Chapter 59: Fire
"..."
The pain in his shoulder momentarily overpowered his anxiety. Spitting another string of curses, Duke turned, hauled Naomi Watts over his shoulder, and cleared the reaching flames in a few long strides.
More and more people rushed to the scene. Firefighters arrived shortly after, and the blaze was quickly brought under control.
Standing by the doors of the soundstage opposite the fire, Duke slowly regained his composure. Though the air radiated heat and his smoke-singed skin stung, his chest felt icy cold. The fire had started inside the warehouse. It was easy to guess the fate of the highly flammable film stock.
His anxiety and fury gradually hardened into calm. Why had the fire started on the inside? Why hadn't the warehouse's fire suppression systems triggered? Why this specific warehouse? Why was it The Rock's equipment and film that burned?
Yes, fires broke out at Hollywood lots almost every year, including at the Big Six Companies. Productions like Forrest Gump and Batman had lost portions of their film stock to blazes. No one ever really figured out how those fires started, but... why had this one broken out right after the crew wrapped up?
"Duke..." Naomi's panicked voice sounded beside his ear. "Are you all right? You terrified me."
"Sorry..."
Turning around, Duke gave her soot-stained cheek a reassuring squeeze.