‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ first look: Carlos as Texas Ranger and Wyatt as dispatcher (exclusive photos)

It’s been 15 months since the season 4 finale of 9-1-1: Lone Star, and it appears a lot has happened in the world of the 126.

First-look photos exclusive to Entertainment Weekly show that Carlos (Rafael Silva) has graduated from the Austin Police Department to the Texas Rangers, following in his late father Gabriel‘s footsteps. “Carlos has this giant mystery in his life of who killed his dad, and that’s not just going to be a procedural story. It’s an emotional one,” executive producer and co-showrunner Rashad Raisani tells EW of Carlos working with the same elite law enforcement team his dad previously did.

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Raisani says he and co-creator and co-showrunner Tim Minear always knew Carlos was meant for bigger things than being a beat cop: “Even as far back as season 1, we talked a lot about putting Carlos on the path of being an APD detective. But then, as his storyline of his relationship with his father started to develop and we started to explore the complicated history of the Texas Rangers…. In a weird way it really reflected Carlos’ own history with his dad: That his dad was someone he’d seen as oppressive and not accepting, and then as their relationship progressed that changed. We thought what Gabriel represented is the transformation of where we hope the Texas Rangers are going — and who epitomizes that better than Carlos.”

But Carlos isn’t the only one with a new job: Actor Jackson Pace joined Lone Star in season 3 in a recurring role as Wyatt, the son of 126 lieutenant Judd (Jim Parrack). Though neither knew the other existed for the first 17 years of Wyatt’s life, the teenager was eager to follow in his father’s footsteps by quitting college to become a firefighter — until he was struck by a vehicle while riding a bike. In the season 4 finale, Judd resigned from the 126 to care for Wyatt, but when the Fox first responder drama returns in September, it appears Wyatt will be through his rehabilitation and working as a 9-1-1 dispatcher.

In a second exclusive first-look photo, Wyatt can be seen seated in the call center while Carlos chats with call center supervisor Sara Ortiz (Michelle Bonilla). Wyatt’s new career comes on the heels of Lone Star actress Sierra McClain unexpectedly departing the series between seasons, leaving the show without its main 9-1-1 dispatcher, Grace.

The official season 5 premiere episode description does not reveal how Lone Star will handle Grace’s absence — or how it will effect her husband, Judd — but it does confirm Judd will not be back at the 126, leaving Owen (Rob Lowe) to make a “difficult decision” after Marjan (Natacha Karam) and Paul (Brian Michael Smith) both apply for the position.

9-1-1: Lone Star season 5 premieres Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.