EARTHQUAKE
BY TOOKI
The day was a warm one, it was only the second week in June and summer was just getting into full swing. Seemed like everyone poured into Los Angeles for the summer, to see the beach, go to Disneyland, and to catch a glimpse of their favorite movie star. This year was no different than any other for Starsky and Hutch; they sat in Starsky's red Tornio as their other partner Susan Carlston paraded up and down the street in an extremely short skirt, tub top and very high heels. Several men stopped to talk to her but they all moved on. Finally a middle-aged man stopped they talked for several minutes then went into a seedy hotel. Susan glanced over her should to see if her two partners were watching. But they were already out of the car and headed across the street.
She led the man to the second floor where they had reserved a room earlier in the day. Susan didn't even have the door open when the man was on top of her with his hands around her throat. At least she was sure this was the man they were looking for. They had five dead hookers on their hands found in seedy hotel rooms just like this one all with in blocks of each other. All the girls had been strangled and there had been no clues.
Hutch hadn't liked the fact they were going to use his wife for bait but she gently reminded him that she was a cop too and it was her job just as much as his. Now she was lying on this bed slowing blacking out as the man squeezed even harder. She tried to struggle, tried to tell him she was a cop but he had been on her so fast that and had such a hold on her it was impossible.
Vaguely in the background she heard the door bang open and the man's hands were ripped from her throat. Hutch was pulling her into his arms and asking if she were all right. She nodded as she coughed trying to get her breath back.
In moments the room was filled with uniformed cops, Starsky shoved the handcuffed man told one of the officers, "Get this ass hole out of here." Then he went to see how Susan was doing. "You OK?"
She nodded still not able to speak. "Damn it!" Hutch stormed. "I didn't want her doing this."
"Oh stopped it," she whispered hoarsely. "I have a job to do just like you do."
"We'll talk about this later," Hutch said helping her to her feet.
"No we won't because there is nothing to talk about." She said jerking her arm from his grasp. "I am fine, really." Susan walked out into the hall that was now empty as the man had been taken to the station.
"I am fine really," Starsky mimicked and followed her into the hall. Hutch shot him a dirty look. Starsky catching the look said, "Hutch we were right here for heaven sakes lighten up. You know I'm worried too but if it wasn't Susan it would be some other policewoman."
"I know, I know, but I’m not married to some other policewoman," Hutch sighed.
He and Susan had this same battle time and again. Anytime it came to her being bait or going out on her own he would balk at the idea. Starsky didn't like it any better than Hutch but he knew better than to get in her way, the more they would protest the more determined she would get. She knew that is was normal that they wanted to protect her but she wasn't going to let either one of them get in the way of her doing her job.
"You two coming?" she called back into the room "I want to get back to the station and get out of the crap, my feet are killing me."
The two male detectives had just stepped out into hall when the building began to sway. Starsky grabbed Susan around the waist dragging her into the doorway of the room with him and Hutch. After only a few seconds the swaying stopped, they all looked at each other. "Wow, it's been a while since we have had a tremor." Susan said, that was one thing she had never gotten use to living there. She hated the earthquakes, they very rarely had them in the mid west. Usually she didn't know a thing about them until the evening news.
Back at the station things were in an up roar, it hadn't been a big quake but big enough to send things toppling from shelves and dumping piles of papers. Dobey sat in his office sweat pouring down his face; the air-conditioning had stopped working. Whether it was the quake that caused it or just a coincidence nobody knew but it was unbearably hot in the station.
Susan went to the locker room to strip off the pantyhose and "hooker clothes". She had just put on a pair of shorts when the room began to shake several lockers fell over one of them narrowly missed her. Moment's later Hutch came bounding it the locker room. "You OK?"
"Yeah," she said in a shaky voice as she closed her locker and picked her way toward the door around the fallen lockers. She shook her head, it didn't faze her to come up against a murder but let the ground shake and she fell apart. "I want to call and check on Jesse."
Jesse, the couple's eight-year-old daughter was laying on the couch reading the movie ads in the newspaper when the phone rang. She reached for the phone with out taking her eyes from the paper. "Yeah."
"Is that anyway to answer the phone young lady?" Hutch asked his daughter but there was a smile on his face. She sounded more like a teenager everyday.
"Oh hi Daddy," She said still staring at the paper.
"You OK?" he asked.
"Sure why wouldn’t I be." She asked distractedly.
"Well we have had two earthquakes in the last hour," he said shaking his head. Susan was watching him intently, he wouldn't let her call, he was afraid should would get Jesse all shook up.
"Oh that yeah," she said not really caring. "Ahhh…Daddy you think you could take Cassie and I to the movies tonight?"
Hutch laughed a true California girl, "I don't know we'll see. What do you two have your eye on now?"
"The Mummy came out today. Pleaseeeeeee…Brendan Fraser is in it he's our favorite." Jesse pleaded.
"I'll talk to your mom about it. But don't go inviting Cassie until Mom and I have talked OK?" He told her. She and her best friend had a way of making plans then asking permission.
"Oh ok," she said but she and Cassie had already discussed it on the phone all morning long. "Daddy, can Cassie spend the night tonight?"
"Just a sec," Hutch grinned. He covered the phone and asked Susan, "Jesse wants to know if Cass can spend the night?" Susan smiled and nodded, Cassie was like a second daughter to them she spend so much time at their house.
Susan held out her hand for the phone, Hutch handed it to her, "Sure Jess it's OK."
"Thanks Mommy, hey what about the movie?" She asked.
"Movie?"
Hutch took the phone, "Don't push your luck young lady, I told you we would talk about that later. You be careful today, there might be some more tremors OK?"
"Sure Daddy." She answered satisfied that she got at least half of what she wanted. "Daddy could you pick up some chocolate chips on the way home?"
"JESS," Hutch said sternly.
"Sorry Daddy," she knew she was pushing too hard.
"Where is Edna anyway?" he asked.
"Out back talking to old Mrs. Thomas about the earth shakes," Jesse replied.
"Jesse is that nice?" Hutch shook his head. "Well if you guys need us you know where we are."
As soon as he hung up Susan asked, "What is this about a movie?"
"Jess wants us to take her and Cassie to see that new movie, The Mummy?" Hutch said picking up some papers from the floor.
"Oh really?" She said as her eyes lit up. "I wanted to see that too."
"Well I guess I know where we will be going this evening then." Hutch sighed, he had been looking forward to a quiet evening at home and told his wife as much.
"Well why don't I take the girls and Edna," Susan suggested. "We don't get a girls night out often.
"We don't get a night alone very often either." Hutch said.
"How about tomorrow night? We are off all weekend." She said moving closer to him and slipping her arm around his waist.
"You better watch that stuff," he smiled at her. "Ok, girls night to night our night tomorrow. Maybe I can get Starsk to come over and we can watch the game on TV."
"Speaking of Starksy where the heck is he?" Susan asked looking around the room.
Almost before the words were out of her mouth the squad room doors opened and Starsky came in carrying an armload of candy bars. He was grinning from ear to ear. "That last tremor knocked over the candy machine."
"Starsky that's stealing, you're a cop," Susan teased.
"They aren't going to be any good in this heat anyway," he said dumping the load on his desk. Then he pulled a five from his wallet and slapped it on the desk. "When the candy guy comes I'll give him that OK?"
Dobey came out the door mopping his face with a handkerchief, "Any word on when the air is getting fix?" he growled at his detectives. He walked over and took one of the candy bars lying on Starsky's desk. He peeled the paper back on the melted chocolate and looked at it. A young man carrying two fans entered the squad room. "Well I guess that answers my question." Dobey went back into his office slamming the door.
"Man the heat sure makes him grumpy. And he took my favorite candy bar," Starsky pouted.
The office began to shake again, Hutch grabbed a desk lamp just before it hit the floor. All the files that had just been picked up slid to the floor once again. Several officers crawled under their desks, Susan remained frozen in place her eyes wide. Hutch sat the lamp on the floor, grabbed her hand and headed for the door fame of Dobey's office. Starsky was still fretting over his candy.
"Will you get your ass over here? Hutch demanded. "I'll buy you a case of them.
This tremor lasted longer than the previous ones had. The glass in the squad room door shattered and they heard breaking glass in Dobey's office. Hutch opened the door, Dobey was standing in the other door way thankfully for his office window had broke sending a shower of glass right where he had been sitting.
"You OK Cap?" Starsky called to his captain who nodded.
Then the tremor stopped as suddenly as it had begun, it was silent for a few moments then it seem like every phone in the building began to ring. Hutch grabbed the one on his desk fearing it might me Jesse. Then without any warning all the lights suddenly went out. "Shit!" said a voice in the darkness. With in moments the emergency lights came on, they weren't very bright but gave off enough light so they could see where they were going.
"Was that Jesse?" Susan asked fearfully.
Hutch shook his head, "When I picked it up the line was dead." Later they found out it was the same with all the phones. A line must have gotten crossed during the tremor. Susan was desperate to get in touch with her daughter.
Dobey joined his detectives in the squad room to survey the damage. He shook his head, "Why don't you go check on Jesse. There's not much to do around here."
"The department is going to get busy, this tremor seemed like a bad one." Starsky said. "I'll stay for a while, Hutch you and Susan go on home I'll meet you there later."
"Are you sure?" Hutch asked. Starsky took one look at Susan's stricken face and nodded.
It was a nightmare trying to get home for the two detectives. A lot of the traffic lights were out, a small dilapidated building had fallen sending bricks into the street, car alarms were blaring and it seems as the whole town was in the streets. But as soon as they got away from the inter city things improved. And as they got closer to home the power seemed to be on.
As the two detectives pulled up in the driveway Jesse and Cassie ran to meet them. "Aren't this earthquakes the coolest Mom," Jesse shouted dancing around in the yard.
Susan reached for Cassie and hugged her since she couldn't reach her daughter, "Cool? No I don't see anything cool about them, you should see the office it's a wreck."
"Really?" Jesse stopped spinning.
"Yes really, there is no power, there are some buildings that have fallen, and I’m sure people have been hurt. It's much worse than it is here." Susan said somberly.
"Where is Uncle Starry," Jesse asked now wide eyed.
"He stayed at the office in case he was needed. We came home to check on you." Hutch told her. "We might have to go back in later." But he had already decided that Susan was staying home with their daughter and her friend and he wasn't taking no for an answer this time.
"The epicenter must have been there," Jesse said.
"And just where did you learn about that," Susan smiled at her daughter.
"School," she said and began dancing again. "Hey mom can we walk down to the store and get come chocolate chips?"
Susan glanced at Hutch and he nodded his head, "Ok but you two come right back, no messing around." She took out her wallet and handed the girls a five. "I mean it I expect you back here in twenty minutes."
The two detectives entered the house, nothing seemed out of place and Mrs. Gray was busy in the kitchen humming to herself. As they entered the kitchen the older woman turned startled. "Oh it's you," she exclaimed. "What are you doing home?"
Quickly they explained what had happened at the department. Edna Gray didn't like the tremors any more than Susan did. They were beginning to unnerve her but they had kept her busy picking up stuff being knocked down by the violent shakes. The phone rang and she reached to answer it then handed it to Hutch.
"Hutchinson," Hutch answered.
"Hey Hutch," Starsky said, "the lights and phones are both working but the air is still off. Things seem to have calmed down I'll be out soon. Want me to pick up some pizza and beer?"
Hutch surprised his friend, "Sure sounds good." After he hung up he turned to Susan, "things looking better at the station Starsk is on his way here. You girls still going to the movie?"
"Well the mall is only five minutes away, we could get home easily if anything happen. And the earthquakes all seem to be hitting down town worse than here." Susan said then looked at Edna, "you game?"
"Sure, that's all those girls have been talking about all day." She answered.
Hutch shook his head, "They play us don't they?"
The girls came in the back door carrying a bag with their prized chocolate chips in them. Both girls were beside them selves when they learned that the movie was on and dinner to boot. Since the guys were having pizza Susan thought they would grab a bite in the mall. The girls dashed off to ready for the movie leaving the bag of chips forgotten on the counter.
An hour Starsky arrived carrying pizza and beer as the girls were on their way out the door. "My my don't we look nice to night, " he complimented them. " And just where are you ladies going?"
"To see The Mummy," Cassie breathed.
"Brendan Fraser," sighed Jesse.
Starsky laughed, Oh yeah that jungle guy."
"He is more than just a jungle guy," Jesse said sticking her nose in the air then grinned at her godfather. "He's dreamy."
"Hey I thought I was your dream boat," he teased.
She hugged him, "You are."
"Ok then I guess I'll let you go."
"You guys be careful out there." Hutch said, "I put some extra flashlights in the car just in case."
After the girls had left and they had settle down in front of the TV to watch a baseball game Starsky asked. "You think it's a good idea to let them out tonight with everything that has been going on?"
Hutch shrugged, "There haven't been any more tremors and they are only going a mile away."
Suddenly the game was interrupted by a newscast about the damage downtown. But what alarmed the two men was the prediction of even more quakes possibly even stronger that then the ones they already had.
Susan and Edna took the girls to a hamburger joint in the mall, did a little shopping then crossed the parking lot to the Movie Theater. A long line was already beginning to form for the movie. Finally getting their tickets they found seats in the cool dark theater, both girls had a box of popcorn and a soda even though they had just finished eating.
"I don't know where they put it," Edna commented as they munched on the popcorn.
"It would all go right to my hips," joked Susan.
The previews started and the theater got quiet, finally the movie started. Susan could hear both Cassie and Jesse sigh as their heartthrob appeared on the screen. She smiled to herself in the darkness.
They were about half way through the movie when the seats started shaking, at first Susan thought the girls were just wiggling in their seats but as the shaking increased she realized it was another tremor. One of the panels from the ceiling fell four rows behind them, then two fell directly across from them. Screams filled the theater as the patrons tried to escape the falling ceiling.
"Get down under the seats," Susan commanded jerking Cassie who was sitting next to her on the floor. The fear of earthquakes left her as the detective thought only of those she loved. She turned to make sure that Edna had follow suit and was safely under the seat.
The movie was now grabbled as the projector shook and finally the film broke and the projector tipped over. The screen came loose falling into the front rows of seats, hitting a family that was too afraid to move. There was a huge crash toward the back and dust billowed out into the room. People were running, screaming and crying for help.
The floor then began to roll and buckle, seats were coming unscrewed from the floor. A huge chunk of flooring broke and a slab of concrete jutted up right under Jesse cutting a huge gash in her leg.
Jesse screamed and cried out for her mother. Susan tried to reach her daughter but she couldn’t move. "Jesse, Jesse, " she called in the darkness. "Are you alright honey?"
"The…the floor," Jesse cried.
"Hang on Jess, just hang on," Susan screamed over the noise. The quake seemed to go on and on, most of the ceiling panels had fallen the speakers had come off the walls as did the light fixtures. Finally the whole roof gave way sending it crashing down on the people below and still the earth kept moving. Then after what seemed forever the earthquake stopped, the room was full of dust and debris. Nothing in the room moved.
Starsky and Hutch were in the kitchen getting fresh beers when the quake struck. Hutch's first thought was of Susan and the girls, a huge theater was not the place to be in an earthquake. Dishes started falling from cabinets, the refrigerator door flew open and it's contents tipped on to the floor. Bear the family dog came tearing into the kitchen frighten of the shaking house. The two men got in the doorway and held on as things keep falling. There was a crash from the living room as the front window buckled and broke. They could hear things falling and breaking up stairs. Bear sat at their feet whining and cringing against their legs. The lights flickered then went out and there was a sudden smell of gas filling the kitchen.
"Shit," Hutch exclaimed, "smells like the gas line ruptured I have got to get it shut off. The house could explode."
"You aren't going any were until this quake stops," Starsky ordered. He put his hand in the middle of Hutch's chest holding him against the doorframe.
After what seemed like hours the rolling finally stopped. Hutch rushed to turn off the gas as Starsky went to inspect the damage. Everything was down off the walls the china cabinet had tipped over breaking most of the dishes, the front window was gone as were the rest of the windows. He crept slowly up stairs testing each step as he went. The up stairs was in worse shaped the outer wall of the master bed room had crumbled and he could see the night sky through the hole. He quickly looked in the other rooms finding only broken windows and tipped over furniture.
"Starsky!" Hutch yelled from down stairs.
"I’m up here," his partner called down to him. "You lost part of the wall in your bedroom."
"I don't care about that," Hutch said as Starsky appeared at the top of the stairs. "Let's get to the mall and see if we can find them."
As they started out the front door Bear followed along, he hadn't gotten two inches from Hutch since the earth had stopped shaking. "Stay," Starsky commanded the dog who gave him such a pitiful look he couldn't stand it. "OK come on Bear."
The dog wagged his tail and followed the detectives out side. What greeted their eyes was defeating. Trees were down, lines were down, and the street was buckled in places. There were huge cracks in the lawns. Some cars were smashed flat by the fallen trees but surprisingly both of their cars were untouched.
"Let's take mine," Hutch said as he walked to the end of the driveway to remove a fallen branch.
"I want to move mine into the drive way," Starsky said running to move his car.
Bear jumped in the back seat and waited for the two men to join him. He was whining so softly that he could hardly be heard. Bear was a golden retriever and had been with the family for the last three years. He sensed that the rest of his family was in danger, Jesse had been there to comfort him all day when the ground shook and now she was gone.
It took them almost an hour to get to the mall, a trip that should have taken less than 10 minutes. As when Hutch and Susan had come home, there were no traffic lights working, trees and lines were in the roads, several houses had caught fire. They got to with in two blocks of the mall and could go no farther in the car the roads were too congested. Hutch pulled over the car and got out, Bear jumped out the window after Hutch had shut the door. This time neither detective said anything to the dog.
They began walking toward the mall and the theater. Hutch was glad that he had brought his gun with him and Starsky has still had his since he had come from work. Looters were beginning to crawl out of the woodwork but the two detectives were only concerned with finding their partner, the girls and Mrs. Gray.
Susan tried to move out from under the theater seats but a chunk of roof was on top of them. "Edna," Susan whispered then coughed from the dust. "Edna are you alright?"
There was no answer at first. Then she heard a soft reply, "Yeah I think so, I just can't move, I my leg is penned down."
"I think the roof fell in on us," Susan said, she felt around until she touched a leg, she shook it but Cassie didn't move. "Cassie?"
"Mommy," came a tearful voice from beyond Cassie.
"It's ok honey," Susan said trying to comfort her daughter as much as she could. "Can you move?"
"I…I think so but my leg really hurts." Jesse said in a pain filled voice.
"I know sweetie but we have got to try and get out of here. It could be along time before anyone can get to us." Susan explained. "I don’t want to scare you but I think Cassie is hurt pretty bad, I can't get her to respond to me."
Jesse tried to turn her body so that she could get a look at her best friend. The emergency lights had some how managed to still work, they gave of some light but not much. But it was enough for Jesse to make out the form of her best friend. "Cassie," Jesse called to her friend. She moved sending a stab of pain through her leg but she was finally able to touch Cassie. "Cassie wake up are you OK." Jesse pulled her hand from Cassie's face it was covered with blood. "Oh Mommy," Jesse wailed, "she's hurt bad, her head is bleeding." Jesse began to cry in harder.
"Jesse, listen to me," Susan said calmly hoping to calm her daughter. "We have to get out from under here and get help. Can you crawl out into the isle?"
"I'm scared," she said still crying.
"I know you are honey but we have to be brave, you have to be brave. You can do it." Susan persisted.
"I know I can," Jesse said more calmly. "Uncle Starry says that I can do anything I put my mind to."
"He's right, now see if you can crawl out."
Slowly Jesse moved some debris that was in her way and slowly crawled out into the isle. She stood up and looked around the theater in total shock. The roof was completely caved in and the doors that they had entered in were blocked. "Mommy," Jesse called. "I don't see a way out the doors are full of ceiling."
"How about toward the front?"
"The screen is down but I think we could crawl under it."
"Jesse, I can't get out," Susan said softly. "I could hurt Cassie if I crawl over her. And I want to stay here and see if I can help her. You need to get out and find help."
"Mommy, I’m scared," Jesse said suddenly sounding eight instead of the eighteen she usually pretended to be.
"I know you are, but Cassie might die you don't get help," Susan said, hoping she was right she added. "And I bet your daddy and Starsky are looking for us. They knew we would be here." If they were able to get to the theater she knew that her partners would be there.
Jesse nodded even though her mother couldn't see her. "OK, I'm going to try now, I'll be back with help." Slowly Jesse picked her way around the fallen ceiling and up rooted chairs. She had to step over a young woman that was obviously dead, she tried not to look at her. When Jesse got to the screen she got down on her knees and crawled under it until she came to the exit door.
Slowly she pushed the bar on the door mentally crossing her fingers that it would open and it did. She crawled out then careful favoring her hurt leg stood up, there were no lights but there was full moon, which allowed her to see the damage. The mall was pretty much gone, there was a huge crack in the parking lot several cars had fallen part way in. Picking her way carefully Jesse made it to the front of the theater, the huge sign with the movie listings had crashed to the parking lot. The whole front of the building was crumbled with no way in, any help would have to go in the back way.
She looked around and wondered what to do. There were people milling about but it was clear they were victims and not help. Then two men and a dog running across the parking lot caught her attention. Jesse stood and watched them for a moment, her heart began beating faster when she realized it was her father and Starsky.
"Daddy," she yelled but her voice failed her. She took a deep breath and tried again, this time her voice was loud and clear. Both men stopped for a second, she called a third time and they headed toward her on a dead run.
The moment that the two detectives came to the mall their hearts sunk, the whole mall was collapsed then they turned toward the theater the front was nothing but a pile of rubble. Suddenly Bear barked and looked toward the theater. "Hey did you hear something?" Hutch stopped short.
"Daddy!"
"Oh my god it's Jesse," Hutch said as he charged toward his daughter, Bear bounded after him
Hutch was the first to get to her and pulled his sobbing daughter in to his arms. The dog licked Jesse's face and hands, she patted him on the head. Starsky looked around as his partner comforted the crying child. "Where is Susan?"
"Mommy, Cassie and Mrs. Gray are still in the theater. The whole ceiling fell in, Cassie is hurt really really bad." Jesse sobbed.
"What about Mommy?" Hutch asked holding his breath.
"She's all right, she told me to get out and find help. She stayed with Cassie." Jesse explained.
"Where are they?"
Jesse led them around back and to the door she had come out of. "I sure wish we had some flashlights", Hutch commented, neither of them had thought about grabbing them when they left.
"Mom has some in the car, remember you put them there." Jesse said.
"Come on Jess, lets see if we can find your mom's car." Starsky said leading her away. He notice that she was limping, she hadn't said anything about being hurt herself. "Honey are you hurt?"
"It's nothing," Jesse said but it hurt like crazy.
"Let me see," Starsky knelt gently in front of her to inspect her leg.
There was a huge rip in her jeans, he pulled back the ripped material to reveal a bad cut that ran from her knee up her thigh. Her jeans were completely blood soak. He scooped her up and carried her to the closest car and sat her on the hood. "You sit there while I find the car."
"It's over there," Jesse said pointing to a part of the parking lot that had been spared any damage.
Starsky spotted the car he ran over to it but it was locked. He took out his gun and using the butt broke the window. Quickly he opened the door found the flash lights and grab some rags he found in the back seat. He got back to Jesse, wrapped her leg up and they went to find Hutch.
More and more people were beginning to turn up at the mall and sirens could be heard in the distance. As Starsky and Jesse were going around the side of the theater there was an explosion across the street. He covered Jesse's head as they both crouched to the ground.
As Hutch looked around the theater he wonder how anyone could be alive but he could hear people talking, crying and praying. "Everybody stay calm, help is on the way," he announce loudly. Bear barked and took off through the rubble.
"Hutch?" called a voice from about the middle of the theater.
"Susan?" Hutch called back. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, it's Cassie." She said then exclaimed. "Bear where did you come from? Boy am I glad to see you buddy."
Hutch crawled under the screen just as his daughter did to get out. Following the sound of his wife's voice he finally found the row they were in. He tried to lift the piece of ceiling that was trapping them but it was too heavy to budge.
"Where is Jesse?" Susan asked. "You found her right?"
"Yeah she's with Starsk, they went to the car for the flashlights."
"Hutch?" called another voice.
"Over here Starsky." Hutch answer.
Starsky had tried to make Jesse wait out side but she insisted on coming in with him. They had almost reached Hutch when the ground started shaking again. What hadn't already fallen now fell as people cried out in anguish and fear. It only lasted a few moments then everything was still again.
"Try to hold on," Starsky called. "It's just an aftershock." But he knew they could be just as deadly if not more so.
Jesse was sobbing again, frighten at the aftershock and almost wishing she had stayed out side. She grabbed Starsky's hand and held on tightly once they had come out from under the screen.
"Starsky see if you can help me lift this piece of ceiling." Hutch said as he grabbed a corner. Starsky grabbed another side and even Jesse tried to help but they could only move it a little not enough to get them out.
Suddenly a man appeared next to Starsky, he had a cut on his forehead but other than that he looked fine. With his help they were finally able to lift the piece of ceiling off the trapped detective.
The moment Susan was free, she started looking over Cassie. By the look of the wound on her head she had gotten hit by one of the panels as it had fallen. She had a deep cut in her scalp that was bleeding profusely. Susan striped off her shirt not caring she was wearing nothing but a bra underneath and pressed it to the child's head to try and stop the bleeding.
After removing Edna from the tangle of seats she was able to walk on her own. More and more people were digging them selves out and then helping others to get out. In one clear area Starsky was getting all the severely hurt together. The man that had helped the detectives went to work trying to clear a pathway to the exit at the front of the building. They were placing the dead toward the back away from the living.
There were shouts from the exit, helped had finally arrived. With the fireman working their way in and the trapped working their way out, they met up some where in the middle. The injured were being whisked away as quickly as possible. Susan sat with Cassie's head in her lap still holding her shirt over her bleeding head. Starsky knelt next to them, he place his jacket around Susan bare shoulders she looked up at him gratefully.
"You two alright?" She asked.
He nodded, "You know we have a brave little girl," he said proudly watching Jesse talking to a small girl who was clutching a teddy bear, her mother had been kill and her brother hurt badly. They were both petting Bear as Jesse tried to keep the little girl busy while her mother was being taken out.
"Yeah I know," Susan smiled at him. Hutch walked toward them, his shirt was ripped and he had blood smeared on him though it was not his own.
"They are ready to take Cassie," Hutch said as two paramedics followed him up the isle. "Are you sure you are ok?"
"Yeah I’m find just a few minor cuts and bruises nothing permanent." She tried to assure him.
They followed out the gurney with Cassie; there was a triage area set up out in the parking lot. The most seriously hurt were moved to the over flowing hospitals first. While Cassie was being check out she regain consciousness, the paramedics said that she would be fine but she needed her head stitch up and checked for a concussion. They then checked out Jesse's leg and said that she would also need some stitches. Both girls were loaded into one of the waiting ambulances, Susan climbed in with them. Edna was going in the next ambulance to have her leg check out.
After both vehicles left Starsky and Hutch looked at each other and sighed with relief, it could have been much worse. "We got a mess at home to clean up too." Hutch said.
"I wonder how my place faired?" Starsky wondered allowed.
"You mean you would be able to tell in that mess?" Hutch grinned in the dark at his best friend.
"Very funny," Starsky grunted. "I'll have you know that my maid was there just yesterday."
"Oh now you have a maid uh? Hutch kidded him. "Is that what you are calling them these days?"
Suddenly they stopped in mid conversation and looked at each other then looked around the damaged area. "Man we were so lucky tonight." Starsky said they hugged each other then started toward where they had left the car.
"Come on Bear let's go home." Hutch called. Bear barked once then headed of in the direction of the car.
THE END