Written by: Gemma Lambourne

Date first published online: 6TH February 2002.

Characters: Jacob Allen, Carl, Ben, Fire Fighter Ronnie "Hi - Ho" Silver, Watch Commander Adam Benjamin, Watch Commander Rob "Hyper" Sharpe, Watch Commander Geoff "Poison" Pearce, Fire Fighter Sally Fields, Fire Fighter George Green, Andie, Fire Fighter Stuart "Recall" Mackensie, Station Commander John Coleman, Mrs. Ray and Head teacher.

Disclaimer: This piece of fiction is fictional and will not appear in an up - and - coming episode of London's Burning. Hi - Ho, Adam, Hyper, Geoff, Sally, George, Andie, Recall and Coleman are copyright of London's Burning, Jacob, Carl, Ben, Mrs. Ray and the head teacher are made up characters and aren't based on anyone.
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"I'll bet ya five quid and my er..."

"Your what?" The tall dark haired boy asked.

"My parker pen set," A short thin boy replied.

"Your parker pen set? What would I want with a pen set?" The boy sneered.

The short thin boy said nothing.

The tall dark haired boy sighed loudly, "Carl you didn't answer my question..."

The short thin boy - Carl, sighed inaudibly, "Nothing I guess J," He replied the tall dark haired boy - J, "It's not like you do any work in class anyway," He muttered under his breath.

J heard Carl and grinned slightly for a moment, then his facial expressions went straight. "Hey Ben! come 'ere," He called out to a boy across the hall, who stood with a group of boys who had accumulated around the boy's changing rooms. The boy - Ben, didn't look up. "B C'mon over 'ere!" J yelled loudly, so the whole hall went silent. The only sound that could be heard was those of the footsteps of Ben walking towards J.

"Yeah?" Ben asked J.

"What do you think would be good for *our* mate Carl here to give me if I go through with the 'bet' along with the five quid as well?" J asked Ben.

Ben whispered almost silently in J's ear.

"That's a brilliant idea mate," J said to Ben, "I knew I could count on you," He said turning to Carl and facing him. "I'll take the five quid and your new Nike trainers that you wore in games earlier," He said with a grin on his face.

"But... they were a..." Carl said timidly.

"Birthday present?" J asked, Carl nodded.

"Oh well, more reason why I should have them. Carl you owed me, remember that time I stood up for you when Erik accused you of nicking his thirty quid?"

"Ok...ok... you can have them," Carl said without hesitation, he'd seen the concequences of what happened to people if they didn't let J get his own way.

"You didn't," Hi - Ho replied.

"I did," Adam said with a grin on his face.

"So you think she's the one?" Hi - Ho asked.

"Don't be stupid Hi - Ho," Hyper said butting into the conversation, "The day Adam finds 'the one' is very far away."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence mate!" Adam said with a surprised tone of voice.

"Well it is true, isn't it?" Hyper asked.

"Well... yeah... ok... but I'm still young and wanna have fun."

Just then the bells started ringing and the watch made their way from the mess down to the appliance bay where they were met by Recall who was holding a roll of paper. "St. Edwards Comprehensive, alarms and sprinkler system has gone off, suspected fire... both appliances," Recall said out loud to the watch who began climbing into the appliances.

"Impresssive huh?" J said taking a deep drag from his cigarette.

"Yeah!" A boy replied.

"Anyway lads," J said dropping his cigarette on the floor, "We'd better go and get registered or it'll look suspicious..."

As the boys left the car park near the side of the building, J's cigarette rolled closer to a car that had been leaking fuel onto the concrete...

Blackwall's appliances arrived and the school's students were registered by their tutors. Geoff climbed out of the appliance and approached a teacher who was approaching the pump.

"Mrs. Ray," She said introducing herself, "There's no sign of a fire, but the sprinkler system just went off up on the computer floor in the H block. Is there any possibility that it's faulty or was it started deliberately?" She asked.

"It couldn't have started on it's own, there's either a fire or it was set off deliberately. I suggest you get a list of all your students who registered late..." Geoff said to the teacher.

She nodded and Geoff turned to his crew. "Right, there may be a fire or it was set off on purpose, this being a high school, it was probably set of deliberately. I still want who goes inside the building to be kitted up in BA sets. Recall... BA control, Sally and Hyper get kitted up in BA and George, Adam and Hi - Ho can you check round the edges of the building," Geoff said dishing out the orders.

Recall stood at the school's foyer entrance and sorted out the BA kits and Sally and Hyper entered. George, Adam and Hi - Ho began walking around the edge of the building...

Time lapse...

"Geoff, there's no sign of no fire," Sally told Geoff over the radio as Hyper managed to turn the sprinkler system.

"Ok Sally, can you and Rob make your way out?"

"Yes, over," Sally replied.

She turned to Hyper then scoured the room, "These computer's are completely wrecked, they're gonna cost the school."

"Ahuh, they are. However set the alarms and sprinkler systems off will have hell to pay."

The cigarette that J had smoked earlier ignited slightly in the fuel that was leaking from the car...

"Nope, nothin's alight," George said turning towards Adam and Hi - Ho.

Adam noticed the ignition surrounding the car, "George..." He said normally.

The flames began to get bigger...

"GEORGE!" Adam yelled.

George turned round and noticed the flames, just as the car blew. Adam and Hi - Ho ducked and covered their faces, George began running in their direction and got lifted into the air slightly with the power of the blast...

To Part 2