It was 09:57am when the city of Los Angeles was rocked by an unexpected, and always unwelcome, earthquake. The initial quake last only two minutes but the aftershocks had been rocking through the city and county for several hours. Many of the older buildings that marked the outskirts of the city and the abandoned factories of the business district had collapsed, causing massive clouds of debris to fill the air and create an ominous fog over the still trembling city. At least a half dozen smaller, weaker bridges used by local traffic had also collapsed during the quake, while massive portions of the main roads and highways were littered with gaping holes and cracks that made it nearly impossible for drivers to maneuver through.

In the heart of the city, where the mass of the populous was located, was the epicenter of the earthquake. Many homes, small businesses, shops and schools were caught in the peak of the quake. Multiple fires burned through the center of the city, causing many citizens to flee for their lives. Many more chose to stay close to what was considered 'ground zero' of the disaster to locate missing friends and family members.

Rampart General Hospital was already flooded with victims from the earthquake, and more were still due for arrival. The staff was working at a frantic pace in an attempt to keep up with the flow of patients, victims and lost persons either seeking help or shelter.

The hospital itself managed to avoid significant damage from the earthquake. A few windows on the first floor were broken and the power had been knocked out. The morning had only just begun and Rampart was already operating on back-up emergency power.

All of the police and fire stations in the county had been called out for emergency rescue, search and salvage. At Station 51 it was A-shift already on the job, but it didn't stop members from B-shift and C-shift from volunteering their time to assist in emergency operations.

Sirens blared loudly, like a call to war, as every available engine in the county raced the heart of the city to extinguish the flames before the small fires grew into massive infernos. All squads were dispatched throughout the city on rescue calls. Many people were trapped inside the damaged buildings or on the highway and bridges, unable to escape under their own power. Several cars had driven directly into holes and fractures just as they were opening; the occupants never having the chance to avoid the danger.

Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage were responding to vehicles trapped on the highway along with Squads 8 and 45. Numerous people were trapped in their cars that were now pinned beneath concrete supports or wedged in massive holes.

"Okay, just keep calm," Roy was kneeling down next to a hole in the highway where a small car was laying on its driver's side. "we'll get you out. Are you hurt?"

A young woman responded, her voice shaking with rightful fear. "I'm okay! I'm not hurt, just... stuck! My leg is caught!"

"Are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm the only one down here."

"Listen carefully," Roy had to yell over the surrounding commotion but kept his voice steady and calm. "I'm going to break the window to get to you, I need you to cover your face and head. Do you have a coat you can use?"

"Y-yeah! I do!" The woman was becoming increasingly anxious as she awaited her rescue.

"Good, use it to protect yourself. I'll be right back." Roy jogged back to the parked Squad at the entry ramp to the heavily damaged highway. Johnny was treating an elderly man and his granddaughter for minor cuts and scrapes. "One woman is trapped in a hole about twenty feet up. Her leg is pinned, so I'm going to need your help."

"Right." Johnny acknowledged his partner before addressing his two victims one last time. "You're both going to be alright, but I would like you both to go to the hospital to get checked out, just in case. Alright?"

The kind elderly man, who was just grateful that his granddaughter was relatively unharmed, agreed to Johnny's suggestion. "Yes, of course."

"Okay, good. If you need anything else just ask, but don't go back on the highway; it's too dangerous. Wait for someone to escort you."

Roy had taken a crowbar, a support belt, a rope and a leg splint out of the side compartments of the Squad. "Ready?"

"Yeah," Johnny took the splint from Roy's hands. "let's go."

The seasoned duo returned to the hole where the lone occupant of the trapped car was awaiting rescue. She had been attempting to pull her leg free but she didn't have the strength and remained pinned under the steering column.

"Miss?" Roy called down to the trapped woman again. "Watch the glass, use your coat to shield yourself."

"Okay..." The woman complied and pulled her black jacket over her head and face.

"Okay, I'm going to break the glass." Using the crowbar Roy broke the glass of the front passenger side window. "Alright, I'm coming down to get you."

Roy tied the support belt around his waist while Johnny took a hold of the attached rope to slowly lower Roy down into the hole and into the downed car. Careful not to step on the woman or steering column during his descent.

"Miss? Where is your leg trapped?"

The woman slipped the coat from her head and pointed to the exact spot where the steering column was pinning her down. "Right here..."

Roy examined the steering column and noticed that it was applying an uncomfortable and possible harmful amount of pressure on the woman's thigh, just above her knee.

"I'm going to use the crowbar to pry the column back. When the pressure is let up your going to feel a rush of pain from constricted blood flow, but don't worry about it. My partner and I are paramedics and we'll take good care of you."

"Th-thank you." The woman was visibly shaking. "Please, hurry."

From the edge of the hole Johnny watched intently as Roy worked to free the woman. The sounds of the other rescues taking place further down the highway seemed hauntingly close, despite the muffled voices and the echoes of clanking metal and concrete being piled up. The H.T. on his belt constantly buzzed with one call after another; familiar and new voices updating their situations and confirming casualty reports was almost enough to make Johnny queasy.

"Johnny?" Roy called up to his partner from the hole, his voice reverberating off the concrete walls as he spoke. "Send down the splint, she's freed but has a significant contusion to her left thigh."

"Okay," Johnny confirmed Roy's update as he kneeled down next to the hole and handed Roy the requested splint. "here's the leg splint."

The H.T. sounded off again, this time the voice belonged to Captain Hank Stanley. 'Dispatch this is Engine 51; request ambulance to my location.'

'10-4, 51.'

"Awe man, this is going to be a LONG day..." Johnny commented to himself as he awaited for his partner and their victim to emerge from the hole.

Head Nurse Dixie McCall was directing the flow of patients in and out of the exam rooms of Rampart General Hospital. The seasoned and unflappable nurse kept her head during the initial earthquake and was continuing to act as the voice of reason to her less than experienced nurses and panicking patients.

Dr. Kelly Brackett emerged from exam room one in blue surgical scrubs stained in the blood of his last patient. He walked over to Dixie who was taking control of the chaos in the waiting room. "Dixie, is the next of kin here for Mr. Bell?"

"Um, no. I called his wife at home but she can't get on the highway. Is something wrong?"

Dr. Brackett hung his head low and sighed. "Yeah. He didn't make it, Dix. I couldn't stop the bleeding."

Dixie shared he friend's grief. "That's four losses, so far."

"Four? Joe's head trauma case..." He trailed off already knowing the answer.

Dixie only nodded. "The intracranial pressure was too much, he was brain-dead the moment his car was crushed under the highway."

"Such a waste of life." Dr. Brackett noted as he crossed his arms defensively. Two orderlies were wheeling the recently passed Mr. Bell away to the hospital morgue. "We think we're prepared to handle any situation, any emergency, but we can never anticipate what Mother Nature is going to throw at us."

"Don't take it so hard, Kel. We all know that both you and Joe do everything possible to save lives."

"Yeah, I know. But sometimes everything still isn't enough. That's what's so frustrating."

A gurney was wheeled in through the doors of the hospital with the paramedic team of Craig Brice and Bob Bellingham following. The victim that was being brought in was bleeding heavily and required assistance in his breathing with the bad being pumped rhythmically by Bellingham.

"Dr. Brackett," Brice noticed him standing next to Dixie. "this is our crush syndrome patient."

"Wheel him into one." Dr. Brackett followed the gurney. "Dix we're going to need blood. Lots of it."

"I'm on it, Kel." Dixie picked up the phone to call the blood bank. "I just hope we don't run out before the day's over."

Johnny easily lifted the slender woman from the hole in the highway. Roy was working to guide her ascent and protect her splinted leg as she rose from her trapped car and back to freedom.

"Take it easy, don't try to move your leg." Johnny wrapped the woman's arm around his neck as he pulled her up to the highway and eased her into a sitting position.

"Thank you, thank you..." The woman was grateful to be out of the hole.

Roy put his hands on the edge of the hole and pulled himself up. Kneeling down next to the woman he unwrapped the support harness and rope from her waist. "How's your pain?"

"N-not bad." Despite being freed she was still scared. "It's asleep and feels heavy."

Johnny was relieved to hear that. "The circulation is returning, that's a good sign."

"Sh-should I go to the hospital?"

"Couldn't do any harm."

"Will I be able to call my husband?"

"Of course." Johnny confirmed as he bent down to pick her up from the highway. With their victim now secured in his arms Johnny began walking. "Let's just get you to safety, first."

"Okay."

Roy followed his partner with their equipment in his hands. "You know, I never asked you your name."

"Marie. I'm Marie." The woman answered, now sounding less fearful.

"Hi, Marie. I'm Roy and this is my partner, Johnny."

"Thank you saving me, Roy. Johnny."

Johnny grinned a little. "It's our pleasure."

Roy had been so focused on Marie that he had been unaware of their H.T.'s constantly sounding off. Now that the current dilemma had been taken care of he was now painfully aware of the chaos unfolding throughout the city. "To be honest Marie, I think rescuing you is going to be the least stressful call of the day."

Dixie was still attempting to control the chaos that was the waiting room of the hospital. Shaken victims who required medical attention were almost drowned out by the frantic crying and pleas of scared loved ones seeking answers for the victims that were already admitted. The nursing staff was be pushed to its limits as a few had been injured in the earthquake and were now doubling as patients.

"Ms. McCall," the youngest nurse on staff, Sharon Walters, approached the head nurse coyly. "we're running low on O+ blood and everyone who can donated already has."

"Okay, this is what we'll do..." Dixie was beginning to wear out mentally but her skill and resourcefulness as a seasoned nurse made an invaluable asset and a creative problem solver. "Our staff has been tapped out, we're not going to allow anyone to donate twice, alright? We don't need nurse, doctors and orderlies passing out in the hallways. So go to the waiting room and politely ask those who are uninjured and are looking for loved ones to donate."

"And if they say 'no'?"

"Then ask them again, this time NOT so polite."

"Yes, Ms. McCall." Sharon hastily walked away from her attending with a sly grin.

Dixie grabbed the phone on the bay station desk and made a call to the blood bank. "This is is Head Nurse Dixie McCall from Rampart Emergency, we're running low on blood. Can you-"

The voice on the other end of the line gave Dixie a tired answer that she could tell from the tone of his voice meant that he had given that answer at least a hundred time before.

"I see. I understand." Dixie didn't want to hear the negative answer but understood it all too well. "Thank you for your time, if you do- Yes, please and update would be greatly appreciated."

Dixie hung up the phone and sighed heavily.

Dr. Mike Morton slowly lumbered toward the desk, his legs heavy and tired from the constant act of standing rigid then moving quickly. "Dixie."

"Mike."

"How're you holding up?"

"How are you?" Dixie replied in a dry rhetoric.

"That bad, huh?"

Dixie nodded with a slight grin. "And to top it all off we're running low on blood."

"Damn. I donated last week, maybe I could-"

"Nope. We need all hands on deck and I don't want to see you passed out over a patient."

Mike laughed a little. "Yeah, you're right. It is kind of hard to practice medicine with your eyes closed."

"Don't even mention sleep. It's too tempting."

"I wonder how the paramedics are holding up."

"We'll find out soon enough, I imagine."

Johnny and Roy had finished sending their victims off in an ambulance, glad to see the three of them being taken away from the dangerous highway to the relative safety of the hospital. Squad's 8 and 45 had managed to extract all the remaining trapped victims while Johnny and Roy were working to get Marie out of her car in the large hole. The highway had been cleared.

As the two paramedics finished replacing their equipment to the proper compartments in the sides of the Squad their H.T.'s called off once again, this time calling for them.

'Squad 51; what is your status?' The familiar voice of the county dispatcher cut through the static and into the air.

Roy answered the call. "Squad 51; available."

'Squad 51; join Engine 51 at their location: 2236 Palmer. Structure fire."

"Squad 51; 10-4."

Johnny wrote down the address in the small notepad from his shirt pocket. "Structure fire in the industrial district. This can't be good."

"Tell me about it." Roy climbed into the Squad and waited for Johnny to join him. "I can't even begin to imagine what we're going to be dealing with."

"Me neither."

As the Squad pulled away from the broken, crumbling highway and onto the main streets both paramedics caught a close up of the extent of the overall damage to the city itself.

Smoke billowed from the crumbled buildings that lined the city. The smell of fire, dirt, oil, tar and ozone was almost intoxicating. Families were gathered together outside their homes as they took in the horrific sight of the aftermath of the earthquake.

Johnny swallowed nervously. "Man, I hope they have somewhere safe to go."

"Me too..."

"Hey Roy, did... did you have the chance to call JoAnne?"

Roy hesitated before answering in a somber tone. "Not yet."

Johnny began kicking himself for asking that question at that time. "Well, I'm sure she's fine. And the kids." He flashed his cheesy crooked grin to try and help break the building tension before it became overwhelming.

"Yeah. Yeah, I think so, too." Roy was trying to keep his mind calm and focused on the task at hand, but his heart will always be with his wife and children.

Captain Hank Stanley stood by the engine and watched the massive building as bright orange flames and thick black smoke steadily engulfed the damaged, evacuated factory. Fire emerged from the many broken windows from the upper floors of the building while smoke poured through the many fractures that marred the walls of the factory.

Earlier an ambulance was requested to transport one of the former workers of the factory that was now in near ruins. Unfortunately the worker was found inside already passed away. During the earthquake the powerful tremors loosened a long steel catwalk that ran the length of the factory, causing said platform to fall from its ceiling mounts and crash down onto the unfortunate man.

Much of the fire had been contained, but the physical exertion of dealing with the burning factory and the emotional drainage from the earthquake itself had quickly exhausted the already taxed firefighters. The heat was intense and it was beginning to affect the four brave firefighters who were putting their lives on the line to stop the fire before it spread any further, igniting the surrounding structures in its path.

"Kelley, Lopez," Hank was carefully directing his men to the key locations for proper fire containment, while monitoring the building itself for any sign of collapse. "move the line back, the first floor is caving in.

"Got it, Cap!" Marco Lopez acknowledged the order. He put his hand on Chet Kelley's shoulder as he stepped back, helping to guide his colleague out of harm's way.

Mike Stoker had been working the line along with Hank when he suddenly felt dizzy and nearly collapsed from the heat. After pulling his second in command back, Hank put Mike inside the cab of the rig to rest before calling in his otherwise absent paramedics.

The Squad pulled up to the scene of the fire and parked alongside the massive engine. Johnny and Roy's eyes were immediately drawn to the thick, black smoke billowing from the factory into the sky. The orange flames looked even brighter in contrast to the dark smoke.

Hank calmly approached the Squad and greeted his two paramedics as they climbed out of the cab of the Squad. "Roy, Johnny, glad to see you two are still standing."

"Cap," Roy greeted his commanding officer. "how're you guys holding up?"

"Well, I'm fine, but Mike's a little overheated. He's sitting in the rig."

Johnny overheard the conversation. "I'll get on the line with Rampart."

"Right," Roy acknowledged his partner. "I'll check on Mike."

Dr. Joe Early was standing in the bay station of the hospital pouring himself a cup of coffee when a call came in from Squad 51 out in the field.

'Rampart this is Squad 51; how do you read?' Johnny's voice debuted over the incoming transmission.

Setting aside his coffee the tired doctor approached the line. "We read you loud and clear, 51." Dr. Early answered the call while barely managing to hide the fatigue in his voice.

'Rampart this is Squad 51; we have a a male twenty-nine years of age, suffering from heat stroke. Vitals to follow.'

"Standing by, 51." Dr. Early sipped his coffee and tried to ignore the knot in his back that was trying form thanks to all the standing and rushing from one patient to the next.

'Rampart vitals signs are... Pulse 110, respiration's 14, B.P. 110/80, pupils are round, equal and reactive. The victim is pale, sweaty and complaining of muscle weakness in his extremities. Also note that the victim is a firefighter and is at the scene of structure fire.'

"Do you have a temperature reading?"

'Affirmative Rampart. Temperature is 100.3.'

"10-4 51; it sounds like a probable case of mild heatstroke with accompanying dehydration. Start an I.V. of normal saline. Also start him on oxygen, two liters. Bring him in as soon as possible."

'10-4, Rampart.'

Dr. Early finished his coffee and turned to lean against the counter supporting the radio. He noticed Dixie was returning to the bay station and that she looked as tired as he felt.

"Long day, huh Dix?" He offered her the last of the coffee in his mug.

"You have no idea." She happily accepted the coffee and sat on the stool behind the bay station desk. "Was there a call?"

"Yeah. A firefighter is down from heat."

"Is it serious?"

"No. His vitals are all relatively normal. He just needs to be re-hydrated and rest."

"The way this day is going I think we're ALL going to be doing the same thing."

Johnny finished with the I.V. and applied the medical adhesive to the tubing to keep the line clear and stable. "There you go, Mike. You're ready for transport."

"Do I really have to go the hospital?" Mike didn't like the idea of leaving the station during a call, let alone a natural disaster.

"Sorry Mike, doctor's orders. Besides, we don't want you to collapse on the job."

"Guess you're right."

The requested ambulance arrived at the scene of the fire. With all the victims of the earthquake in need of rescue and transport ambulances have become rather scarce, making in field medicine that much more difficult.

Roy joined his partner in the rig. "Your ride's here, Mike."

"You ride in with him Roy, then you can call JoAnne from the hospital."

"You sure?"

"Of course, go!"

"Thanks pal. Mike, let's go." Roy put his hand on Mike's shoulder to help escort the weary man out of the rig and to the ground which seemed so far below.

Johnny stepped down out of the rig to assist Mike. "Take it easy, don't rush."

"No problem..." Mike answered with a little drowsiness in his voice.

The ambulance attendant climbed out of the back of the vehicle and wheeled the gurney toward the large fire engine. Johnny and Roy helped lay Mike down on the gurney, careful of the I.V. in his arm and wheeled him toward the ambulance.

Johnny had retrieved the portable oxygen from the Squad and brought it over to the gurney. "Let's get you set up here." He slipped the mask over Mike's nose and mouth. "Breathe normally, this should help with the fatigue."

"Thanks."

Roy climbed into the ambulance after Mike just as Johnny climbed back out. Slamming the doors shut Johnny slapped the back of the ambulance twice to signal the driver to take off.

"Cap," Johnny approached his commanding officer. "Mike's on his way to the hospital."

"Is it serious?"

"Looks like dehydration and maybe a little heat stroke. Dr. Early didn't sound worried."

"Good. Think he'll be able to finish off his shift?"

"Yeah, I think so. He's strong, so I'm certain if he just rests for a couple of hours he'll be cleared, no problem."

"That's good to know. The fire's been contained so go on ahead to Rampart."

"Okay, see you later Cap."

"Yeah, see ya'. But drive carefully! You never know what panicking fool might cause a traffic accident."

"You don't have to tell me." Johnny called out as he climbed into the Squad. "I've seen more traffic accidents than I care to admit."

In the back of the ambulance Roy took a moment to breathe and calm his mind. Mike was stable and conscious, there was no second victim of whom required any immediate attention and as soon as they arrived at the hospital Roy would be able to make a phone call and contact JoAnne. He closed his eyes for for what seemed like only a few seconds when the ambulance doors suddenly opened.

Roy opened his eyes and looked at the two orderlies who lowered Mike's gurney from the ambulance and wheeled him into the hospital. Dixie was standing at the entryway directing the flow of incoming patients. She spotted Roy who climbed down from the ambulance with an exhausted gait.

"Roy," Dixie walked toward the weary paramedic. "are you okay?"

"Me?" Roy was a little surprised by her question, after all Mike was the patient, no himself. "I'm fine, Dixie. What about you?"

"I'm fine, but Roy, are you okay?" She asked again as she gently put her hand on his arm. The seasoned nurse could read him like a book.

Roy suddenly realized that Dixie wasn't asking about his physical well-being, she was asking about his emotional resolve. "I guess I'm not as okay..." His confession was reluctant, but in a way admitting that he wasn't feeling as strong as usual was in itself strengthening his weakened state of mind.

"JoAnne?"

Roy just shook his head. "Everything's been happening so fast-" He anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. "Have... have you heard anything?"

Dixie gave him a reassuring grin. "No. Come on, let's take a moment to calm down."

"Yeah, good idea. Think I could call JoAnne?"

Dixie wrapped her arm around Roy's as she subtly escorted the worried paramedic into the hospital. "Sorry Roy, the outside line are down."

Roy scoffed a little, almost amused by this additional hindrance. "Should have known."

Johnny drove the Squad through the littered, chaotic streets of the county as he made his way to Rampart. Despite the many firefighters, police officers and good Samaritans donating their time to assist the victims of the earthquake, the city itself looked like it was a ruin trapped in time.

Glancing at his watch Johnny noted the time: 03:37pm.

"It's been over five hours since the quake and we've barely scratched the surface."

Roy and Dixie sat at the bay station together, both nursing a cold cup of coffee. Dr. Early walked out of the busy exam rooms to update Roy on Mike's condition.

"Roy, Mike's going to be just fine."

"That's good." Roy felt a wave of relief knowing that at least one person he cared about was alright. "When can he leave?"

"Well, his vitals are all good and he's already showing progress, I'd say he can leave in about two hours."

"Can he go back to the station? We really need every hand on deck."

"I don't see why not. Just do me a favor, keep an eye on him for any sign of continued heat stroke or dehydration."

"I'll do my best."

Johnny calmly strolled into the hospital and joined his partner at the bay station. He had heard the tail-end of Roy and Dr. Early's conversation. "Did I hear you right, Mike's going to be okay?"

Dr. Early smirked a little. "Yup, he's going to be just fine. Just keep a watchful eye on him."

"That's good. Compared to the rest of the city that's the best case scenario, in fact."

Roy agreed wholeheartedly. "Tell me about it."

"Hey, did you call JoAnne?"

Roy put his less than desirable coffee aside. "No, phone lines are out."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Not your fault."

The H.T. suddenly went off, the loud static fill call startled the small group gathered at the bay station. 'Squad 51; what is your status?'

Roy answered the call, already dreading the response on the other end. "Squad 51; available."

'Squad 51; child trapped: 110 West Palm. 110 West Palm. Time out: 15:46.'

"Squad 51; 10-4." Roy hastily walked away from the desk toward the front of the hospital. "Let's go."

Johnny sensed something was amiss. "Roy, something you need to tell me?"

As the duo climbed into the cab of the Squad Roy cleared his throat in a near awkward fashion. "The child trapped... It might be Chris's best friend."

"Oh no..." It was bad enough when any child was the source of the call, but a child that was close to a loved one made it all the more difficult. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Fine. I'm fine." Roy did his best to hide his ever mounting concern. "Let's just see what's going on."

"Right."

The drive to the scene went by eerily fast. With little traffic on the damaged streets the Squad seemed to arrive at the call in record time.

"Aw man..." Johnny noted the damage to the house. "I hope he's not hurt!"

The small family home had collapsed on itself, the roof now broken through to the first floor of the house. The front door broken outward by collapsed beams and the first floor windows shattered by the impact. Glass and wooden splinters littered the yard where the family stood outside in absolute shock.

"Cindy?" Roy climbed out of the Squad and recognized the woman out front, confirming his fear about the identity of the trapped child.

"Roy! It's you..." She ran toward the familiar face and grabbed onto his arms. "Jimmy, he's inside!"

"Where?"

"H-he was in his bedroom when the roof came down! I didn't think he was in danger, I thought..."

"It's okay. It's not your fault."

Johnny joined Roy at the side of the Squad already wearing his turnout coat and holding Roy's coat in his hand. "Where's his bedroom?"

"Second floor! His room is in the Eastern corner."

"Right, we'll find him." Johnny made his way toward the house, careful of the weakened structure.

Roy gently pulled Cindy's hands from his arms. "We will find Jimmy, I promise."

Cindy wrapped her arms around her chest as she stood back, shaking with fear and anticipation as the two paramedics entered the destroyed building that was once her home.

Pulling debris loose from the doorway Johnny managed to slip through the narrow opening and toward the staircase. "I'll find him and hand him out to you. Got a life line?"

"I'll get one. Wait for me!"

"Of course." Johnny looked up at the littered staircase that was partially buried under the roof. "Jimmy? Can you hear me?" He called out calmly.

No answer.

Roy's hand reached through the opening with a rope. "Here, tie yourself off."

"His name's Jimmy, right?" Johnny confirmed as he tied the line around his waist.

"Yeah." Roy took a deep breath, trying to keep his mind focused on the job and off of his own family for the moment.

"I called out for him, but I didn't hear anything."

"Keep trying..."

"Will do." Johnny slowly climbed the staircase, stepping over timber, shingles, nails, insulation and glass. "Jimmy? Jimmy, it's the fire department!"

A small voice finally responded. "Help!"

"Jimmy!" Johnny followed the voice to the closed door of a room. "Jimmy, are you in there?"

"Help! The door's stuck!"

"Okay, stand back. Get away from the door, I'm going to knock it down." After waited a few seconds for Jimmy to react Johnny gave a strong kick to the door forcing it open. "Jimmy?"

A scared young boy ran out of his room and toward Johnny. "I want out! I want my mom!"

"I gotcha'!" Johnny picked him up from the ground. "I'm going to get you outside. Are you hurt?" He glanced inside Jimmy's room and was both surprised and relieved to see that the roof's collapse didn't damage the small boy's bedroom, it only jammed the door shut.

Jimmy shook his head as he wrapped his arms tightly around Johnny's neck.

"You sure?"

Jimmy nodded his head.

"Good. Let's go." Retracing his steps, mindful of the rope around his waist, Johnny descended the stairs with Jimmy safely in his arms. As he put his weight on the first floor at the bottom of the staircase he heard the unsettling and all too distinct sound of the weakened floorboards creaking from stress. "This is fine..." He said aloud, more to comfort himself than Jimmy. "Just gotta' move slowly... That's all."

"Johnny?" Roy could see his partner in the narrow opening. "Did you find him?"

"Yeah! He's here and he's okay."

Roy let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "Jimmy, it's me! I'm Chris's dad, do you remember me?"

Jimmy looked through the door and recognized Roy right away. "Is my mom there?"

"She's outside by the Squad." Roy reached into the small opening. "C'mon, I'll take you to her."

Johnny kneeled down slightly to hand Jimmy off the Roy. The shifting weight on the floor caused the boards beneath to creak loudly before suddenly snapping from the strain. Johnny's leg fell through the jagged hole that opened in the floor beneath him. "Gah!"

"Johnny?!" Roy pulled Jimmy out of the doorway to safety just as Johnny fell through the floor. "You alright?"

"Yeah, but I'm stuck!" Johnny answered through gritted teeth as the incredible pain in his trapped leg hit him like a flame. "I'm going to need a little help getting back out..."

"I'll be back!" Roy reluctantly dropped his end of the life line as he quickly scooped up Jimmy and took him over to his scared, awaiting mother.

While Cindy was tearfully reunited with her son outside of the now destroyed house, Roy scrambled to the Squad to retrieve the crowbar and axe from their respective compartment.

Inside the house Johnny did his best to ignore the searing pain that was now shooting up his trapped leg. "Damn it..." The first floor of the house was five feet above a small crawlspace that extended the entire area of the house, meaning he couldn't put any weight on his trapped leg in attempt to gain leverage.

From above more loud, ominous creaking echoed through the destroyed home. The collapsed ceiling's weight was too much for the already damaged floor to hold. Board by board the floor began giving way to the weight and mounting damage. Splinters from the breaking boards poked through the torn carpet, while jagged pieces protruded upward like rocky peaks ascending from a canyon.

"Roy?" Johnny called out to his partner as he tried his best to free his trapped leg. He could feel the blood from a large laceration in his leg already soaking through his pant leg. "You there?!"

"I'm here!" Roy was back at the front door with the tools at his side and his end of the lifeline firmly in his grip one more. "What's going on in there?"

"The floor's about to go!"

"Alright, I'll get to you." Roy used the crowbar to unwedge the uneven timber that obstructed the front doorway and clear a pathway to his trapped partner.

"No, get back! The floor's going to-"

A thunderous groan echoed through the house as the weakened support structures finally gave way. The second floor, along with the ceiling, all collapsed inward destroying the first floor as they fell without mercy. A cloud of dust and crumbled drywall filled the air in a smothering mass as the entire house imploded, with Johnny still trapped inside.

Alone.

...to be continued...