Hostile Takeover ❖ Jake Riley | ✓ [book 1]

9~ Fire Stolen From the Gods

"Is that not the Promethean fable, that the fire stolen from the gods will light men their way even while it burns their hands?"

~ Zia Haider Rahman

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Jenna saw it from the second floor window.

She tried to distance herself as far away from the bomb squad as possible, trying not to get in their way. And then, like the millisecond long flap of a butterfly's wing, she saw the enormous explosion.

It was as though a fist of orange flame had decided to punch it's way out of the city. Windows shattered. Smoke and fire rushed out. Thousands of pieces of glass and steel, a deadly rainfall, showered down. Sirens - shrill and deafening- erupted. A huge bite had been taken out of the side and the roof of the building. Jenna was at a loss for words, it was hard to believe it had done so much damage.

She raced down onto the first floor and burst through the set perimeter, ignoring the officers trying to call her back. She only had one thought on her mind:

Jake.

She said a prayer to her mother, hoping that when she arrived, it would only be a figment of her imagination. Please, please don't let him be hurt!

"Jake!" her shouts echoed through the empty streets, getting lost in the blaring sirens and violent water gushes, "Jake!"

A perimeter had been set, sealed off with yellow police tape. Jenna -- as defiant and stubborn as any girl could be -- tried to race passed the perimeter, but she didn't get very far.

"Hey!" an officer grabbed her, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Where's Jake? Is he hurt?!" she blasted through his question, looking for answers of her own.

"The area is sealed, ma'am!"

An ambulance was parked a half a block away from the blast site, that's where Jake was; sitting in the back while a paramedic stitched up the gash in his head.

"He going to be okay?" Lex asked.

"He'll be just fine, but take easy in the field, you," he replied. Jake was about to reply, but he heard somebody shout his name.

"Jake! Jake!" that was Jenna, he'd recognize her cries anywhere.

"Jenna?" he started to stand up, but the paramedic pulled him back down.

"Officer, I'm not done yet," he replied.

"I'll go check it out," Lex said, "And if you have to, restrain Officer Riley," Lex gave him a snarky smirk as he headed for the perimeter. Jake just scowled back.

Lex jogged to the yellow line, where two officers were arguing with -- lo and behold -- Jenna. She seemed frantic, waving her hands in the air and speaking so fast her words were flying a mile a minute.

"Hey, Jenna!" he approached, and Jenna was relieved.

"Lex! Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine,"

"Where's Jake?"

"He's fine too, I promise,"

One of the officers cleared their throats, "Officer Carnahan, this girl's trying to get through the perimeter,"

"It's alright, Elliot. You can let her through. She's with me," he said. Jenna smiled triumphantly and ducked under the yellow line, following Lex to the ambulance.