Unexpected 1: Trojan Horse

Chapter 4 : Inferno

As the fire spread out, the smoke took over most of the back and side of the flat, with the center cubicles beginning to get overpowered as well. Debris, ceiling planks, books, files and many other materials flying everywhere, the environment sure looked like a scene of the underworld. Walls were disappearing, glass breaking, and spaces closing in. The ceiling was completely obliterated in both offices.

According to the blueprints, the third floor had two windows, and the drone confirmed earlier that both were covered by two slabs of wood. The absence of windows created a greenhouse effect that provoked the air to become more and more dense. Oxygen kept decreasing rapidly, as other harmful and toxic substances took over the space.

After momentarily passing out, the obstruction and lack of air flow suddenly awoke Chris. The female officer was still resting against the far left side wall, away from the blazing fire. She could feel the intoxication beginning to take over her lungs, and a huge burning sensation attacking many other vital organs. She couldn't help but to freak out: nobody was around her, and her radio was broken. She remembered her mask in one of the thousand pockets of her SWAT suit, which could definitely help her breath better. Slowly, she opened her eyes, but only midway. She remembered the last fire drill, in which they were told that in the event of a mass fire, try to stay low, wear their masks, and try their best not to open their eyes to the fullest, just to keep them safe from harmful fumes and dangerous debris.

After sticking her hands into several of her pockets, she finally felt the plastic cover of the mask. She immediately unfolded it and placed it over her head. She felt a strong stinging burning sensation all through her arms, and the pain in her leg was becoming more and more unbearable. Once her mask was properly secured, she opened her eyes full...and regretted it! She did look down at her leg and found a deep wound, probably caused by the flying projectile as a result of the two explosions. She took out some gauges and bandages from another one of her pockets, but suddenly realized she needed to close the wound or else it could get infected.

She looked around and stopped, right in front of her a metal box with a giant red cross symbol, right in the dividing wall between two cubicles. She knew she could find scissors, lint, plasters and other stuff that could at least protect the wound from opening more and getting infected. She dragged her body across the corridor into the cubicle. She took the small garbage bin, flipped it to its side and lifted her injured leg. She rapidly took the supplies and applied the necessary first aid to at least hold her until the cavalry came. It took her a matter of 2 minutes, but she was able to treat it, and at least take a breath. It hurt like hell, but at least she was okay.

"Wait!"-she opened her eyes wide,"STREET?!" she had completely forgot about her partner. At that moment she realized she had been too busy caring for herself that she totally forgot about him. "STREET!?" she yelled again.

Slowly, she go to her feet and tried to look around the burning inferno. Destruction, smoke and fire was mostly was she saw, but no sign of her bff. She remembered that he had been knocked out by the two explosions, just like her. After the first one, he landed next to one of the entrances to the music room, way in the left backside of the floor. Without putting too much pressure on her right leg, she maneuver through the rubbish to the end of the hall until reaching the left backside, close to where the first explosion happened. She called for him, looked around, moved sticks, books, glass, and even ceiling material, but no sign of Jim.

"Where are you?"

There was no answer, but she heard the sound of more ceiling falling off, burning of material and a weird pitch, as if someone was whistling. Yeah, she remembered that awful sound. It started right after the first explosion. As a matter of fact, she got so annoyed by it, she tilted her body closer to where the sound was coming from: the music room in the back. She needed to know what was making that God awful sound! Out of the corner of her eye she noticed three of the four sound tables had cables coming out, and signs of electrical failures. She froze in terror as she noticed in the far back a huge fish tank with several large fish and colorful corral decorations. It was full to the top, and turned on.