Chapter One: Dark
It is dark, damp, and cold.
The crew of Station 51 had been sent out to an old, condemned building where it was reported some mischievous kids may have been trapped in a partial collapse.
Upon their arrival, Captain Hank Stanley had sent Kelly and Lopez to check one section of the building while he Gage and DeSoto went through the other, leaving Mike outside with an HT.
The building really had looked unstable and Cap couldn't for the life of him determine what would possess any being with even the smallest amount of common sense and self-preservation to venture into the structure if they didn't have to do so.
Yet, there he was, having to send his men in to fix other people's stupidity.
And from there, it had all very quickly gone to hell in a handbasket.
Just as he, Roy, and John had heard faint shouts for help from a basement and they had climbed down a ladder to reach them, everything had shifted and collapsed again.
Somewhere in the chaos that followed, they had thrown themselves over the two young children, which led to the current predicament:
Johnny had been rendered unconscious—likely due to debris striking his head—and Roy's shoulder was likely broken from all appearances.
Looking around now he realizes that, miraculously, the rubble had mostly avoided them, but he isn't putting much faith in the dilapidated building. Whatever is preventing it from coming down on top of them could give out at any time with even the slightest provocation.
They need a way out and they need it fast.
He shines his flashlight up at the ceiling and sees that one beam is holding it all aloft.
"Dear God," he quietly prays, "please don't let that fall on us."
As worried as he is, he focuses on his job, assisting Roy in administering what unadvised aid they can to the original victims as well as Johnny.
He's not sure how much time passes before they hear a low rumble. Immediately, he and Roy exchange knowing glances.
So this is it then…
Regardless of the fear setting in, Roy throws himself over the children and Cap does the same for Johnny, just as everything comes down and their world goes dark…