Blackport PD: Paranormal Detectives

Chapter 26

Nathan’s POV

“W-Why?” I asked, panting. Gene just helped me got up exactly from the time that my hand slipped from the railing. He did not answer and just watch the people burning beneath us without screaming in agony.

I looked down and watched them get their skins roasted as blood starts dripping on the floor. The crispy sound of flesh and the smell of human meat disperse in the air. I might suffocate to the sight if I am not used to seeing brutal scenes like this when I was in my own timeline.

Due to the congested crowd, the fire went aggressive and became bigger than a while ago. I slowly stepped down when the fire goes higher that it almost reaches our location, spreading from the carpet and into the nearest furniture.

“Can you control your fire? Because if not...” I faced Gene who is now aware of what had he done. “We’re going to die from suffocation,” I continued as my eyes roam on the closed windows and doors and there will be no way to alleviate the smoke.

I faced him straight in the eye and there, I found it, the answer to my question.

“I c-can’t...” He replied. The void in his eyes are now gone and is now filled with a bit of fear. He smacked his head several times before stopping and looking down below us where the fire has ignited almost half of the casino.

“I may not be able to feel the heat because that fire is from me, but based from your sweat and the intensity of these...” I wiped the sweat dripping off my face and covered my nose to prevent the smoke from entering it.

“We must get out of here now. Where are they?” I looked around to see any signs of the two but due to my blurry vision and smoke that is starting to cover the entire area, it is now harder to look around and find them.

I raised my head and see the upper most floor of this casino unoccupied and that the fire hasn’t reach that area. I grabbed Gene from his arms but he just pulled it away.

“Come on man, I may not die of fire but you, draining my energy will.” He scoffed and ran upstairs which I immediately followed.

“I still don’t know what had happened, but I remember Antonov telling me something... I just don’t understand him.” He mumbles under his breath while continuously running up to the next stairs leading to the third floor. The floor I was looking at earlier was on the sixth and honestly, as we go nearer and nearer, I can feel this unusual energy getting stronger as time passes by.

“Why did you stop?” I asked Gene whom I bumped on with. We are currently on the fifth floor and the hair on my skin really raised due to the intensity I was feeling right now.

“I know you could feel that too, because so do I...” He showed me his skin which is glowing red with no apparent reason.

“Something is really off. I don’t know what it is...” He mumbled under his breath and inhales deeply, only to cough in the end.

The smoke rises and reaches our direction. I could feel the sweat all over my body and this lack of oxygen is indeed killing me. If only there is a way to open up the windows so the smoke will escape there...

Wait a second...

I looked at the curtain covering the glass window and then back to Gene who is still lost in his thoughts. A smile formed onto my lips as an idea popped into my mind.

If I cannot stop the fire, why won’t I use it to burn the curtains and break the glass with intense heat?

“Hey Gene!” He looks at my direction with a confused look. I pointed at the 6 different windows all over the place and motioned the fire below and his arms. His brows furrowed a bit until he realizes something.

“But...” He hastily said while biting his fingers. I nod at him while still covering my nose as the smoke arises into the fifth floor. The windows are quite wide and in any case that we manage to smash them, the smoke will break free and will ease the tension inside.

“You can do it, Gene!” He nods at me and points his palms at the direction of the window near us. He took a deep breath and released a fire ball in that location. The curtain got caught and the fire easily spreads. As the curtain disappears, he aim at the glass and the force of his fire smash it open, making the smoke come out from that direction.

He starts doing it for the next four windows and the farther it becomes, the greater the force he is exerting and the intensive the fire he is also producing. Based on his deep breaths and sweat coming out from his body, up to the exhaustion visible in his eyes, I could tell that he is now depleting his energy fast.

“I c-can’t do this anymore...” He said while panting. The smoke has been lessen as it escapes through the windows but still not enough to keep us going for a long time.

I looked at the direction where the last, the farthest and the biggest window almost about 8 feet in height. We are on the other side of the casino while it is located directly in front of us. The gap is really wide and the exhaustion of Gene makes it quite impossible to break this.

“But we must...” I told him. That window is really huge that it will lessen around 50% of the smoke arising from the area. Even if the fire keeps burning, as long as the smoke did not interfere with their breathing then they were good, for a while.

The heat is too much for me to handle but I must keep going because I can feel that we are near to the answers to what this Los Paradise is hiding and might as well put a stop to whatever is in this place. Nobody deserves to be lost in time; especially me who did not originated from this timeline.

“Take a deep breath, relax... Conserve your energy and aim it at the center,” I commanded him. The smoke does not reach our area anymore but will be if we did not move any faster. He does as I instructed and points his palms at the center. I can see his hands shaking and as much as I want to touch to support him, I won’t because I knew this would just lead to more draining that he could ever imagine.

I raised my hands and looks sadly at it. Yes, it is beneficial, strong, rare and deadly but... It has lots of advantages and works most of the time like a curse, both to the user and everyone around him.

No wonder that the real Nathan didn’t want to accept this ability...

“Fire!” I shouted and Gene automatically shoots the fire on to the center of the curtain. I saw how his body gave up and sit down to the ground while the blazing fire made its way up to the curtain.

“Please bear with us, break that glass...” I prayed without breaking eye contact with the fire. I almost jump in joy as a loud, crashing sound was heard everyone and the smoke clear faster than ever. The force and heat from the fire made it to pass through and pierce from the curtain and directly to the window that is now wide open and broken.

“You did a great job! Come on – Gene?!”

I saw him lying unconsciously on the ground as blood starts dripping off from his hand. I scan his palm and saw that it is slowly being covered with black that grows up to his arms as time passes by. I froze when I realized what was happening to him because I encountered things like this before.

I slowly shift my glance to him and saw his pale lips getting darker. I smiled sadly as my hands starts to tremble in uncontrolled fear.

Because what is happening to Gene is not a good sign and I must act and do something now. Due to his excessive use of his abilities and once that it no longer got energy from him, his ability will use his life force to support it, slowly killing him in the process.

And this is the reality happening right now. I dropped his palm to prevent myself from speeding up the process and look everywhere to find anything or anyone to help me stop this. I kicked the door open near us and it leads me to a bed room where people rest or stays. Unfortunately, there is nothing that could help Gene who has a special ability, unless we are helped by another one with a special ability too.

“Mica...” I blurted out and tried sensing where her energy is. I tried so hard until I sense a faint and familiar energy coming above me, on to the sixth floor where the intensity of the power of an unknown creature lurks around.

“I’m going upstairs to ask for help...” I told Gene even if he is not responding anymore. I drag him into the open room and lay him comfortably in the bed before I went to the door. Before leaving, I turned my head and looked at him sadly before uttering the words I promised and hope he follows.

“I’ll go get Mica to save you. Please hold on and don’t go to the other side yet...”