Blazing embers of concrete debris swirled within the collapsing tower. Deep in the heart of the city of Marlo, it had been approximately fifteen minutes since fire broke loose from a reportedly “unknown cause.” No firefighter or law enforcement knew anything of the cause, only of the urgency at hand for those still inside the twenty-four stories in front of them. Once those initial firefighters arrived, they lifted their hands toward the burning building and projected water from their fingertips. Law enforcement began circling the perimeter of the tower and almost instantly hardened their bodies into various tough materials, some of steel and others titanium. On both sides of each of them they called the earth from the ground to build a wall, keeping any civilians away from the scene.
As soon as the second batch of firefighters arrived, they began transforming their entire arms into water and began targeting specific spots where the fire was weakening the base of the building. Baron was not a manipulator of water like the rest of his cohorts, he instead made the lights bend to his will. Running at his hand was Calder, who easily was seen as just another firefighter, however the two of them ran from their engine toward the building, and as they approached the perimeter was quickly lowered to let them in and just as quickly closed again.
“Go through the front. I’ll start at the top.” Baron said with his hands beginning to glow with a dim light. Calder was familiar with his friend's way of doing things, seeming to trust in him wholeheartedly. Baron held his glowing fist and opened it at once to create a stairway that led to the top of the building, glittering in its fluorescence. They appeared as if they would be slippery, but had that sturdy quality people tend to search for. As he ran to the tower’s peak, he already began to hear cries for help, and quickly after found two people on the highest floor, standing in singed suits unable to find reprieve from the flames. Baron directed the duo to take the stairs like a traffic guard does to children, with the same gentle concern of strict adherence.
Baron continued through each floor urging folks to his newly installed emergency exit. By the time Baron reached the eighteenth floor, he saw a woman trapped between a fallen concrete pillar and the wall farthest from Baron’s stairway. He quickly ran toward her, trying to lift the pillar with his own strength, but only pebbles of rubble quaked at his ferocity. Baron quickly ran to the window to check his steps, which was currently uninhabited. He waved his hand over the steps and just as soon as he did they vanished immediately.
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As Baron ran back to the woman, his hands glowed once again but this time so bright the woman had to turn the other way. Around Baron’s hand were comically large gloves, hands bigger than a charging ostrich's wingspan. With his massive palms he gripped the downed pillar and with ease removed it from the woman. Once she was free Baron immediately ceased the power within his grasp and immediately resummoned the stairway to freedom. As the woman thanked Baron, Calder climbed up those light stairs nearly out of breath.
“Everything below is cleared out.” Calder said. Baron nodded and urged the woman to the exit. As the woman ran down the stairway, Baron raised a glowing hand to the sky for all those on the ground to see. At his signal, firefighters began to storm the building’s interior, aiming to extinguish every ounce of fire they stumbled upon. In mere minutes, the scorching building was nothing more than a soggy match, with most of the building's foundation appearing to be intact.
Later that day, Baron and Calder rode in their fire engine back to their station, listening to a jovial jazzy tune. “I’m still not sure why you’re fighting fires with us.” Calder said as he turned down the radio.
“I’m not having this conversation again. Look at how well we just did, that’s why I do it.”
“But you know you could be doing so much more on some special operative team or whatever else. No one else with power like yours would be doing this. Leave the firefighting to us water tamers.”
“I can do so much good where I’m at. Maybe down the line I’ll consider switching lanes, but for now you guys are stuck with me.” Baron said while cracking a smile.
“I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around.” Calder returned with a raised eyebrow.
After returning to the station, time came for shift change. Clean-faced men and women came to replace all of those who were currently covered in soot. Baron stopped by his sleeping quarters to collect his things before leaving. As he was preparing to leave, he turned to the back of his door to look at a plethora of newspaper clippings and pictures, some of a family and some of a younger Baron sitting next to a boy with skin much tanner than his own, hanging there with pins. He could not help but stare at the center headline that read “Boy Dead In Burning House, No Body Found.” Baron could not help but close his eyes and wince like he was just pinched a little too hard. He quickly grabbed his backpack and left the room, ready to wash away the day's work.
