Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 8:15 A.M. NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK Lucas had made this trip so many times with Dad he knew it by heart — the train to Penn Station, the subway to Canal Street. When he got out of the subway, he looked up and found his landmark: the two silver buildings jutting into the sky. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The World Trade Center was nine blocks south of the fire station. So he just followed his view of

the towers until he hit the right street. As Lucas walked, he thought of the last time he and Dad visited the Trade Center. They'd gotten there early, before the observation deck was open. But the guard noticed Dad's FDNY hat and let them go up. They had the place to themselves. The view from the 110th floor was like looking down on Manhattan from a cloud. The whole island stretched out in front of them. The buildings below looked like toys, the rivers like trickling streams, the cars and trucks looked smaller than the models Lucas and Dad built in the basement.

They stood there, just Dad and Lucas, alone on top of the world. That was right before the warehouse fire — only two years before now. It seemed like a very long time ago. When Lucas got to the firehouse, the garage door was open.

And there, right next to the Seagrave, was Uncle Benny. He glanced up and gave an offhand smile, obviously thinking that Lucas was just a neighborhood kid hoping to get a peek at the truck. But then Uncle Benny looked at Lucas again. "Hey, you!" he said with a surprised grin, striding over. He pulled Lucas into the garage. Lucas breathed in the familiar smell of diesel fuel and sweat. He'd always loved the sight of all the guys' black bunker coats hanging on the walls, the pants already tucked into the big black boots. The firehouse was crowded. The guys from the last shift were saying their good-byes and the morning men were just getting settled. Guys came from all over the firehouse to say hi to Lucas, wrapping him in bear hugs, rubbing his head, and telling him he was growing like a weed. "I've missed my assistant," said Georgie, who drove the truck and also did most of the cooking. On Lucas's visits with Dad, his favorite job was helping Georgie cook his famous tomato sauce.

Chief Douglas came over, his smile flashing from under his bushy gray mustache, followed by Mark, one of the youngest guys. He and his family lived not far from Lucas. His eight-year-old twin boys were football fanatics, and Mark coached their team. Last season they came to one of Lucas's games. Afterward, the twins had asked Lucas for his autograph. Suddenly Uncle Benny looked around. "Where's your pops?" he said. "He's already done at The Rock?" Lucas shook his head. "Your mom brought you?" Uncle Benny said. Lucas shook his head again. Uncle Benny eyed Lucas, and his smile faded. "You okay?" he said softly. Lucas didn't answer. Uncle Benny looked at Georgie, who gave him a nod. "Cover me, will you guys?" Uncle Benny asked. "I'll be back in a few." Uncle Benny led Lucas outside and they started walking. "This is some kind of day, isn't it?" he said, squinting up at the bright blue sky.

Neither of them said anything more, until finally Lucas came out with it. "Mom and Dad are making me quit football," he said. "Because of my concussions." Lucas watched Uncle Benny's face, waiting for his eyebrows to mash together in anger, for his cheeks to burn furious red. But Uncle Benny just nodded. Then he looked at Lucas. "I've been worried about you, kiddo," he said. "You've got yourself a darned good brain. I don't want you ending up like poor Stan Walsh." And then it suddenly hit Lucas — it was Uncle Benny who got Mom to bring him to see Dr. Barrett! He must have known he'd been Stan Walsh's doctor. Lucas had come all this way because he thought Uncle Benny would help him. And Uncle Benny was the reason he had to quit! Uncle Benny stopped and put his hands on Lucas's shoulders. It seemed like he was trying to keep Lucas pinned to the ground, like otherwise he'd fly away. He stared at Lucas with those bright-light eyes of his. "You'll find something else," he said.