Thick smoke began to rise, mixed with faint flickers of fire. People were running and shouting in the streets, and the moment Duncan heard the cries, his eyes widened slightly. The museum… the ocean museum near Cross Street… Nina!
Nina was visiting the ocean museum with her classmates this afternoon, right in the direction where the smoke was rising!
Duncan started to run toward the museum but quickly realized that getting there from this street wouldn’t be easy. Even though the smoke was visible, the winding roads would waste a lot of time. Taking a taxi wasn’t realistic either—there weren’t enough taxis around, and even if he managed to stop one, no driver would want to take him to a dangerous fire scene.
Duncan’s mind raced as he thought things through. He was anxious but remained calm. After quickly assessing the situation, a bold idea popped into his head.
“Ai Yi!” he suddenly commanded in his mind, speeding up his steps and slipping into the shadows of a nearby alley.