Chapter Three

"The fire chief won't let anyone in until the fire is under control," Orrin said. "They're working as fast as they can."

"Okay, but hurry," Buck said.

They hung up and Buck turned to the others. "They can't send anyone in until the fire under control."

"I might have found a way out of here," Ezra said as he came back over. "There's a ladder over there attached to the wall. Some of us can get out and get help."

"Alright, Josiah, you and Nathan stay here with them and me and Ezra will ascend the ladder and get help," Buck said. "Does your phone work Nate?"

Nathan checked his phone and it was fine and working.

"Be careful guys," Chris said.

They left, heading in the direction Ezra had come from. Soon they found the ladder and started climbing.

JD was starting to feel sleepy, but Nathan didn't want him to fall asleep because he thought he had a head injury.

"You need to stay awake JD," Nathan said as JD's eyes started to droop.

JD nodded and fought the drowsiness that threatened to come over him.

Outside, Travis was relaying what Buck had told him over the phone to the fire chief who had a blue print spread open on a table inside a tent not far from the scene.

"There is a big basement under the warehouse," Hank said.

"We need to get in there before the building collapses," Orrin said. "We need to go ahead and get my men in there to find them. The way Buck sounded, Vin, Chris and JD are in trouble."

"I agree," Hank said. "I'll send six firefighters in with them."

Travis waved the teams over and they headed for the warehouse where six firefighters were soon joining them as they headed for the warehouse to find their friends.

Buck and Ezra had reached the top of the ladder and looked around. Fire still burned but they could see the door and they headed in that direction.

"Finally freedom," Ezra said as they were halfway to the door.

Ezra heard a cracking sound and as he looked back he saw a wooden beam falling straight for Buck.

"Watch out Mr. Wilmington," he yelled diving at Buck.

Buck felt Ezra ram into him, sending him flying backwards away from the falling beam. But Ezra wasn't so lucky. The team hit him hard, pinning him across the legs.

"Ezra!" Buck yelled rushing over to him.

"This is the last time I save your life," Ezra said. "Now get this thing off of me."

Buck tried to get the beam off, but it was heavy and he couldn't get it far off the ground. Just then he heard a noise and when he looked, he saw firefighters coming into the building, along with ATF agents.

"Over here," he shouted as they hurried over.

"What happened?" Tad Hamilton asked as they were able to move the beam off of Ezra's leg. "Where's the others?"

"We had found a way out but then that beam fell."

"Get Ezra out," one of the firefighters told him.

"There's a ladder in the back of the warehouse that leads down not far from where they are," Buck said as he supported Ezra.

Orrin looked up as Buck stumbled out of the warehouse, coughing and supporting Ezra.

"Are you okay?" he asked, rushing over, paramedics right behind him. "What about the others?"

"They're fine," Buck said as they were guided over to an ambulance. "They're still down there with Chris, Vin and JD. They're still trapped. Ezra found the ladder so we decided to get out and come back with help."

In the warehouse, Vin was starting to have trouble staying awake. His head was starting to hurt and it was getting hard to stay focused. Josiah saw this and knelt down beside Vin.

"Stay with us Vin," he said. "Help will be here before we know it."

They heard movement not far from them. Nathan shone his light over in time to see men coming down the ladder Buck and Ezra had gone up.

"Thank God you got here," Nathan said as they hurried over.

The firefighters examined the concrete on top of the three and called outside for them to bring a jack down along with some paramedics.

"JD can't feel his legs," Nathan said. "Vin and Chris can, but they're in a lot of pain every time they move. Possibility of internal injuries."

"Why don't you two head up and get checked on by paramedics?" one of them said. "We'll take care of them. Tell them we need some way to get them out of here."

Nathan and Josiah stood up and headed for the ladder knowing that the others were in good hands.

Outside Buck had been cleared. He just had some scrapes and bruises. Ezra on the other hand had fractured his right leg and was getting ready to head for the hospital. He looked up as Nathan and Josiah hurried over after talking to other paramedics and firefighters.

"How are they doing?" Buck asked as they sat down beside him.

"Not good," Josiah said. "Vin was starting to doze off when help arrived."

"What happened to Ezra?" Nathan asked as Ezra was wheeled to an ambulance.

"A beam fell from the ceiling and he pushed me out of the way," Buck said. "They think he has a fractured right leg."

Not far from the scene, two of Robinton's men watched the scene and was telling Robinton what was happening over their cell phones.

"Wilmington, Jackson and Sanchez are fine," Phillip said. "Standish has a broken leg.

"And Larabee?"

"Larabee, Tanner and Dunne are still trapped, so we heard," Evan said.

"Keep me posted when they are brought out," Robinton said and the line went dead."