Rescue Me - 01/07
As usual when returning to the deserted building that housed their observation post, Napoleon took an indirect route, dodging down alleyways and changing direction every few minutes, just in case he had picked up a tail. In his hands was a package of vital importance...one that Napoleon knew had to be delivered safely for fear of dire consequences. Failure to deliver it intact...well, that was not an option.
The package itself didn't seem to weigh that much as Napoleon shifted it from one hand to the other, and to outward appearances it seemed innocent enough, surely not deserving of the care that he was taking with it, but Napoleon knew just how vital the contents were to the success of his mission...after all, Napoleon smiled to himself as he caught the scent of freshly made sandwiches arising from the package, after all, Illya tended to get very cranky indeed if he didn't get fed regularly while listening in on their surveillance equipment. And a cranky Illya was not something he wished to face under any circumstances.
Not that that thought made him any the more hasty in returning. He just strolled along casually, as if he hadn't a care in the world, all the while keeping a discreet eye out for people taking too much of an interest in him. This air of casualness lasted only until he rounded the final corner and saw smoke and flames pouring out of the building.
Dropping the package, Napoleon pushed his way through the crowd, which had already started forming to gaze at the unfolding conflagration. A police officer stopped him at the foot of the steps to the front door. "Now then sonny," he said, "The fire department will be here in a few minutes and they'll soon have everything under control. Sure and isn't it an empty building anyway."
"Let me through," said Napoleon urgently. "My friend is in there..." Pushing the police officer aside, he ran up the steps, slamming the front door open. A part of his mind noted that it should have been locked and filed it away for future reference, but once inside, all thoughts of doors and locks were swept from his mind. Inside was an inferno the likes of which Napoleon had never seen before. Smoke billowed through the hallway and every stick of furniture seemed to be burning furiously. "Illya!" yelled Napoleon, starting to cough as the smoke seeped into his lungs. He stumbled towards the staircase, which was already alight, but before he could reach it, there was an almighty groan and the timbers, which had been fragile enough before the fire collapsed in on themselves in a tangled heap of burning rubble. Napoleon looked around him frantically for another means of reaching the next levels but the smoke was beginning to thicken. He knew that if he got through to the kitchen and into the back yard then there was probably a ladder or a drainpipe or something that he could use to climb upstairs, but he couldn't see it through the flames and smoke. His eyes watering from the heat and smoke, he tried to find his way back to the front door but his head was spinning and he could barely breath. "Illya," he gasped as his vision started to blur. "Illya..."
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As usual when returning to the deserted building that housed their observation post, Napoleon took an indirect route, dodging down alleyways and changing direction every few minutes, just in case he had picked up a tail. In his hands was a package of vital importance...one that Napoleon knew had to be delivered safely for fear of dire consequences. Failure to deliver it intact...well, that was not an option.
The package itself didn't seem to weigh that much as Napoleon shifted it from one hand to the other, and to outward appearances it seemed innocent enough, surely not deserving of the care that he was taking with it, but Napoleon knew just how vital the contents were to the success of his mission...after all, Napoleon smiled to himself as he caught the scent of freshly made sandwiches arising from the package, after all, Illya tended to get very cranky indeed if he didn't get fed regularly while listening in on their surveillance equipment. And a cranky Illya was not something he wished to face under any circumstances.
Not that that thought made him any the more hasty in returning. He just strolled along casually, as if he hadn't a care in the world, all the while keeping a discreet eye out for people taking too much of an interest in him. This air of casualness lasted only until he rounded the final corner and saw smoke and flames pouring out of the building.
Dropping the package, Napoleon pushed his way through the crowd, which had already started forming to gaze at the unfolding conflagration. A police officer stopped him at the foot of the steps to the front door. "Now then sonny," he said, "The fire department will be here in a few minutes and they'll soon have everything under control. Sure and isn't it an empty building anyway."
"Let me through," said Napoleon urgently. "My friend is in there..." Pushing the police officer aside, he ran up the steps, slamming the front door open. A part of his mind noted that it should have been locked and filed it away for future reference, but once inside, all thoughts of doors and locks were swept from his mind. Inside was an inferno the likes of which Napoleon had never seen before. Smoke billowed through the hallway and every stick of furniture seemed to be burning furiously. "Illya!" yelled Napoleon, starting to cough as the smoke seeped into his lungs. He stumbled towards the staircase, which was already alight, but before he could reach it, there was an almighty groan and the timbers, which had been fragile enough before the fire collapsed in on themselves in a tangled heap of burning rubble. Napoleon looked around him frantically for another means of reaching the next levels but the smoke was beginning to thicken. He knew that if he got through to the kitchen and into the back yard then there was probably a ladder or a drainpipe or something that he could use to climb upstairs, but he couldn't see it through the flames and smoke. His eyes watering from the heat and smoke, he tried to find his way back to the front door but his head was spinning and he could barely breath. "Illya," he gasped as his vision started to blur. "Illya..."
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