Chapter 58 SLAP
Drexton's knuckles whitened around the steering wheel, the leather groaning beneath his grip. His eyes were focused on the road, and his jaw was clenched tightly.
He glanced at his phone to see that Ixora hadn't answered her calls, which meant she was still at the mall.
Ixora was okay when he last saw her. Nothing should happen to her. She has no right to burn nor to die. She should burn at his hands. Only he has that right.
His eyes darkened as he stepped on the brakes, reaching the 100-speed limit. The car drove at full speed, smashing into the billboard.
To avoid accidents, other cars crashed into walls and stores. The road soon became filled with chaos. Wind and smoke slapped his face.
Drexton's eyes stayed focused on the road, hardening his muscles on the wheels.
Each thought about the fire spreading fast, and Ixora getting trapped in that mall, made his feet harder on the brakes. If the limits could go farther than 100, they would have.
Soon, Drexton began hearing the police siren. He didn't take his eyes off the road.
"Stop the car!" The officer's voice boomed through the police loudspeaker, echoing through the chaos.
Drexton drove without stopping, causing more and more accidents.
The police began firing bullets at his car. The bullet hit the car window.
Drexton didn't even take a glance at the window; rather, his gaze was focused on the wall.
The police fired countless bullets, planting holes in every part of his car.
They fired another one, and it met his arm.
Still, he didn't turn nor stop the car.
Turning would make them see his face.
He drove near the wall, and the police drove at the same speed.
On reaching the wall, he reversed the car and speedily drove away.
Before the police could realize the plan, their car crashed harshly into the wall.
They all passed out.
Drexton arrived at the mall. He fixed his eyes on the wall as he opened the car door and jumped out, rolling on the floor. The car crashed into a wall and exploded. Drexton rushed near the burning mall.
He sustained some scratches on his body, his blood staining his white shirt, but that was the least of his worries.
He could see the fire and hear the cries of other people. He held the automatic door that hadn't caught fire.
The door didn't open. He took some steps backwards and kicked the door open hard.
His eyes were welcomed by the large fire that was in the mall.
He jumped inside, landing on the ground that wasn't burning.
"Ixora!" he called out. His voice blended with the fire.
No answer.
His visions were blurred as a result of the smoke that covered the place.
"Argh!" People cried out, burning to ashes.
The fire had burned so many people, including everything in the mall.
Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He didn't know if it was because of the fire or another reason.
He ran to the stairs. The rails had been destroyed, and each time he climbed, they broke underneath.
For the very first time, he was running.
"Ixora!" he called again.
His voice triggered the fire as something hit his shoulder.
"Argh!" he groaned, holding himself not to fall.
On reaching the second floor, he saw the fire had spread throughout the whole place.
He proceeded to the third floor. The last place for him to check, and if she's not there, then never mind the person that did it—the world will get a taste of his rage.
Outside the mall, the fire service had arrived, and they were trying to put off the fire.
Many people had arrived at the scene, the media, Blake, Nelly, Georgia and even James Miller.
He came to the mall and realized Ixora was inside.
The journalists were writing and reporting their story, and Georgia—
"Please, ma'am, you can't go inside."
"My daughter is inside! I have to go in!" Georgia struggled, trying to free herself from the officers' hold.
When she arrived at the scene and saw the fire...she passed out. She was just waking up now.
Nelly had tears in her eyes. The firefighters were on the third truck of water, and still the fire hadn't stopped.
Blake had tried going in, but was stopped. The only thing he could do was pray.
"Let me go!" Georgia yelled and bit the inspector hard on the neck.
"Argh!" he groaned, releasing her.
She tried running in, but another stopped her.
"Ma'am, I understand how you feel, but I need you to get a grip on yourself. Let us do our work."
"Love," Georgia muttered, finally allowing the tear to roll down her cheeks.
Amidst this chaos, James was searching for Drexton. He was nowhere to be found.
Does it mean he didn't come to the mall, or…?
Inside the mall, Drexton arrived on the third floor. His clothes have been burnt in so many places, together with his bloodied look. He looked like he would go insane if he wasted another minute without finding Ixora.
"Ixora!" he called again, and his voice triggered the fire.
An iron rod fell and tore his shirt from his arm downwards.
The fire was escalating on the third floor, and if he stayed longer, he'd burn.
Does it mean she has been burned in the fire? This was the last floor, and if she wasn't there...
For the very first time, he was not thinking straight.
Where was she? Why isn't she responding to his calls?
He shut his eyes, feeling the fire coming close to him.
He stood there, channeling his focus to her scent.
Not even the fire could stop him from recognizing her scent.
The heat got close—too close that if he stayed there for three seconds longer, he'd burn.
Still, he stood, focused.
A second left.
Something hit his nose, this time not smoke... but velvet.
Her scent, which means she was still alive
He opened his eyes and jumped out of the way, running to the place her scent came from.
He jumped over the fire, slid under some. The closer he got, the harder her scent became.
This time, he could hear her scent mixed with the smoke. Intoxicating.
He got to the near end. Fire had covered the place, but her scent was harder than ever.
Dilating his pupil, he caught a glimpse of her in-between the burning fire.
The fire was getting to her, and at the same time, a rod was falling.
"Ixora!" he called and jumped in without thinking twice.
He lay over her, using his body to shield her as he hit the falling rod with his arm.
His eyes met her face. Her eyes were closed, meaning she must have passed out.
He scooped her up in his arms and jumped over the fire.
Ixora slowly opened her eyes. Must have been because of the way her body shook.
"Drexton," she whispered, curling her arm around his neck to hold him.
Their gazes were locked as he ran. Drexton looked ahead and saw that there was a lot of fire.
"What do we do now?" Ixora asked, panic rising in her chest.
"Hold me tight," Drexton muttered.
Ixora wrapped her arms tightly. She placed her face on his chest.
Drexton adjusted her before taking his eyes to the fire.
The burning flame reflected in his eyes. He increased his speed almost like that of Usain Bolt.
Ixora's heart thudded against her chest, but in all, she held him.
Drexton, while running, used his leg to kick open the door. He placed a hand on Ixora's head, pressing her head tightly against his chest.
He jumped down.
\--
Outside, the firefighters had managed to stop the fire on the first floor. The officers came out with a few people who were breathing faintly.
The ambulance was already there, and the paramedics and doctors were attending to the patients.
"Where is Ixora?" Nelly muttered, her eyes fixed on the stretcher that was being pushed out of the mall.
Some people had burned beyond recognition, while others were still recognizable.
Georgia, Blake, Nelly and James were sweating despite the cold weather. They had brought out so many people, but none of them was Ixora.
"Where is my daughter?!" Georgia yelled and ran into the mall.
The rest joined her.
"Ixora!"
"Ixora!"
"Inspector, why can't we find her?" James asked, running his hand through his hair.
The inspector shook his head. "I have no idea; it might be possible that she had already left the mall before the fire started."
"Then, why can't I get through to her?!" Blake yelled, trying her number.
"That was only an assumption. It's also possible that..." he trailed, glancing at Georgia.
Georgia's eyes turned dark. "That's what?"
He sighed before speaking. "That her body was burnt beyond one's recognition."
"Inspector!" Georgia yelled, her hand flying to his cheek.