Terry growled. ‘Help me? It’s a bit fucking late for that, isn’t it? You bastards – you were always going to leave me behind…’
He trailed off, rambling. Dan strained his ears to listen but couldn’t make out the words. He looked at David and shook his head. ‘I don’t think we’re going to be negotiating.’
David nodded. ‘Reckon you’re right.’ He turned back to Terry. ‘Okay, Terry. Game over. We’ve got Delaney in custody. Uli’s dead.’ He nodded at Terry’s look of disbelief. ‘That’s right – it’s just you. So, raise your hands and get on the ground.’
Terry nodded. He raised his hands halfway to his chest. And then began to laugh. He turned his hands away from Dan and David’s view. Dan saw something glint in the light of the torches. He saw Terry wince as if he’d been struck by something. And then David screamed.
‘Everybody down! He’s injected himself! He’s going to blow himself up!’
The assault team ran for cover as Terry walked slowly towards them, laughing. Dan grabbed Sarah and pulled her behind an industrial waste bin, just as David landed on top of them.
‘You’re never going to take me alive,’ Terry called. ‘That’s what I told them. That’s what I said. They chased me over that damn desert. But they couldn’t catch me, they couldn’t…’
Terry’s voice was swept away by the sound of a sickening explosion.
As the sound died away, Dan raised his head. There was nothing human left. Terry’s body had been completely incinerated, wiped away by the force of the explosion and ensuing soundwave.
‘What the hell was that?’ said Sarah, her face pale in the glow of David’s torchlight.
David visibly shuddered. ‘The next phase in terrorism. Forget suicide bombers strapping explosives to themselves.’
Dan spun round to look at him. ‘What do you mean?’
David leaned against the wall, his face tired and drawn. ‘What I mean is we have reason to believe, now proved, that in future terrorists will simply inject themselves with the chemicals needed to make themselves into a walking time bomb. And we have no way of telling. They use the same sort of needles as diabetics. Can’t spot them.’
He eased himself off the wall and looked at Dan. ‘Ready to go and play?’ He began to walk away, in the direction of the black sedan.
Dan pulled Sarah to her feet. ‘I need to take a look at that bomb. Don’t look at the walls. Do you hear me?’
She nodded.
‘I mean it. You don’t want nightmares like mine. Ever. Just keep your head down. I’ll lead you past it.’
She grasped his hand tightly and squeezed. He pulled her towards him and turned, running towards the car, David leading the way. They edged around what was left of Terry and approached the vehicle.
Chapter 50
Sarah ran up to the car and grabbed hold of one of the door handles.
‘No, don’t!’ yelled Dan, running towards her and slapping her hand away.
Sarah looked at him, bewildered.
‘Look!’ he pointed.
Sarah peered through the back window and shuddered. A silver canister perched on the back seat of the car. Half a metre in length, it was held in place by two metal posts drilled into each of the back doors of the sedan. She shuddered.
Dan scratched his chin. ‘I’ll have to go through the front door – it’ll make it more awkward to defuse it though.’ He studied the canister. ‘I can’t see a timer from here – it must be inside that panel there.’
He stood back, crossed his arms. Closing his eyes, he recalled every scenario he’d experienced before, desperately trying to think of a solution from his catalogue of memories. He squatted on the floor, taking in the details of the car, how to gain access and how to defuse the bomb.
One of the team members ran over, placing a small tool kit next to him. ‘Sorry sir, it’s all we could find.’
Dan opened the lid and looked through the contents. ‘It’ll have to do – thanks.’ Standing, he stretched and cricked his neck muscles.
‘Everybody out,’ he commanded, picking up the tool box.
The group of people milling about the car began to run out of the enclosed space, making as much distance between themselves and the impending explosion.
‘I’ll stay,’ said Sarah.
He shook his head and gave her a slight push. ‘No – get going. There’s nothing to be gained by playing hero around a bomb. I want everybody out of this area – including you. Follow the team to their muster point and wait there.’
Sarah nodded, knowing he wouldn’t change his mind. She put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. ‘Good luck.’
Dan looked up at her briefly and smiled.
‘Well, look at it this way – whatever happens, you’re going to have one hell of a story to write.’
She didn’t return his smile, but turned on her heel and walked away.
Dan watched her go until she was out of sight, and then reached out for the front door of the car. He rubbed his thumb across his fingers, took hold of the handle and pulled the door slowly open.
Nothing happened. He breathed out slowly. He climbed in, pulled the tool box in with him and placed it in the foot-well of the car. He leaned behind the front seat and looked down at the silver surface of the canister. Taking a small screwdriver from the tool box, he began to gently remove each of the screws holding a small panel in place. Once each screw was halfway out, he placed the screwdriver on the front seat and began to gently remove each screw in turn, careful not to let the panel drop from its slot until he was ready.
As the last fastening came away, Dan used his left hand to hold the panel in place. Then, slowly, he placed his fingernails under each end and carefully lifted the panel away.