Disclaimer:
FX: The Series and its characters are not mine. I'm just borrowing them for fun - no profit involved. They belong to Winterset Productions, Inc., Orion Pictures, Fireworks Entertainment Inc. Productions, Rysher Entertainment and Hallmark Entertainment. Based on characters created by Robert T. Magginson and Gary Fleeman.
Rollie pulled Angie closer as he leaned back against the dirty wall. How? How had they managed to get themselves into this deadly situation? It was suppose to be a quiet day, no problems. Come up into the foothills and check over the location. Finish laying the plans for the effects for their latest movie. No big deal. Instead... instead they were trapped and faced with death! Their options were limited. Make a run for it and probably burn to death... or stay here and have smoke and the heat from the raging bush fire probably kill them. Fire or smoke and heat? Some choice! Please, he prayed silently to whatever power would listen - be it the God of his mother or the animal and earth spirits of his spiritual father, Mangela. Take me if you must but let Angie live! She has her whole life ahead of her! She should have children one day, a husband, a family, a full career. Please let her live! Take me instead! Please, he called silently, I can't live without Angie! Let her LIVE! Rollie shivered as sparks filled the air outside the window and pulled the precious form huddled in his embrace closer. Please! Soon, too soon, the Aussie knew the bush fire would surround their refuge. Soon it would be eating the dry thick grass and bush that he had not had time to clear away. No time, no hope. Soon - one way or the other - it would be over and they would die. The Aussie had grown up with the threat of bush fires. He knew their ways and the deadly results. Rollie had no illusions about their survival. Flame, smoke, heat. They would die - together. The best he could hope for, their only hope, was that it would be quietly, smothered by smoke.
Please, Angie prayed, please God, let Rollie live! The world needs him, his spirit, his laughter, his joy of life! Take me if you must, but let Rollie live! His father needs him, I know that, without Rollie, Dingo will become a bitter man preying on everyone around him with no consideration at all anymore. Rollie has Dingo and Mangela, he has friends counting on him! Me, I have nobody... Nobody except Rollie! He deserves a family, children, a wife, a home! Let him live, take me! Please please please take me and let Rollie live! I can't live without Rollie, take me instead! Oh God! How had they gotten themselves into this? It had been such a beautiful, perfect day! How could it end... like this? The blonde felt Rollie's arms tighten, pull her closer. As if he could pull her inside of himself and keep her safe from the fire raging closer and closer. Please! If he had gone when she told him to leave her, he would have been safe. Not here, not with her, not to die! Angie didn't want to be the cause of Rollie Tyler's death. NO! Please!
How had they come to this life and death point?
Angie Ramirez remembered her enjoyment of the early morning California sun and how she had considered the odds of their getting to the beach while working on their newest movie. It was quite an honor for Tyler FX to be imported from the East Coast, when there were so many good special effects companies readily available in Southern California. She drove the rental pickup the studio had supplied them and hummed quietly to the low sound of the radio. The blonde glanced over to where her partner dozed, held snugly in place by his seat belt. Rollie Tyler, Australian special effects wizard, had been up with the director and producers most of the night and was exhausted. She really didn't want to wake him up again. Not that he would be mad, oh no! But he deserved all the rest he could get. After all, Rollie had let her go to bed, while he dealt with the "big shots" personally. Neither one of them relished the task and he allowed her to escape, while wistfully wishing he could escape as well. That was the price Rollie paid for being the senior partner of their little two person special effects company. Small though they were, Tyler FX had a big rep as one of the best independents around, thanks to their SPFX knowledge, Rollie's imagination and Angie's computer abilities. It was that unbeatable combination that made Tyler FX the success it was.
When Rollie knocked on her door before the sun was even up, Angie knew today would be a long one for her, but especially for her boss, partner and best friend. Filming would start in two days and the "powers that be" wanted them to look over the location and finalize the special effects sequences required well ahead of time. Angie deliberately took her time so the lanky Aussie could sleep as long as possible. She slowed the truck as she reached the dirt road that meandered up into the dry foothills to the tiny abandoned town where most of the filming would be done. The road was barely wide enough for the silver pickup and as she shifted gears and steered carefully, Angie wondered how the studio intended to get the larger equipment trucks to the site.
Rollie woke when Angie finally hit an unavoidable pothole. He stretched lazily and looked around at the thick dry grass and bush. "How close are we to the site, Ange?" He didn't like the dryness or the look of things. He remembered... and shivered as he pushed the memory away. Except it was almost like a premonition. It was just a memory, nothing more, Rollie told himself and sat up straighter.
"Another couple of miles if the map's right, boss."
Rollie nodded and watched the scenery go by. The sun was up and it was a beautiful day. He pushed the unease further away. He reached over and turned up the radio just as the song changed to "California Dreaming". Angie and Rollie looked at each other and laughed. It was a good day, a beautiful day.
They had work to do today, true, but no biggies. It would be long, but there wasn't any reason they couldn't enjoy themselves and have fun. Rollie hid a bigger grin as he remembered the picnic he had snuck into the pickup's equipment box. Angie was expecting sandwiches and a thermos of tea or pop, not the full spread Rollie acquired from the hotel's kitchen before he woke her up. Yes, it was a perfect day.
Finally, Angie pulled the silver rental to a halt and they shared their first look at the movie location. It really was a tiny place, no more than ten buildings. Most of them were small and all of them were brick and wood, except for the large building on the other side of the town. It dominated the place, like a bully, huge and ugly, a five story building of brick and cinder blocks. There was no grace to it and it was filthy, but it was also exactly what the studio wanted.
Rollie frowned as he saw the singe marks on the buildings still standing. There were signs that once there had been more to this town than these few pitiful remnants. He saw the outlines of foundations and suppressed a shiver. Fire had passed this way more than once, he recognized the results.
The lanky man pushed away the feeling and looked to the shorter woman on the other side of the truck. "Ugly place," Rollie spoke quietly, "now." Once, he thought, it would have been nice, a home and workplace for several families. Now, it was just... ugly.
Angie stared at the sight before them and nodded. "Yeah, now," she spoke dryly. "Weird place for a movie. I wonder how they found it."
"Doesn't matter, let's get to work." Rollie looked at the dirt road. "I want to be gone before dark. That road's awful tiny. It'd be hard to follow at night."
The special effects team set to work with accomplished efficiency. They took measurements and made their calculations. They thoroughly explored each building that the studio had indicated would be used in the movie. The last one they'd check would be the huge one on the other side of town. That was where most of the interior scenes would be shot. That was where most of their effects would be used.
Rollie stretched and looked at the sun directly overhead. He was starving! "Hey Ange! Let's eat!" Breakfast was now a faint memory for the hungry man.
Angie agreed enthusiastically and Rollie went to dig out the picnic. The look of surprise on his best friend's face, made the effort of getting up early and pleading with the kitchen staff at the hotel more than worth it. They settled down to the delicious lunch of fried chicken, potato salad, cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, lemonade and more. For desert, there was devil food cake, moist and wonderful. Aptly named considering the sinfully delicious taste.
Rollie leaned back on his arms and moaned, content. "Oh, that was good. I'm full."
Angie licked some icing from her fingers and grinned. "Yeah, me too. Thanks for the picnic, Rol." She rolled her head around and stretched lazily. "Me, I could use a nap now."
"Good idea, sweetie. I could too." He looked at his watch and checked the position of the sun. "We've got time. All that's left is the big building." He looked at the abandoned hulk. "I wonder what it used to be." Rollie stretched and laid down, he folded his arms under his head. "I wonder," he muttered as he closed his eyes.
Angie glanced at the ugly building, and picked up the red and white checked tablecloth that had come with the picnic basket. She shook it out to remove the crumbs of their feast and spread it on the ground next to Rollie. "I don't know." She stretched again and laid down on the cloth, her head resting on the Aussie's chest. "And I don't really care." She closed her eyes and fell asleep as Rollie smiled at the warmth of the shorter form at his side and the weight on his chest.
"Neither do I," the brown haired man whispered and followed his blonde partner into dreamland.
Almost an hour later, Rollie's nose twitched and he sat abruptly up in alarm! What? Something had waken him. What?!? He looked around, desperate to find whatever had disturbed him.
Angie muttered imprecations against her boss for spilling her off of her comfortable pillow. Her complaints died in her throat as she caught the frantic look on Rollie's face. "What's wrong, Rollie? Bad dream?" She touched his arm, reminding him of her presence.
"No, not a bad dream. Something else." Rollie looked anxiously around. He froze as he caught the scent that had waken him. Smoke! "I smell smoke!"
Angie shrugged, not catching the implication. "So, someone's burning trash. So what?" She asked puzzled.
"In this dryness?!?" Rollie stared at his partner. They had to get away from here! "I don't think so. This tinderbox is just waiting for a spark to set it off into an inferno. Let's get out of here! NOW!"
Angie Ramirez may have been blonde, but she was definitely not dumb! Fully awake now, she recognized the wisdom in Rollie Tyler's words. Hastily they gathered their picnic together and ran to the pickup. Angie tossed the things into the truck bed, no time to worry about putting things away. Angie headed for the passenger side, as Rollie scrambled into the driver's seat.
As Angie fastened her seat belt, Rollie shifted the gears into neutral and turned the key. Nothing! The engine wouldn't turn over. "Bloody hell!" Rollie popped the bonnet and fell through the door. They didn't have time for this! They had to get out now!
Angie watched anxiously as Rollie checked the engine. When he slammed his fist against the truck, she climbed out of the pickup and joined him. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. It might be the starter, but I don't know." Rollie pulled his Leatherman tool out to try to locate and fix the problem.
"I'll see if there are some tools in the back." Angie dashed around to look. She remembered Rollie pulled the picnic from the driver's side so she went to check the passenger side of the equipment chest. Angie reached into the chest, and pushed some of the stuff around. Most of it was junk.. "OW", she yanked her hand back.
"Angie?" Rollie peered around at her. "Are you all right? What happened?" He hurried over to where she was rubbing her left hand. "Ange? What's wrong?"
"I think something bit me!" Angie rubbed where it hurt.
"Let me see, sweetie." Rollie took her left hand in both of his and looked carefully. "I think you got stung." He peered into the chest, trying to see what had gotten Angie. The corners were too dark to see, so he pulled out his small penlight and looked again. Something scuttled away from the light, but then he spotted it again in one corner. "A scorpion."
"A scorpion?" Angie echoed, suddenly scared. "Aren't... aren't scorpions poisonous?"
"Yeah," Rollie looked back at Angie and realized how frightened she was. "They're not that poisonous, Ange." He hastened to reassure her. "You'll be okay. You're too big for that little thing to kill." He shrugged as she relaxed a little. "The scorpions here are too little and not poisonous enough to kill a healthy adult, unless they had a heart condition or something." Or you're allergic or you do something stupid, his mind reminded him silently. He couldn't mention that to Angie. He'd just have to keep a close eye on her, watch for any reactions. "Bet it hurts though."
"Yeah, it does." Angie rubbed absently at the spot where she'd been stung.
"Rollie? The engine?"
" I'm afraid it's a lost cause, unless you found a parts shop." Rollie informed her. "Let's get some ice on that sting, it'll help."
"But what about the fire? Shouldn't we get out of here?" Angie looked around, certain she would see flames close by.
"I'll check on it after we put some ice on that sting and you lie down."
Rollie looked around the area. It was full of dry and highly combustible plant life. He eyed the largest building thoughtfully. It might be their best chance, if it really was a bush fire. All brick and cinder block, it shouldn't catch fire. It had already survived several fires intact. He pushed the thought of what killed most people in a fire away - the smoke. After all, without the truck, they didn't stand a chance of outrunning the fire!
"Rollie? Lie down? I thought you said it wouldn't kill me." She shifted nervously as she looked up, her blue green eyes peered deeply into his bright brown ones. "Rollie?"
"It won't, but you need to lie down. Bed rest and no food for eight to twelve hours." Rollie told her. "You may feel weak for a while. The pain may be followed by numbness or tingling. Or nothing whatsoever." He shrugged "It shouldn't swell though." He didn't add the potential muscle spasms, breathing problems or any of the other symptoms. A lot of people got stung and never experienced the other ones anyway. And the scorpions in Southern California were less poisonous than a lot of others.
Angie regarded Rollie with surprise. What had Rollie done? Swallowed a complete first aid book as a child? He was always pulling out odd bits of information like that. Was there any first aid treatment he didn't know? She could understand his knowing about breaks, bruises, concussions, burns and the like, even snake bites, but scorpion stings?
"Yeah, well it won't make any difference if we burn to death, Rol." She reminded him about the very real dangers of a brush fire.
"We'll hold up in that big building, it won't burn. You'll be safe there while I check the fire out. Maybe you're right, maybe they're burning rubbish from a construction site or something." He fished the picnic supplies from the back of the pickup. After glancing in the equipment chest one last time, Rollie decided that was all the useful things they would find in the rental. It wasn't a lot. He grabbed his cell phone from the glove compartment. After he checked and made sure there really was a fire, he could call for help. Surely, it would get there well before any bush fire. Rollie shoved the memory of another bush fire aside, long ago and far away, it had moved with deadly, frightening speed. At least, there's not a lot of wind, he thought.
Rollie settled Angie inside, on the first floor. Smoke rose, they would have to ride the fire out on the ground level. He put an ice chip on the sting and had her hold it there. "Replace that when it melts. I know it's cold, but it'll take out the pain." Rollie looked around. He found a rusty faucet.
One turn told him there wasn't any water. The table cloth would be useless, it would just burn. Most of the picnic supplies were useless too. Just the lemonade and melting ice were any good to them and neither would last long.
He discarded the picnic supplies on the other side of the large empty room and returned to Angie's side. "You stay put, I'll be back as quick as I can." He brushed her hair back and kissed her temple. "We'll be okay, sweet. I'll be back soon."
Angie leaned against the wall and called softly after her best friend. "Rollie? Be careful!" He looked back at her and smiled. Then he was gone and Angie sighed, worried, as she fished another ice chip out of the lemonade. She hoped he would be back soon - with good news.
Rollie returned to her in a rush, his face stained with soot and his eyes wide. Angie took one look at his face and knew that they were in deep trouble. The Aussie looked at her and told her the truth. Angie would want the truth and Rollie respected her enough to give it. "The fire's all around us, there's no way out. I tried to call 911 on the cell phone, but we're in a dead zone. I can't... I can't call out."
"Maybe from the roof, Rol?" Angie offered the hope, tentatively. "It's the highest point. Maybe the phone will reach out there."
Rollie nodded silently and climbed the stairs. Once there, he had tried, once, twice, a dozen times. No response. The phone was useless. He was useless. He surveyed the land surrounding the building. Smoke and flames were visible from up here. The fire was burning closer. The main road was out of sight. Besides, they were well away from any major traffic. It might be a long time before the fire was spotted and reported. Too long for them.
Soon... soon it would be here. He peered over the edge. If they were going to survive, he would have to clear away the bush and grass from around their refuge as best he could. The dry plants would make more smoke, that was their biggest danger now, not the flames.
One look was all Angie needed to tell her of Rollie's failure. He knew and hugged her gently. "I have to clear away the bush and grass. Make a break, if I can. It'll help."
Angie moved as if to get up.
"No, you stay there. Remember, bed rest for eight to twelve hours, Ange." Rol held her down with firm hands.
"I can help." She pleaded.
"Not enough to make a difference, but I have to try. I can't just sit here and wait for the fire. You rest. I'll be back before you know it, sweetie."
Angie felt cold as she realized the Aussie felt bound by her and the sting to this place and the danger. "Rollie?" He turned back at the door to look at her with serious eyes. "You can get out without me! Go! Get help, get out of here! You can do it, I know you can!"
Rollie silently shook his head and slipped outside. Angie slumped, defeated. If she went out and helped, he would just pick her up and bring her back inside. She knew with sick certainty that Rollie could escape if he wasn't worrying about her, protecting her. And there was no way for her to change his mind, Rollie would stay and fight and die - for her. Tears fell silently down Angie's cheeks. Rollie Tyler would DIE for her!
Two hours ago, they hadn't known the full extent of their danger. Two hours ago, there had been hope. Two hours ago, Rollie had gone to check and now there was just flames and smoke and heat. Rollie pulled Angie down, forced her to lay flat on the dirty floor. He carefully draped his longer form over hers. Protecting, even though there was no hope left. Please let her live, he prayed silently. Take me, just let her live. PLEASE!
Angie choked back the sob she felt as Rollie protectively wrapped himself over her. NO! Angie prayed silently. Please God! Let him live, take me, just let him live! She had stopped the earlier tears before Rollie had returned. Angie refused to let him see her tears. He wouldn't die with her tears in his eyes and his mind. It was all she could give him now. Please... please... please... please...
Smoke filled their lonely refuge. Flames crackled outside, so close, so beautiful, so deadly. Heat built, robbed the friends of their strength. Rollie hugged Angie close as he coughed in the smoke. Tears filled his eyes, tears of despair and smoke. No hope. Now they would die - together. At least, Angie wasn't alone, he was with her and they would join Manny, his mum, her mum, Leo and Rick. A small piece of him, whimsically and ridiculously, hoped her mum would like him and that the others would forgive him for failing his Angie. As if he could ever forgive himself.
Angie coughed and wept silently. Eyes stung by smoke and fear for Rollie. Now, they would die together. Soon they would see their mothers, her father, Leo and Rick. All the loved ones who had gone before them. Soon.... Smoke and tears filled the best friends' eyes and darkness claimed them. Soon. The last thing Rollie felt was the stillness of Angie's body as she surrendered her consciousness to the smoke and heat. The last thing Angie felt was Rollie's strong grip loosen his hold on her as the smoke and heat overcame his body's last strength. Soon...
The firefighters who fought their way to the abandoned town of Mosley stared with despair at the burned out hulk of the pickup. A frantic director had reported his special effects crew missing to the fire department shortly after news of the latest brush fire hit the air waves. They had gone up to Mosley to lay the ground work for the filming and hadn't answered their cell phone when he tried to reach them. Sam Golley exchanged looks with Randy Twofeathers. City slickers wouldn't stand the chance of a raindrop in hell in a brush fire and this one was as bad and dangerous as any that had swept these foothills in the twenty years Sam had eaten smoke here. It looked like the small six person fire crew were too late, there was little chance the people from NYC had survived in a raging brush fire. Not without transportation and here was what was left of their transportation.
"Okay people," Sam spoke calmly enough, "they can't have gone far. Let's see if we can find these city folks." A man and a woman, he remembered the descriptions they had been given. Both too young to be dead so soon. The woman was blonde, about five foot four or so, in her mid-twenties. The man was brown haired, a little over six foot tall, in his early thirties. Why did they have to come so far just to die? They wouldn't have stood a chance against a brush fire! What did New York City dwellers know about brush fires?
Randy's dark eyes examined the hard dry ground around the truck. There was little to give him a lead in tracking the missing people, but... There! He sank to one knee. Yes, these were tracks leading from the pickup and into the burned out town of Mosley. "This way, Sam. They went into the town."
"Of course, they went into Mosley, Randy!" Sam instantly regretted his sharp tone and gentled his voice. "They had work to do there, they were here hours before the fire."
"Maybe," Randy answered quietly. He looked over the standing buildings. As always, the large building on the other side drew his eyes. "Maybe, if they held up in that old factory building?"
Sam glared at the eyesore. It had stood against more than one fire. "We'll check it, but they probably tried to make a run for it. Even people who know better try to outrun brush fires. If they did hold up there, the smoke would get them," he paused, reluctant to destroy all hope, "probably."
The firefighters, five men and one woman, searched for clues to the missing people as they made their way through the ghost town of Mosley. Sparks snapped and flew from the ashy remains of dry brush and grass. At the old factory, there were signs that someone had tried to clear the dry plants away from one end of the large building. Could it be? Could people from a big city on the other side of the country have sense that people who grew up here sometimes didn't? To sit tight in the large, seemingly indestructible building and try to withstand the heat and smoke inside?
Sam Golley looked over the scene thoughtfully. If they had, they had probably gone to the highest floor. There, the smoke would have smothered and killed them as surely as the fire outside would have burned them to death. People had little sense when faced with the primal force of fire. Carefully, Sam opened the door as ashes swirled around their sturdy work boots. He looked toward the stairs leading up, if they were here, that's where they would probably be.
Jane Golley, his cousin, gave a shout. "Here! They're here!"
Sam whirled toward where the pretty, black haired woman knelt by two still bodies. No, his mind whispered. It looked like, impossible as it seemed, these city people had chosen their only possible chance of survival and still lost. He moved over to where they lay so still, the man wrapped protectively over the smaller woman.
The firefighters watched anxiously as Jane checked for pulses on their necks. "They're alive," came the whispered, triumphant prayer of thanks. "They're still alive!"
Immediately, oxygen was pulled from packs and the pair were separated. Masks were fitted carefully over the pale, soot covered faces. The couple were alive, now they just had to keep them that way until they could get them to the hospital. A careful examination revealed that only the man had been burned and they were small burns, where sparks or cinders had landed. He had succeeded in shielding his companion from them. Both were badly dehydrated, drained by the heat of the fire. Both had inhaled too much smoke. But, impossibly, wonderfully, both were alive! It didn't take long for a helicopter to reach the site. The couple were loaded aboard and sent on their way with a prayer for their continued survival and recovery. The firefighters turned away from the departing helicopter, the rescue shoved to the back of their minds. They still had work to do.
Angie coughed and coughed again, her throat was so dry and her head ached fiercely. She felt completely drained. Her eyes flickered opened and she stared at the unfamiliar tiled ceiling. Where was she? What was wrong? For there was a very strong feeling in her heart and soul that something was desperately WRONG! Memory returned of the horror that had come for her and for Rollie. Rollie! Where was Rollie?!? She struggled to sit up, ignoring the IV in her arm and the mask over her mouth and nose. Where was Rollie?
Surely God wasn't so cruel as to let her survive and take all she had from her! All that gave meaning to her life! NO! Rollie? Strong hands tried to hold Angela Ramirez down, but the young slender blonde was stronger still and fought them with all of her fear-filled being. Rollie! Her spirit screamed for her best friend and partner. Rollie?!? The strong hands ceased fighting her and helped her sit, a firm, but gentle hand turned her face to one side and she saw... Rollie! He lay in the bed next to hers, still and pale. An IV in one arm and an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose. Still and pale, yes, but obviously still alive! Thank God! He was still alive. She sobbed and cried quietly. They had both survived. Thank God! The hands she had fought before guided her to lay back in the bed. This time she accepted their urging, her eyes still focused on the Australian, so still but nearby and alive. Angie fell back asleep, secure with the knowledge that Rollie Tyler lived. Her family and reason for life still lived!
Rollie moaned softly in the darkness. He didn't want to waken, outside of the darkness was nightmare. He was certain of that fact, a nightmare he had faced before. He had fought it back once before a long time ago, he was uncertain he could do it again. Memories of fire filled his mind. A fire that burned and raged beyond any mortal control. The fire that had burned them out and killed his small pet dog, Bluey, leaving him alone again, for his father was never home and his mother was sick so much lately. He had been passed back to the aborigines that time, to stay with Mangela, until his father's return. Until their small home could be rebuilt. He still missed his little Bluey, but there was worse this time. He KNEW that! That fire was long ago and far away, just a memory. This was a close and deadly threat to... the most precious thing that Rolland "Rollie" Tyler ever had in his life - ANGIE!!!
Rollie woke with the memory of a scorpion's sting and another raging bush fire. He struggled to sit, his actions pulled the IV needle from his arm. He dislodged the oxygen mask from his face and looked around wildly. The exasperated nurse that moved to his side was ignored. For Rollie Tyler stared into the face of an angel, his angel! Angie Ramirez was looking at him from the other bed and shaking her head over him, an IV in her arm and an oxygen mask on her face. Rollie relaxed, secure in the knowledge he wasn't alone again, Angie was still here, still with him. He sighed as the nurse forced him back down. Silently, Rollie thanked whoever or whatever listened for their survival as he fell back asleep, thanked them with his whole heart and soul. Thanked them with his whole being for the continued presence of his best friend and partner, Angie Ramirez!