Page 130 of One Eye Open (The BlackWater)

At precisely two pm the bombs went off.

They’d been hidden in five cars and unknowingly parked by their owners so strategically that the whole structural integrity of the building was compromised.

Another two bombs went off out the front ensuring there was complete and utter carnage.

The building shook. The glass shattered. People were screaming and then one by one the metal frame that held the whole structure up began to buckle.

It took all of a few minutes for people to realise what was happening. That the building was about to collapse.

Sirens were already screaming in the distance. Police, ambulances, fire crews all rushing to get to the scene but before they could even get close, a huge secondary explosion went off as the building collapsed and the earth shook as if someone had physically shaken it.

For a moment everything fell deathly silent. Everyone paused.

And then more screams erupted.

Maddie was driving backwith Thomas. They’d been on a reccy that Brandon had sent them on. She sat in the passenger seat checking her emails and messaging Max to see how the Major Crimes Department was coping without her.

She half snorted at the sarcastic reply he sent when he’d messaged that no one had even noticed she was gone.

“Er, Maddie you might want to hear this.” Thomas said interrupting her thoughts.

“What?” She said looking up and seeing him play with the car radio volume to turn it up a few notches.

“…We’re getting reports of a massive explosion that has taken place in Central London. Unofficial sources are stating that some sort of bomb has gone off outside Black Industries with potentially mass casualties. Police and emergency services are at the scene but we will keep you updated as this story develops…”

“What the fuck?” Maddie gasped staring from the radio to Thomas’s face.

“You don’t think?” He said and she nodded.

She grabbed her phone dialling Cole’s number but it wouldn’t even connect. Sure, there was a likelihood too many people were using the network but suddenly she was shaking.

“Turn around.” She said.

“What?” Thomas said.

“Turn around. Take me there. Now.”

“Maddie you won’t even get close.”

“I don’t give a fuck. Drive.” She shouted and he shook his head but pulled a u-turn anyway ignoring the abuse the car behind him started giving them.

Maddie dialled his number again. Nothing.

And again.

She kept dialling it. Over and over.

When they were two streets away they hit the roadblock. Traffic was at a standstill. Police were everywhere.

“We won’t get any closer than this.” Thomas stated.

“I will.” Maddie muttered undoing her seatbelt and jumping out the car.

She started sprinting, dodging the crowds, dodging the vultures that were there for the drama, the excitement. Her leg throbbed under her but she didn’t care. It didn’t matter how far she had to run, how badly it hurt, she wasn’t going to stop until she found Cole.

Someone stepped in front of her and she barrelled them out the way.

She jumped over the bonnet of a car. Ducked as someone else tried to block her.

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