The 'bang' is more like a 'boom' that shakes the ground. Sounds of breaking glass follow shortly after and the sickening smell of smoke fills my nostrils. Rushing from the alleyway, the perpetrator becomes all too clear. At the end of the street, a tall building is burning from the inside out. The flames lick the building sides, charring the brick, and smoke fumes at the top in a mushroom of gray against the dark night sky. Another blast shakes the ground like a bomb is going off, and the place looks like it'll fall down any second.
With the purple dragons pushed to the back of my mind, I rush from the alley. There are bigger fish to fry. Or, in this case, to douse in water so they'll quit catching on fire. People scream from inside the building, only a few rushing out to escape the flames. I look down the streets and don't hear sirens. It makes sense, seeing as how the closest station is five minutes away. So, I do what any insane fourteen-year-old girl with ninja training would do; I rush inside the burning building.
The smoke hasn't reached the front doors yet and it's easy to get in. Thankfully, some people are already running out by their selves. Still, I know not everyone is safe. If this isn't a good time for Donnie's tech help, I don't know what is. I quickly pull out the headset portion of my shell cell and ring Donnie. I get through two hallways and pass half a dozen people before he finally answers, "Hello? Donnie speaking."
"Donnie, quick, can you still do that thing where you scan a building to find heat signatures and stuff? So you can know where people are?" I ask frantically.
"Yeah, why? What's up, Lex?" he asks, slightly worried.
I've hit the smoke. It burns my lungs and I move back a few steps to cough it away. Just in time for a large piece of burning wood to fall where I'd been standing, "The biochemical technical institute near the harbor," I choke out, "Do it for that building." I catch my breath, doing a breathing technique Leo taught me for situations just like this one. I don't know how effective it will be while I'm running around and surrounded by this much smoke, but hey, maybe I'll get lucky.
Cautiously, but quickly, I jump over the still burning banister. I'm surprised the ceiling hasn't- "Um, okay," Don interrupts my thoughts. I hear faintly as he rolls across the room in his chair, "Lex, what's this about? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I hold the phone away as I cough out some more smoke and keep running, "Just hurry."
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying," he groans. "There- Whoa, that building is showing a lot of heat. Lex, what's going-"
"No time to explain," I cut him short, though I guess screaming 'there's a freaking fire!' would be a good and simple way of putting things, "Can you tell where people are?"
"Yeah, let's see…" he mutters, as I run down a hall. I stop as another part of the ceiling falls down in front of me. It blocks my path and I glare at it. My glare is quickly set upon another when I watch a large metal man with spikes walk out a back door. The Shredder doesn't give me a second glance as his huge lackie with a purple duck tattoo follows him seconds later. Hun gives a fake salute, just before even more of the fiery ceiling falls in the way to separate us.
"I got it," my brother makes me jump. I'd forgotten he was even there. "Wait…are you in the building? Lex! Get out of there! It's on fire!"
"No kidding, Sherlock," I cough, "Is there anyone else still inside?"
"Yeah, two floors up from your shell signal and one in the room next to you." I look sideways at the room the Shredder just left. Boy, do I hope it's not a dead body.