AN: OK it's finally up. Sorry it's taking me so long but i've been busy. And we have had a lack of reviews on this fic so far, so let's just say I'm not entirely motivated. Enjoy!
Tony had been about to say the words when an explosion ripped through the Loft. The sound was deafening, and the windows shattering sent glass sliding across the apartment floor. A crack opened up in the floor, and the friends watched in horror as the entire left side of the apartment erupted into flame. This included the kitchen and Roger and Mimi's bedroom.
The seven of them ran to the other side of the Loft and watched as the eastern half of the building crumbled. The front wall collapsed outward, and they were left standing on a small space of floorboard that hadn't blown out. The flames eased, and the deafening roar dissipated. The entire bottom four floors had caved, except for the scaffolding and concrete, which supported what was left of the top floor.
They stood in horror in what was left of their beloved loft apartment, exposed now in the chilly night air. Each of them looked around at each other as sirens began to wail. And froze as they realized Roger was missing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The helicopter flew low over lower Manhattan, its blades cutting through the cold night air. In it was a hired pilot and copilot, the head mob boss of the lower east side, and Roberto Camicci.
When the building came into view, Roberto froze. It had not collapsed in. The entire bottom floors had fallen, but the top floor was held up by scaffolds and damaged concrete from below. The top floor was where the Loft was. But it wasn't over yet, much of the fifth floor was ravaged, and he doubted anyone could have survived.
"Roberto," said the ruthless, silver-haired Don, "You said the entire building would come down. The top floor is intact."
"Sir, I assure you they are dead. They have to be."
"Fortunately," he said, withdrawing a handgun as silver as his hair, "you won't be assuring me anything anymore."
"Please, sir," Roberto begged. "They may still be dead. Just make sure, please."
The boss nodded at the copilot and he switched on the police scanner. Through the crackling they heard, "…debris is everywhere. There appear to be a few survivors…top floor…" He switched off the radio.
Roberto whimpered pitifully. "Please…another chance. I know I could do it, just let me go!"
The Don raised the handgun and pointed it directly at his heart. "You are just as useless as Michael and Pablo." He fired, and blood splattered against the leather of the chopper seat.
He signaled the pilots to turn around and head home. As they swerved, they heard the boss shout above the din of the chopper blades, "Three failed attempts!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire engines, ambulances, and squad cars pulled up in front of the apartment building. They began to hose down the flaming debris, and the EMS workers were looking for survivors.
Mimi frantically searched for Roger, but there wasn't much of a place to look. Most of the Loft had been blown away. Mimi ran into Mark's room. The bed was overturned and stuff was everywhere, but no sign of Roger. She ran out and checked the guest room. There he was, lying on his stomach. He had been blown forward by the blast, and he groaned in pain as she approached him.
"Roger," she whispered. "Roger, are you okay?"
"Ohh…" he moaned. She ran out of the room, outside where she could yell down to paramedics.
"Help!" she screamed, and the others joined her. "Help, up here! Someone's hurt up here!"
A fireman nodded to them and signaled his team to raise the cherry-picker.
Everyone ran to the guest bedroom, to Roger's side. But as their combined weight pressed against one side of the remaining floorboard, the scaffolding creaked and threatened to give.
"Guys," Mark said. "Some of you need to get over there, or this thing is comin' down!"
Mark and Mimi stayed with Roger as the rest headed outside, where the cherry-picker had been lifted so that they could climb on. Maureen and Joanne hopped aboard, and it began to dip back down towards the street.
Collins shouted down towards the street, "We got an injury up here! This picker ain't gonna do the trick!"
A policemen answered him from below, "We've called for a chopper. Should be here any minute."
Collins nodded and climbed onto the cherry-picker with Tony.
Meanwhile, Mark and Mimi waited for the helicopter. They sat by Roger's side. He couldn't say much, he was obviously in some sort of shock from the explosion.
Mark and Mimi continued to exchange nervous looks. They both suddenly realized how wrong they had been, and how much they cared for Roger, and how they didn't want him to get hurt.
"You're gonna be fine, chico," Mimi whispered softly. "Just fine." Mark smiled at her.
When they heard the thwack-thwack of the chopper blades, Mark and Mimi stood, and watched as the chopper landed on the roof, and lowered a rope ladder for them to climb up on. They did, and an air stretcher was lowered on a rope for Roger. Once he was strapped onto it, the helicopter gently lifted off towards the hospital, Mark, Mimi, and Roger in tow.
AN: Ahhh...suspense! And like I said, there has been a lack of reviews on this story, so if you want to see more soon please REVIEW!!!
REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!! REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!
