La County Fire Fighters/Paramedics Roy De Soto and Johnny Gage had been searching for some time. The old theatre, once a thriving centre of entertainment, had become a death-trap for two missing actors. The crew of station 51 and 36 were fighting a losing battle above ground. Containing the fire to the theatre itself was no longer their priority. Stopping the surging fire from engulfing a nearby furniture factory had become their main concern.

"Man! This place is like a maze." Johnny exclaimed to his partner, frustration and bewilderment showing in his body language.

"Where are they?" Roy asked. "Have we been down there?" He pointed to a dark hallway, whose emergency lights had failed to illuminate.

"I don't think so. All these hallways look the same. I couldn't even tell you which way was out." Johnny was beginning to worry. The smoke was getting thicker and the emergency lighting was flickering. Soon they would be searching in darkness. They had yelled till both their voices were hoarse.

"Hold it!" Roy put a hand on his partner's shoulder. He gestured for Johnny to listen. A muffled cry could be heard from further down the hall. Johnny and Roy looked at each other, both hoping they had found the missing actors. They ran down the hall, knowing they needed to get out of the building as soon as possible. They had spent too much time down in the theatre's pit that not only housed the actors' dressing rooms, but endless hallways leading to storage rooms of props and costumes of performances long past.

Above ground a second alarm brought more fire trucks to fight the raging blaze that threatened a whole city block. Many of the buildings were old and vacant. Their rundown conditions only adding fuel to the hungry fire. It was spreading at an alarming rate so a third alarm was put out. The city became an environment of flashing red lights and wailing sirens. News helicopters hovered above and crowds of onlookers gathered.

Chet and Marco held onto their hose keeping a path for their Paramedics to escape through. They focused on the stairwell that led to under the theatre. Both men wore masks of concentration. As time ticked by they became concerned for the safety of their fellow crew members. Chet's HT came to life. Captain Stanley asked for their status.

"We're still waiting for Gage and De Soto Cap."

Captain Stanley had tried several times to contact his paramedics. The underground was interfering with reception; he only received disjointed replies from them. Time was running out. If the fire reached the furniture factory they would have to call off the search. The factory stored many chemicals and gas bottles. It was a time bomb waiting to explode.

Roy found an open room where the actors had retreated to after smelling smoke. They had thought if they moved as far away from the smoke as possible they would be safe.

"If ever you think there is a fire you need to get out of the building not go deeper into it." Roy told the actor in his calm authoritative voice.

"Do you know the way out?" Johnny asked them. "We need to get out now!" Johnny told them trying to convey the urgency of the situation but maintain calm at the same time.

"Yes yes…I know the way. I've been working here for many years." One of the actors answered with the utmost confidence. All four men began to leave the room when there was a huge explosion. The room shook and the lights went out. A wave of smoke and dust swallowed them. Soon there were sounds of cracking and crashing. Roy felt something heavy hit him in the back. One of the walls started to collapse into the room, Johnny pushed the actor standing closest to the wall out of the way only to find himself being hit by the wall.

Chet and Marco felt the ground shake when the small furniture factory exploded. They dropped the hose and fell to the ground. Debris flew through the air in all directions. Dust and smoke clouds engulfed the buildings. The sounds of collapsing walls and ceilings and smaller explosions rang through the area. Within minutes it was all over and the sound of timber burning and glass from windows breaking could only be heard. In unison fire fighters jumped to their feet, gathered up their hoses and sprayed jets of water onto the fire that was now consuming a large portion of the block.

Chet and Marco could no longer see the opening to the stairwell. Their crewmates were trapped in the depths of the theatre. They prayed that they were safe and that the fire remained above ground. Calls over HT's confirming fire fighters safe and unharmed came through. Only one HT didn't reply. Captain Stanley continued to call for his paramedics to respond; only silence replied. Engineer Mike Stoker looked on with concern and then focused on the fire. Somewhere in the depths of the now unrecognisable theatre were his two friends.

The room was dark and hazy. Dust and smoke filled their lungs causing them to cough. Only Roy's SCBA remained intact. Johnny's lay cracked next to his head. He tried to move the weight from his back without success. He called out to his partner Roy but received no answer. One of the actors crawled over to Johnny coughing up the dust and smoke he had breathed in.

"Are you alright?" He croakily asked Johnny.

"I'm not sure. Everything is kind of numb. I can't move. What's on top of me?" Johnny asked the actor.

"There's a cupboard that must have been on the other side of the wall and a couple of beams." The actor replied.

"Can you check on my partner and your friend?" Johnny asked.

"Sure." Johnny watched the actor crawl through the wreckage. There was more coughing and the other actor came into sight as he sat up. "Your partner is over here. He's unconscious. Looks like this steel beam hit him. His head is bleeding."

Johnny coughed, his breathing was a little laboured but he ignored it and kept his mind focused on the three remaining people in the wrecked room. "Can you find something to hold against his head to stop the bleeding?"

"Here Brad!" The other actor handed a small hand towel to him.

"Are you guys both alright?" Johnny asked.

The second actor answered, "I'm fine….just a slight headache."

"I've done something to my knee." Brad answered.

"Try not to move your knee. How's the bleeding?"

Brad pulled the towel away. "It's stopped."

"Can you get the beam off him?" Johnny asked. His back was beginning to hurt and his left leg was starting send sharp pains up to his back.

The two actors lifted the beam and placed it carefully away from Roy. "Don't move him!" Johnny instructed. "He could have spinal injuries. Is he breathing ok?"

"He still has his mask on." Brad replied.

"Good. Is there any way you think you could lift this cupboard off me so I can get out from under it?"

"We can try?" The actors made their way carefully over to Johnny. What was left of the ceiling above them creaked. Johnny tried to look above him but the movement hurt his back and shoulder.

"Careful of your leg. Try not to put any weight on it." Johnny told Brad.

The actors got a good hold of the cupboard. "On the count of three." Instructed Brad.

"One…two…THREE!" They lifted the cupboard about a foot. It was enough for Johnny to drag himself out from under it. His left leg sent sharp pains up to his back. His back tingled when the weight was lifted from it. His shoulder screamed at him when he moved his arms. He ignored it and continued dragging himself forward until he was clear of the cupboard.

"Clear!" Johnny yelled and the actors placed the cupboard back down. They helped Johnny remove the SCBA.

"You're bleeding. There's something in your shoulder." Brad stated.

Johnny felt a tugging and before he could tell Brad not to touch whatever it was, he felt a white hot pain in his shoulder that sent him spiralling into darkness.