Danger in the Shadows
Chapter 10: The Inferno
For one terrifying moment, Basil stood frozen in place. The smothering black smoke, the searing heat, the red-orange flames destroying everything in their path; every detail reminding him of that horrible night of his parents' deaths… He was unable to move, nearly overwhelmed with the memories that threatened to take over his acute mind. It was the small sound of a child's cry in the distance that brought him back to his senses.
"Olivia!" he called out, ducking under the smoke. "Olivia, where are you?"
"I-I'm in here!"
"Hold on!" Basil replied, hastening in the direction her voice came from. He quickly removed his cravat and placed it over his mouth and nose so he could breathe easier. Carefully climbing over destroyed furniture and toys and dodging falling debris from the ceiling, Basil made his way into a room at the back of the shop.
"Up here!" Olivia called. "Th-the steps are gone!"
Basil took in the scene with horror. The stairway leading up to the second story had been completely destroyed. He looked around for another means of reaching her, but there was nothing, and the flames were growing wilder and the smoke thicker by the second. There was only one alternative.
"Olivia…" Basil instructed. "You have to jump!"
"W-What?!" the girl cried.
"You must jump, it's the only way!" Basil insisted, holding out his arms just as he had the night he had lifted her up to safety on Big Ben. "I'll catch you!"
"B-Basil, I… I-I can't…!" she stammered fearfully.
"Yes, you can!" Basil encouraged. "You can do it Olivia! I promise I won't let you fall!" As she still hesitated, he glanced around frantically at the advancing flames. Then an idea struck him. "Just imagine you're jumping off of Toby's back, like you did the night we were searching for your father. Remember?" Basil sighed with relief as she nodded slowly. "Good, good! Now I'm going to count to three, alright?"
"O-Okay," she replied.
"One…"
Olivia took a few steps back to get a running start, still trembling with fear.
"Two…"
She closed her eyes, trying to imagine the scene Basil had suggested. She placed all her trust in her hero, not doubting him for a moment…
"Three!"
With that, Olivia flung herself over the ledge, leaping outward as far as she could. Basil grunted as he caught her, the force knocking him onto his back and causing the air to whoosh out of him as his head struck the floor.
"Basil? Basil are you alright?!" came Olivia's frantic voice through the haze of pain.
"Y-yes, I'm fine," he replied, staggering to his feet. "Now let's get out of here."
As the flames grew larger and larger, Basil quickly swooped Olivia up into his arms as he looked for a way out…
…
As the time passed at an agonizingly slow pace, Dawson grew more worried and could only watch helplessly as the flames consumed the shop. Smoke poured out the front door where Basil had disappeared, but the firefighters fought hard to extinguish the blaze. Several strangers also pitched in and did all they could to help. Dawson attempted to comfort Flaversham, who cried softly as he held his head in his hands. "My girl…" he moaned, "my poor little bairn…"
Finally, after several agonizing minutes, Basil leapt through the flames out of the broken window, holding Olivia in his arms. He stumbled forward a few steps before collapsing to the ground, coughing and choking. Several mice ran to his assistance, and they took the girl from him and led them away from the burning building. Dawson ran to him to see if he was alright, but the brave detective waved him away, pointing to Flaversham and Olivia. "H-Help them," he said hoarsely.
However, Dawson put Basil's arm around his shoulders, supporting him as he lead him to back to sit beside of Flaversham and Olivia. The toymaker hugged and kissed his daughter while Dawson examined her, but miraculously she was unhurt; then Dawson noticed Basil's Inverness coat draped around her shoulders. Basil had wrapped her in his coat in order to protect her from the flames and to keep her from inhaling the smoke.
Dawson wished he had his medical bag with him so he could better help Flaversham, but in their haste, he hadn't thought to grab it. However, someone had sent for another doctor, and thankfully, he arrived within minutes. As the other doctor tended to Flaversham's wounds, Dawson tried to examine Basil, who continued coughing. But the detective protested, "I'm fine, Dawson, really." He then turned to the Flavershams worriedly. "Are…are they alright?"
"Yes, I believe so," Dawson answered. "A few minor burns, but nothing too serious. Mr. Flaversham, can you tell us what happened?"
"I'm not sure," the toymaker replied. "As I was closing the shop, something crashed through the window, and there was a loud explosion. I was dazed and disoriented for a few moments, but I realized that the building was on fire, so I rushed into the back of the shop to find Olivia. But the smoke must have caused me to pass out."
"Arson," Dawson remarked in shock.
"Of course it was," Basil replied almost snappishly. "And with all the other murders of my past clients…I should have known; should have seen this coming…" Dawson watched Basil with concern. The great detective only became this agitated when he had failed or made a mistake during a case; and this time he was being even harder on himself because the victims were personal friends.
Basil was pulled out of mentally berating himself when he felt Olivia tugging on his sleeve. Before he could react, she latched on to his torso and hugged him as she had done when she was younger. "Thank you," she said quietly, burying her face in his shirt.
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Basil," Flaversham said gratefully. "Once again, you've saved our lives."
Basil only shook his head, too ashamed to even return Olivia's hug. "I only wish I had realized sooner… But, unfortunately, I did not sense the danger until almost too late." He hung his head sadly, wincing at the thought of what had almost happened to them. "I… I am truly very sorry for all this."
"But it's not your fault," Olivia replied, staring up at her hero with those big blue eyes of hers. Basil found that he couldn't even meet her gaze.
"Olivia's right, Mr. Basil," Flaversham agreed. "And if you hadn't come along when you did…" He trailed off, too overcome to finish the sentence.
"All that matters now is that you're both safe," Dawson said with a small smile. A few moments later, someone alerted them that a human was approaching, and all the mice relocated to a safer spot in an alley beside the building. Of course as the human passed they saw the fire, and after getting help they easily extinguished the small blaze before it could spread to the human residence above the Flaversham's toy shop, which was now destroyed beyond recognition.
Dawson glanced over at the little family sadly. Toby sat down beside them and lowered his head for Olivia to pet him, causing her to giggle and talk to him sweetly. What tragedy this poor family has been through, thought Dawson. First the whole affair with Ratigan… and now this…
"It's my fault," Basil muttered insistently, thinking the same thoughts as Dawson as he ran a hand through his disheveled hair while he restlessly paced back and forth. "I should have known this would happen…I could have prevented it…"
"We all make mistakes…" Dawson replied softly, placing a hand on Basil's shoulder, but he only shrugged it off.
"My mistake cost this family their means of living, and almost their very lives!" Basil hissed angrily. "I—"
"Mr. Basil! Mr. Basil!"
Basil rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Ooh, for heaven's sake, what is it now?" he growled irately.
He and Dawson turned toward the source of the voice and saw Stephen Hawkins from Scotland Yard sprinting down the street towards them. Skidding to a stop in front of them, the young officer bent over with his hands on his knees. "It's…it's awful," he said breathlessly, "j-just awful! I came 'round as …as fast as I could "
"Steady on there, Hawkins," Dawson said, placing his hands on the young mouse's quivering shoulders. "Now, tell us calmly and slowly; what has happened?"
Hawkins gulped. "It's… a-a prison break…"
Basil felt a chill run down his spine. "P-Prison break?" Dawson whispered in horror.
Hawkins nodded frantically, his eyes wide with fright. "O-Over fifty c-criminals have escaped from Dartmoor prison."
Author's Note: Heh heh... so sorry for being so slow to update this... But inspiration struck and I just had to get this chapter down!
Yay, the Flavershams are safe! Poor things, they just have the most terrible luck :( And of course Basil's blaming himself for the whole thing because he thinks he should have seen it coming sooner... and now he's got even more on his hands with 50 criminals escaping... the majority of which probably have a grudge against him...