The scent of smoke wasn’t campfire.It was industrial, with scorched insulation, burning oil, something chemical and wrong.He scanned the room out of habit, making sure nobody else was on the ground.No visible casualties, yet.
Behind the bar, Amka was trying to get through the kitchen door, shoulder down, shoving against it like sheer willpower could move it.
“Get back,” he barked, vaulting the bar in one clean move.
She turned, ash streaking her face.Her eyes met his, wild and terrified.“Nixi’s still in there.”
There wasn’t time to argue.He wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted her up, and planted her on the bar in one smooth motion.“Get over there and stay down.In case there’s another explosion.”
She didn’t argue.She swiveled around and dropped behind the bar like she’d done it a thousand times.Her eyes tracked him the whole way.
Dutch came up like a freight train, boots pounding.His nostrils flared at the smoke as he leaned down and grabbed the red fire extinguisher.“Let me go first.”
“I’ll get the girl, you take the fire.”Christian shoved open the kitchen door, bracing against the wave of heat and thick black smoke that poured out.The stench was of fire, scorched oil, and melted plastic.Heat pressed against him like a solid force.Breathing hurt.
“Nixi!”he roared into the chaos, eyes already watering.
A faint cough answered, thin and desperate.
He dropped low and entered.Muscle memory took over.Breathe through the shirt.Stay under the smoke line.Count your steps.
The kitchen was wrecked.Fire danced along the stainless steel counters, eating through a stack of takeout boxes.Grease sizzled in a broken fryer.Light fixtures popped and flickered.Visibility was trash.The heat had teeth.Glass crunched beneath his boots.He kept his head down, sweeping the floor with one hand.The coughing came again.Closer now.
He found her against the industrial fridge, curled in on herself, face smeared with soot and blood.One of her arms was pinned awkwardly behind her.Her flannel shirt had burn marks on one sleeve, and her lips were cracked.
“I’ve got you,” he said, scooping her up in a controlled lift, careful with her neck.She didn’t weigh much.
Her lips moved, barely audible.Her eyelids fluttered open, unfocused.
Dutch stormed in behind him, fire extinguisher blasting foam, cutting through the flames.The sound was deafening in the tight space.White mist overtook red.
Christian turned and carried Nixi back through the smoke, past the boiling metal, and into the main bar.He laid her on the floor behind the bar, away from the worst of the heat.The fire wasn’t spreading, but they’d need to evacuate into the cold soon.“May?”
The doctor was already vaulting a stool, hair messy, face pale but focused.“Clear space,” she ordered, dropping to her knees.“I need a towel.Water.”
Amka shoved both into her hands seconds later.Her own shook, but her grip didn’t falter.Her gaze never left Nixi’s face.
Nixi coughed again, lungs rattling.Her eyes shot open, frantic, lost.She gasped and reached for Christian’s sleeve.“?????.??? ?????.?? ?????? ?? ?????????…”
Amka leaned over.“Is that Russian?”
Christian gripped Nixi’s shoulder gently, his thumb finding the warm skin at her collarbone.“Yeah,” he murmured, the translation automatic.He’d learned the language in the service, buried it, but it came roaring back.“She’s saying everything’s burning.That the fire’s coming closer.”
May’s face darkened.“She’s inhaled something.Possibly concussed.We need to get her out of here.Now.”
Christian lifted her again.Nixi whimpered, coughed, but didn’t resist.
Amka stood, shaken but solid.“Take her.I’ll wait for Lucas and the fire truck.”
“No.You’re with us,” Christian ordered.
Dutch came out of the kitchen, extinguisher hissing in his grip, his face streaked with soot.“Fire’s down,” he said.“Decent explosion.I’ll call Brock and the troopers, and I’ll close the place down.”
“Thanks.”Christian carried Nixi outside and toward the doctor’s truck with May and Amka running beside him.Cold air hit them as they moved.The contrast slapped the sweat from his skin and cleared the smoke from his throat.
Nixi’s fingers curled into his jacket, just barely.She coughed once more, then her eyes opened a sliver.“?? ???????? ????,” she whispered.
Don’t leave me.Christian interpreted her words instantly.“I’m right here,” he said.“I’m not going anywhere.”
