“SIX, anything?” Buck asked as J.D. clambered on board… the last of the boys Buck had to collect.

“Nothing. Vin went in a couple of minutes ago.”

The chopper lifted off. They were five minutes away. “As soon as we get there…” Buck started.

“You‘ll wait on the chopper,” Ezra ordered.

“Standish, I’m not going to stand by and hope everything is okay.”

“You can’t go in there,” Josiah argued. “That‘s what he wants. That‘s what he‘s expecting. With a psychopath, you have to be as unpredictable as he is.”

“I won‘t enter that building, but there has to be something more I can do than just sit on the chopper while the rest of you go in!”

**********

One man raised the crowbar he held and hurled it at Vin’s head. Hooking his foot under the edge of an old crate nearby, Vin jerked hard, sending the crate into the air just as the crowbar neared him. The two collided with a resounding crash and dropped harmlessly in front of Vin.

Vin chanced a look at the timer.

Five men rushed him. Vin turned, ran at the wall a few feet behind him, ran up it and flipped backwards over the group. As he landed, he rolled, scooped up a rope one of the men had dropped, looped it and then swung it around his head. As the group turned to face him, Vin let the rope go. It sailed over them and Vin pulled it tight, lassoing them. The five men crashed into each other. Vin yanked and they went down in a heap. Vin shot forward, looped the end of rope around a crate and tied it off. Five down, nine to go. That evened the odds a little.

Vin heard the approach of others. He spun, but not before the crowbar fell, sliding off his shoulder. Vin cried out in pain, but drove forward, tackling the wielder. The pair went down. Vin withdrew his knife, plunged it into the thug’s soft stomach, then rolled away to his feet.

Eight to go.

A groan of frustration from Chris distracted Vin and he glanced over at his partner. A punch glanced off Vin’s hip. Vin reacted, kicking out in that direction. A second blow connected with his back and Vin catapulted forward. One of the crowbars crashed against his tender shoulder with a sickening thud. Vin cried out in agony, pivoting and taking down his attacker.

Chris’ jaw tightened. He’d seen the blow and knew it had done some damage. How much, he couldn’t be sure.

Three thugs attacked. Vin grabbed one and threaded his arm around the man’s neck. Then he used his captive to shield himself from the fall of clubs, before shoving the unconscious body at the others, at the same time sweeping the feet out from another.

Seven to go

“Back off,” Vin snarled. “If that timer goes off and electrifies the beam, the entire floor could come alive through the foam.” It was a bluff, but it worked. Two of his attackers paused, considered the information and then turned and ran.

Five to go.

“Kill him!“ Pablo screamed. He could tell by the way Vin’s arm was hanging that he was hurt... and so did the thugs who immediately began targeting that shoulder.

Chris watched helplessly. His partner was doing well, but he was outnumbered and time wasn’t on his side.

Vin’s eyes darted to the timer… 80 seconds.

“Get the bastard!”

Three charged Vin as one. Vin emptied his mind of thought, gripped his knife and allowed it to become an extension of his being. The knife danced with incredible accuracy and the three men fell in a heap whimpering.

“The foam is going to act like a conductor,” Vin growled. “You’ve got about sixty seconds to get out of here.”

There were only two of his adversaries left standing. The others were littering the ground tending to their injuries or trying to get loose.

Pablo bellowed like a wounded bull. “No! He’s not allowed to win. Damn you.” He raced to the bound men and sliced through the rope, freeing them.

Vin spun horrified. For a split second he allowed his attention to sweep to Chris. Their eyes brushed.

Chris… The odds, which had been against them from the beginning, had just moved beyond reach. If Vin had been fresh and could have worn his opponents down, but he only had forty seconds.

Chris‘s face calmed. “Get out of here, Lieutenant,” he called firmly. “That’s an order.” His voice didn’t waver. Vin and Chris continued to stare at each other.

Go, Vin. Chris communicated through his intense stare.

No. There were no words, but they rarely needed them in situations like this. Some may call it telepathy. Vin knew it was simply that they could predict the other’s thoughts and reactions in most circumstances.

“Go,“ Chris growled in frustration. Vin’s head snapped to the timer.

Tanner focused on the fresh group who were circling him. “We’re all going to fry.”

“Only one who’s going to fry is Larabee," one snarled. “We’ve been paid to capture Wilmington. You‘re standing in our way. Give it up or today you die too.”

“Wrong,” Vin snarled, again glancing across at the timer. He needed to manoeuvre closer to the power box.

“Tanner, abort. That’s an order!” Chris shouted, his voice filled with frustration and fear.

Pablo smiled widely.

“Vin! Abort. Abort, now!” Chris struggled with the beam, all the while watching his partner moving slowly to the left. Damn it, abort. That’s an order! I’m giving you a direct order!!”

Vin’s gaze shot to the timer. “Pablo won’t let you all live. You’re witnesses. He’s probably already paid one of you to kill the others.”

“He’s lying,” Pablo screamed.

The men moved uneasily, glancing around at each other. Pablo didn’t sound convincing.

“So, which of you is going to kill the others?” Vin prompted. “You know I’m right. Likely a bomb on your aircraft home.”

The statement echoed in the building. “I reckon he might be right,“ one man muttered. He tossed his crowbar away, turned and ran. The others looked at each other and did the same.

“No! Get back here!” Pablo yelled.

Vin checked the timer.

Vin spun his knife in his hand, took aim and threw with all the strength he could muster. His shoulder roared with pain, the knife flew through the air... the timer ticked down... ... four... three... two... the weapon sliced through the cable at the base of the power box, severing it.

"Yes!" Vin shouted in triumph. A split second later, the timer activated and the power was switched on. Vin flashed a look at Chris. Larabee nodded, relief blanketing his face.

**

Without warning an explosion ripped through the factory - with no pathway open to release the huge surge of electrical power, the power box shorted out and released its energy with devastating effects. Vin was hit by the explosion, launched through the air and slammed into a wall twenty feet away. He made no sound as his broken body crumpled to the ground. On the other side of the room, Pablo was hurled to the concrete. The girder on top of Chris shook... as did the tiles it was balanced on, but they held.

**

“What the hell was that?!” Buck roared. Ahead, he could see smoke rising from his destination. His stomach dropped. “No. No, no, no.”

**

Chris cried out in horror and he twisted his neck, spotting his partner lying unmoving on the ground. Vin’s specially designed fatigues would have provided some protection... but had it been enough? The concussion of the blast and bone-shattering impact may have caused Vin to stop breathing... may even have caused cardiac arrest.

"Vin!" Chris began to struggle futilely against the beam pinning him. "Vin!"

Sparks from the explosion ignited the fibro walls of the building, flames taking hold quickly. The foam on the floor didn't catch fire, to Chris’ surprise.

"Vin!" Chris watched helplessly as Pablo rose. The psychopath’s attention was wholly on Vin lying so still.

"I‘ll kill you myself," Pablo screamed

"NO!" Chris roared. Again, he battled against the impossible weight pinning him. His muscles strained and his ribs screamed, but the girder refused to budge.

The walls were well alight now and flames were beginning to roll along the ceiling. The heat was building in intensity and the air was becoming choked with smoke. Visibility had dropped considerably… and Chris could do nothing.

Pablo’s remaining hired thugs dragged themselves up and retreated.

"Nooooo! I didn't say any of you could leave! I didn't say anyone could leave!" Pablo screamed.

Chris calmed himself, emptied his mind of thought and channelled all of the energy he could gather. He pressed up with all his might. He had to get this thing off him so he could help Vin. He knew he only had three minutes before escape from the inferno would be impossible... three minutes before brain damage was caused if Vin wasn't breathing.

Pablo started toward Vin.

"Pablo!" Chris yelled, watching the madman advance on Tanner, a crowbar in his hand. Chris needed to distract him. "Major, the place is on fire. If you want to live, you need to escape now!" Again, Chris pressed up. His ribs bit in protest as he attempted to lift the girder, but it was beyond him. In helpless horror, he twisted to watch Pablo closing in on his partner. "Vin! Tanner, wake up!"

"You ruined it. You ruined it all!" Pablo snarled, each step taking him closer to Vin.

To both Larabee and Pablo’s surprise, the bundle on the concrete moved.

"Yeah well, someone had to," Vin muttered in a trembling voice. Slowly, he dragged himself to his knees and then with great effort, forced his legs under himself. He swayed the moment he was upright and reached out for the wall to steady himself. His fatigues were torn from the explosion. His right arm was hanging lower than the left. Blood was oozing from a deep wound to the back of his head from when he’d smashed against the wall like a rag-doll. His eyes were dazed, but he was alive.

"Vin," Chris murmured with relief. The relief passed quickly and Colonel Larabee took control. "Tanner, get out of here. Retreat!"

Around them, the fire raged. Crates and other abandoned materials caught fire. The temperature in the room rose uncontrollably. Above, the ceiling began to groan.

"I was born to win!" Pablo lunged forward. Vin side-stepped the attack and allowed Pablo’s own momentum to send him crashing into the wall head first. The former traitor bounced backwards, teetered for a few minutes and then crumpled into a heap.

***

"You were born to lose," Vin muttered. The darkness he had been fighting against rose up in front on his eyes. Against his will, his body slumped against the wall and began to slide down it to the ground. A small voice in his head was ordering him to his feet, but oblivion was beckoning insistently.

"Vin." Chris’ voice cut through the haze. Vin blinked his eyes open and he stared around himself.

There were flames everywhere. Chris coughed. "Tanner, get up."

Vin turned to Chris, focused on his face, dragged his legs under himself and pushed up. He walked unsteadily across to his colonel and stared down at the girder, covering his nose and mouth with his hand to keep out as much smoke as possible.

"You can't do anything," Chris coughed. "Get Pablo and get out of here."

Vin collected his rifle, inserted the bolt and returned. With a single shot, he released Chris’ hand from the handcuffs, but the girder was still pinning Chris to the ground.

From his webbing, Vin took his grabbling hook, which was attached to high tensile cord, and began to tie one end to the beam.

**

"Vin! Listen to me. Can you hear me?" Chris demanded through the steady stream of tears leaking out of his stinging eyes. Considering how dilated Vin’s pupils were, Chris wasn't sure Vin was aware of much at all. "Can you hear me?"

"I hear you, Larabee," Vin responded. "Now shut up and let me think."

"It's too heavy."

"I'm not leaving without you."

Larabee flicked his eyes toward the door, watching as the walls of the building began to buckle. Sections of the ceiling were raining down around them. Soon access to the exits would be blocked. In his mind’s eyes he saw Sarah… and Adam. Trapped. Choking. It was happening again. He WOULDN‘T let that happen to Vin. "Tanner, look at me! You‘re not going to die this way!"

"I'm a little busy at the moment," Vin replied, coughing. He stepped back and threw his grappling hook into the air, watching as it twisted itself around a girder above.

"LOOK AT ME!" Larabee yelled as more of the ceiling crashed to the ground. The heat was becoming unbearable but their specially treated fatigues provided invaluable insulation.

Vin flicked his attention to Chris momentarily.

"I AM ORDERING YOU TO LEAVE! DO YOU HEAR ME. I'M... coff...ORD..coff... ERING...coff..."

**

"Save your breath and that’s an order. Okay, get ready. I'm... coff...going to need your ... coff...help. Push with me... coff... and then you're going to have to wriggle... coff... yourself free. Ready?" Vin had secured the beam so that it couldn't fall down on Chris, but using the cord to winch the girder off Chris was out of the question. There was no way it would be strong enough. Vin just hoped it wouldn't snap.

"Tanner, I‘m not going to let you die in a fire like…"

"Get ready. On three." Vin panted, pressing his good shoulder under the beam. Only feet away, the ceiling collapsed, releasing some of the smoke. Larabee glared up at his partner. "One... two... three!"

They heaved together. The girder lifted a single inch. It was enough. Chris scrambled backwards. Vin gritted his teeth.

"I'm out!"

Vin leapt backwards and the girder fell to the ground, snapping Vin’s rope and crushing the tiles that had been able to prevent it from squashing Chris.

Vin rushed to his partner's side and using his good arm, dragged Chris to his feet. They paused, staring through tears at the inferno around them. Their escape had been cut off. Their coughing increased as the small flame-free area around them decreased.

"Pablo!" Vin cried, turning in search of their adversary.

"Escaped earlier," Chris shouted, taking Vin’s arm and forcing him backwards... but there was nowhere for them to go. They were trapped.

***

The air outside the disintegrating factory was thick with ash and smoke. Flames were leaping tens of feet into the air. The building groaned in protest, its agony evident as the metal exterior bent under the weight of the roof.

Buck leapt from the chopper with his team. He spotted Pablo and rage overpowered his self-control. He shot off after the escaping man, while the rest of Em7 searched the immediate area for Vin and Chris… all secretly praying their companions weren’t still in the factory.

“Where are they?“ Buck demanded of Pablo as he tackled him. He turned Pablo over and placed his arm against his captive’s wind pipe, applying pressure. ”Where are they?“

“Dead,“ Pablo choked out.

The valve holding Buck’s temper in check burst, but he was wrestled off Pablo by Josiah.

“No, Buck. No!“

Pablo gasped, sucking in air as Nathan dragged him to his feet. He smiled with true satisfaction. “They’re in there. Larabee was trapped and Tanner refused to leave him.”

Buck, Josiah, Nathan, Ezra and J.D. turned to face the inferno. Chris had been trapped and Vin had refused to leave him. That had a chilling ring of truth to it. Pablo pulled free of Nathan’s numbed grasp and darted off into the surrounding jungle.

Buck ran toward the factory, but a wall of flames met him and he was forced back. Searing heat flooded from the building, scorching anything with the audacity to approach it.

“Chris! Vin!“ Buck yelled futilely. His face shadowed with despair. His arms hung helplessly at his side.

Buck collapsed to his knees. “They’re still in there.”

The realization froze all members of Em7. Chris and Vin were still inside… Chris trapped and Vin by his side.

“No,“ Ezra cried, refusing to give up hope. “Check the outside. They may have escaped via another exit. Buck, check that shed. J.D., the other shed. Josiah and Nathan, go around to the right. I’ll take the left.” Invigorated with purpose and hope, the group rushed to follow Ezra’s orders.

Nearby, a small chopper lifted off. Buck raised his gaze momentarily and Pablo waved. “If they die, I swear…” Buck screamed.

Sparks were floating down all over the place. The roaring of the flames was like a jet engine.

“I can‘t see them,” Nathan cried in despair.

Tongues of fire licked the windows and the sound of the ceiling collapsing echoed over the fire itself. Nathan spotted an open window and started toward it. Josiah dagged him back. The collapse of the building was imminent and if their partners hadn’t escaped by now, they were already dead.