“Okay, hang on. Right, your private elevator is jammed between levels 42 and 41. It has structural damage according to these reports. The backup brakes are locked and it’s not going anywhere. Elevators one, two and four and at ground level and secure, and cart three is on automatic override and is on its way down now with Brett in it.”
“Good, override number one now.”
“I can get it as far as level 41, Sir. You’ll have to take the stairs after that.”
“Just do it now Dale, fuck! And override the security lock to all my apartment access doors.”
“Okay, cart one is open, go! And Bryce...from one mate to another, be careful. I can’t tell the extent of the damage. Cameras are down up there.”
I hung up, not having time for small talk. I had to get to Alexis. I had to make sure she was alright. Fuck! I hope she is alright. No, she has to be alright.
The doors to elevator one opened and I wasted no time in stepping inside and indicating to the surveillance camera—the one I knew Dale was watching—that the cart should hurry and move. The doors then closed and the cart climbed with speed.
Running my hands through my hair, as I impatiently paced the enclosed space on my way to the penthouse floor, I couldn’t help but replay in my mind Alexis’ terrified voice. Of her crying out what she thought were her last words and telling me that she loved me and always would, that she loved her kids, kids I now loved too.
“Fuck!” Can’t this thing go any faster? I loved her so much, and the thought of her being...dead...hell, I couldn’t even comprehend that. I’d already had that feeling before for the smallest of seconds and it tore me apart, was the worst few seconds of my life.
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open, and barely waiting till they were wide enough, I squeezed through and headed for the stairwell. All I could smell when I opened the door and started to climb the stairs—again taking many at a time—was smoke.
As I approached the door to my apartment, the roar of flames deafened my hearing and smoke was now visible and thick, burning my eyes and lungs. I pulled my shirt up to cover my mouth and nose then touched the door handle. It was hot but not scorching hot, so I gripped it tighter and turned. Then, without precaution or hesitation, I pushed the door forward, being met with flames, smoke, steam, and water from the sprinklers—visibility was almost impossible.
“Alexis!” I shouted, through a wall of smoke and orange heat from the flames. “Alexis!” Please, please answer me. There was nothing, no response. All I could hear was the crackling of fire.
Looking up while shielding my eyes from the flames, I noticed the second floor to be smoke filled but not yet ferociously dominated by fire, and with hope, I turned back toward the stairwell and climbed another level.
I burst through the doors to my second story apartment then bent down low to avoid the thicker smoke and to get a better visual of the space ahead of me. I scampered toward our bedroom, all the while shouting her name.
“Alexis!” I repeated, painfully realising that she wasn’t there. “Alexis!”
I stumbled back out of our room, my lungs straining from the lack of oxygen, and my eyes begging for relief from the smoke. The radiant heat from the fires scorching blaze was also starting to find its way to the second floor, making my plans to continue to search a hell of a lot harder. I headed back to the stairwell door when I ran straight into a firefighter.
“You need to leave, Sir. It’s not safe up here—” he shouted, just as another smaller explosion sounded.
“Alexis!” I yelled while trying to barge past him, fighting his aggressive restraint. “Fucking let me go, my fiancé is up here somewhere.”
“You need to leave. We’ll find her,” he said automatically, as he led me back into the stairwell.
Other firefighters were coming up the stairs in single file.
“Bryce!” I heard one of them call.
I looked up and noticed Derek lifting his breathing apparatus from his face. “Bryce, thank fuck you’re alright, Mate.”
“I’m not alright, Alexis is in there.” I looked back at the door, ready to go right back through it.
He grabbed my arm, forcefully. “I’ll find her, Mate.” Then he pushed past me and ran inside.
“Sir, you need to come down to the next level.”
Coughing, I followed the firefighter down to the next level where I leaned into the wall, trying to catch my breath. She has to be alright, they have to find her. And, Gareth...Fuck! I couldn’t even think about what may have happened to my cousin, just the thought of it made me feel sick.
I lifted my head to see a few firefighters exit the stairwell and few more take their place, but still no sign of Alexis, Gareth, or Derek. I can’t do this, I can’t just fucking wait here. Just as I was about to go back up, a firefighter came out and grabbed his radio. “Confirmation: DB found.”