.
- We got a hazmat situation in here, Chief.
- Macy and Holt are showing signs of respiratory distress.
[dramatic music]
- 20 years on the job, I've never seen anything like that.
- Kelly Severide has worked more arson cases
than anyone else out of OFI.
Apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
- Benny Severide is dead.
Can't you let this go?
- If Lieutenant Severide's the one who taught you everything
you know about arson investigations,
he must be pretty damn good at it.
- He is.
[dramatic music]
- This needs to go over to Internal Affairs.
♪ ♪
[keys jingling]
[soft suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
- I thought you were coming back mid-shift!
- No, I couldn't wait.
Drove straight from captain's training, pedal to the metal.
[laughs]
Mm!
[phone ringing]
- Do you think it's your promotion orders already?
- I don't know. [phone beeps]
Hello?
Yes, sir. Just got back in.
Understood.
On my way. [phone beeps]
- Well?
- They want me to come down to Headquarters right now.
- Wow.
- [clicks tongue]
[smooching]
- Lieutenant Severide.
Thanks for coming down so quickly.
Chief Silva, Internal Affairs.
- I wasn't told I was meeting with IAD.
- Since you were at captain's training,
we were unable to conduct an initial interview with you.
The case wasn't officially opened until this morning.
Now that you're here,
you're under formal review for dereliction of duty.
- What dereliction?
- Multiple instances of leaving your assigned post
during active shift hours
without authorization from the commissioner's office.
- The only time I ever leave 51 is to assist OFI.
- Exactly.
And you did so without requesting clearance
from Headquarters.
- Who filed the complaint?
- I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to disclose that.
You will continue reporting for duty
while the investigation proceeds.
And of course, your promotion is officially on hold,
pending the outcome.
Lieutenant, this is a serious accusation.
Depending on our findings, disciplinary action
could include suspension or termination.
[suspenseful music]
[indistinct chatter]
- Hey.
You know, you keep getting in here early,
you're going to start making us all look bad.
- Relax. This isn't official CFD business.
It's actually a little writing project I've been working on.
- Oh, is Cyrus Mayberry making a comeback?
- No.
The nom de plume has been retired.
This is a Randall McHolland original.
- Really?
We're not going to see any
"Sheets on Fire" sequels?
- Nope. This one is strictly nonfiction.
In fact, some might even call it a memoir.
- A memoir? No kidding.
It's like, uh, "Book of Mouch?"
- Title's still pending, but yeah, something like that.
- How long you been at it?
- Couple months.
It goes back to when we had to pull all that paperwork
to save my job.
I was reading all these reports a-and commendations.
And I realized this is 40 years of stories right here.
All I have to do is put them in order, add a little flair.
- And you got yourself a book.
- Just got to finish the intro and Bob's your uncle.
[clears throat]
- So let's see what you got. - No, no, no, no.
No. No--no sneak peeks.
- Fine, all I'm asking is that
when you describe me,
you use the phrase "salt of the Earth."
- Who says you're in it at all?
- Vasquez, Mikami, and Novak all have the shift off.
They're dealing with police follow-up
on the hostage situation.
- So Ambulance 61 is out of service?
- Yes. - OK.
- And 81 will have a floater.
- Copy that. I'll get the paperwork going.
- And, uh, Lucy? - Mm-hmm?
- As the battalion chief's assistant,
you have access to all CFD personnel files.
- Mm-hmm.
- So I'd like you to gather a number of résumés for me.
- Yes, sir. Résumés for what position?
- I'm looking for someone to take over
as the Lieutenant on Squad.
[tense music]
- Uh--
♪ ♪
- You put me under review?
- Uh, excuse me.
- I take it you heard from Internal Affairs.
- You didn't want to tell it to my face?
You had to sneak it in while I was away training?
- The timing has nothing to do with its validity.
Your past Battalion Chiefs may have turned a blind eye.
And they were good men.
But it was on you to seek authorization from Headquarters
before leaving your assigned post.
- It's not like I was out running errands.
I was with OFI.
Working for the CFD!
- If a chief at Pascal's level
can be fired for breaking the rules,
what makes you think you're so special?
- I'll fight this.
- On what grounds?
Maybe you've hurt 51 more than you realize.
Maybe you should have transferred to OFI
before it came to this.
You break the rules, you pay the consequences.
Nobody in the CFD is above them.
Not even a Severide.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
.
- Termination for assisting OFI?
- It's the worst-case scenario, but it's on the table.
- Hopkins did not seem like the kind of guy
who was looking for a fight last shift.
He was praising us both.
He said he was glad to be a part of 51.
What changed? - Nothing changed.
This isn't about OFI or any dereliction of duty.
It's Benny.
- You think this is about your dad suspending him?
[suspenseful music]
That was 20-plus years ago.
- Hopkins has been on me since the second he got here.
When I was at training,
I--I kept digging through old disciplinary files
trying to figure out what the hell he did to get suspended.
- And?
- Thin paper trail. No details.
- It must have been bad, then.
- Or messy.
Benny wasn't exactly known for clean lines.
- So this is retaliation.
- Feels like it.
I mean, I--
if I can figure out
what the hell actually happened between them
and bring it to IAD, maybe I can get them to shut this down
before it gains any traction.
- Yeah, but you go digging for info now,
you're putting yourself on the line, Kelly.
You're interfering with an active investigation.
- This isn't just about me, Stella,
it's about protecting 51 from a commander
who's willing to weaponize procedure.
Can't just sit on my hands.
- But you also cannot put yourself
front and center of the hunt.
Maybe there's a way I can.
♪ ♪
Let's take a beat.
Let me think about this.
And then let's you and me do this together.
♪ ♪
- OK.
♪ ♪
- Jamie Holt? I'll be damned!
- Reporting for duty. - Ah!
You look good, man.
- Don't act so surprised.
- Well, you know,
after everything we all went through,
you went through on that airplane call.
It's nice to see you on your feet again.
You with us today? - Yeah.
Covering for Vasquez on 81.
I've been picking up extra shifts here and there
just to make up for the lost time.
- Well, you are in great hands with Kidd.
But I gotta know,
are you still thinking about trying out for Squad?
- Absolutely. - Yeah. There it is.
[chuckles]
- Hey, uh, how's Kidd been doing, by the way?
I know her and Macy were pretty tight.
A loss like that is--
- Yeah, she's still working through it, you know?
Finally got Girls on Fire back up and running again.
We all hosted the first one about a month ago.
One day at a time. - Mm.
Any lockers up for grabs?
- Follow me.
- Hey.
I thought writing was supposed to be torture.
- Well, as Dorothy Parker said,
"I hate writing, but I love having written."
- So you got the introduction done?
- I'm just proofing it now, and I have to say,
I think it turned out pretty good.
- Don't be shy. Share it with the class.
- Aw, nah. They don't want to hear this.
- Yes, they do. Hey, come on.
Guys, listen up! Mouch has written a book.
[whispers] About us.
- How much about us?
- Oh, don't worry.
Names have been changed to protect the guilty.
All right, here's, uh--
here's a bit from the opening.
"As we pull up to the house,
"smoke billows from the basement.
"A strange, haunted chill hangs in the air.
"Tommy from Squad knows why.
"'This isn't just any house,' he says.
"'It's one of the only spots still standing
"from the Great Chicago Fire.'
"A shiver runs down my spine.
"I realize we're pilgrims in an unholy land.
"And as we mask up, Chief Bodette gives a war cry.
"If the Great Fire couldn't take this house down,
I'll be damned if it falls on my watch!"
- What happened next?
- You'll have to read to find out.
- [gasps]
- We saved the house.
- Hey! Spoiler!
- Capp, you were there.
[alarm blares]
- Truck 81, Squad 3, Engine 51.
Structure fire, 1601 Winston Plaza.
[sirens wailing]
[exciting music]
♪ ♪
- Battalion 31 to Main, requesting additional ambos.
Engine, get a line in there and find that fire!
- Copy that, Chief!
- Truck 81, primary search.
Squad, assist with search and open up the rear.
- Copy that. Cruz, with me.
Tony, Capp, you guys take the rear.
- Hey!
Hey, do you know how many people might still be in there?
- I don't know. Um, people come and go.
It's been empty for months.
- Chief, people were living in there.
Not sure the number,
but who knows what we may be walking into.
- Let's get in there before the whole building flashes over.
- Copy, Chief.
[tense music]
- Mouch, you guys keep pushing it down the middle.
Keep it from wrapping. - Got it.
Send the water!
- Let's fan out, check every aisle.
- All right. We'll take the D side, meet you in the middle.
- Copy.
- If you find bodies, pull 'em out!
- Fire department! Call out!
Fire department! Call out!
♪ ♪
- We got flames venting through the roof.
You have three minutes. Make it count.
- Fire department! Call out!
Cruz, check the next one.
- Yeah, copy that.
- Firefighters! Call out!
- Check that. - Copy.
- Hey, firefighters! Call out!
- Hey! Follow me! - Here!
- Yeah!
- Stay there, I got you! Hang on!
- [coughing] - Come on.
Come here.
Stay down.
Is anybody else in there? - [coughing] No.
- All right, come here.
Chief!
We got two more coming out to you!
- One more minute.
Find your exit point!
♪ ♪
- Firefighters! Call out!
♪ ♪
Firefighters! Call out!
♪ ♪
- Holt! Wait!
Holt!
Hey, keep moving!
[dramatic music]
.
- Time's up. Evacuate the building immediately!
The roof is going.
- Hey, Holt. Come on, man. We gotta clear out.
Let's go. - Hey, let's grab him and go!
- Yeah, we're on it, Lieutenant.
Come on, let's go. Let's move it.
[dramatic music]
- 51, report. What's your status?
- Coming out with another victim, Chief.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
[glass shattering]
♪ ♪
[indistinct chatter]
- No pulse.
♪ ♪
Pupils fixed and dilated.
Respirations?
Triple-zero.
The victim is too far gone to resuscitate.
♪ ♪
- All companies surround and drown.
Nobody enters the building. - Copy.
Setting up a deck gun, Chief.
- 51, let's move!
♪ ♪
[engine revving]
[tires squeak]
♪ ♪
- What did they do to my store?
- You the owner of this building?
- Yeah. I got a call.
The guy next door said it was on fire.
- People were living inside. One of them was killed.
- Oh, my God.
[somber music]
♪ ♪
- Holt. Hey.
You OK? - All good, Lieutenant.
- Wait, wait.
Listen.
You don't have to pretend with me.
We went through something together.
- Thanks, Lieutenant, but I'm fine.
I just gotta shake it off for a minute.
♪ ♪
- What'd you see in there?
- Caught the smell of gasoline in the back
close to where you found your victim.
♪ ♪
- Could be generator fuel.
- Or an accelerant.
- Kelly. - I know.
I know I can't reach out to OFI,
but I can flag it with Hopkins, let him make the call.
♪ ♪
- Yeah.
♪ ♪
- Hey.
That was one hell of an awful call, huh?
Poor guy.
- At least we were able to get the others out.
- Yeah.
- What are you holding back there?
- This is it.
My memoir. It's officially done.
- Well, how's it read?
- You tell me.
I was hoping you'd be my first reader.
- Come on. Me?
- Who better?
You know my story about as well as anyone else.
- OK.
What can I say?
It'll be my honor. - Ah.
Just need you to read the intro for now.
See if you feel like it sets the stage
for the rest of the book.
And listen, if you have feedback, I want it, OK?
I'm no wilting flower here. I can take criticism.
- Just let me read the thing.
- Copy that. - All right.
- Enjoy the read. - Thank you.
Oh, you mean right now?
- You mind?
I-I'll take care of this.
- OK.
You got it.
- [sighs]
- Hey, Lieutenant, you have a second?
- Of course.
What's going on?
- Um, I know about Severide and the internal review.
It's not fair.
- No, it's not.
You-- you heard them this morning?
- Yeah, but that's not why I'm here.
The Chief had me deliver the charge
to Headquarters when Severide was away.
I didn't want to. I--
I almost called him just to give him a heads-up.
It just-- - Oh, no.
Hey.
You were just doing your job, all right?
And if you would have called him,
that would have just put you on thin ice.
- It just feels like I helped blindside him.
- You didn't.
Hopkins filed the charge, IAD opened it.
And that is on them.
It's not on you. - Yeah.
You really think they're going to punish him
for stepping up and helping?
[somber music]
- We'll see. I'm getting into it.
♪ ♪
- Thank you, Lucy.
Don't beat yourself up about this, OK?
♪ ♪
- Hey. How you doing?
That, uh-- that fire was something.
And that victim, it's--
- A miracle there weren't more of them like that.
- Yeah.
Took us both a sec to recover.
Makes sense.
- I felt for the guy, that's all.
But we roll with the punches best we can, right?
It's part of the job.
- Right. Part of the job.
- Hey.
I am just going to call the CFD directly.
I'll use my name, not yours,
and just ask to pull a bunch of files from that era
with Benny and Hopkins.
Just see what we can get.
[door opens] - I like it.
- Lieutenant Severide.
I contacted Captain Hargrave,
passed along your observations from the scene.
She's here with a request.
- Since there was a fatality,
the Halloween Village fire is now an OFI priority.
I reached out to CFD Headquarters
and already secured approval to bring you in.
- It wouldn't have been my call,
but it seems it was already in motion.
Cruz will act up a Squad Lieutenant
for the remainder of shift.
- Yes, sir.
- I'd like to tour the scene together.
You can walk me through what you saw.
- I'll grab my coat.
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
- You and I work well together
despite the current situation and your personal connection
to Lieutenant Severide.
♪ ♪
- This is not about my relationship, Chief.
It's about 51 as a whole.
Which you've said yourself, it's a great firehouse.
And it's a close one.
We stick together.
So if Severide is sidelined--
- 51 isn't the only great firehouse
in this city, Lieutenant.
I'd hate to see it broken up.
But if that's what it takes to clean up the CFD,
that's a price I'm willing to pay.
♪ ♪
.
- Here are the résumés you asked for, Chief.
- Oh, thank you. - Mm.
- [sighs]
Anything else?
- Yeah. I wanted to say thank you.
For bringing me on as your assistant.
- You're welcome.
You're doing good work.
- I appreciate that.
Because I love it here at 51.
It's a really special place
and it's a special group of people.
So yeah, thank you.
- And fast-track it if you can.
I'd like those files by end of shift today.
I appreciate it. OK.
Yeah, let me know if you find something.
OK. [knock at door]
- Lieutenant?
- Hey. - Hey.
Um, I'm guessing that you heard
that Severide's assisting OFI on that case, right?
- I did, yeah. Why? What's up?
- I was wondering if I could grab Holt to run some drills
since we're a man short.
A while back, he mentioned some interest
in gunning for Squad one day.
And he must have enough training by now
to be useful on the floor.
- Is that the only reason?
- Uh, might give him a boost, you know.
Training with the top guns of 51.
- Mm. - Mm.
[chuckles]
- Yeah, I, um, I--
I--I saw him kind of lock up a little bit
during that last call.
And he said he was fine.
- Yeah, don't we all?
He's traveling some rough road.
I know you get it.
- Mm.
Yeah, bring him in for the drill.
- Thank you, Lieutenant. - Mm-hmm.
[soft suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
- Back here, this is where
I first caught the smell of gasoline.
- It's still hanging in the air.
- See the V-pattern?
- Possible point of origin.
- It looks like a hot plate.
- It makes sense if they were living here.
- Yeah, but butane burns clean.
If this were accidental, you'd have vertical damage,
but there's deep charring in the floor here.
♪ ♪
[metallic thud]
[sniffs]
[sighs] Hydrocarbons.
It's gasoline.
- Look at this.
Heavy pour pattern.
- Dump a few gallons of gasoline under a hot plate,
turn it on, you're halfway home before it heats up
and ignites the vapors.
- This wasn't someone making dinner.
- If we can trace this, we have our ignition source.
And maybe our arsonist.
♪ ♪
- Well?
I'm dying here. What'd you think?
- Oh, it's solid work, Mouch. Really.
- What does solid mean?
- Well, there's great stuff in the introduction.
You know, the way that you bring the--
the first call to life.
I mean, you got a gift, Mouch.
Seriously.
- OK.
Feels like there's a "but" after that.
- Well, yeah, if I'm going to be honest, I--I--
I do feel like there is, you know, something missing.
- All right.
- Well, uh, I'm not really a creative type like you,
so I--I don't got the words.
It's just that I feel like it needs to be, uh--
A there there.
- "A there there"?
- Yeah.
- Can you be more specific?
- It's just I feel like...
it's--it's missing a piece.
- And that is? - The...
the there there.
- OK, forget it.
- Oh, come on.
You said that you wanted feedback.
- Herrmann, this...
isn't feedback.
- OK, so I don't know how to phrase it.
I told you that this is not my world.
- [chuckles] No.
Obviously not.
- What?
Hey, I'm just trying to help.
- All right, listen up, gentlemen.
We got a roof collapse.
One victim pinned in.
Our mission is to extricate.
Start by stabilizing.
Build yourself a safe work zone.
Good, good. You got it. Just keep going.
Good, good.
All right. Now take it easy, control.
Don't muscle it.
- I'm done. [metallic clang]
- Hey, man, don't worry about it.
Look, you don't have anything to prove here.
Let's just stack them up and we'll run it again.
- You think I need this?
You not my lieutenant,
and I'm not your project, so just back the hell off.
[tense music]
- Yo, Holt.
♪ ♪
- Any sign of a pressure event from the canister?
- No blast signature.
If it vented, it just fed the fire.
[distant clang]
- You hear that?
♪ ♪
[footsteps]
- Hey! Stop!
♪ ♪
.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
- Man, get off me!
- This is an active fire scene. You can't be in here.
- Then what are you doing here?
- Office of Fire Investigation.
- I--I didn't know.
I thought--I thought maybe you got to it first.
- Got to what?
- Whatever started the fire.
We saw you back there packing something up.
The owner of this place, he just put out a reward.
100 grand.
He said he'd pay cash to know how it started.
- 100 grand? - Yeah.
Everyone at the shelter's talking about it.
We booked it here as soon as we heard.
- So you ducked our tape and broke in here
hoping to find what?
- I don't know. Anything.
Something worth that type of money.
[tense somber music]
♪ ♪
[phone rings]
- Firehouse 51, this is Lucy.
- Hi, this is Vivette in Personnel.
I'm returning a call.
- Oh!
Thank you. I-- I already got the résumés.
The email came in a couple hours ago.
- Oh, this isn't about résumés, actually.
I spoke to Lieutenant Kidd earlier.
Can you let her know I was told
she does not have access to the files she requested?
- Oh, OK.
- She can reroute the request through her superior,
if that helps.
♪ ♪
- Right.
Um, when I see her next shift, I will let her know.
Thank you.
♪ ♪
- How's the case coming along?
- Uh, it looks like the stove here was the ignition point.
Trying to pull an identifier.
Serial stamp, manufacturer code,
anything that ties it to a purchase.
- Not much left.
- Well, we're exploring other angles.
Hargrave's back at OFI
fielding a tidal wave of tips coming in.
Owner put up 100 grand.
- Insurance policy contingent on cause, huh?
- Maybe.
♪ ♪
- [sighs] I can see how invested you are.
That kind of focus is an asset.
But passion doesn't override procedure, Lieutenant.
Solving this case won't buy you any leniency with IAD.
♪ ♪
[door opens]
♪ ♪
- Hi. Is there someone I can talk to
about the Halloween Village fire yesterday?
- You were there. - Yeah.
- So were we. What's going on?
- I know who started it.
♪ ♪
- You got a sec?
Was hoping maybe we could clear the air.
- Course.
- Me storming off like that,
that was my ego talking.
It's not an excuse, but getting notes on your writing
can be tough.
And I know you were just trying to help.
- It's not like I was giving you any solid gold ideas.
- To be fair, I didn't give you much of a chance.
- You were hovering a little.
- Yeah, just-- [chuckles softly]
- The intro is great and the book is going to be great.
I just should have left it at that.
- No. I--I meant what I said.
I really do want your thoughts.
- Well, I have been thinking more about
what I think is missing.
- You figured out the "there there"?
- I did.
It's you.
- Me?
- This is your story, Mouch.
The opening rescue, that's great,
but what I need is more Mouch, your journey.
All the things that you've been through,
that's what I think is going to make this stand out.
- What, you--
you think I should lead with that?
- Well, people are going to care about the book
because they care about you.
Let them see Mouch the way I do.
- Huh.
[soft upbeat music]
- And that's my two cents.
- That's a good note, Herrmann.
Thank you.
- Are you going to add a chapter
about how I saved your book?
- Would you settle for a footnote?
- Wait. Did you catch Holt before he took off?
- I got so wrapped up in other house business
that I didn't get a chance to check in with him again,
so he left after shift without saying a word.
- [sighs] I mean, I don't know if more attention from us
would have been helpful, honestly.
- [sighs]
None of us are wired to talk,
but I just feel for the guy.
You know, he has his team at 68 to keep him afloat.
- Yeah.
- We heard you started using again.
- That's why I'm here.
- We were also told you had issues
with some of the other squatters.
- And the fire started in the area you camp out in.
- I wasn't there.
I've been locked up in here trying to get clean.
- You can't come and go?
- It's not a hotel.
- Well, we have someone that places you at the scene.
Says you own a butane stove.
- Well, then they're lying.
Who said that?
Jamila?
What, that old-timer, Frankie?
Acts like he's a HOA president or something?
Man, I wasn't there.
I didn't start any fire.
- When did you check in here?
- Last Thursday.
Social worker dragged me up out of the store
in front of everybody.
Look, I ain't left here since.
You can check at the front.
They keep a close eye on us.
[suspenseful music]
- Hey, hon. It's me. We're still running down leads.
It's a bit of a mess.
Might be out late. Give me a call.
- Front desk confirmed it.
He was here all week, logged in and out of meetings.
No exits.
- Why the hell would Taryn put him there?
- Can think of 100,000 reasons.
Once a reward gets thrown in,
people jump in, start guessing.
It's impossible to tell what's real
and what's a wild goose chase.
♪ ♪
- Maybe that's the point.
♪ ♪
.
- I assume this is urgent,
since I got called out of the office.
You got a lead? - Even better.
We solved the case.
- Confirmed arson. Thanks to Taryn.
[suspenseful music]
- Looks like she gets her $100,000 reward.
♪ ♪
- She brought you proof? Because that's a lot of money.
- Yeah, it was a mattress in the back storage area.
Somebody lit it and ran.
- That's not--
- Not what?
- Well, I just mean, uh, you sound pretty sure.
You must have evidence.
- We do.
- Well, I'd like to see it.
I think that's fair if I'm going to hand over $100,000.
♪ ♪
- I'm going to guess he doesn't have the cash.
- Makes sense, considering his property
was struggling to lease.
Been in the hole for years.
- Worth more as an insurance payout.
Should have been easy.
Make it look like a cooking accident,
some careless squatter.
But then I called and told you there was suspicion on cause
and suddenly, a reward went out.
- And you had to change plans,
destroy the scene, corrupt the investigation.
- That's absurd.
I was just trying to help you solve it.
- Well, we pulled a partial off the hot plate.
- Nice, detailed ridge.
♪ ♪
You willing to give us your print?
- I want a lawyer.
- OK.
Then let's get you to the holding cell.
♪ ♪
[door shuts]
- So that's it?
I'm done here?
- Yeah, you did good.
- He walked right into it.
- Well, you did your part.
The second he saw you, he started to unravel.
Sorry there won't be any reward.
- [sighing] Mm.
100 grand would've been great.
But, um,
the guy who died, Angelo,
he was a good person.
He'd let you borrow his phone charger.
He always shared whatever food he had.
[somber music]
He didn't deserve that.
♪ ♪
You know, we didn't even have to break in.
The back door was unlocked
and no one ever tried to kick us out.
♪ ♪
- Thank you for not standing me up.
[clears throat]
- Listen. The way I acted during those drills,
blowing up at you, that was uncalled for.
And you should know I'm rethinking going for Squad.
So I--
I guess I wouldn't have been much use anyway.
- [sighs]
Jamie, I, uh, I spoke to your lieutenant on 68.
I know you haven't been back to your firehouse
since the airplane call.
♪ ♪
- Trying to get right before I go back there.
Macy was a friend, you know?
♪ ♪
- We, um, we had this guy on Truck, Otis.
Great firefighter.
More than that. You know, he was a--a brother.
My best friend.
He died in the line of duty.
And, uh,
when that happened, man, I--
I didn't think I'd ever go back to 51 again.
♪ ♪
But the thing is...
if you want to get right,
you got to go back.
You don't get to skip the part
where you feel their presence everywhere.
- For what?
She's gone.
I don't need that constant reminder.
- But you're not in on it alone.
That's the whole point of your firehouse.
They know exactly what you're feeling.
'Cause they're carrying it, too.
So go back.
For your sake and theirs.
♪ ♪
They're waiting for you, man.
♪ ♪
- "Around the firehouse, they call me Mouch.
"Which, for the uninitiated, is short for half man, half couch.
"And for 30 years now, that's been the name I answer to.
"As you might imagine, given that moniker,
"I was never the likeliest candidate for glory.
"And yet, here I am, in the twilight of my career,
"against all odds, answering to a new name...
"Lieutenant.
"These are the accounts
of Lieutenant Randall 'Mouch' McHolland."
Wow.
That's perfect.
- [sighs] - I wouldn't change a thing.
And the only thing you need now is a title.
- Yeah, I already got one. - Yeah?
- "From Couch to Command."
- Oh, I like that.
It's very you.
- That's the idea.
- So what happens now?
- Uh, I send it out, see if any publishers are interested in
this.
- [chuckles softly] Come on.
Who wouldn't want that? [both chuckle]
- Thank you. - Ah.
[mellow rock music playing]
- Before we go, I heard about the charge against you.
There might be a way I can help.
- I'm listening.
- As you know, I'm only the interim head
of this department.
My plan's always been to go back to Forensics.
But if I recommend you as my permanent replacement,
I can fast-track it.
- So you're saying OFI can shield me?
- I'm saying they're not going to drag
the newly-appointed head of OFI
through a public IAD investigation.
Not with your arson record, your conviction rate,
your reputation.
It'd be a bad look for the CFD.
[soft dramatic music]
You step into the job before they get their footing.
You leave 51, take the position.
You'd be free and clear.
- So I just outrun it.
- It won't look like you're running.
It'll look like a promotion.
♪ ♪
[latch clicks]
♪ ♪
- [sighs] - There's my girl.
- Hey, Dad.
[laughs] Working through dinner.
I'm shocked. - Want some food?
- No, I had a burger at Laney's place.
- Ah.
- That have to do with the Halloween Village fire?
- How do you know about that?
- Bunch of social media posts about it.
- Mm.
- The guy died in there, right?
- Yep. Arson.
- Hmm.
You going to catch who did it?
- One of my men did. Just today.
- Damn. That was fast.
- Mm. - Your guy must be good.
♪ ♪
- He is.
- Bet he can't solve my trig homework, though.
Literally no one can.
♪ ♪
[suspenseful music]
♪ ♪
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
[wolf howls]