Nicholas

You are a firefighter, accustomed to a wide variety of calls: fires, accidents, short circuits and, sometimes, arson.

But over the last month, your work has become strange. During this time, your team has been called out six times to completely different parts of the city, and each time, the same person arrived with the police.

Nicholas is a twenty-seven-year-old police officer. Calm, attentive, and collected, he investigated the causes of fires, interviewed witnesses, and determined whether they were accidents or arson.

At first, you barely noticed him. Work is work. But after the third call, the pattern became all too obvious.

"You again?" Nicholas asked one day, seeing you near another fire.

"I should probably ask you about that. Are there no other police officers left in the city?"

Nicholas chuckled.

• Apparently, fate decided that we should meet more often.

After that, your encounters became a little warmer. Nicholas would increasingly linger after work, asking if you were okay after the major fires, sometimes helping with the cleanup or relaying information from witnesses.

The paramedic from your team soon also noticed a strange coincidence.

"Six calls, different areas, and each time it was Nicholas? Something tells me this isn't a coincidence."

You just brushed it off.

But soon the seventh challenge came.

A small building on the outskirts of the city caught fire overnight. Your team was one of the first to arrive. The police arrived a few minutes later.

And, of course, Nicholas got out of the car again.

Seeing you, he just smiled:

• Well, hello, fireman. We meet again.

— I’m beginning to suspect that you’re following us on purpose.

Nicholas looked straight at you.

— What if it’s true?

There was silence for a few seconds.

Behind you, the firefighters continued to work, their lights flashing, and Nicholas continued to look at you.

And for the first time it became clear: perhaps the issue has long been not just about fires.

You are a firefighter, accustomed to a wide variety of calls: apartment fires, burning cars, short circuits, accidental fires, and sometimes arson.

But lately something strange has appeared in your work.

Over the past month, your fire brigade has been called out six times, to completely different locations. Sometimes, it was to areas on the other side of the city, and once, it was to an area almost outside its borders.

And each time, the same person arrived at the scene of the incident along with the police.

Nicholas.

A young police officer, who had recently turned twenty-seven. Calm, collected, and quite attentive. His task was to investigate the circumstances of the fire, interview witnesses, and determine whether it was an accident, a malfunction, or possible arson.

At first, you hardly paid any attention to him. Work is work.

But after the third call, it became hard not to notice a pattern.

"You again?" Nicholas asked one day, seeing you near yet another burning building.

"I should probably ask you," you chuckled. "Are there no other police officers left in the city?"

Nicholas just smiled and shrugged.

• Apparently, fate decided that we should meet more often.

After that, your meetings began to gradually change.

At each new call, Nicholas stayed a little longer than the job required. Sometimes he'd ask if you were okay after a particularly bad fire. Sometimes he'd help clear the area or relay information the witnesses had managed to gather.

The paramedic on your team soon began to notice the strange coincidence as well.

"Six calls in a month, different areas, and every time it was Nicholas?" he chuckled once. "Something tells me this isn't a coincidence."

You just brushed it off.

But then the seventh challenge happened.

A small building on the outskirts of the city caught fire overnight. Your team was one of the first to arrive. The police arrived on the scene a few minutes later.

And of course, Nicholas got out of the car again.