THESE EVENTS ARE BASED ON THE
ACCOUNTS OF THE SURVIVING PARTICIPANTS.
-05:17:00
At night, an alarm clock reads 3:29 A.M., an arm reaches forward to it, and a man named John McLoughlin lays in his bed for a moment. He soon sat up and got out of bed as his wife was still sleeping.
A few minutes later, he was in a shower ready for the long day ahead of him.
Shortly later, he was dress and got out of a room shutting the light off and went over to a dresser with a mirror, and grabs a pistol, and badge indicting he was a police officer. After grabbing what he needed, he went over and grabs a coat hanging on the door and opens it and leaves the room.
While on the bed, his wife, Donna was awake.
He then went to check on his 4 children, Steven, Caitlin, John and Erin.
-04:55:00
Later, John McLoughlin was driving off heading to work as his radio went about.
"Give us 22 minutes. We'll give you the world. Good morning. 64 degrees. It is Tuesday and here's what's happening. It's primary day and the polls are officially open in New York City. Voters will be deciding among the 250 candidates..."
Drivers of cars, trucks and buses were already beginning to cross one of the bridges heading in or out of Manhattan, New York City as light of the sun was beginning to shine as dawn approaches.
At a different part, most citizens were still asleep as a subway train slows to a stop at a station as distant barking from a dog was heard. A city bus comes to a halt at one of it's many stops under one of the city's bridges. And a man was out on an early morning walk with his dog.
-04:05:00
Among one of New York's neighborhoods, Will Jimeno came out of his house and heads down the steps and grabbed his keys out and headed to his car. And soon starts it's engine to head to work.
At the city, daily business was beginning to start as work staff of a fish market begin to unload a delivery truck.
Shortly later, sunlight begins to shine over as a subway train heads across one of New York's bridges. Inside, a conductor was checking on the passengers' tickets.
"Thank you." He said. "Tickets, please. Thank you. Tickets."
After showing his ticket, a young man got back to working on a drawing.
In the city, the usual hustle and bustle was starting as taxi cabs drove by on different streets.
"The Daily Number, 945. Win number, 4242."
-03:28:00
At a subway station, everyone waited as a train slowly pulls up as a man listens to some rap music through his headphones.
Everyone reads through their papers, books, anything to do as they waited for the train to head to their stops chatter was heard among the car. A man with a New York hat reads through a newspaper.
"Did you see Jeter's homer on Saturday?" A man asked. "Guy's got some swing, man."
"Yeah, I was there." He replied.
"Yeah? It was a good one to have been at."
"It was."
"...part of the ongoing slump in corporate earnings. Right now, S&P futures are up 2 points. Dow futures up 28. NASDAQ futures up 6.5..."
One of the ferries, passing by the Statue of Liberty, other people were taking to get to other places.
Among the passengers, was Christopher Amoroso as he heads to the front of the ferry with a newspaper as the city was ahead, and in view was the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center which have stood for 28 years since first opening on April 4, 1973. As the North Tower stands 1,368 feet tall, and the South Tower standing at 1,362 feet.
-02:25:00
Among many of New York's streets, cars, trucks drove along as people walked with the Empire State Building in view.
On one of it's bridges, Will drove over it as a honking truck drove by. And started singing the radio's song and turns it up a bit.
September 11, 2001
At a police department, work members were beginning to start their day as they chatter.
And behind a main desk, John was going over some papers.
"Is there anybody else that we could call?" An officer asked.
John looked over and saw an officer talking to a woman.
"Anybody?" He asked.
-01:55:00
In a locker room, some officers including Will were getting into their uniforms.
"Hey, rookie." An officer greeted Will. "How's it going, today?"
"It's going good." Will said.
"All right." The officer said.
"Hey, Willy." Another officer said near him.
"Yeah." Will said.
"I like your shorts." The officer said. "They're real sharp, you know."
"Oh, yeah?" Will said.
"Yeah." The officer said.
"12 bucks at Target."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Do they make them for men, too?"
Another officer laughed.
Then Will teasingly threw a shirt at him.
"I'm not the one who puts a gallon of pomade in my hair, Pezzulo." Will said.
Pezzulo tossed the short back to him.
Pezzulo soon placed his belt on, and hat and closed his locker. As well as Will, and Officer Rodrigues including.
-01:30:00
At a different part of the building, officers chattered as they were about to begin to daily patrol.
"Attention." John said entering the room as they turn to him. "Roll call working Tuesday, September 11. Color of the day is green. Tour Commander is Lieutenant Kassimatis. Patrol Sergeant, you're looking at him." He gestured to 2 men next to him. "Stolzman."
"Sarge." Stolzman replied.
"Post one. Colovito."
"Sarge."
"Three. Nice job on Friday." John said.
"Thanks." Colovito said.
"Pezzulo." John continued his roll-call.
"Sarge." Pezzulo announced.
"Six. Jimero." John called out.
"Sarge." Will announced.
"Three-five." John said. "Rodrigues."
"Sarge." Rodrigues replied.
"Nine. Lieutenant, you got anything?" John asked turning to Kassimatis.
"No." Kassimatis said.
"Inspector Fields has something to say." John said.
"Listen up. Be on the lookout for this girl." Fields said holding up a file of a little girl. "Zoey Cowley. Age 11, runaway out of Rhode Island. Thought to be on a bus coming in this morning. This is important. Okay."
"As always, protect yourselves." John said. "Watch each other's backs."
-00:25:00
In one of the firehouses of New York, Hiccup and some other firefighters were getting ready for the day.
"Get out." Steven said checking his hair. "Am I going bald right back here?"
"Ooh!" Trevor exclaimed.
"Man, I am one good lookin' son of a gun." Steven said. "Don't you ever die."
"Hey, Hiccup." Fredrick said. "How'd it go last night?"
"Look, it's just not gonna work out." Hiccup said. "Let's leave it that, okay?"
"Hiccup, come on." Steven said. "Everyone finds somebody eventually."
"Look, I know that." Hiccup said. "Look, I just... I just haven't found her yet."
"Guess, you're not looking hard enough." Steven said.
"Shut it." Hiccup snapped.
"Kay." Steven quickly said.
"Hey, Hicc, you seen this new documentary, yesterday?" Trevor asked. "Uh. Valley of the T. Rex?"
"No, why?" Hiccup asked.
"Apparently, it shows some rumor that T. Rex may likely be a scavenger." Trevor said. "Think I prefer the cold-hearted butcher we love to hate."
-00:20:00
At one of the malls, Will and Pezzulo were doing a patrol.
"Hear about who Giraldi brought in yesterday?" Pezzulo asked.
"No, who?" Will asked.
"I'll give you 1 guess." Pezzulo said. "She's 300 pounds her dress is a trash bag with bugs all over it."
"Ah, Gloria, the "Naked Lady"?" Will said getting the idea.
"Yeah, and Giraldi said she asked for you." Pezzulo said.
"You love it, huh?" Will inquired.
"I'll catch you a break." Pezzulo said.
"Yeah." Will said.
Pezzulo then heads down another hall as police chattered through Will's radio.
-00:18:00
At one of New York's hospitals, paramedic Astrid was in a breakroom as she massaged her shoulders. Then, Heather came in with 2 cups of coffee.
"Coffee?" Heather offered one of the cups to her.
"Thanks." Astrid said taking it.
Heather then sat next to her.
"Tough night?" Heather asked.
"Yep. 14 hours working on a shift." Astrid said and took a sip of her coffee. "How was your time off?"
"Great." Heather said. "3 days off, and I actually went to see Rush Hour 2 on Saturday. Really funny by the way. You should've seen it, at one point, Carter said, "Lee, why didn't you tell me these men rose like this?", and Lee said, "I told you already.", "No you didn't." "I did." "What you say?" "I did this." "What do this mean, man, speak English to me!"
The 2 then laughed.
"Oh, sure been quite a summer." Astrid said. "What movies have we seen throughout the summer?"
"Pearl Harbor, Fast and Furious, Atlantis: The Lost Empire." Heather counted her fingers. "You know, I really couldn't help myself of seeing Pearl Harbor another 3 times this summer."
"Can't get enough of it, can you?" Astrid asked.
"Oh, come on." Heather said. "It's amazing."
"Yeah, I guess." Astrid said.
"You know, we've yet to see Jurassic Park III." Heather mentioned. "Girls' night this weekend?"
"Why not?" Astrid said and checked her watch reading 8:30 A.M.
"How 'bout get some breakfast at McDonalds?" Heather suggested. "On me."
"Alright." Astrid said.
-00:12:00
Will soon headed outside and looked around as everyone went about their daily business as taxi cabs were parked and cars and a bus drove by.
People chattered as Will went over to a statue of Jackie Gleason as 2 homeless men sat by it.
"Hey, Jethro. Jethro." Will said walking up to them. "Hey, how many times I gotta tell you? You got to take your crew and your junk out of Ninth."
"It's a free country." Jethro said.
"This is my statue." Will said.
"What are you, the statue police?" Jethro joked.
"It's the Jackie Gleason statue." Will said. "It's not a bench."
"He don't care." Jethro said. "He's dead, man."
"Get out of here." Will said. "Get out of here."
-00:02:00
After dealing with them, Will continued his patrol as he then noticed 2 guys with a sort of slight gangsta-like appearance and they parted ways.
"Excuse me." A man said.
Will turned and look back seeing an African American talking to a white woman.
"I wonder if I might help you out today with, like, a taxi, or get you a hotel?" The man inquired. "Maybe I can help you out with your bag, you know."
Slightly thinking of something else was happening, Will begins to head over.
"Hello, Officer?" A Chinese woman said in an Chinese accent appeared with her husband. "Uh, where find bus center?"
Will knew they were tourists, and he looks through the map. But then suddenly a shadow flashed by making things momentarily dark as then what sounded like plane engines roaring was heard as they looked.
Then, everything grew silent as what looked like the shadow of a plane flew by on the side of a building.
Elsewhere in New York, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center stood.
-00:00:10
At another police department, it was daily business as usual.
"Hey, Amoroso." A mid-aged man said.
"How's it going, man?" Christopher Amoroso asked now in uniform.
"How you doing?" The man asked drinking a cup of water.
"To be honest, I miss the bus terminal." Amoroso said grabbing a cup.
"Yeah, what do you got today?"
"Loading docks."
"Loading docks? That shipment come in from..."
Suddenly, an explosive rumble shook the department as if a volcano just went off as the whole room went silent as everyone was caught off guard as the room shook and the water in the jug shook.
"What the..." Amoroso said and heads off to see what has happened.
12 seconds earlier...
8:46:40
A Boeing 767-223ER known as American Airlines Flight 11 soars over the city, on a collision course with the North Tower. And then, the 141 ton plane crashed and penetrates through the north side of the tower of the 96th floor like a bullet piercing through a car door. Perimeter columns were broken like twigs or toothpicks, and 10,000 gallons of fuel spilled and exploded.
8:48
Outside a building, Pezzulo was still doing his patrol when an African American woman as her attention on him and bends down.
"BT, all units. 8-40. 8-40, ASAP. BT, all units. 8-40, ASAP."
Pezzulo quickly heads off.
Elsewhere, Will listened to his radio as well.
"All units , BT 8-40. 8-40, ASAP."
Will then heads off and hurries through the hall.
"Excuse me." Will said making his way through the hall and joins up with Pezzulo. "Hey, something's up."
At the department, officers watched the news channel showing that a plane had just crashed into the North Tower.
"We have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. CCN Center right now..."
"Holy shit." The Lieutenant said shocked.
Will and Pezzulo walked into the room and soon saw the news.
"...work on this story, calling our sources and trying to figure out exactly what happened, but, clearly, something relatively devastating happening this morning there. We're going to join another one of our New York affiliates for their live courage."
Will and Pezzulo saw the tower's north side burning large trails of smoke drifting off as the plane was left a hole in it's side like a scar.
"Here at the top of this tower, there's a huge, gaping hole, flames still inside."
"Can you believe this?" Polnicki said completely shocked. "What schmuck would fly a plane into the Trade Center?"
"Maybe they ran out of gas or something." Colovito said.
"Yeah, Colovito. Right." Polnicki said though didn't look convinced.
"Maybe some jerk-off forgot which lever to pull on his twin-engine." An officer said.
"That's not a small plane." Another officer said seeing the hole's size.
"Hell, no." Polnicki said.
"All right, listen up!" Giraldi called out.
The whole room turns to him and John.
"Let me have your attention here!" Giraldi said. "They're telling us it's a commuter plane. Tower One is being evacuated as a precaution. They've asked us to send a team down to assist. Sergeant McLoughlin."
"I've got a list of names here." John said. "Step out when you hear it. We're going downtown. Polnicki."
"Sarge." Polnicki said.
"Colovito."
"Sarge." Colovito said.
"Washington."
"Sarge." Washington said.
"O'Reilly."
"Sarge." O'Reilly said.
"Jimeno."
"Sarge." Will said and heads off with the others.
"Hogart." John called out.
"Sarge." Hogart said and follows them.
"Bavli."
"Sarge." Bavli said.
"Rodrigues."
"Sarge." Rodrigues said.
"Giraldi."
"Sarge." Giraldi said.
"Pezzulo."
"Sarge." Pezzulo said and heads off.
"Stolzman." John called out.
8:50
Outside, an officer whistled out to flag down a city bus.
"Hold it right there!" An officer said. "Pull it over!"
The other cars slowed to a stop.
"Commander post on the air? Command post."
"Field command post. Are there any injuries going to any particular hospital?"
The officers headed across the street as Giraldi halted the cars. And John headed to a police car.
"Chief on the air. Go ahead."
"Come on, everybody." Kassimatis said. "Off the bus. Get off the bus. Step this way."
"I'm gonna cut across Bleecker to Seventh." John said. "Stay close."
"You got it." Kassimatis said.
"Central. Mobilization point is gonna be Pike and South."
McLoughlin climbs into the car.
8:56
At the firehouse, Hiccup and the others were stunned what they seeing of the North Tower been struck.
"This is unbelievable." Fredrick said not believing his eyes.
Then an alarm blared.
"Okay, let's move guys!" Hiccup said. "Go, go, go, go, go!"
They then quickly rushed to get their gear.
9:02:55
Meanwhile, at the World Trade Center, stunned people near the North Tower as smoke spews and billows from the 96th floor. And they watched in horror as they were not believing what were seeing.
But then, the familiar sound of plane engines roaring fills the air, and then from nowhere, a Boeing 767-200 known as Flight 175 soars in at over 230 miles per hour and crashed through the wall of the south side of the South Tower between the 77 and 85th floor like it was nothing. The explosion of the plane came a split-second later as the loud sound rips through the air catching everyone by surprise and complete horror.
Pieces of the building came falling down it's side like steel, glass, everything. It was almost as if the plane was deliberately flew into the building on purpose. Parts of the plane including the starboard engine leave the building from its east and north sides, falling to the ground 6 blocks away.
And it's only been 17 minutes since the North Tower was hit.
This was no accident.
At the hospital, Astrid, Heather and other paramedics were watching the news and saw the whole thing. And they were horrifyingly shocked.
"Please tell me you didn't saw what I think I just saw?" Astrid begged.
"I wish I could, that was actually a plane!" Heather said.
"We better get out there." Astrid said.
They quickly rushed to an ambulance truck and quickly drove off as others followed.
A firetruck drove through the street heading to the World Trade Center as it's siren blared.
"That was to evacuate One Police Plaza at the Gracie Mansion, Municipal Building, and any potential targets. Who is advising this?"
Soon, the smoke spewing of the World Trade Center was seen ahead.
McLoughlin continued driving as the firetruck drove by.
"Central units, the mobilization point is now South and Pike."
On the bus, it continues heading to the World Trade Center carrying the officers.
"Yeah. No, no, I got it." Colovito said on his phone. "Hey, guys, you won't believe this! My wife says the other one got hit, the other tower."
The other officers were in disbelief shock.
"How the hell did the other tower get hit?" Polnicki said in disbelief.
"She was listening to HOT 97 and they said it." Colovito explained.
"What? Who gets their news from HOT 97?" Polnicki inquired.
"I told you it was no damn private plane." Rodrigues said to Jimeno.
"No, I got it." Jimeno said.
Police chatter occurred on the radio as McLoughlin continued driving.
"What special equipment we got down there?" Fields asked.
McLoughlin shook his head.
"What?" Fields frowned.
"We're prepared for everything." McLoughlin said. "Car bombs, chemical, biological, an attack from the top. But no this. Not for something this size. There's no plan. We didn't make it."
"Only emergency transmissions on this frequency."
"All right, all emergency personnel respond to Vesey and West. All emergency service units, please go to Vesey and West."
Mcloughlin kept driving through the street as the North Tower was in view as smoke spewed from it's side.
"There could be 50, 60,000 in there." Fields said.
McLoughlin kept driving as a siren blared and a truck rushed by.
They continued driving leading the bus as they headed to the World Trade Center.
"Units on West Street to use caution. Debris is falling from the building on West Street."
"Hey! Looks like Tower 2 did take a hit." Pezzulo said.
Everyone looked out trying to see the South Tower.
"What did I tell you?" Pezzulo said.
"No, no, that's the smoke blowing from Tower 1." Polnicki said.
"All right, that's enough." Kassimatis said. "Everybody sit down. Now!"
"Yo, Dom, let me see your phone for a sec, yeah?" Jimeno said.
Pezzulo had his phone was he tried to listen.
"Hey, let me see your phone." Jimeno said. "I got to call Allison."
"It's not working!" Pezzulo said. "Nothing's going through."
McLoughlin continued driving as a siren blared.
"Emergency service vehicles are also not responding."
The bus made a sharp turn as it's tires screeched as everyone held on.
"Hey, take it easy, will you?" Pezzulo called out to the driver. "Jesus!"
"This is gonna be a bitch." Jimeno said.
"Relax." Kassimatis said.
"Well, I'm just saying that it looks like it's gonna..."
"You think they're bringing you down there to scratch your ass?" Kassimatis said. "McLoughlin will tell you what to do."
"Why the Sarge?" Rodrigues asked.
"He was Emergency Services at the Trade Tower." Kassimatis explained. "He's one of the guys who came up with the plan after the attack in '93. Anybody knows what to do down there, it's him."
On February 26, 1993, a terrorist group sent a truck bomb crashing into Tower 1. The 1,336 pound urea nitrate-hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to bring the Tower down, and crash into the South Tower, but failed as 6 people were killed, and sadly including a pregnant woman. And over 1,000 people were injured.
But in minutes time, what was about to happen will make that attack look like a firecracker.
"Man to division one. Does anyone over in Tower 1 hear me?"
"Okay, make the turn on Broadway." John called out. "Go down West Broadway. We'll meet you outside 5."
"You got it." Fields said.
John continues on as the bus made a right turn on another street, and the officers saw some people gathered as 2 paramedics were placing a neck brace on a man on the pavement.
Ahead of them, John slows the car to a stop as people near the World Trade Center were evacuating the area as dozens of paper sheets littered the street.
"Send everything you got to the World Trade Center now."
They climbed out of the car.
"We got to get that building evacuated!" Fields said looking up at the damaged floor high above.
"Which tower? Which tower are we responding to?"
"I got to get a team to go up!" John said.
"I'll check in with headquarters." Fields said.
A firetruck rolls by McLoughlin.
"Roll every available ambulance you got into this position."
People continue evacuating as most kept looking at the Twin Towers as they kept going.
The firetruck carrying Hiccup's team soon arrived and soon it's tires screeches as it came to a halting stop.
"All right, let's move it!" Hiccup said as they climbed out.
They then quickly begin to grab what they can.
"Come on, hurry!" Trevor said.
"Fire out on the north side. They're now coming out of the west side of the World Trade Center."
McLoughlin then hurries off.
Not far away, the bus turns on a street as other policemen and firefighters headed off as it came to a stop. Pezzulo was the first to be out as sheets of paper rain down through the air as everyone else followed.
High above, they saw the smoke billowing out of the North Tower as they all watched in complete shock as chattered was heard from a radio.
"All right, everybody stay here." Kassimatis said. "I'm gonna find out what the hell's going on."
"Yes, sir." An officer said.
Jimeno continues watching the 96th floor as flames burn and smoke spewed as sheets of paper continued raining down.
A woman yelled as people continued evacuating and clamored as they watched in horror of the burning building. And a woman was heard screaming.
"Oh, my God." Colovito said completely shocked.
A few other officers then watched as they saw what looked like the shape of a person falling off the side of the building. And they watched in complete horror as it soon vanished from view as the person in sheer desperation was forced to make a suicide jump. And they had little idea that less than 200 will soon follow.
"Nothing's gonna help them." Colovito said still shocked of what he saw.
"No, we'll get up there." Rodrigues said trying to remain calm.
"How are you gonna save people that high up?" Colovito inquired. "It's impossible."
"We got to try." Jimeno said.
Then Officer Montalvo saw McLoughlin coming.
"Sarge!" He said.
McLoughlin hurries over to them as approached.
"Officer? Officer?" A man approached them and went up to Jimeno. "The daycare center. There's kids there. Over there."
"Hey, Sarge!" Jimeno said. "There's kids in the..."
"Yeah, at the daycare at 5." McLoughlin said. "I know, they got them out. Okay, listen up." He then noticed someone was missing. "Where's Kassimatis?"
"He's looking for you, Sarge." An officer said.
"We got to evacuate the tower." McLoughlin said. "Who knows how to use a Scott Pak? And don't give me any PBA bullshit."
"Hey, Sarge, to tell the truth, I haven't used one in like 4 years." An officer said.
"Look, what did I just say?" Mcloughlin inquired. "Who's coming? Step forward."
A woman chattering through a radio was heard as McLoughlin waited a few moments.
"I got it, Sarge." Jimeno volunteered.
"I'll go." Rodrigues said.
Pezzulo works his way through the group. "I'm with you, Sarge."
"All right." McLoughlin said. "All right, we got a team. We're heading into Building 5. The rest of you wait for Kassimatis. Follow me. Stay together."
The team of 4 officers begin to head off.
"Jimeno." McLoughlin said.
"Sarge." Will said.
"Take everyone's memo books, nightsticks, hats." McLoughlin said. "They're useless here. Put them in the Suburban. It's over on Church and Vesey. And meet us back at the police desk in the lobby of 5. You got it?"
"Which one's 5?" Jimeno asked nearly finished.
"There's 2 towers." McLoughlin said and looked up at the burning towers. "North Tower is 1. South Tower is 2. Right behind it, there's 5, right in front of us, which is where the police is. Take the alley. Hurry up."
Jimeno quickly heads off.
"Oh, hey!" McLoughlin said stopping him and gave him his hat. "Let's go."
They quickly ran off as John soon saw what could be a tire from one of the wrecked planes.
"They're all dying!" A woman cried and screamed with a face covered in blood. "They're all dying!"
The 3 officers continued running as John looked up at the burning 96th floor of the North Tower as bits of debris rained down. And this was proving much worse than the last one he was in over 8.5 years ago.
High above, the Twin Towers continue burning.
But something was about to trigger something catastrophic.
The aluminum built on the 2 planes which is normally safe, is now becoming incredibly volatile.
As the metal is molten, it starts to come into contact of one of the most common molecules on the planet.
Water.
When water comes into contact with molten aluminum, the water molecules recombine, producing aluminum oxide and hydrogen, releasing an explosive amount of energy. And not only that, the burning floors and building debris collects to form an insulting wall around the aircraft wreckage. Inside, the aluminum reaches 1,000 degrees.
The planes themselves have turned into a giant furnace.
The aluminum flows like water above 700 degrees above its melting point, and finds cracks and holes to pour through the damaged floor. The molten metal lands in pools of water of the sprinkler system on the floor below.
The Twin Towers are now an unstable tower of cards.
It's now a question of when.
9:10
Elsewhere, Astrid and Heather helping those who were injured as much as they could.
"I really don't like this, Astrid." Heather said grabbing a splint kit.
"You know, but we gotta keep it up." Astrid said taking it and wrapped a bandage on a man's arm.
She then looked up at the Twin Towers as they continued to spew smoke.
Meanwhile, Hiccup managed to get into a room the North Tower's 16th floor. Most have them evacuated as the team were helping them, and Hiccup was making sure that no one was missed.
"Fire department, call out!" Hiccup yelled out.
He looked around carefully as he can, but then a small glimmer got his attention. He went to it, and picked up a golden necklace and saw an M on, and he knew it was an initial.
"Anyone, here?!" Hiccup called out.
He then heard what sounded like crying, and looked around and then hiding under a desk was a 10 year old girl with black hair, and sad blue eyes filled with tears crying looked terribly scared.
"Hey, hey kid." Hiccup gently said. "Whatcha doing here?"
"I got lost from my aunt when my necklace was missing, but soon I lost both and got scared." She cried.
"Is this it?" Hiccup asked holding the golden necklace out.
"Yes." The girl said.
Then a crash was heard as Hiccup looked and saw a support beam suddenly bent, and he knew it wasn't a good sign.
"Why don't you come with me?" Hiccup said. "I can help you find your aunt. Okay?"
The girl nodded and came out of hiding as she followed Hiccup.
9:30
John grabs a megaphone in a storage room as they were suited up.
"Grab those bottles." John said.
John grabs a flashlight as his radio chattered.
"Get the helmets." John said.
Pezzulo and Rodrigues grabbed what they could find and placed them in a laundry cart.
"People trapped at 87th and 89th floors."
John soon walks out of the room.
"They're getting a TV picture with numerous injuries. Numerous injuries out there."
"Okay, turn them on." John said. "Double check. Test them." He then went up to an officer. "Massi? Anything more here? Helmets? Scott Paks?"
"No, Sarge." Massi said. "Try the E room near the truck docks in the basement. Jimmy Lynch is still down there."
An explosion was then heard from outside as it sounded like it came from one of the floors above them as they looked up.
"Thanks." John said.
Massi nodded.
"Okay, there's more stuff down on B-1 the truck docks." John said. "We'll drop down to the Concourse, go around 1 and 2, and there's some stairs there. Keep your eyes open. Follow me. Don't get separated, okay?"
"Well, Sarge, we got plenty here." Rodrigues said.
"110 floors. Fire with fuel." John said. "We're gonna be using up bottles. We need them."
They begin to head off as Jimeno came running down the hall to them.
"Sarge, you won't believe this." Jimeno said and grabbed a can. "Your Suburban on Church? It's gone. Roof smashed in."
A woman chattered through a radio.
"Stay together and stay focused." John said and walks off.
"Yo, Dom, where we going?" Jimeno asked as they followed him.
"Sarge wants more stuff." Pezzulo said.
"What?" Jimeno said.
"Don't worry about it." Pezzulo assured. "He knows what he's doing."
A loud explosion was heard outside causing Pezzulo to jump a bit.
"What the..." Pezzulo said.
"Don't think." John said looking back to him. "Keep moving."
"Jesus, Sarge, we got to get up there." Rodrigues said.
"You aren't rescuing anybody if you can't breathe, Rodrigues." John said and they got to the elevator as he pushed the down button. "Stay focused."
A siren blared from outside.
9:40
People evacuate through a hall as an officer guided them, and then an elevator opened as John as his team came out.
"This way." John said.
They followed John through the hall as they watched the people evacuate as they were confused, scared, and some hurt and other helped one another walk.
"Where's the fire?" A man with glasses wondered.
An Asian man he was helping looked around. The group continued watching as a young man sports a wound on the left side of his head as blood covered it.
"Now you're talking." Amoroso said appearing from the crowd. "Got the BT dogs up in here. What's up, Sarge? Sarge, I'm telling you we got to get up. There's a ton of people stuck up there."
"We're going up." John said.
"Yeah? I gotta go with you." Amoroso said.
"Sure, Chris." John said.
"Yeah?" Amoroso said.
"We can use you." John said. "We need more equipment. Get a tank on."
"A-Rod!" Rodrigues greeted Amoroso.
"Yo, what's up, Chris?" Will greeted. "Yo, what happened to your eye, man?" He noticed the wound near his left eye and his face covered in blood. "What happened to your eye?"
"Ah, I was carrying this woman out, something whacked me in the freaking head." Amoroso explained.
"She okay?" Will asked.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got her clear." Amoroso assured. "Hey, hey, Sarge, we ain't gonna find any equipment left in One."
"Coming through." John said to the crowd. "Coming through."
"Excuse us." Will said. "Thanks a lot."
The crowd let them through as they pass by.
"Lynch has got gear down at the B-1 truck docks next to Two." John said. "There's a staircase right over there at Ben & Jerry's."
"I heard they were evacuating Two, Sarge." Amoroso said.
"Must have caught fire from One." John said.
"I heard Two got hit, that there was a second plane." Amoroso said.
"No, Fields just said 1 plane, Tower One." John said. "Now, stay together."
"Uh, you see the TV?" Will asked Amoroso as he grabs a Pak. "There's a big fire up there."
"There ain't no TVs down here." Amoroso said. "You guys hear about the Pentagon? It got hit. A missile or something. Israel? It's gone. It's nuked. Whole freaking world's coming to an end today, Willy."
Earlier at 9:37:46, a Boeing 757-223, Flight 77 crashed into the western side of the Pentagon. Now the United States were beginning to shut down the airspace. Any aircraft in the air still is ordered to head to the nearest airport.
"Yo, Chris?" Pezzulo said.
"Yeah." Amoroso said.
"Nice timing on that transfer." Pezzulo said.
"Yeah, no kidding, right?" Amoroso said.
"Jimeno?" John said turning to Will.
"Yeah?" Will said.
"You stay with the cart." John ordered.
Will nodded.
"The rest of you, come with me." John said.
They begin to head off.
"Stay safe." Amoroso said to Will.
Will waited as he catches his breath, even though they hadn't start yet, Will was getting exhausted.
"We're receiving on the 106th floor... People are trapped at that location."
Everything then silent out as an inaudible moment occurred, then a loud explosion from outside snapped Will out of it. He then turns to the lobby as paramedics tend anyone that was injured.
"About 5 floors from the top, there's at least 50 people hanging on."
"Hey." An African American cop approached Will.
Will turns to him.
"Reynolds. Bridge." He shook Will's hand.
"Jimeno. Bus terminal." Will introduced himself.
"You all right?" Reynolds asked.
"Yeah. You, uh, help evacuate?" Will asked.
"Trying." Reynolds said. "Going up Two. You?"
Another explosion was heard from outside.
"Uh, up One." Will said. "I'm waiting for my sarge."
"Yeah. Well, it's gonna be a long day." Reynolds said and saw the paramedics rushing around and tending the injured. "You'll be all right, kid. A lot of good people here."
Reynolds then heads off to help more.
"Units, also advised that people are trapped on that 60th floor."
"60th floor, people are trapped up there."
Will waited as then a door was heard opening as he turned and saw the group returning with more gear.
"Stuck in the elevator, the elevator shaft, and we're chopping through the wall to get out."
"Okay, we got enough." John said.
They placed the Scott Paks in the cart.
"Tower One." John said. "Let's go. Stay together."
They begin to head off to help people in the upper floors.
"Okay, 10th floor. We've knocked out that fire. We're in the B stairs. We'll meet you over there. Let me know what kind of conditions you got."
"Lieutenant?" John approached a firefighter. "I was down on B-1. The shafts there are buckling. There's gonna be people trapped in those elevators."
"Jeez." The firefighter said. "It just took us an hour to get up to 30 in Tower One. Now they want us over in Two." He heads off with his team.
"What happened in Two?" John asked.
"I don't know." The firefighter said unsure.
"You guys be careful, okay?" John said.
"Yeah, stay safe?" The firefighter said.
They begin to head off as a clamor was heard through the radio, and Will pushed the cart as Rodrigues turns to him as he looked tired.
"Hey, Will." Rodrigues said. "Let me get that."
Rodrigues took the cart and pushed as Will followed the group.
"Thanks, man." Will said.
"8-1, McLoughlin. What's your location?" Fields' voice called through a radio.
"This is 8-1. We're in the Concourse." John reported through a walkie-talkie. "We got gear and are heading in One."
"8-1, 800, negative that."
9:58:45
Somewhere outside, Fields had patches of blood stains on him as he, Kassimatis and 4 officers were looking up.
"Rendezvous with me out on Barclay Street." Fields said watching whatever it was as it wasn't good. "I got a team here."
"We'll all go up together."
The team was now beginning something was happening.
"8-1, is something going on with Tower Two?" John asked.
Suddenly an explosive rumble shook the room as suddenly part of the ceiling was weakening. The remaining people in the building evacuating still screamed as they made a run for it.
9:59:00
The group looked around as a display window shattered, and Will looked outside and saw large concrete pieces hitting the ground as suddenly a large debris cloud appeared filling the air like a pyroclastic flow.
Outside, the South Tower comes crashing down as tens of thousands of tons of metal and concrete fall like a tower of cards, creating a colossal debris cloud as everyone ran for their lives.
In the North Tower, John quickly looked around and saw a hall to would give them shelter.
"RUN!" John yelled. "The elevator shaft!"
They quickly made a run for it as the debris cloud broke through the windows as they got through the hall and ran and parts of the wall came loose as they tripped and fell hitting the floor as parts of the wall fell.
Then everything went black.
10 seconds earlier...
Hiccup had made it outside with the little girl as they moved away from the towers.
"Okay, your aunt can't be too far away." Hiccup said. "What does she look like?"
"She has..." The girl spoke.
Then an explosion was heard as they looked up, and the top of the South Tower came crashing down along with the rest of the building collapsing weakened by the wrecked plane furnace.
Hiccup quickly grabs the girl and then ran like hell as well as other people.
Nearby, Astrid and Heather were gathering some things when they heard the crashing.
"What was that?" Astrid wondered.
Heather looked back and then saw the South Tower coming down, and a large debris cloud coming at them.
"Astrid, take cover!" Heather yelled.
Astrid then saw the debris cloud coming at them.
"Take cover!" Astrid yelled as they quickly got in the ambulance truck and then saw a firefighter with a little girl. "Hey, get in here!"
They quickly got in as Heather slammed the doors just in time, and the debris cloud flowed over them so violently that the truck was thrown on it's side.
10:18
In a dark environment, John soon regains consciousness and blinks a few times. Everything was silent as he blinked as he tries to regain his senses as he groaned. And soon found he couldn't move as he was pinned.
"Anybody there?" John called out.
He looked around damaged area as bits of pebbles dropped from the metal pieces and other debris.
"Anyone there?" John called out louder.
Soon, he heard coughing close by.
"My legs!" Will's voice said.
"Sound off!" John said. "Sound off!"
"Pezzulo!" Dom called out who has also survived.
"Jimeno!" Will called out.
"Rodrigues!" John yelled out. "Chris!"
"Antonio." Will called out. "Chris! A-Rod! ANTONIO!"
"They're gone." Pezzulo said trying to get himself free. "They're in a better place, really."
John then coughed. "All right. What's everyone's situation?"
"I'm pinned. Bad." Will said.
A concrete slab was over Will's legs, and it was too heavy for him to move.
"I can't... I can't move my legs." Will said.
"I think I'm okay." Pezzulo said trying to move. "How you doing, Sarge?"
John stammered. "Uh, I don't think I'm hurt, but I can't more."
"I got some movement here." Pezzulo said working himself free.
John then saw his radio and grabs it and turns it on.
"8-13!" John called through it hoping for a response. "PAPD!"
Nearby, Pezzulo coughed as he managed to get free.
"Officers, Jimeno, Pezzulo and McLoughlin are down." John said. "We're trapped on the Concourse level between Towers One and Two. We're trapped near freight elevator Five."
"Oh, thank God." Will said as Pezzulo nears him.
"It goes down to the B-1 truck dock." John said.
"Yeah, here you go." Pezzulo said grabbing the mask of his Pak. "Get some air. Some fresh air."
Will breathes through it as the radio buzzed.
"You're okay, Willy." Pezzulo said. "You're okay."
"Got any radio?" John asked.
"Here you go." Pezzulo said as Will finished getting some good breaths. "No, mine's smashed. It's not working."
"All my stuff on the left side is buried." Will said. "The mike's gone. You got to get this... You got to get this off of me." He then panted. "It's good to see you, Dom."
Pezzulo held Will's hand. "Good to see you, Willy."
"You okay?" Will asked. "You good?"
"Yeah, I'm good." Pezzulo replied. "I'm going to get you out. Don't worry about it." He starts digging away the loose rocks. "I'm gonna get you out, Willy."
"It's working, Sarge!" Will said. "Dom's got us covered!"
"Good. That's good." John said.
"How'd you know to run in here, Sarge?" Will asked as Pezzulo kept digging uncovering his foot.
"The elevator's shaft the strongest part of the building." John explained.
"Oh, Jesus." Pezzulo said seeing a metal rod pinning Will's foot. "How did this happen, Willy?"
Pezzulo then tries to lift it, but it was too heavy.
"I'm gonna take care of you." Pezzulo said removing his Scott Pak. "I'm gonna get you out, buddy."
Will then groans.
"Looks like there's light!" Pezzulo said noticing some sunlight piercing down. "Maybe some air! I'd say about 20 feet up! Hey!" He called out hoping someone would hear him. "8-13! Officers down! Hey!"
Pezzulo breathes heavily as he looks around for any escape routes and coughed and got into position by Will to move the concrete slab.
"You ready?" Pezzulo asked.
"Come on." Will said.
Pezzulo then tries to lift the slab as hard as he could, and groans as it was really heavy.
"Come on, Dom!" Will said.
"Oh, Jesus." Pezzulo said and remained silent for a few moments. "I can't get this off him by myself, Sarge. Maybe I should go up and get some help and then come back for you guys."
"NO! no!" John yelled. "You're gonna get him out! You're gonna get him out!"
"All right." Pezzulo said.
He then moves around to a different spot on Will's right side.
"Here we go, Willy." Pezzulo said.
"Come on!" Will said.
Pezzulo grunted as he pulled on the concrete slab hard, but it was still too heavy as he then held Will's hand.
"I can't get you out, Willy." Pezzulo said remorsefully.
"Come on, Dom." Will said. "Don't leave us here. Do me a favor. You can do it. I know you can do it." He then sobbed.
"All right." Pezzulo said. "I'm going to get you out, Willy. All right? I'll get you out. Yeah, I'll get you out." He then stood up. "All right."
10:27:50
An inaudible silence fill a room as Astrid was the first to recover and regains consciousness. She then placed a hand over head from a splitting headache as her ears rang and saw a small slash on her leg and a scalpel knife with a coated blade of blood. She looked at it, and it was only a graze cut. Then Heather woke up as she groaned.
"Heather, you okay?" Astrid asked.
"I think so." Heather groaned and placed her hand over the right side of head as it was bleeding and noticed the cut on Astrid's leg. "Astrid, your leg."
"It's just a scratch." Astrid assured. "We'll worry about it later, right now, we need to get out of here."
Then, the little girl Hiccup brought in woke up as she groaned.
"Hey, you okay, sweetie?" Astrid asked.
"I... I think so." She said.
"My name is Astrid, what's yours?"
"Maisie." She said.
"Hi, this is my friend, Heather." Astrid gently said.
"Are you hurt?" Heather asked.
Maisie shook her head and then started rubbing her eye.
"Oh, no, don't rub your eyes, sweetie, you'll irritate them with the dust." Astrid said and gently brought her hand away from her face.
Then Hiccup groaned as he slowly woke up. "My head."
"You okay?" Heather asked.
"I think so." Hiccup said. "Anyone hurt?"
"I have a cut on my leg, doesn't look deep though." Astrid said and winced a bit as she touched it.
"We gotta get out of here." Hiccup said.
10:28:22
Suddenly, a rumble began as debris started raining down.
Outside, the North Tower was coming down finally after an hour and 42 minutes after impact.
Hiccup quickly heard his radio going off as the building collapsed as they braced themselves as Maisie held onto Astrid as the debris clouds rams the capsized truck with sheer force they almost thought it was shifting.
Some 20 feet under, debris kept crashing down as the 3 officers were helpless as a concrete slab lands over Pezzulo.
And the metal beam over John pins him harder as he screamed in pain.
The shaking continued on for what felt like hours, and they soon ceased.
Will uncovers his face as the dust begins to settle enough to see.
"Dom?" Will said looking around. "Dom?"
"I'm hurt." Pezzulo said weakly in pain.
Will looked around and looked behind and saw Pezzulo heavily injured with the concrete slab over him crushing his torso. And blood flowed out from his mouth.
"Dom's it's - it's me, Willy." Will said. "Look at me. Stay awake."
Pezzulo gasped as he was in great pain.
"Can I get a 3-8, Sarge?" Pezzulo hopefully asked in pain.
John knew from the tone of his voice Pezzulo wasn't doing good. "Yeah, Dom. You take a break."
Pezzulo then brought out his pistol. "I'm dying, Willy." He cried.
"No. No, you're not." Will said thinking he was committing suicide. "Dom, stop this."
"Don't forget I really tried to save you guys." Pezzulo said weakly.
Will and John remained silent for a few moments.
"I love you, Willy." Pezzulo said growing more weaker.
"I love you, too, Dom." Will said.
With his last remaining strength, Pezzulo held his pistol upward. And then fired it in an attempt to catch someone's attention from the outside, and then a sound of his gun dropping was heard.
Pezzulo's head hung down lifelessly
"Dom's gone." Will said. "Dom's gone!"
"I know." John said.
Will then sobbed of his friend's loss.
John then grunted as he tries to move.
"Jimeno, can you still see the light?" John asked.
"Yeah." Will said as sunlight was peering through again. "Yeah!"
"How far up?" John asked.
"I don't know." Will said unsure of the distance. "Maybe, uh, 20 feet up. There's still stuff in the way."
"What else do you see?" John asked trying to get a bearing of the area.
"Uh, beams." Will said. "Plaster. Nothing."
High above them, what was left of the North Tower lies where it once stood minutes ago as the area now looked like the aftermath of a war as a siren wailed.
Nearby, the capsized ambulance truck lies on the street covered in dust. And inside, they begin to wake up as they were all banged up.
"Everyone alright?" Hiccup asked removing his helmet.
"I'm okay." Heather said and checks herself.
"We need to get out of here." Hiccup said.
"Okay, everyone move back." Astrid said grabbing an Oxygen tank.
She got to the back doors, and started banging the tank against them. After a few tries, they manage to come lose, and then Astrid body slams the doors as they came loose as she lost her footing and hits the pavement, and then suddenly held her right foot in pain.
"You okay?" Hiccup asked rushing over to her.
"I must've sprained my ankle from earlier." Astrid said.
"You can you stand?" Hiccup asked. "We can't stay here."
"Yeah, I... I think I get still move." Astrid said calming herself.
Hiccup then helped her up and held her arm over his shoulders for support. And Heather with a split lip helped Maisie out as her nose was bleeding.
"Come on, let's get outta here." Hiccup said.
They they headed off to find safety.
High above, smoke carried by the wind drifts off southeast from the southern tip of Manhattan.
The smoke trail can even be barely visible from space as a satellite soars by.
"It is with deep sadness and regret that I have to advise you that 2 hijacked planes have crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center..."
"...from what remains of the World Trade Center for 9:00. 1 airplane crashed into World Trade Center Two. About 15 minutes later, an airplane crashed into the second one. About an hour later, both of them collapsed."
All across America, everyone was stocked and horrified of what of happening. And soon, the whole world was aware of what has happened. And they can only imagine those of missing their family members and other people.
The Pentagon's west side is damaged, and earlier at 10:03:11 Flight 11 crashed 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, it's route was cut short when passengers started fighting back the hijackers. And it's route looked it was heading toward Washington D.C. either attempting to strike the US Capitol or the White House.
1:05
It has been nearly 5 hours since first plane strike on the World Trade center, and now everyone knows it was a terrorist attack that destroyed the Twin Towers.
In a hospital, everyone was working over to treat whose who were injured, and Hiccup, Astrid and Heather have been treated. Astrid luckily had a minor sprained ankle, but would take several weeks to heal.
Maisie has been tended as well, but her aunt has yet to ben located. She did explained she had brown hair and eyes, and she explained that her aunt was given a few days off since she works in the 16th floor of the North Tower. And that Maisie was staying with her while her parents were away, her aunt had left something at her desk and wanted to get it before things got crowded, and took Maisie with her since she couldn't leave her alone.
After Flight 93 struck the building, everyone panicked and they were soon forced to evacuate. Among the panic, Maisie's necklace came loose and Maisie went back to get back did soon lost sight of it when the power in the floor went off. She then got scared and hid under the nearest desk she got and waited for someone to find her.
Astrid went over to Maisie to check on her and now wearing a boot on her sprained ankle.
"How you doing, sweetie." Astrid asked.
"Scared still." Maisie sniffled. "I don't even know where my aunt is."
"Hey, I'm sure she'll turn up soon." Astrid reassured. "You definitely shown yourself to be a very brave girl out there."
Maisie then hugged her and Astrid hugged her as well knowing she needed some comfort.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for my niece." A woman's voice was heard close by sounding extremely worried.
Astrid frowned and got up, and limped over near the main desk and saw a woman with brown hair and eyes, and looked scared to death and sickly worried.
"Please, you have to help me." She pleaded.
"Ma'am, just calm down." A doctor said. "We have our hands full."
"Please, I've been to 2 hospitals already." She said and bring out a photo of a little girl that looked a lot like Maisie. "This is my sister's daughter, her name is Maisie, she's 10. I'll never forgive myself if she's gone."
"Excuse me, you said your niece's name is Maisie?" Astrid said approaching her.
"Yes, I've searched the entire south half of the city." She said.
"Follow me." Astrid said.
She then followed Astrid as they went to the room where Maisie was.
"Maisie!" The aunt screamed and rushed to her.
"Aunt Avisa!" Maisie cried as her aunt hugged.
"Oh, thank, God, thank, God!" Avisa broke down in tears. "I'm so sorry I lost you!"
"It's okay." Maisie said. "I missed you."
"I missed you, too!" Avisa cried and hugged Maisie harder.
Astrid teared up a little at the reunion, and Hiccup appeared with his left arm in a sling due to a minor sprained wrist he got when the truck capsized.
"You okay?" Hiccup asked.
"Yeah, moments like these just get me sometimes." Astrid said.
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Hiccup said.
Astrid smiled a bit with a slight blush.
5:18
Over 5 hours later, John and Will were still trapped, and they've so far then talking to keep each other awake. Will pulls on a metal pipe as it bounced and made a clang hoping it would get someone's attention.
Will grunted as he struggled to reach it, and soon pulls it again and at this point, he was getting tire.
"I'm gonna take a 3-8, Sarge." Will said.
"Okay." John said tiredly. "Just don't go to sleep."
"'Let me get that.'" Will said suddenly.
"What?" John asked.
"That's what he said to me." Will said. "Antonio. "Will, let me get that". The cart. If he hadn't switched places with me... And Dom. I made him stay and help me."
"I told him to stay." John said.
"Yeah, I begged him." Will said. "'Don't leave me, Dom. Please don't leave me". And he stayed. You know, there was time. He could have gotten out. And Chris. After being cut so bad, he didn't have to go in."
"You tell them." John said.
"You tell them." Will said.
"I took them in." John said. "For what? What good did we do?"
"We wanted to go in." Will said. "Kassimatis said you were the best. You were the guy who knew everything down here. Dom, Antonio and Chris, nothing was gonna stop them from trying to help. We figured we might as well follow the best guy in."
"The best?" John said.
"They did what they had to do, Sarge." Will said. "They couldn't help themselves if they hadn't gone in. That's who they were."
"Okay." John said. "Thank you, Will."
5:20:33
Suddenly an explosion was heard from outside, and soon the ground shook as it rumbled, and soon Will screamed as debris started coming down.
"Will?" John said. "If this is it, I am gonna see you someplace better."
"Sarge, I don't know you too good..." Will cried.
"Our Father..." John said.
"...but I love you!" Will cried.
"...who art in heaven..." John said.
"Goodbye, John!" Will yelled.
"...hallowed be thy name." John continued. "Give us this day our daily bread..."
"Thank you, God, Allison and Bianca, who needs a daddy." Will cried fearing this was it.
"Oh, God!" John cried in fear. "Forgive us our trespasses as we..."
"Let her know I love her!" Will cried.
"...forgive those who trespass against us!" John cried.
The debris kept coming down.
John's alarm clock read 3:29 A.M. and he turns to Donna and pulls her in as they embrace each other.
Within seconds, the debris stopped falling and soon the shaking ended as well.
Will panted still shaken but relieved to be still alive.
"John?" Will called out. "You there?
Still shaken, John manages to regain his senses. "Yeah, Will. I'm here. I'm still here."
Outside, 7 World Trade Center has collapsed.
6:05
Time has pass, and using a notecard and pen, Will wrote "I love U A" having the 'love' as a heart and wrote incase he wouldn't make it out alive.
8:01
"Pipe. Keep trying." John said weakly. "Try the pipe."
Will reaches out grunting as he soon grabs the pipe and pulls it as it bounced making a clang.
"Good." John said. "Keep doing it."
Will reaches out again, and pulls the pipe as it clanged it.
Somewhere above him, United States Marines Dave Karnes and Jason Thomas were searching the debris pile hoping to find any survivors.
"We could circle back." Thomas said.
Dave then looked back thinking he heard something and Jason looked around.
"Never mind." Karnes said.
They were about to head off when then a metallic clink was heard, it was faint but they still heard it.
"Yeah." Thomas said.
Below them somewhere, Will continued pulling on the pipe as he coughed.
Dave and Jason heard it loud and clear.
"We hear you!" Thomas said.
Deep below, Will stayed quiet and listened.
"We hear you!" Thomas' voice was faint but still heard.
He then tries to call out but coughed, he then yells out as loud as he could.
"Go!" Karnes said as they followed it.
"Keep yelling!" Thomas said.
"8-13! PAPD down!" Will yelled.
"Who's down there?" Karnes called out as they got to the gap above him.
"PAPD." Will yelled. "McLoughlin and Jimeno."
Karnes and Thomas shined their lights trying to spot him.
"Hello?" Karnes called out.
"Here!" Will yelled.
Will can see their lights shining.
"I don't see you!" Dave said.
"Oh, you got to be kidding me." Will complained.
Soon a light shined over Will with his head barely in view.
"Gotcha." Karnes said seeing him. "Gotcha!"
Will was relieved as it was a sight for his sore eyes.
8:00
"Just hang on!" Dave said. " Just hang on, okay?"
John heard them as well.
"Don't leave us." Will said. "We've been here a long time."
"We're not leaving you, buddy." Karnes said. "We're Marines. You are our mission."
Will then laughed in joy for the first time all day.
"That's great!" Will beamed. "Oh, that's great!" He continued laughing. "The Marines, John! Can you believe that?"
John can only mumble.
Will laughed more.
"Sergeant, if we leave this spot, we might never make it back." Thomas said concern if they leave they may never them again.
"That's what I'm thinking." Karnes said.
He had a phone and waits for an answer.
"It's overloaded?" Thomas wondered.
"Yeah." Karnes said and works on a different number. "My sister is in Pittsburgh." And he held the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"It's me." Karnes said. "I'm at the Trade Center."
Soon, a team arrived as they climbed up the pile.
"You're the Marine?" The lead man asked.
"Yeah." Karnes replied.
"Scott Strauss, Emergency Service Unit." Scott shook Karnes' hand.
After several minutes, the team finally managed to find a way down to Will and free him from the slab. And pulled him up 3 hours later from the rubble on a stretcher after being trapped for 13 hours and they begin to carry him away.
11:00
And the first thing Will saw were is what was left of the Twin Towers.
"Hey, where did the buildings go?" Will asked. "Hey, where the buildings go?"
"They're gone, kid." A firefighter said. "They're gone."
"You're going home." Another firefighter said.
Below them, John was still trapped.
"You done it, Will." John said. "You done it. Go to your family."
Will was quickly rushed to a hospital where his family was waiting for him. Including his 5 month pregnant wife, Allison as she enter the room where he was.
"Oh, my God." Allison said.
She saw a doctor checking her husband's eyes, and another using a vacuum tube to suck out pebbles from his mouth.
"He's breathing out rocks." Allison said. "Will? Can you hear me?"
"Hey, baby." Will said.
"Oh, baby, are you okay?" Allison cried.
"We're taking him to the O.R. now." A nurse said.
"They said your leg was broke." Allison said and saw his bruised legs. "Will, baby? They told me you were all right."
"I want you to name her Olivia." Will said.
Allison could only smile. "No, I want Alyssa. For you."
"Olivia." Will said.
"Ma'am, we're gonna have to take him up to O.R." A doctor said. "It'll be better for him if you come with us, ma'am."
"Will." Allison said as the doctor gently escorted her away.
"He'll be okay, right?" Allison asked.
"There are some complications, but we've given him good..." The doctor said.
"Will?" Allison cried turning to him. "I'm going to name her Olivia, okay?"
"Okay." Will gave out.
September 12, 2001
8:00
After 22 hours, and a long night of painstacking work, and removing 2 slabs off John's chest. John McLoughlin was finally free and pulled out of the rubble seeing sunlight as the team brought him out as they chattered.
And Will and John were survivors 18 and 19 pulled out alive, number 20 has yet to be found which is Genelle Guzman-McMillan will be pull out 5 hours time.
"Thank you." John weakly said. "Thank you. Thank you."
"It'll be all right." A man said. "You're gonna be all right."
"Thank you." John said.
"We got you, buddy." A firefighter said.
"Hang in there, man." Another firefighter said.
"Hang in there." A man said.
"Hang in there, John." Another said.
"Good job." A 3rd man said.
"We got you, man." A 4th man said. "We got you."
"You're going home, John." A firefighter said. "You're going home."
"Way to go." Another firefighter said.
"Thank you." John said
"God bless you, John." Another man said.
"Thank you." John said.
"Way to go." A man said. "Way to go, guy."
The team of men applauded as they carried John away from the rubble.
At a hospital, Donna followed a doctor as she pass by a hall, a moment later she looked back and saw it was her husband on the stretcher.
"John?" Donna went over to him relieved. "Hi."
"Donna." John said weakly.
"Hi, baby." Donna cried. "John."
"You kept me... alive." John said weakly.
Donna smiled and kissed him and held his hand and soon lets go as John was carried to another room.
As the sun rose more over New York, smoke from the site where the Twin Towers once stood continues drifting off by the wind.
Dozens of buildings had sheets of paper everywhere as an eerie silence fills the air. The only sign of life; a bird flies overhead.
On one of it's many streets, a 2 inch layer of ash covers the pavement like snow as a sweeper truck drove by cleaning up.
Elsewhere, a bulldozer carries a load of debris as it drives by.
At one of the firetrucks, a team of firefighters sat down each taking a turn of drinking water from a gallon jug.
Smoke continued rising from ground zero as a distant whirring of a helicopter fills the air.
All around, paramedics helped others as Scott walks by as a RV with a blue flag saying, "WisconsinCops Love NY", and a white flag saying "GOD BLESS AMERICA". He then went over to a table where some cops were helping serve hot dogs to anyone who was hungry.
"You guys come all the way from Wisconsin?" Scott said.
"Yeah, those bastards." A Wisconsin officer said. "We had to do something. You want a brat? Finest brat you'll get in the whole world. That's a guarantee you can take to the bank, mister."
"Yeah, sure." Scott said.
"What are you doing down here?" The officer asked.
"Paramedic." Scott said.
"Atta why." The officer said.
Scott then heads way.
Elsewhere in the debris pile, Dave was on his phone.
"No, I'm not coming in today." Dave said. "I don't know. They're going to need some good men out there to avenge this. We'll see."
An officer went up to Scott.
"Jimeno just got out." He said. "McLoughlin still in surgery. We're still missing 14."
"Jesus. What do we do?" Scott asked. "Thousands of people in there, Paddy. Where the hell are they?"
Smoke continues gently drifting as ash flakes fell like snow near the bay.
And a ferry covered in a layer of ash sits in the water.
On one of it's many tracks, a subway train rolls off with empty seats.
In the hospital, a wall showed fliers of those who were still missing were hung up including one of a black and white cat named Snowflake.
Allison and her family stared at the wall as they can only imagine their worried families. Close by, Hiccup and Astrid looked at them as well, including Heather, Maisie and her aunt Avisa.
As this was proven the most tragic day in American History.
Not since the bombing attack of Pearl Harbor, nearly 60 years earlier, has America fallen silent or deliberately been attacked.
And President Bush even journals this: "The Pearl Harbor of the 21st Century took place today... We think its Osama bin Laden".
In one of it's many rooms, Will and John were laying in their beds as McLoughlin recently got out of surgery.
And a nurse checks on them and soon leaves.
Will and John are now on the long road to recovery.
2 YEARS LATER
2003
A large crowd stood as they gathered with a sign reading, "Welcome to the McLoughlin Jimeno Thank You Bar-B-Que". And soon, the guests of honor arrived they all applauded as John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno went over to them.
Donna went over to John as he kissed, and Will went over to his family and kissed Allison.
"9/11 showed us what human beings are capable of. The evil, yeah, sure. But it also brought out a goodness we forgot could exist."
John and Will shook many hands of those they knew, and many applauded.
"People taking care of each other... for no other reason... than it was the right thing to do."
JJ then went up to his father as they hugged each other.
"That's my son, JJ." John said.
"JJ, I'm Tim." A man introduced himself.
"It's important for us to talk about the good, to remember."
Donna appeared as she and John kiss each other.
"If she wasn't here, I wouldn't be here." John said.
"Hi. How are you?" Donna said shaking Tim's hand.
"Good to see you. Hi." Tim said.
Allison held Bianca as she looked behind her shoulder as Will greeted some people.
"'Cause I saw a lot of it that day."
"Olivia, you coming?" Will asked.
A little girl barely 2 turns to her father, and smiled and rushed over to him as Will smiled and lifts her up.
Maisie now 12 was also there with her parents. Even Hiccup and Astrid were there as they recently got married last year, and Astrid was holding their recent newborn daughter Zephyr.
18 YEARS LATER
20 years have pass since the terrorist attack, as it was now 2021, and the recent One World Trade Center now stands near where the North and South Tower stood. Hiccup and his family were at the Memorial along with Zephyr now 18, and younger brother Nuffink who is 15. Despite the world still being in a pandemic with COVID for over a year and a half now, it didn't stop them from coming here as one name lies in the Memorial Hiccup knew well.
Stoick Haddock
His father was a firefighter chief at another firehouse, and sadly didn't make it. They also visited the 9/11 museum where it showed a damaged firetruck, large metal debris from the Towers, and a model of them. As it was all there to honor those who were lost that very day, 20 years ago.
2,719 PEOPLE DIED AT THE WORLD TRADE CENTER,
INCLUDING CITIZENS FROM 87 COUNTRIES.
343 WERE NEW YORK CITY FIREMEN.
84 WERE PORT AUTHORITY EMPLOYEES, OF WHOM 37 WERE POLICE.
ANOTHER 23 WERE NEW YORK CITY POLICE.
ONLY 20 PEOPLE WERE PULLED OUT ALIVE.
WILL AND JOHN WERE NUMBERS 18 AND 19.
WILL HAD 8 SURGERIES IN 13 DAYS.
JOHN WAS PUT INTO A MEDICALLY-INDUCED COMA
FOR 6 WEEKS TO ALLOW FOR 27 SURGERIES.
THEY ARE NOW RETIRED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AND LIVE WITH
THEIR FAMILIES IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY.
DAVE KARNES RE-ENLISTED IN THE MARINES
AND SERVED 2 TOURS OF DUTY IN IRAQ.
FOR THE FALLEN MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
PORT AUTHORITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
CHRISTOPHER C. AMOROSO
MAURICE VINCENT BARRY
LIAM CALLAHAN
ROBERT D. CIRRI, SR.
CLINTON DAVIS, SR.
DONALD A. FOREMAN
GREGG JOHN FROEHNER
THOMAS EDWARD GORMAN
UHURU GONJA HOUSTON
GEORGE G. HOWARD
STEPHEN HUCZKO, JR.
ANTHONY P. INFANTE, JR.
PAUL W. JURGENS
ROBERT M. KAULFERS
PAUL LASZCZYNSKI
DAVID P. LEMAGNE
JOHN J. LENNON
J.D. LEVI
JAMES F. LYNCH
KATHY N. MAZZA
DONALD J. MCINTYRE
WALTER A. MCNEIL
FRED V. MORRONE
JOSEPH M. NAVAS
JAMES A. NELSON
ALFONSE J. NIEDERMEYER, III
JAMES W. PARHAM
DOMINICK PEZZULO
BRUCE A. REYNOLDS
ANTONIO JOSE RODRIGUES
RICHARD RODRIGUEZ
JAMES A. ROMITO
JOHN P. SKALA
WALWYN W. STUART, JR.
KENNETH F. TIEJEN
NATHANIEL WEBB
MICHEAL T. WHOLEY
AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO FOUGHT, DIED,
AND WERE WOUNDED THAT DAY.
BASED ON THE TRUE LIFE EVENTS OF
JOHN & DONNA MCLOUGHLIN
AND
WILLIAM & ALLISON JIMENO