Chapter Two
Penny tried her best to keep calm. Hanging inches away from her death wasn't on her agenda. She felt the elevator suddenly shake. The female next to her let out a scream. Her hold got tight on the railing. The alarm went off on Penny's breathing apparatus vest. She managed to check the meter on her oxygen. She only had about 30 minutes of air left. She only hoped Elvis was able to get her fast enough. She looked up at the female. "stay calm. You'll be okay." Comforted Penny. The female glanced down at Penny. "what's your name?" questioned Penny in hopes of distracting the female. "Arian. Aria for short." Penny smiled under her mask. "I'm Penny. I have help coming for us. There's no since in wasting oxygen by panicking." Embers floated down gently around them. They were being held up by two wires. Penny knew that at any second another explosion could go off. "let's try to stay calm." Aria looked up. "do you think they'll be able to find us down here?" Penny nodded. Penny touched another button on her vest. A high pitched squeal went off. Aria flinched hearing it. Elvis heard the faint alarm sound coming from the opened Elevator door. He ran jumping over a pile of burning wood. He carefully got the edge of the elevator before peering down. He saw Aria and Penny dangling helplessly off the top of the elevator. Elvis got on his radio. "Elvis to James and Arnold. Elvis to James and Arnold. Do you copy? Over." His radio crackled to life. "we hear you very loud and clear Elvis. What's up?" Elvis looked back at Penny and Aria. "I've found Penny with a survivor down an elevator shaft. I need you guys to bring the abseiling equipment from Jupiter upstairs. Hurry Penny and the survivor don't have long."
James rushed out to Jupiter. He quickly got the abseiling equipment out from the back locker. He quickly went back inside again. Arnold began coughing. "you go James. I'm about ready to run out of oxygen." James gulped. "are you sure?' Arnold nodded. "yeah. I'm sure you've got this." James exhaled sharply. James took the stairs behind the gift shop. The building rocked again. Another gas line exploded. James gasped gripping the railing. His heart pounded in his chest. He continued walking up the stairs. He spotted Elvis on the other end of the hallway. The floor shook again unbalancing him. He couldn't stay upright. Burning wood crashed down all around him. James took off running. He got to the end of the hallway. "Elvis I've got it." Elvis nodded. He took the abseiling equipment from James. He began to get set up. "we need to hurry before another line explodes." James attached the line to Elvis' harness. "lower me down James." Elvis sat near the edge of the elevator shaft. He carefully scooted himself off the edge. James lowered Elvis onto the elevator. Elvis landed safely on it. He made his way over to Aria. He pulled them up. "Elvis help Aria first." Elvis nodded. He put the harness onto Aria. He motioned for James to lift her up. The building rocked again. A torrent of flames headed directly for James. James didn't know how to react. He put his arms up to protect himself. Elvis managed to reach the edge. He grabbed James pulling him down to the floor in front of the elevator. The fire burned through the remaining cables. Penny screamed grabbing onto one of the hanging wires. She began choking for air. Her oxygen tank was beginning to run out. Elvis attached the line back onto his vest. He pushed himself away from the wall. "Penny you'll have to jump!" he yelled. Penny's hands were shaking. "rock back and forth to give yourself a little momentum then on my signal toss yourself to me." Penny nodded. She lowered herself down a bit on the cable. She swung the cable back and forth with her body weight. It took away for the cable to move with enough force for her to swing on. "go!" yelled Elvis. He reached out for her. Penny screamed as she tossed herself off of the cable. Elvis managed to catch her. He kept her close to him. Penny clung to him. "I'm never doing that shit again!" she snapped. Elvis gripped onto the wall. James pulled them both up. Elvis scooted away from the elevator shaft. He rubbed Penny's back in an effort to calm her down. "James head back to Arnold and finish putting the fire out. I have Aria and Penny. We'll be right behind you."
Arnold managed to put the fire out on the ground floor. He headed upstairs. He saw James and company dart past him. James took the hose from behind. They moved in with the hose spraying the flames with water. "this isn't good." Muttered Arnold. "James head back to Jupiter and hook up the hose to the sticky foam valve." James saluted him. He rushed downstairs. He changed the hose out and turned the sticky foam valve. He headed back inside. He helped Arnold put out the rest of the fire. Arnold and James walked out of the building. "the fire is out Elvis." Panted James as he removed his oxygen mask. Ellie and Sam arrived at the scene in Hydrus. Sam ran up to them. "is everyone okay?" he asked. James nodded. "yeah apart from Penny is going to have to be treated for shock." Penny kept the blanket tight around her. She was talking to Aria. Helen checked Penny's vitals again. "her heart rate is still a little high Sam." Penny laughed. "I've been through worse Helen. I'm sure once I've calmed down I'll be able to go back to work." Helen shook her head. "I'd recommend you take some time off." Helen checked Aria's next. "we won't be able to work for quite a while so I don't mind having time off." Whispered Aria. "I'm just glad no one was seriously injured. Elvis and I will conduct the investigation with Arnold. Ellie you head back to the station with James."
James and Ellie headed back to the station in Venus. "Do you think Penny will be okay?" he asked. "yeah. She is a strong woman, James. She'll pull through." James looked out the window. He was really worried about Penny. Ellie noticed this. "tell you what once Sam, Elvis, and Arnold get back, I'll take you by the hospital and you can check on Penny alright?" James nodded. "thanks." Ellie pulled into the fire station. James headed upstairs. He decided to take a small nap on the couch in the lounge.