Description: Howard and Marion learn what is going on.
Disclaimer: I only own Detectives Mason and Greer in this chapter.
Potsie lowers his gun.
"You can open your eyes, Rich. I'm not going to shoot you." Potsie said.
Richie slowly opened his eyes.
"You're not?" Why won't you shoot me?" Richie asked, confused.
"Because you're my best friend and I'm not going to shoot my best friend." Potsie explained.
Ralph and Loribeth were both relieved at what they just heard.
"But I thought you were angry at me for calling the police." Richie said.
"Well I was at first, but then I realized that you were just trying to help. You always try to do the right thing."
"So are you going to let us go, now?" Ralph asked.
"No of course not. I haven't gone completely crazy yet." Potsie said.
"You've already gone crazy." Loribeth mumbled.
"What did you say?" Potsie asked as he pointed the gun at her. "Do you think I'm crazy?"
"I'm sorry. No I don't think you're crazy." A frightened Loribeth said.
Richie stepped in front of a frightened Loribeth.
"Move Rich." Potsie demanded.
"No, I'm not going to let you kill her. If you want to kill someone, you're just going to have to kill me instead. Let them go." Richie said.
"You know I can't let anyone go. This isn't how it's supposed to end. So please move." Potsie begged.
"You have two choices. You can either kill me or you can let them go."
"If I let them go, then what's stopping me from shooting them as they walk out that door?"
"He's right, Richie. He can shoot us at anytime, without any warning. I don't want to die, at least not today. So I'm staying right here in this room." Ralph said.
"You know Ralph, you're pretty smart because that is exactly what I'm capable of doing." Potsie said.
Without warning, Potsie shot Ralph in the left shoulder. Ralph screamed in pain and grabbed his shoulder as he fell to the floor.
Meanwhile outside…
Everyone outside hears the gunshot.
"What the hell was that noise?" Fonzie asked.
"I don't know, but it sounded like a gunshot." Joanie said.
"I think that's exactly what it was." Greer said.
Mason got on the bullhorn and called for Potsie.
"Warren Webber, this is Detective Mason speaking. We have the building surrounded."
"Go away!" Potsie shouted.
"I'm sorry, but we can't do that."
"Well there are a lot of things that I can't do either! So I guess we have something in common!"
"Can you tell me if everyone is okay in there?" Mason asked.
"Yes everyone is fine! Well except for Professor Thomas! He kind of deserved that! And Ralph is a little injured, but I think he'll make it! Unless I change my mind! Now leave me alone or I'll kill everyone in here!" Potsie warned.
Mason did exactly what Potsie said.
"Alright everyone, I think he's serious." Mason said.
"So what do we do now?" Greer asked.
"About the only thing we can do is wait. He's bound to come out of that building sooner or later." Mason said.
Howard and Marion show up.
"Joanie, what are you doing here?" Marion asked.
"Well mom, I don't know how to tell you this, but Potsie is in the building with a gun. And Richie is in there with him."
Howard and Marion are both shocked.
"Is Richie okay?" Howard asked.
"So far he is." Fonzie said.
"Has Potsie hurt anyone, yet?" Marion asked.
"He says he killed Professor Thomas and shot Ralph. But Ralph's injury isn't that bad." Joanie explained.
"Besides Richie, Ralph and Potsie, is there anyone else in there?" Howard asked.
"Loribeth and Jennifer are also in there." Joanie said.
"Have any of their parents been notified of this?" Marion asked.
"I don't think they have. And even if they have been notified, there wouldn't be much that they could do. Except stand out here and wait like the rest of us." Fonzie said.
"He's right, you know." Howard said.
"Well I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving until my son comes out of that building, alive." Marion said.
"I'm staying too." Joanie said.
"I don't plan on leaving this place either. At least not until I know Richie and his friends are okay." Fonzie said.
"Well, I don't plan on leaving my son either. What kind of father would I be if I left him?" Howard asked.
Meanwhile in Professor Thomas' classroom…
Ralph is sitting on the floor and is holding his arm very tightly.
"Why did you shoot him? He didn't do anything." Richie asked, shocked.
"I'm just trying to prove a point to you all. Looks like I finally got through to you all." Potsie answered.
"You could have shot the wall instead on me." Ralph stated.
"Don't get smart with me Ralph or this next bullet will go straight into your brain." Potsie warned as he aimed the gun at Ralph's head.
"I'm sorry Potsie." Ralph said, frightened.
"You're losing a lot of blood Ralph. We need to tie something around your arm, so the bleeding will stop." Richie said.
"Wow, Rich. You're like a genius. Maybe you should become a doctor instead of a journalist." Potsie said, sarcastically. "You ever thought about becoming a doctor?"
"Loribeth, do you have anything that we can tie around Ralph's arm?" Richie asked, ignoring Potsie's question.
"Here, you can use my headscarf." Loribeth said as she took the scarf out of her hair and handed it to Richie.
Richie quickly tied the scarf around Ralph's arm.
Meanwhile Outside…
Marion overhears Mason and Greer talking.
"How are we going to get those kids out of the building without harming any of them?" Greer asked.
"I don't know. The only thing I can think of is using tear gas." Mason said as he shook his head from side to side.
"There is no way in hell that you're going to throw tear gas in that building." Marion said.
Howard, Fonzie and Joanie were shocked at what they just heard. They have never heard Marion speak that way before.
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but that's the only option we have." Mason said.
"You are not throwing tear gas at my son or anyone else in that building." Marion firmly said.
"But we have no other…"
"Do not throw tear gas into that building. Find another way to get my son and his friends out of there." Marion interrupted.
Everyone was quiet for a moment.
"Alright, we won't throw tear gas into the building. But if things get out of hand in there, then we'll have to take drastic action. Do you understand?" Mason asked.
Fonzie leaves.
"I don't like it, but I guess I do understand." Marion said.
A few minutes later, Howard, Joanie, and Marion are talking when Joanie notices that Fonzie is missing.
"I really hope nothing else bad happens in there." Marion said, worried.
"Don't worry, Marion. Nothing bad will happen in that building." Howard said, reassuring his wife.
"Hey where's Fonzie?" Joanie asked.
Howard and Marion looked around.
"I don't know. He was here a couple of minutes ago." Howard said.
"I never saw him leave. Where could he be?" Marion asked.
End of chapter six. Sorry it took me a while to post it. I've been working on my other stories. Please review. I'll try to have chapter seven up soon.