Paper went into flames in an instant. Fire spread rapidly over the fake IDs and began approaching bottles of chemicals.
Tristan dropped the blowtorch and hurried up the stairs out of the basement. Acrid smoke followed him, and Tristan had to cover his mouth and squint his eyes.
He was half-way out when a sharp sound of a fire alarm cut through the building. Behind him, a sprinkler began pouring water from the basement's ceiling.
'Shit.'
Water was only going to destroy the evidence even more, but the fire alarm alerted everyone in the store!
"What's going on?!"
"I smell smoke coming from the inside. Call the fire department!"
"There's someone inside. Was he there all that time? Check the back exit!"
Tristan ran out of the basement, not bothering to cover the entrance again, and rushed for the back exit.