Chapter 1
The ground rumbled and shook. He could barely see three feet in front of his face. Matt Casey rolled over coughing and rubbing the dust out of his watering eyes. "Casey? Casey!" Severide yelled at him. He grabbed the other lieutenant pulling him out from under a pile of debris. "You okay man?"
"Yeah," Matt shouted back, "Where is everyone?" He frantically looked around and took account of his men. All but Otis were back on their feet with scrapes, bruises, and baffled looks on their faces. "Otis!" Casey moved toward the still man quickly but careful not to disturb as much rubble in the weak building as possible.
He reached him as Otis let out a sharp cry. "What is it? What is it buddy?" Hermann asked worriedly pulling Otis' mask from his face.
"My-"Otis stopped his breathing quickening as he placed his hand over his chest.
"Possible broken ribs. Let's get him outta here boys." Casey ordered his men. Mouch, Cruz, Hermann and Casey lifted Otis as he screamed in pain. "Carefully guys." Casey reminded.
As they passed the shaken squad members they saw a bloody and motionless Capp. Severide was quickly ordering his men to different positions to help their injured brother. The truck guys kept moving because their priority had to be getting Otis out to the Ambos.
They made is down to the first floor and out the door as they herd the sirens approach. Chout and his partner ran up to the men with the other screaming man in their arms. They laid Otis on the gurney and Chout started to assess him. "Otis, you've got to breath. It's probably just broken ribs but we're going now." As Otis was loaded into the Ambo and driven off Boden walked up to Casey and Severide, who had passed Capp off to the other Ambulance.
"Are you guys alright?" Boden's booming voice asked somewhat shakily.
"Yeah the others are good." Severide answered and Casey just nodded in agreement.
"So Capp and Otis are the only serious injuries?" Casey asked looking between all of his dusty, shaken men. They all nodded at him and he let out a relieved breath. "Okay." Casey looked at Severide both of the men glad their crews were fine.
"Casey. Have you seen Shay or Dawson?" Boden asked quickly.
Casey felt all of the blood leave his face as he realized he hadn't seen Dawson, his world since she entered the building. All he had seen was the large mound of debris where her patient had been but he thought she must have already gotten out. "No." he whispered panic seeping into his voice.
Two other truck companies pulled up as Casey tried to go back into the building for his girl. "No," Boden ordered. "We have two paramedics and a victim trapped on the first floor."
"Chief let me go!" Casey bellowed. "That's… Dawson." He whimpered "She's still inside."