"Down!" Rick yelled, yanking Chrystal down behind her desk and shielding her as A.J. grabbed the fire extinguisher off the wall and dove to the floor. As flames and smoke flashed over their heads, the younger Simon crawled around the desks and aimed the hose at the burning device, dousing the plume of flame and smoke.
As the smoke lifted, Rick sat up, then asked the others, "Everyone okay?"
"Yes, Uncle Rick, thanks…." Chrystal managed, shaking, then A.J. wiped his eyes free of smoke-induced tears. "I'll live, but Linda's going to kill me for ruining this shirt."
The moment of levity eased the nervous air in the room as Rick pulled his shirt over his nose and mouth, then took the classroom trash can and put it over the still smoking object.
Suddenly a siren sounded nearby as Rick helped Chrystal up, and immediately she went to the intercom. "I need security….we've had a small fire in Room 21."
"The fire department has been alerted….is anyone hurt?" A man's voice replied, and she answered, "No, but we need the police, someone threw a burning ….." she turned and looked to Rick and A.J., who were gingerly lifting the trash can to examine a small burnt tube on the floor.
"Pipe bomb." Rick said furiously.
The man on the other end audibly gulped. "I'll send someone right over."
As Chrystal flipped the intercom switch off, Rick pressed a button on his watch.
"Ron, it's Rick, can you hear me?"
A.J. nodded. "Good idea, Rick."
Within minutes, school security arrived, and Rick and A.J. helped Chrystal take her purse and things outside, while the damage to the classroom was assessed. Soon Phoenix PD had its forensic team inside as well, as Capt. Ron Johnson took the trios statement.
"That was too close, Rick. Chrystal, did you see anything when you turned at the sound of the glass breaking?" he said finally, as they sat in the school office, a cup of coffee in the young teachers hand.
"No, just the sound…then when I turned and saw the flame hit the carpet, I thought I was going to scream. That's when Uncle Rick pulled me under the desk, then Uncle A.J. got the fire extinguisher and put the fire out." She replied, then took a deep shuddering breath. At that Rick put a comforting arm around Chrystal, as A.J. described how he and Rick covered the explosive device, then how school security was notified.
"Nice work, guys. Honey, you did just fine, thank you for being so patient with our questions." Ron gently told her, then nodded to the policeman at the door, who opened it to reveal a worried-looking Steve and Jaime.
"Chrissie…."
"Mom, Dad…" she whispered, then flew into their arms, as Rick and A.J. followed Ron out into the hallway.
"Thank God you two were with her." he said, once they were outside. "Did you get a look at that thing?"
Rick scowled. "It was a pipe bomb, packed with some kind of accelerant. It burnt so hot…Ron, that was meant to kill her, and us."
"I know, my friend. And this is all over something she heard? That's sick."
"You're telling me…Oh, boy, A.J., what time were we supposed to pick up the girls from Mom's?" Rick got a panicky look on his face, and A.J. had to laugh.
"About 20 minutes from now; let me call Linny and let them know we'll be there soon. We can explain things later."
As they were getting ready to leave, the office door opened, and the three Austin's came out, a grateful smile on Jaime's face as she let go her daughter's hand and embraced both Simons.
"Thank you for saving Chrissy, Rick, A.J….You've always been there for us, but taking care of her like you did…"
"It's okay…she's our Chrissy too…" Rick got choked up and hugged her back, then found himself staring at the reddened eyes of the former Colonel.
"I didn't know I was putting a target on your backs when I asked for your help…but thank you for taking care of her." He told them, holding out his big hand.
"Ah, hell, Steve…." Rick didn't know what to say, so he reached out and clasped Steve's hand, then hugged him.
Finally releasing him, Steve smiled as Chrystal stepped forward and kissed the cheek of first Rick then A.J., saying "Thanks from me too…."
"You're welcome, honey. Now listen, much as stopping these jerks is important, maybe we'd…" Rick started, only for Chrystal to give him a stubborn look.
"I'm not going to let someone scare me into silence, Uncle Rick. If you still want to come to the tryouts, I'll save places for you and Uncle A.J., and Auntie Laurie."
"All right, honey. Sheesh, where did she get all this hard-headedness?" he groused.
"From her mother." Steve teased, then ducked as Jaime pretended to swat at him.
"All right, but first sign of trouble, we take you to safety, okay?" A.J. told Chrystal, knowing she was right.
"Okay." She nodded, then Steve and Jaime echoed her. "Okay."
"Now that we've got that settled…" Rick began, only to be interrupted by Ron Johnson.
"Folks, whatever it is that you've got planned for being here tomorrow, cancel it. The tryout is going to be a closed campus affair. The principal has agreed it's best to close it to judges and students only." Rick started, only to see his friend shake his head imperceptibly.
"Okay, we'll discuss it later."
Forestalling any arguments, Rick and A.J. convinced their friends to come home with them, and soon the Simons and Austins were fixing dinner together.
"All right, who wants strip steak?" A.J. called from the patio.
"Watch that strip business around the kids, A.J…." Rick smirked, earning a tossed potholder from his brother. Picking up a dish towel, he made as if to whipper him back when a cleared throat halted him in mid-flip.
"Guys, what did I teach you about fighting when cooking?" Cecilia stood in the doorway, then advanced on her sons.
"Not to do it when you're around." Rick said smugly, then gave her a hug. A.J. put his tongs down, then did the same.
"Very funny, but I forgive you, you both were real heroes today." She told them, giving them an extra squeeze. "As a matter of fact, I'll watch the steaks for a moment, I think Ron needs to talk to you."
"Thanks Mom." A.J. kissed her cheek and handed her a pot holder. Rick snickered.
"Don't burn his meat, Mom….he'll never let you forget it."
As they left the patio, the chief of detective's voice could be heard in the family room, and the brothers found Steve, Jaime, Chrystal, Linda and Laurie gathered around him.
"There you are, Rick, A.J…." Ron waved them in, and instantly Laurie turned and held out her hand to her husband. Rick saw the worried look on her face, and taking her fingers in his, kissed them.
"Darling…" she whispered, pulling him next to her on the sofa.
"Thanks for not protesting the closing of the tryout's yesterday, guys. I had to do some arm-twisting, but you can be there as the "Insurance Company" representatives like you planned. Chrystal, you can't attend like you wanted to, but that's fine.." Ron shook his head as she broke in.
"Uncle Ron, I promised the girls I'd be there-please…it'll be okay. Plus the guys will be there."
"No. It's too dangerous…beside, honey…we need you to watch and see if any of the parents you saw show up. I'm going to have you sitting in the announcer's area in the gym to do that. Afterwards, you can tell the students you didn't want to distract them."
The young woman took a deep breath, then seeing her parents and "family's" expressions, nodded. "All right, Uncle Ron. You're the boss. Besides, " she flashed a smile at them as her mother put an arm around her, "I might be stubborn, but being a target is not my idea of fun!"
Steve shook his head, his hand going to caress Chrystal's face. "I'm proud of you for wanting to be there for your students, but what you're going to do is so much more important."
"Besides, honey, I want you to continue teaching Joey that history is more interesting then Uncle Rick's video games." Ron grinned, elbowing the older Simon. Rick snorted.
"Of course history is more interesting, but it can be fun too, I'll be happy to tell him the history of the pinball game…"
The chorus of boos from the others caused him to snicker as Ron groaned. "Now I know who taught him "score!"
After the moments of levity, it was sobering to Rick when dinner was over. Ron took him and A.J. aside as Steve and Jaime were helping serve dessert.
"Just in case, guys, I'm going to have Jaime nearby the girls locker room. Chrystal's going to have her speak to one of her classes, then help with the judging of each student. We already spoke to Mrs. Mitchell, and she'll alert school security to expect you."
"Good, that'll cover the kids; we'll be there in the stands and Chrystal will be our eye in the sky." A.J. said, feeling better that all the bases were covered.
"All the same, I'll be glad when we have this solved and Chrystal concentrating only on who discovered what." Rick replied wistfully.