Bill and Pam were still in the classroom when they felt the aftershock. Bill shielded Pam with his body as debris fell around them.
Once the shaking stopped, he sat back up. "Counselor, you all right?"
"Yeah, just now I'm hearing more bells," said Pam. "Quakes and headaches are a bad mix."
Bill chuckled softly. "Yeah, I bet. How are the ribs?"
"Still sore, but not worse."
"That's good Counselor just..."
"Stay awake," they both finished, and chuckled. Pam continued. "Wonder what's taking the fire department so long to..."
"I don't know Counselor, but it's going to take a little longer," said Bill as he looked at the hallway. "The aftershock just added some debris in the hallway and outside."
"Great..." said Pam as a voice squeaked on the communicator.
"Bill do you read me?" asked Ralph. "Bill..."
Bill rummaged around on the ground and picked up the communicator. "Yeah kid I read ya. What's going on?"
"The firefighters arrived at my classroom and got Tony out. He's on his way to the hospital..."
"That's great Ralph."
"Yes. Are you two all right? I mean, with that aftershock and what happened to my classroom..."
Bill frowned. "Yeah, I have an idea, we heard it fall and I saw the results from the window."
"So, you weren't in the same part of the building," said Ralph. "Good. How bad is the damage in your part of the school?"
"Well, all I know is the hallway where I am has gotta buncha debris in it, and the outside's pretty inaccessible as far as gettin' the Counselor out... unless you're real careful."
Ralph paused for a moment. "All right. Listen, I'm going to sneak away and get to my stationwagon. I've got a couple of things of Pam's in there I can get a holograph off of. I'll try to get to you as soon as I can. If you have anything you can use to make noise so the firefighters can hear you as well..."
"Gotcha kid. We'll be waiting..."
"And yelling," finished Pam, groaning slightly in pain afterward when her ribs protested.
Ralph chuckled at Pam's attempt at humor and pocketed the communicator. He went over to his stationwagon and found a coat Pam had left in it. Ralph loosened the collar of his shirt to reveal part of the suit and got an image. He frowned when he saw Pam lying on the ground and Bill tending to her. He smiled wryly when it appeared the two were arguing again.
The blond-haired man realized he needed to see the room itself, and found art supplies. "OK, they're in Bruce Corundum's class," he said softly as he decided to go back into the building and head toward the classroom.
As he started to walk down the way, a firefighter nearly bumped into him. "Sorry," said Ralph in apology.
"Sir, you need to leave the building," said the firefighter.
"I know, but I could've sworn I heard someone yelling down this hallway," said Ralph, hoping he'd get the guy to listen to him.
"All right, my men will go this way, but please get out of the building," said the firefighter.
Ralph nodded and the firefighter turned away, but Ralph grabbed his communicator and spoke. "Bill, listen I need to talk to you..."
"Yeah, I read ya. What's going on?"
"Listen, I need you and Pam to start yelling now. I'm near where you guys are, but the firefighters turned me away, I need to have a reason to get to you," said Ralph.
"Got ya kid," said Bill.
Ralph started to walk toward the exit when he heard a yell... Pam's voice. When he realized that it wasn't just one to attract attention, that she was truly in pain, Ralph dashed toward the lockers and started tossing them away from the ground with ease, courtesy of the jammies. The firefighters stood there, stunned. "How did you do that," said the captain. "You do need to be careful too you know..."
"Well... adrenaline does wonders doesn't it?" said Ralph innocently. "And, the lockers had debris under them, making it easier to move them. Besides, I made sure that the lockers I moved were only the ones lying on the ground. Now come on, it sounds like someone's hurt."
The firefighters agreed and started yelling. "Is there someone there?" shouted the men and were rewarded with a response. "Over here... I've got an injured woman here," shouted Bill peeking his head out of the doorway of Conundrum's class.
The firefighter picked up his walkie-talkie and spoke. "Home base, this is HT 14. I'm in the left part of the school in the hallway. We might have found two missing people. Send us some more help and paramedics."
10-4, I read you. I'm going to send firefighters from 6's team and the paramedics from 15's to help out. Give us an update if you hear anyone else yell for help.
"10-4," said the firefighter. He decided to stay so the others could help with the search. He turned to Ralph and gave a puzzled look. "You were right, but how?" he asked.
"Well, I did say I heard yells for help, then we got the one we all heard," said Ralph.
With great care, Ralph and the others moved the remaining lockers and debris out of the way and finally reached the classroom. "Pam, Bill?" he said quickly, but as though he was surprised they were there.
Bill smiled. "Yeah kid, it's us" he said as the others entered the room.
One firefighter kneeled next to Pam and checked her pulse and breathing. "The paramedics will be here shortly," he said.
Ralph knelt next to Pam and smiled. "How are you feeling hun?" asked Ralph softly.
"Tired, but don't worry, I'm not going to fall asleep."
Bill scoffed. "Yeah, sirs, she has possible fractured ribs and a concussion. Last thing I need is to look like a bandit with two black eyes courtesy of the Counselor's dreams," he said. When the firefighter looked at him and frowned, Bill continued. "I had to keep her fighting to stay awake, and she did... unfortunately a bit literally."
As he watched the firefighter check Pam's ribs, Ralph frowned when she winced. "Are you all right Pam?"
"Well, I won't be able to hula-hoop for a while," said Pam wryly, and Ralph laughed. Pam noticed Ralph's bandage and frowned. "What happened to you?"
"It's nothing, just a scratch," said Ralph as he heard the paramedics coming. "You're the one that really needs to go to the hospital."
"Well Counselor, you ready to get patched up?"
Pam nodded as the paramedics started an IV on her. "Yeah. Let's get out of here creep," she said with a smile.
"OK, Counselor, I'm a creep, but just tonight huh?" said Bill, and he, Ralph... and even the paramedics, chuckled.
