Author's note: I have to run now and take care of some other non writing related stuff. I feel this is to a stopping point although a cliff hanger I'm going to let you have what I've got done and not make you wait for the rest to play out. If you'd rather, consider this a warning that you might want to wait for the next chapter and read them both.

Chapter 14

The sound of chains being pulled through the crash bars of the three doors in the room brought even more terror to the children in the center of the room keeping their backs to each other and constantly pushing Chris, Allen and Jenny into the center of their circle, they thought of the kids that had managed to escape and they could only hope that they were running for help.

"All right guys," Jason Connor spoke softly, fighting in side with everything he had to control his fear "Looks like their not going to let us walk away from this one guess we're gon'na have to show 'em what our folks have been teachin us." His brother Gerry gave him a strong nod of agreement as he tightened up his arm muscles and pulled into a defensive stance.

"Yeah," another boy in the inside circle spoke softly, "Let's make sure we give as much or more than we get."

"Just remember to make every move count," a third boy bolstered his and other's courage. There had been a few soldiers in these boys parents. They had been taught that sometimes you have to fight for your freedom and rights and to protect what is important to you. And in recent day's they had all had a lot of one on one talks with those parents to get a pretty good idea when to fight and when not to fight.

The group in the inner circle did just as they had been taught by their parents, they kept their backs together and held their ground refusing to start anything and waiting and hoping the other group would fall for their bluff. The first punch was thrown by one of the Bunker boys, two of them at once really, it was an obvious attempt to break into the circle and the next punch was obviously aimed at Chris's already tender ribs. However a nice hard cast on the arm of Allen Baldwin proved not only a painful block it also proved a mean battering ram to the stomach of the boy who threw the punch.

"Get 'em in the Boy Parts!" came the cry of Charge from one of the smallest ones in the group and Chris heeding his sister's advice wrapped his arms around him to protect his injuries ribs and stomach muscles and bowled in to the biggest kid with his strongest shoulder.

Allen has drawn blood with his cast twice and still blocked most every swing that was thrown in his direction. Jenny's size was proving to me more of an advantage than a disadvantage as she moved below the main fighting stomping as hard as she could on feet and throwing a well placed fist when ever she could. Anyone who tried to throw a punch at her was thrown off balance because of her size and easily pushed over where feet could find the mark fists had missed.

The first good kick she gave off was a bit low for her target but when the kid swung back she ducked and with a doubled up fist gave him all she had and he was brought to his knees.

Most of the other girls huddled together and tried to stay in the protection of one of the boys but they had found they could stomp on insteps of feet and Tracy found it particularly help full to kick at the backs of knees, sending the boys off balance. She got one boy from the side and he went down.

Through out the battling the inside group did their best to protect each other's backs and stay grouped together Jenny however had one target she was working for and moved outside the group. Small enough to go unnoticed until it was too late Jenny reached up and pulled the fire alarm knowing it would bring the help they needed.

The sound of the ringing alarm brought panic to the instigating parties as they stood stunned for a moment while the defending parties got in several unmatched blows. Seven boys lay on the floor bleeding or just curling up on their sides in pain. Two boys stood arm in arm with blood dripping from cuts on their heads, but they were standing. One of the last punches was more of a tackle from Chris and out of his control the boy he barreled into turned and rolled before crashing into the wall and ramming little Jenny in to the hard surface behind him.

Two of the Bunker boys decided it was time to retreat and began to undo the chains on one of the doors. It was a fumbling job and the keys were dropped twice but when the door did open there were two off duty police officers waiting and ready to contain the boys with a single set of hand cuffs wrapped around the door handle before they moved in to break up the fight.

With the entry of other adults Donald Bunker could no longer stand back and allow his boys to fight on their own. He took the injured Jenny and another small girl up in his arms and started up the stairs to the roof. Three of the bigger of the Bunker boys followed pulling Jason Connor and Allen Baldwin with them.

Chris was left on the floor unable to catch his breath and the five boys who were still standing held their hands in the air as the police officers were telling them to do while other adults including the school nurse started going to the aid of the downed and bleeding students. The door to the roof was slammed shut and something was used to secure it from the top.

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"Station 51, Station 110, Engine 39, pulled Fire alarm at Englewood Elementary School , 319 education way repeat 319 education way. Time out 14:42"

Most pulled fire alarms at elementary schools were curious children being dared to see what would happen but the feeling of a fist in the stomachs of Captain Stanley, Roy DeSoto and John Gage made each of them sure it was much more than that this time.

Roy knew the way well, he didn't need any navigation help from his partner. He also was driving a little faster than usual.

"Okay there Roy," John commented after they took a sharp turn a little closer to being on two wheels than he felt comfortable with, "we can't do any one any good it we don't get there in one piece and you know as well as I do that it's probably just a false alarm. Maybe some kid pulled the alarm because they were scared but if that's the case I'm sure the bullies backed off real fast."

"You're right it's just that," Roy slowed down just a little but was still driving faster than normal.

Hank sat in the engine behind the squad urging Mike to keep up with Roy. He knew if there was a problem when they arrived, that Roy's children would very likely be involved and if that was the case he had to be on hand to keep his Sr. medic under control.

The radio coming alive with a call of two additional Squads to the scene at the elementary school and information being given to report to police officer in charge brought the gas peddle closer to the floor on both emergency vehicles.

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Station 51 was first on sight as the police officer on the perimeter waved the emergency trucks to the north east side of the building where other police cars were parked in a defensive grid. Most of the students were lined up in classes on the far south side of the building as the teachers accounted for each student.

The fire department was stopped short of the police blockade and the paramedics quickly rushed into the cafeteria police officers hurrying to help them with their gear.

The school nurse had done triage and Roy and John were directed to the most severely injured. Chris was on the top of the list with breathing difficulty. The nurse was quick to help set up the oxygen and place a mask oh Chris's face as she held him in an upright position against herself. "It was all to well planned they caught us off guard by staging a decoy fight on the far corner of the play ground. Then when we went to break that up they drug the ones who had testified against them here." The nurse apologized to the man she knew was Chris's father as she cradled Chris against herself tears streaming down her face. "WE had the place locked up but He came back with the keys,"

There was no question who the he was that she was talking about but Roy was professional enough to stay focused on his patient. A quick hands on assessment and Roy could tell that his son's biggest problem was severe spasms in his diaphragm, something he had treated his partner for many times. Roy could feel the muscles fighting as he lay his hand across them and let its comforting warmth help them to ease up and perform as the brain directed. Repositioning his son slightly he could feel the muscles ease and see the deeper breaths his son was then able to take. As Chris eased in to normal respirations Roy scanned the room for his daughter.

The girl Tracy was being cradled by her teacher and the older of the Connor boys was talking to the police officer using his hands as much as his mouth consistently pointing to the janitor's room behind where Roy was and two police officers stood with their guns drawn watching the door at the top of the stairs.

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Outside Hank had tried to hurry in behind his paramedics, expecting one or both of Roy's children to be in side and injured compromising his sr. medic's performance, but he was stopped as soon as he got off the truck. The police needed his ladders to get on the roof do asses and deal with a hostage situation there.

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Back inside Roy had realized that his daughter was not in the room and feared what that meant. The people she trusted were all here it was not likely she would be anywhere else unless she was forced to.

"Is he alright?" Roy heard his partner ask and he turned to see him jerking his head toward Chris.

"Yeah, for the most part, it's just a diaphragm spasm it's easing up now. How about yours?" Roy asked of the boy with blood all over his face.

"Some broken facial bones. Jaw, nose and a cheek bone I think. Said he got hit in the face by a kid with a cast on his arm." Johnny repeated as he grabbed for the bio-phone and opened it up.

"Allen?" Roy questioned as he turned to his son.

Chris just nod his head as he lay still on the ground, "He kept them from hitting me in the stomach again then when two of them ganged up on him he started swinging." Chris whispered, "They got what they had coming to 'em."

As Roy scanned the room again he saw a lot of blood. Mostly superficial cuts and bloody noses but a lot of blood. He also saw a lot of boys curled up on their sides using their hands to protect their groin areas, and for just a brief moment he felt guilt at having told his daughter to remember the vulnerable area of the male anatomy. But only for a moment, they had tried to hurt his children they had a right to defend themselves.

Feeling a small hand touch his and seeing the next set of paramedics enter the room to take care of the rest of the children, Roy turned back to his son. "What is it Chris?"

"He took Jen," Chris spoke getting panicked again.

Roy reached out and held his hand on the boy's stomach as he whispered a calming "shhhh,"

"He took Jen to the roof, with some other kids," Chris got out for his father. "Don't be mad at her dad she pulled the fire alarm, I know there isn't a fire be we needed the help. Please don't get mad at her."

"I won't," Roy brushed the side of his son's face with his other hand as he again felt the spasms in his son's stomach ease up "She didn't do anything wrong," Roy continued to calm, "And neither did you, now just relax and let those muscles relax."

As John made contact with Rampart Roy called out Vital signs on his son and felt certain he would be alright, just need some time to finish healing.

Using the video from the security camera in the area the police were quick to separate the instigators from the defenders and made sure they weren't in the same ambulances. As they came to load up Chris Roy quickly grabbed a parental permission form and signed it handing it to the next paramedic. "Chris, you're going to be alright, you know the people at Rampart and they'll take care of you. I need to stay here for Jen, do you understand?" Chris nod his head behind the oxygen mask.

"It's not that I love her more than you, it's just that you are going to friends and I can't leave Jenny here alone."

"I know Dad," Chris whispered behind his Mask, "Jen need's you." He was then taken away and Roy with Johnny on his heels made his way to where they were getting ready to climb on the roof.