"No….Bob…don't do this!" Rick yelled, seeing the crazed look in the man's eyes. Clayton shook his head, a mad smile on his face as he pointed at the ticking bomb, placed in front of the last padlocked door.

"Too late, Rick…..Maybe you can save our dear friends, but by the time you free A.J. and his wife, it'll be too late for your precious Laurie. Why don't I just save you the trouble!"

Horrified, Rick saw him fingering the small box, and he reacted immediately, pulling out his handgun and squeezing off a shot. Instantly Clayton howled in pain as the device exploded in his hand, then a second volley sent him to the floor.

"Got him, Rick….let's get everyone out of here…" Ron's voice sent waves of relief through him as the Phoenix chief of police came out of the passage way.

"You take the first room, Ron, shoot off the lock!" he called out, then ran to the second door and did just that. As Rick pulled the lock off the knob, he hollered, "A.J.?"

"In here, Rick!…Linny's with me!" Jerking open the door, he saw his brother and sister-in-law, handcuffed to each other on the floor of a small closet. Diving inside, he quickly freed them, then helped A.J. and Linda up.

"Did he hurt you guys? Can you walk?"

A.J. nodded his head, half-supporting Linda as she wobbled to her feet. "We're okay, just cold and sore, hurry, find Sis."

"Okay…get going..follow Ron and get out of here." Rick urged, then ran out of the closet to the last room, the timer of the bomb ticking down 60..59..58..

"Laurie?!" he called, then heard a weak voice. "Rick!"

"Get away from the door, sweetheart…." He began, then saw with a sinking heart that the bomb was wired to the knob. For a second he froze, then instinct took over and he raised his gun.

"Hold on, Laurie!" he warned, then shot all the way around the lock. At once the doorknob came loose, and he pushed the door in. Squinting into the dark, Rick saw his wife handcuffed to the wall. "Don't move, darlin'", he told her, then shot the chain between the cuffs. Catching her in his arms, he half-dragged, half-carried her toward the entrance as Ron yelled, "Hurry, we've got 20 seconds!"

As he ran, he felt Laurie trembling against him, and he clung to her tightly, praying silently "Please, please, please, let me get us to safety."

Rushing out of the building, Robbie met them, helping his father carry her down the driveway. Suddenly a loud "boom" sounded, and fire leapt from the structure. As they reached a safe distance, Oscar joined them, helping to undo Laurie's handcuffs. Over his head, Rick saw Betty, Tim, Margaret, Artie and Danny huddled together next to a police car.

"Honey, are you alright…did he hurt you?" the older man asked, as Rick lowered her to the ground. She shook her head.

"I'm…I'm alright, Dad. Just so scared, I can't stop shaking….Oh, Rick…he was crazy! Bob kept taunting us, saying horrible things about you. A.J. tried to fight him, then he hit A.J. in the mouth. He said he was going to be the only graduate of SDHS if he got his way."

"Oh, darlin'", Rick put his arms around her and held her against him, rubbing her arms to warm her. "He won't ever hurt anyone again…you're safe."

"Thank you, love." Laurie managed a smile and kissed him, whispering, "My hero, my brave knight."

"All yours, princess…" he replied, then looked up at his brother, gently soothing his wife.

"You know what, A.J.?"

"What, Rick?" A.J. replied, planting a kiss on Linda's bruised cheek.

"I think the only reunion I'm going to be interested in from now on is one in our own backyard, with my barbeque!"

Oscar laughed as he put an arm around Laurie. "That's one reunion I wouldn't miss for the world!"