Blackout (27 page)

Jack smiled to himself and relaxed a little. Obi was back at the Outlaws’ bunker and watching what was going on.

At the end of the corridor was another door with a round window.

Connor peered through it. ‘Kitchen,’ he said. ‘There’s a door at the other end. That probably leads to the alley where I parked the car.’ He glanced back.

Hector gave him the nod. ‘Let’s go.’

Connor pushed the door open and they strode into the kitchen.

As they walked between stainless-steel kitchen tops, the air was hot and filled with steam. Chefs barked orders at each other and the clatter of cutlery, pans and plates was deafening.

‘Hey,’ one of the chefs called to the group as they passed. ‘Who are you?’

‘Never you mind,’ Connor said.

Another chef stepped into Connor’s path. ‘We
do
mind.’ He pointed at the door to the stairwell. ‘Go back.’

Connor nodded towards the door to the alley. ‘We’re going through there.’

‘No,’ the chef said, drawing himself up to his full height. ‘You’re going back the way you came.’

Connor sighed. He looked at Hector, then at the chef. ‘Kitchen, you say?’ He opened his jacket, revealing the gun in the holster slung under his arm. ‘You sure it’s not a shooting range?’

The chef’s eyes widened and his gaze moved to a set of knives on the counter next to him.

‘I wouldn’t advise that,’ Connor said, his fingers sliding over the grip of his gun. ‘Now, this is your last chance, get out of our way and let us past.’

The door to the stairwell burst open behind them and two police officers stepped into the kitchen, guns drawn.

‘Hands above your heads,’ one of them shouted.

In one rapid move, Connor spun, pulled his gun out and fired.

The bullet hit the wall, missing one of the cops by a millimetre. Both of them returned fire and bullets ricocheted above Jack’s head.

Cloud and Monday drew their own guns and dived behind the counters.

Jack dropped to the floor and lay flat, with his hands over his head.

More shots rang out and people ran past him, shouting. He looked up. One of the cops spoke quickly into a radio, calling for backup.

Jack commando-crawled towards the alleyway door, keeping his head low, as the agents continued to exchange fire with Connor and Cloud.

Someone grabbed Jack’s leg.

‘Where do you think you’re going?’ It was Monday. He pulled Jack around the corner and shoved him against a steel cabinet. He peered over the top of the counter, let off two rounds, then ducked as several more shots thudded around him.

Monday sat back and loaded another clip into his gun. He looked at Jack. ‘Stay here,’ he said, and stepped back around the corner, firing shots.

Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the kitchen into complete darkness.

There were more shouts and gunshots flashed.

Someone gripped Jack’s arm and he tried to pull himself free.

‘It’s me,’ Charlie whispered into his ear. ‘I’m wearing night-glasses. I can see.’

Thank God
, Jack thought.

‘Are you hurt?’ she whispered.

‘No.’ Jack got to his knees. ‘Was it you who called the police?’

‘Yeah, didn’t expect this though.’

Two more flashes started another barrage of gunshots and shouting.

Charlie led Jack around the counter. Each time a gun muzzle flashed, Jack caught a glimpse of the door to the stairwell.

‘Wrong way,’ Jack whispered.

Charlie stopped. ‘No.’

Hurried footsteps passed right in front of them, then when they’d gone, she continued forward. Charlie pushed open the door to the stairwell and slid out of the kitchen.

A red light glowed above the door to the foyer and they stood, catching their breaths. Charlie went to grab the handle when the door opened and three more cops rushed in. They shone their torches on Jack and Charlie.

‘Get out of here, kids,’ the lead one said, drawing his gun. ‘Hurry, and don’t look back.’

‘Thank you,’ Charlie said in a mock shaky voice. She took Jack’s hand and pushed through the door to the foyer.

Several more police officers and a SWAT team were getting ready to go in.

A cop saw Jack and Charlie. He ran over to them and ushered them across the foyer and out of the building.

Outside, the street was filled with flashing blue lights and the sky was a blood red.

The cop pointed past a cordoned-off area. ‘Go. That way.’

Other cops waved Jack and Charlie on as they jogged down the road. They ducked under the police tape and vanished into the crowd.

They heard the distinct sound of more gun­­­­­­shots.

Slink and Wren appeared by their sides.

‘Are you two OK?’ Jack asked.

‘Course,’ Slink said. ‘You all right?’

‘Yeah,’ Jack replied. ‘Thanks for getting the lights.’ Without the convenient blackout, Jack would’ve still been in there. Probably shot. Possibly dead.

‘It wasn’t me this time,’ Slink said, pointing at Wren. ‘She was the only one who could squeeze through the air vent.’

Wren puffed her chest out.

‘Thanks,’ Jack said. ‘You guys saved my life.’ He looked at the alleyway next to the hotel. ‘Their car,’ he said in sudden realisation. ‘We should disable it. Stop them from escaping.’ He took a step forward, but Charlie grabbed his arm.

She put a finger to her ear. ‘Obi says Hector, Connor and Cloud have already made it to the car.’ She paused. ‘They’re driving off. We’re too late.’

Jack swore.

Several police radios squawked and cops ran to their cars, jumped in and gave chase, sirens blaring.

‘Come on,’ Jack said, pulling up his hood. ‘Time to get out of here.’

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A week later, Jack and Charlie were sitting on a bench in Covent Garden. It was a bright, cloud-free day and people bustled past, without a second glance. On the bench between them, partly obscured by her bag, Charlie held the directional microphone. They slipped earphones in and she pointed it at a café opposite.

Obi was sitting at a metal table outside and he had just ordered a huge chocolate brownie. He’d insisted that Jack and Charlie come with him and listen to the conversation.

A woman in her early-to-mid twenties walked up. She had a slim figure, light brown hair and wore a fast-food restaurant uniform.

Jack knew this had to be Jessica – Obi’s sister.

Obi swallowed and wiped chocolate from his mouth. ‘Hi. How are you?’ he said.

Jessica dropped into the chair opposite. ‘I’m all right.’ She glanced at the remains of the brownie. ‘You’ve got to stop eating rubbish.’

‘Yeah.’ Obi half smiled. ‘You know I’m sorry, right?’

Jessica frowned. ‘Sorry for what?’

Obi picked up a napkin and twisted it in his hands. ‘It’s my fault you had an argument with our uncle.’

‘Where did that come from?’ Jessica said. ‘We’ve been through this before – it was
not
your fault. You can’t blame yourself.’

Obi continued to twist the napkin around his fingers.

Jessica leant over the table and took it from him. ‘Why do you even think that?’

Obi took a deep breath and looked at her. ‘You were arguing about me. You had a go at him.’

‘He was treating you badly,’ Jessica said.

‘Yeah,’ Obi said. ‘But –’ He shrugged.

Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Finally, Jessica said, ‘Look, I never blamed you for him chucking me out of the house. I was old enough to look after myself.’ She traced her fingers along the pattern in the table. ‘When I realised he’d sent you to that home, I tried to get him to take you back, you know that, but he wouldn’t. I just wish I’d had the money to look after you myself.’

‘I’m doing OK,’ Obi said.

‘Are you ever going to tell me where you live?’

‘You wouldn’t believe me.’

Jessica looked away, seeming to wrestle with her own conscience.

‘It’s not that I don’t want to tell you,’ Obi said. ‘I just – I don’t – I didn’t want to –’

Jessica looked back at him. ‘Are you in trouble?’

Obi shook his head.

‘Are you safe?’

Obi nodded.

‘Please tell me where you’re staying.’

‘I live with my friends.’

‘Who are they?’ Jessica’s eyes hardened. ‘What are you up to?’

‘Nothing bad,’ Obi said. ‘We help people.’

Jessica frowned at this.

‘Trust me, Jess. I will tell you one day, I promise.’

Jessica sighed and said, ‘So, what’s new with you?’

‘I have something.’ Obi reached into the backpack by his chair and pulled out the Manila envelope. He looked at it, then slid it across the table.

Jessica stared. ‘What’s this?’

‘Your future,’ Obi said. He took a breath. ‘
Our
future.’

Jessica folded her arms again.

‘Take a look,’ Obi said. ‘Please?’

She picked up the envelope. Jessica frowned at the handwriting on the front, then slid out the paper, unfolded it and started to read.

Obi stared intently at her.

As the seconds turned into minutes, Jessica’s eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock. Finally, when she had finished reading, she held the paper in her shaking hands and looked at Obi again. ‘This –’ Her voice cracked and she swallowed. ‘This is real?’ she said in a whisper.

Obi nodded. ‘Yep.’

She leant forward. ‘How – how did you get this?’

‘From the mansion in France.’

Jessica’s eyebrows lifted. ‘You went to France?’

Obi nodded again. ‘My friends helped me.’

Jessica’s eyes glazed over and she stared unseeing into the distance.

‘Jess,’ Obi said. ‘You know what this means? You don’t have to work in that place any more. You can run the company. Mum and Dad’s business. It’s ours.’

Jessica’s eyes focused on him. ‘I don’t know how to run a company.’

‘Yeah, you do,’ Obi said. ‘Dad always said you’d –’ He stopped himself.

They stared at each other.

Finally, Jessica seemed to regain her senses. ‘What about you? We can be a family again. You can come home.’

‘I will one day,’ Obi said. ‘But not just yet.’

‘Why not?’

‘I’m not ready.’

‘But,’ Jessica said, ‘the money. You’re entitled to half.’

‘Hold on to it and I’ll let you know if I need any.’

Jessica’s eyebrows rose at that. ‘Are you sure?’

Obi nodded and grinned.

Jessica reached across the table and squeezed his hand. After a moment, she let go and stood up. She held up the will. ‘I’ll take this to a solicitor.’ And started to walk away.

Obi called after her, ‘Hey, Jess.’

She turned back. ‘Yeah?’

‘You’ll be great, I know it.’

Jess smiled. ‘Are we seeing each other again next week?’

‘
Sure
,’
Obi said
.
‘You can buy the brownies.’

‘Fine,’ Jessica said. ‘And you’re sure you’re all right?’

Obi nodded. ‘Never better.’

Jessica hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked away.

Jack looked back at Obi and could’ve sworn he saw a glimmer of a tear.

‘Right,’ Charlie said, slipping the directional microphone into her bag and zipping it up. ‘Now that all the excitement’s over, back to the real world.’ She looked at Jack. ‘We’re out of supplies, so who’s going to do the shopping?’

Jack groaned. ‘Flip you for it?’ He pulled a coin from his pocket. ‘Heads you go, tails I go.’

Charlie’s eyes narrowed. ‘OK.’

Jack tossed the coin into the air but before he’d caught it again Charlie snatched it from him.

She examined the coin and swore. ‘You idiot.’ She held it up. The coin was double-headed. ‘You tricked me.’ Her eyes went wide as she remembered the other times Jack had used it.

‘Hey, guys,’ Obi said. ‘Fancy a takeaway?’

Charlie stood up. ‘Sure, why not?’

Jack got to his feet and pulled the USB drive from his pocket.

‘What’s that?’ Charlie asked him.

‘The virus. I wasn’t comfortable keeping it on the bunker’s servers, just in case it did more damage and escaped again.’

‘What are you going to do with it?’ Obi said.

Jack gazed at the USB drive for a moment. He sighed, the power was tempting but – he dropped it to the ground.

‘Jack,’ Charlie said. ‘No –’

But it was too late – he stamped on the USB stick, breaking it into pieces.