Conflicted (Buddie) ENGLISH VERSION

Eddie Begins

Hen looked at the dark sky, trying to avoid the rain that started to fall on L.A. 

She ran to her captain. 

-Bobby! It's raining. 

He followed her stare, worried, and clicked his tongue. 

-Chimney, what's up with Eddie? 

The firefighter leaned over the pit and shook his head. 

-He just hit the end of the line Cap'. 42 meters. There're a minute and a half left! 

The captain huffed, about to end the mission, but he couldn't. He made a promise. He promised three minutes. And he promised the mother that he'd get her son back. But could they? He didn't know. And he didn't know if he was going to be the one to breakdown or if it'd be Buck who couldn't stop pacing like a lion in bars. 

-Cap, let me get there! He asked him over and over, stamping with impatience. 

But he refused, over and over and always with some firmness. He did not need a second impulsive firefighter to go down in this trap. 

-Twenty seconds left! Yelled Chimney, staring at his watch. 

The teams that responded to the call were out of breath, the fear and pressure giving 'em bellyaches. And all this pressure was on one firefighter. Eddie. 

Who had the terrible idea to send him underground to save that little boy? Him, definitely. He spoke to the kid through the radio they send in the pit and, Eddie decided that because the kid heard his voice, he'd feel better if he was the one to go to save him. But no one ever asked for rain, storm, lightning, and coldness, and tonight, they were so trying to make them fail. 

-Ten seconds! 

Chimney was already pulling the rope, ready to reach his colleague, when his head will appear through the hole with the kid. Buck leaned over the pit, hoping that every few seconds that went by, he'll see Eddie's helmet. 

Fuck those electric lines. Why did the comms go off at 24 meters? There were almost twenty left where many things could have gone wrong without no one knowing it. It was hard to handle. 

"-You're with us on this call, but you don't do anything stupid or risky that implicates taking risks for your life, Bobby implemented during a private conversation earlier this morning with Buck. You'll do the maneuver, and you'll help the victims. That's all. I don't want you to jump off a roof or run into a damn fire, do you copy?"

He nodded and seemed maybe too enthusiastic. He didn't care about what he had to do or not; it could have been to clean up a drunkard's vomit, to refind a missing finger, or to knot a rope. It didn't matter; at least he was working again. His leg was just an old memory. 

-Time's up! Screamed Bobby. Bring'em back! 

Hen, Chimney, and Buck pulled the rope synchronized and felt the weight at the extremity, moving and shaking when they lifted him in the air. The good news, Eddie was still there. They pulled harder and with all their strength. Then, surprisingly and fast, way too fast, the rope came. Too easy, way too easy, and Chimney reached the end of it. He showed it to his friends. 

-He cut it, he announced, stunned. 

Bobby huffed, either because he was worried, either because he was angry. It was obvious, way too obvious. Why was it Eddie that had to go down there? He was lookalike Buck. Maybe more mature, but as irresponsible as him. 

-Captain, called the Asian. I'll go inside, I'll find him, and I'll bring 'em back. Let me go; I'm fast and small, it's going to be easier for me. I promise I won't cut the rope, and I'll bring back the kid, I swear.