Bounty Hunter [REWRITTEN VERSION]

Chapter 50: Where Did That Bastard Even Find the Keys?

MAIZE

Their first order of business, according to Ryder's demands, was to return to the house—whatever remained of it that was. Maize had seen the intensity of the flames themselves for herself, and that alone was enough to assume that anything that had been left in the house had not survived. As they got closer, she had been fully prepared to walk back into the scene of a raging forest fire catching onto the surrounding trees that would act as nothing more than an endless fuel supply for the ever starving flames, but, to her shock and albeit relief, that was not what she saw.

The closer they got to the familiar clearing, she expected to catch sight of flaring orange ahead, glowing embers floating about, feel the beginning prickle of heat. Instead, all she saw was smoke, not as black as before, rising up from the area over the trees.

"The forest isn't on fire," Maize stated out loud, almost dumbfoundedly.

"As if I would be cruel enough to let that happen." Ryder scoffed and seemed almost offended by the suggestion. Then he explained. "Lighting the place up to prevent assholes getting to my things was always an emergency resort in case the place was ever at risk of being stormed. Honestly, I wish I had waited until a few of them came in before I threw the match into the lighter fluid..."

What was that about not being cruel?  she wondered to herself.

"But anyway, like an sane person," Ryder continued. "I have counter measures in place to assure the fire doesn't get too out of hand that it reaches the woods. Why do you think I don't have any trees directly around my house? Or...had, anyway."

"Sane people's first instinct isn't usually to commit arson to their own home," Alec remarked—unhelpfully, might she add.

Maize watched Ryder's eye twitch with a prick of annoyance. "I don't recall asking for your opinion on the matter," he grumbled bitterly before he picked up his explanation again. "The place is enforced with deflaming particles, cemented into the walls. The fire could burn all it wanted inside, but it wouldn't spread outside of the exterior. And overtime, it died down with the measures in place. Though everything inside is most likely burnt to a crisp."

"So the fire is essentially a candle and your house acts as the container," Alec deadpanned.

Ryder rolled his eyes. "If that's what analogy helps your mind comprehend the physics then, sure..."

"It's nice to know you're always considerate to the forest," Maize said.

Ryder shot her a sharp look at her implicating tone. He didn't say anything, but as he looked away again Maize could have swore she saw him smile ever so slightly.

When they reached the front, Maize was surprised to find that the inside did not appear to still be burning. Black smoke still poured from the fallen doorway and shattered windows, but it was nothing compared to the raging flame storm it had been when she first saw it. In fact, from the looks and colour of the smoke, it seemed as though the fire had been out for a little while.

"Why are we here?" Alec stared ahead skeptically. "There's no way any of us are getting in there. If loose debris doesn't fall and kill you, the smoke inhalation will," he stated seriously.

Ryder looked as if he was on the verge of debating whether or not to turn and glare directly at the detective for his immediate dismissiveness. "Well then, good thing I don't plan to go through the front door. Whatever your concerns are, they're wasted. I'm not an idiot."

Alec scoffed sarcastically. "Ha, right. Next you're going to tell me that you've got a secret basement underground under all that rubble—" he suddenly stopped himself when he saw Ryder's blankly pointed expression, staring right at him without falter. Alec blinked once. Then the sudden realization dawned on him. "No way."