Authors Note: In this chapter, I used some real firefighting terminology. When a house is burning, firefighters assign letters to each face of the house. Starting with the front, which is the "A" side and then rotates clockwise. So in this chapter for clarity, the "A" side of city hall is the front, "B" is the left side, "C" is the back, and "D" is the right side. I hope this will help keep things clear.

Skye, Zuma, Rocky, and Rubble watched as Ryder, Marshall, and Chase went inside to find Chickaletta. The four pups stood in disbelief that Adventure Bay's city hall was burning to the ground.

"Zuma!" Skye yelled. "Help me get a water supply established! "Rocky, Rubble, start the attack!"

"Right!" Yelled the three pups in unison.

Skye and Zuma got the water supply connected to the truck and went to help the other. Rocky was in the cab of the truck using it in it's elevated position while Rubble was on the back of the truck. Skye went to the Water Cannon Cart on the side while Zuma took control of the ladder's deck gun. The four pups worked hard at trying to get the fire under control but to no avail, the fire was just too hot.

"Guys?" Yelled Rocky nervously. "I don't think this is working."

"I don't think so either." Yelled Skye. "Where's Ryder, Chase, and Marshall? The building looks like it's about to collapse."

As if right on queue, the roof on the "D" side of the building collapsed in.

"Rocky!" Yelled Skye in a panic. "Hit the airhorn to let Ryder and the others know they need to get out NOW!"

"On it Skye!" Rocky yelled back.

The mixed-breed then pushed the button to activate the airhorns. A loud deafening sound followed for ten seconds. Not soon after through the smoke four figures could be seen headed for the door.

"They're coming out!" Zuma yelled happily.

"About time too!" Rubble added as the "B" side of the building's roof collapsed.

The four pups heard a voice yell something inaudible, only to see Ryder, Chase, and Chickaletta be pushed out the door. Skye and the others looked on as Ryder and Chase looked back through the door at Marshall through the smoke, only for a piece of the roof to fall right on him.

At that moment it seemed as in time itself froze as Ryder and the others looked at where they're beloved fire pup once was standing.

A million thoughts flowed through Ryder's head. How could he let one of his pups get injured? How could he let one of his pups die? No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO! There is no way Marshall is dead, he's stronger than that. He got out of the way right before the ceiling fell, right? Right…..? Chase was now screaming at the top of his lungs, louder than he ever had screamed before. This snapped Ryder back to reality for a brief moment, only for him to slip back into his thoughts.

"HELP!" Yelled Chase. "Ryder, guys HELP! Marshall is still inside"

Skye and Rubble ran up to where Chase was, looking at the now blocked doorway.

"Rubble, can you use your claw and try to remove the debris?" Chase asked in a panic. "Skye, can you help me try to cool the area down?"

"Right!" Skye replied unsurely.

"I'll try Chase." Rubble shakingly said.

The three pups worked harder than ever trying to get to Marshall to free him, but to no avail, the debris from the ceiling was just too heavy for them to move.

"Guys!" Rocky yelled over the truck's loudspeaker. "It's no use, the entire building is starting to come down.

"Bu, bu, but Marshall is still inside! "Chase yelled angrily. "I'm not leaving him in there!"

"Chase." Skye started. "It's Marshall, he probably found another way out."

"No, no, I don't want to take any chances that he's still in there!" Chase replied with tears in his eyes.

"Then let's go look for him!" Rubble answered to Chase and Skye.

The trio then left to circle the building, completely unaware that Ryder was still on the steps to city hall completely oblivious to what's going on around him.

"Wocky!" Zuma yelled to the mixed breed. "You see the "A, B" side of the wall starting to lean outward?"

Rocky then turned his attention to the "A, B" side of the building start to lean out.

"Yes, I do Zuma," Rocky yelled back. "We need to move the truck so it doesn't get crushed!"

Rocky and Zuma then proceeded to shut down the attack when Zuma noticed that Ryder was still sitting on the steps.

"WYDER!" Yelled the labrador. "You need to get out of the way!"

This caught the attention of Rocky who was putting down the ladder.

"What? What did you say, Zuma?" Rocky asked confused.

"It's Wyder, he's still on the steps to city hall!" Zuma said starting to cry.

"Let's go get him!" Rocky yelled back to Zuma. "I'm gonna need a paw."

"W, Wight!" Yuma replied still crying.

Zuma and Rocky then went over to Ryder. Only then did they realize his gear was starting to smoke from the heat.

"Ryder!" Rocky yelled. "You need to get away, the wall is going to fall down!"

Rocky got no answer only to see Ryder's eyes screwed tightly shut and crying. Zuma then heard a crumbling noise only to see the "A" wall start to fall outward.

"Wocky!" Zuma yelled. "The wall is starting to give. We need to get Wyder away!"

"Right!" replied Rocky.

The two pups then bit ahold of Ryders jacket and drug him away from the oncoming danger over to where Chickaletta's statue sat. Right as they sat Ryder down they heard the sound of the wall finally falling with a thud on the ground. They then looked up just in time to see the last part of the wall crush Marshall's truck.

"Wow, that was close," Rocky said starting to cry.

"No kidding!" Zuma replied back.

Meanwhile, Chase, Rubble, and Skye were behind city hall looking for any sign that Marshall had escaped the building.

"Any sign of him Chase?" Skye yelled to the german shepherd.

"No, no there isn't," Chase replied.

"He, he has to be out here, somewhere." Said Rubble crying.

"HE ISN'T OUT HERE!" Chase yelled finally snapping. "HE IS STILL INSIDE AND IS PROBABLY DEA…."

Chase's outburst was then drowned out by a loud thud and steel being twisted and crushed.

"What was that?" Skye asked in a panic.

I, I don't know." Answered Rubble. "Let's go find out!"

Skye, Rubble, and Chase then ran out front to see Rocky, Zuma, and Ryder were sitting under Chickaletta's statue looking at the building. Only when they got closer they realized the three of them were crying their eyes out.

"What…(huh) what…(huh) happened…." Rubble asked while trying to catch his breath.

Neither Rocky or Zuma could find the will to speak and Ryder just sat there with his face buried into his arms crying hysterically.

"Alright, guys this isn't funny!" Snapped Skye. "What happened!?"

Rocky found the strength in himself to lift his arm up and pointed to the collapsed wall lying on the ground and on top of Marshall's truck. Skye and Rubble turned around and gasped in shock realizing what that thud was. Chase then started to bawl his eyes out joining Rocky, Zuma, and Ryder.

"Guys come on" Started Skye. "There's still hope, it's Marshall. He's been through far worse.

Skye got no response from any of the pups or Ryder.

"Rubble you coming to help?" Said Skye as she turned to Rubble only to find the English bulldog curled up in a ball crying loudly.

"Guess I'm on my own" Skye thought to herself running up to city hall.

Just as Skye got to the bottom of the steps there was one last explosion that sent the cockapoo flying backward. Skye tried to get to her feet only to find that what little strength she had left was gone.

"Oh Marshall…." Skye whispered to herself. "Why did it have to end like this? What about Everest?"

Skye then closed her eyes and started to cry. Only to hear the sound of a piece of metal fall in front of her. She opened her eyes only to be filled with horror. Lying in front of her was a badly burnt pup tag.

Marshall's pup tag.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 3. Don't worry Marshall doesn't die... or does he...? Everest, Jake, Carlos, and Tracker will be in the next chapter, which will be out Monday, hope to see you then.

Chunkman128