"He has psychological problems," Cassadee added.

I staggered backward, collapsing onto the floor.

Still leaning against Cassadee's shoulder, Colin secretly shot me a triumphant smile.

"Listen carefully, Emmett," Cassadee said, looking down at me from above, her tone icy enough to freeze. "Either you apologize to Col right now, or you don't ever come back to this company again."

I looked up at the woman standing before me, feeling both familiar and so unfamiliar.

Three years as partners who put their lives on the line together. We'd trusted each other with our backs. But now, to her, I couldn't even compare to a total stranger.

"I…"

I'd barely uttered the word when a violent wave of dizziness washed over me. Cassadee's and Colin's faces blurred and twisted before my eyes.

My body began to convulse uncontrollably. Every spasm felt like an electric shock ripping through me, as though my life were draining away at an alarming speed.

"Emmett! Emmett, what's wrong?"

Colin rushed over, panic filling his voice. He crouched next to me and reached to unbuckle my safety harness.

"Let me get this off you! That way, you can breathe easier!"

I tried to pull away, but my body wouldn't obey. His movements were incredibly rough, forcefully tearing at my skin that had been blistered by the high heat. The harness dug deeper into my chest, turning my already labored breathing into a shallow wheeze.

The suffocating sensation hit its peak, and I started coughing violently. He was trying to kill me faster!

Summoning my last sliver of strength, I jerked my head to the side and swung my hand across his face.

Colin staggered back, shrieking. Then, he turned to Cassadee and huffed, "He hit me! Is he still blaming me for damaging the pipeline? I was only trying to save him! Why is he treating me like this?"

Cassadee rushed over. She hoisted me off the ground, her grip so punishing it felt as though she were going to crush my collarbone.

"Col was just being nice and helping you, and you still attacked him? I finally see you for who you are, Emmett! You're just a cold-blooded monster! There's no place for someone like you in our company!"

Then, she threw me back onto the floor.

Darkness swallowed my vision completely, but I could still hear Colin's fake sniffling.

Suddenly, a sharp alarm and the pounding of boots tore through the roar of the fire, followed by several beams of powerful flashlights piercing the smoke.

A squad dressed in black special-operations firefighting gear charged into the warehouse. In the lead was the district's chief, Rebecca Stone.

"Move!"

She shoved Cassadee aside and knelt right beside me. In one smooth motion, she scanned my vital signs with a cardiac monitor and fitted an emergency oxygen mask over my face. Every movement was precise and controlled.

Then, she calmly relayed her orders into the radio clipped to her shoulder, "Severe hypoxia accompanied by a loss of consciousness. Establish an IV line immediately and prepare for CPR!"

Cassadee blinked in confusion. "What? Severe hypoxia? He's just throwing a tantrum. How can it be that serious? And what are you doing here, Chief Stone?"

Rebecca didn't even look up. While directing the special operations unit to administer emergency treatment, she answered coldly, "I received a mandatory intervention request."

"Cassadee Flack," she continued, her voice as cold as ice. "As the officer in command, you have been derelict in your duties and grossly mishandled the situation. Report back and await formal investigation."

The firefighters quickly secured me to a stretcher. As high-purity oxygen flooded my lungs, my numb limbs finally regained a sliver of sensation.

As they carried me out past Cassadee, Rebecca's radio crackled.

The city's deputy chief spoke through the speaker, his voice stern, "Cassadee Flack, following assessment by the Incident Command, you're immediately relieved of all on-scene command authority. All duties are suspended effective immediately.

"You will also personally bear all of Emmett Doherty's medical expenses, as well as the equipment losses and rescue delays resulting from this incident.

"Until the investigation is completed, you are strictly prohibited from participating in any rescue operations."