Johnny continued to focus on the sound of the groaning interior structure as it continued to weaken. The fire had warped the old floorboards, causing the support beams to weaken and strain under its own weight. The explosion from the ruptured gas line in the basement shook the entire foundation, which further destabilized the already unsteady structure. The earlier collapse in the stairwell indicated that the building was beyond salvage and total collapse was imminent.

"Johnny, I'm through." Chet held out his hand to Johnny to grab onto. "Let's go."

Without taking his eyes from the top of the ascending staircase, despite being unable to see through the smoke, Johnny reached for Chet's hand and prepared to make the climb over the blockade.

"Hold on..." Johnny was finally feeling the limitations brought on by the pain in his chest. The adrenaline was wearing off and exhaustion was setting in.

"You alright?" Chet knew something was wrong. "Johnny?"

"I'm okay. Just having a little trouble climbing up."

"Do you need-"

The haunting groaning from the weakened floors above grew louder as more embers and ash rained down from the stairwell.

"Chet, move!" Johnny warned as he made another desperate dive over the blockade and onto the base of the stairwell on the other side.

"Johnny?" Chet stepped back and watched as a mass of broken beams, plaster, drywall, wires and pipes fell from the ceiling into the stairwell where he and Johnny had been standing.

Starting from the roof and descending floor by floor, the hotel began collapsing in on itself. The sound of the floors and everything on the floors crashing into each other with building speed, momentum and weight gave a horribly loud commotion. Smoke plumed in thick dark clouds with each floor that gave way under its higher counterpart.

Mike and Marco had exited the hotel carrying Roy, who was still unconscious.

"Hank," Chief McConike saw the three men walking out of the hotel as the roof began its terrible interior collapse. "I see your men!"

Hank turned to look at the entrance of the hotel from the small triage center being run by paramedics Craig Brice and Bob Bellingham. A part of him was relieved to see the three men, but another part of him became twice as worried knowing that two of his men were still trapped inside the dangerous building.

The hotel's collapse shook the block as the massive structure caved in.

Mike and Marco managed to get clear of the shockwave that emanated from the building, which sent large bits of loosened debris flying in all direction.

The thundering collapse ended, leaving the surrounding buildings, vehicles and streets covered in a layer of ash and drywall.

"Mike? Marco? Roy?" Hank called out as the dust from the collapsed building began to settle. The dust cloud dissipated quickly with a strong breeze blowing through the streets.

"We're here, Cap..." Mike responded followed by a few coughs.

"What the hell happened to you?" Hank could see how rough his men looked; covered in smudges, smoke, soot and blood.

Marco spoke up. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

Hank saw Roy unconscious in their arms. "What happened to Roy?"

"Don't know." Marco continued as he and Mike laid Roy down on the yellow tarp next to their Captain. "Johnny said he was already unconscious when he found him."

Hank turned his attention back on the hotel. "What about Johnny and Chet? Where are they?"

"They were behind us." Marco's tone was flat and solemn. "But they were a little banged up, just like us."

"Chief, let me-"

"No, Hank. Sit here." McConike pointed at Bellingham. "Bellingham assist Captain Stone with the search for our two missing men."

Without a word Bellingham slipped on his turnout coat, which was laying on the ground next to their medical equipment. Captain Stone was already at the former entrance of the hotel sifting through the pile of dusted covered debris.

McConike motioned for Brice to assess Roy's condition. "Stoker, Lopez; why did we receive any response when we attempted to make contact with the H.T.?"

Both Mike and Marco pulled their broken H.T.'s from the turnout coat pockets as they kneeled on the tarp next to Roy and Hank. "We couldn't." Marco answered innocently. "No one could. That explosion was... pretty extreme."

Brice had begun checking on Roy's condition. "Lopez, Stoker, I would like to examine you as well. Please, remain here."

Coughing from the pungent, dust filled smoke that swirled around him, Chet opened his eyes and struggled to focus on his dark, enclosed surroundings. As the debris fell a number of broken beams lodged themselves with great force into the floor at odd angles, which caught and supported the larger portions of the collapsed building. Trapped under a small shell of debris Chet had been knocked unconscious by the rush of air that forced him and Johnny to the ground.

"Johnny?!" Chet suddenly remembered where he was and what was happening. He managed to look around the dark protective pocket of air. "Johnny, where are you?!"

His response came in the form a couple of dry coughs. "Chet...?"

"Johnny! Where are you?" Chet tried to sit up but his legs were trapped under a large support beam.

"Chet, I... I don't know." Johnny sounded tired, his words slurring as he spoke. "You sound close..."

"Are you hurt?"

"Aside from my preexisting bruises? No." He coughed again. "I'm stuck though, how about you?"

"Same. My legs are pinned." Chet struggled to move his legs but the heavy obstacle wouldn't budge. "Johnny, can you move at all?"

"No..." Johnny was sounding more and more tired.

"Johnny? Johnny, stay with me. Keep talking."

"Can't. Tired." Johnny felt his heavy eyes falling shut. His heart was strong but his body was weak. He no longer had the strength to stay conscious.

"Johnny? Johnny!"

...to be continued...