Bat would understand. He’d probably felt the way the Chief did now, with sweating running down his body inside his gear and puddling inside his boots. He eased them off first and then his fireproof kit, leaving him in a thin pair of shorts – silk to prevent chaffing – clinging to his damp flesh.
Batman followed him to the shower and watched as he stripped and soaped himself all over, letting the suds carry away the dirt and grime, and the warm water ease his aching muscles. It was impossible to talk over the noise of the power shower.
The Chief shook the water from his thick hair, black with speckles of grey, and looked around. The Bat looked too, saw the towels and collected two, handing one over and keeping the other. The Chief gave his hair a quick scrub and began towelling his chest vigorously before turning away. The Bat stepped forward and worked down the Chief’s back and over his buttocks. The Chief shifted his feet to allow the Bat access between his thighs and, between them, he was soon dry, but still facing the wall of the shower. He stood like that for a while, before he slowly turned to face the Bat.
‘Sorry,’ he almost coughed up the word.
Puzzled at first, the Bat looked down.
Two firefighters stepped forward at the moment the Chief’s feet touched the ground and lifted off his breathing apparatus. It was a mark of respect, but he wished they hadn’t done it, especially with the Bat watching. Despite being Chief, he took an active interest in the way his Department operated and when arson was involved, as it obviously had been in the other fires, he took a particular interest.
Batman stepped forward. ‘Another one?’ Soft and deep, but with a hint of concern.
The Chief walked away from the crush of fighters, giving him a chance to get his breath and steady his breathing.
‘Too early to say. The investigators will need to get into the building to be sure and that won’t be possible until the fire has been dampened down.’
‘But you have an idea.’ Statement, not question. A sign of respect for his ability, one professional at the top of his game speaking to another.
‘Let’s talk in my car. I need to get back to the station.’
The two men walked side by side away from the smouldering shell of the building. The Chief looked intently at his companion’s face, noticing the stubble visible along the edge of his mask.
‘You were on the spot quickly.’ The Chief tried to make it sound like a casual remark.
‘Yes, I just happened to be driving around and smelt smoke.’ He also tried to make it sound casual.
The Chief took the wheel and weaved his way through the Gotham traffic.
‘Well,’ he began, ‘it’s another warehouse, like the others, with lots of combustible stuff inside, so in that sense, yes, it is like the others. But,’ he paused to negotiate a congested intersection, ‘all the others had multiple sites where separate fires had been set. Not this one, though, there is one obvious site, that’s all, as far as I could see from the ladder. So, it’s possible that this is an accidental fire. Unless – unless the culprit is learning.’
They were at the station house now.
‘Or trying to confuse us,’ Batman added as they climbed out of the car.
The Chief led the way upstairs.
‘I hope you don’t mind if I take a shower, wash that smoke off me.’
He knew the Bat would understand. He’d probably felt the way the Chief did now, with sweating running down his body inside his gear and puddling inside his boots. He eased them off first and then his fireproof kit, leaving him in a thin pair of shorts – silk to prevent chaffing – clinging to his damp flesh.
Batman followed him to the shower and watched as he stripped and soaped himself all over, letting the suds carry away the dirt and grime, and the warm water ease his aching muscles. It was impossible to talk over the noise of the power shower.
The Chief shook the water from his thick hair, black with speckles of grey, and looked around. The Bat looked too, saw the towels and collected two, handing one over and keeping the other. The Chief gave his hair a quick scrub and began towelling his chest vigorously before turning away. The Bat stepped forward and worked down the Chief’s back and over his buttocks. The Chief shifted his feet to allow the Bat access between his thighs and, between them, he was soon dry, but still facing the wall of the shower. He stood like that for a while, before he slowly turned to face the Bat.
‘Sorry,’ he almost coughed up the word.
Puzzled at first, the Bat looked down.