PART 16
Oskar and Eli, donned their matching red hoodies, grabbed their school bags, and skeetered across the floor of the Map Room, as Skylar Moon’s booming war cry, from the floor below, tortured their ears: ‘I can’t see you, but I can sense you, and now I’m coming to GET YOU!
Oskar was lost. He felt like he was trapped inside a slasher movie, or worse a nightmare, or maybe both at the same time. Inside his mind, he turned the pages of his scrapbook. This was different. He pinched himself. It was real. Only now, he was a central character in his own demise. It felt like a cartoon chase. But, this was no Bugs Bunny, no Tom and Jerry. A nightmare you could never wake up from. No-one to turn the house lights on, and be returned to humanity of the audience. No comforting hot chocolate at home, after you tried to pick out the scariest bits of the movie, to recount with a friend as you made your way home from the cinema. He would have felt secure, except for the abject look of terror on Eli’s face.
* * * * * * *
For a moment there was a frozen silence as Max Blumenthal and Sandra Birger, attempted to make sense of what had just happened. The walls of Max’s office at SAPO HQ seemed to be closing in around him. Sandra, uncharacteristically, seemed unsure of what to do next. Skylar Moon punctuated the silence. ‘Are you two just going to sit there while those kids escape?’
Max was first off the block. ‘I’ll co-ordinate back-up. Skylar, you and Sandra begin pursuit.’
Skylar cut in on Max. ‘Let me go after them, in my own way, using my own methods. Get Sandra to go down to reception and pull-in back-up. Give me an hour before you launch a combing operation. People could get seriously hurt if you try and go in too early. Let me be the frontline and track them down.’
Sandra was speechless and collapsed back in an armchair. Max looked at Skylar. ‘I’m giving you half an hour, tops.’
* * * * * * *
Two schoolkids on the run. The combined forces of the Valkyrja and SAPO arraigned against them. Oskar and Eli huddled together in a corner, wracked by indecision. He couldn’t pick up anything sensible from Eli now. It was all crackles, flashing strobe lights played across his mind, as he attempted to read Eli. Nothing, just the electric storm of an epileptic attack imprinted on his own eyelids.
Oskar slumped into a heap, his whole body convulsed. A thick, creamy, pinkish foam, started to emanate from his lips. His goggles now removed, his pupils dilated, staring blankly at the ceiling. His heart beat it’s last drumbeat and faded to silence.
* * * * * * *
Max picked up his phone. Officer Skepp answered. ‘Skepp we have a LOCKDOWN situation, You got that?’ Clearly Skepp didn’t. Max shouted, ‘I said LOCKDOWN confirm?’ Skepp got the message. ‘Situation now, AMBER alert. Commence essential tasks, I’m sending Inspector Birger down to take over from you.’
‘What’s Lockdown?’ asked Skylar.
‘Emergency Protocol,’ explained Max, ‘in event of SAPO HQ coming under sustained attack. My guess is these villains will try to get out downstairs a.s.a.p. They’ll run into all exits being automatically shuttered by re-inforced metre-thick steel and concrete barriers being dropped from the ceilings.’
A series of loud sharp clicks behind them made them all jump.
‘What was that?’ asked Sandra, who was on the edge of panic as she loaded a clip into her Sig Sauer pistol.
‘That’s Skepp. Looks like he’s got a grip now. Those are automatic window locks being shot-bolted into place all over this block.’
‘What if they just smash the windows and escape?’ Skylar pointed out.
‘All windows are bullet-proof, shatter-resistant, triple glazed, with high pressure gas sealant between layers. Anyone, even cracking a window would get blown apart by the backblast.’
* * * * * * *
Eli pleaded with him to no avail. ‘Oskar. Oskar! We have to go. Now!!!’ Eli held on tight to the Oskar that was now corpsing out. Oskar was in repose, drained of life. He looked like the pure-white Dolomite marble of a sculptured child, laying prone, on the tomb of a rich families long, lost, loved one. Beyond cold, he was now dead to touch.
* * * * * * *
Max picked up the phone again. ‘Is that the Duty Officer at National Police Tactical Squad? Yeh, good, I’m following up from Officer Skepp’s call. This is Superintendent Blumenthal at Lamda Division, SAPO. Code Word of the day ‘Rainbow’ got that? Good. We have an internal situation at ‘D’ Block here. No further details. Let’s just say someone let loose a couple of wild animals that should be in the zoo. Situation for now, under control. I want everyone you have here like yesterday. Got it? I want the SAPO complex surrounded, but do not attempt a direct assualt on ‘D’ block without further instructions’.
Sandra and Skylar nodded. They seemed re-assured by Max’s steady hand at the tiller.
* * * * * * *
Eli leaned into Oskar. ‘Oskar, wake up, what’s the matter?’ Oskar was slumped like a sack of potatoes. Eli heaved Oskar onto his back, over the schoolbag he was carrying. Eli felt his muscles expand into the desperation of the situation. He stepped out into the corridor, eyes flashing like radar beacons.
To Eli’s relief, Oskar started to come to. He heard him murmur. ‘I want my Mama’, Oskar dribbled through the crusted goo on his lips.
‘I’m your Mama now. Worse luck.’ Eli chuntered through hard-set, battle-ready jaws.
They reached the narrow stairwell of the Fire Escape staircase. Oskar continued to burble, but at least was showing signs of life. Eli, unceremoniously, threw the limp prostrate figure of Oskar onto the steps. Eli barked into Oskar’s face. ‘You are supposed to help me. Do I have to do everything for you? Well do I?’ He slapped Oskar hard, across his cheek.
‘Förlåt’. Oskar started to flicker back into life. I think I just had a seizure. It’s called “Petit Mal” I haven’t had an attack since I was a little kid’.
* * * * * * *
Max listened intently. ‘No we do not need radio comms, and ESPECIALLY I do not want trained negotiators on hand. You can’t negotiate with wild animals. I want radio silence except for communication with Inspector Birger who will co-ordinate the armed response from Reception in ‘D’ Block. No alarms, sirens, searchlights or anything flashy unless we give the word. I want a search chopper out on stand-by, but do not land on the Helicopter pad on the roof unless called in. Get it landed in Kronobergsparken opposite from us on Polhemsgatan.
Sandra made a call out to Reception. ‘Call out the Specialist Armoury division. I want everything they can lay their hands on, and I mean, EVERYTHING, I don’t care whether it’s legal or not or requires pre-auhorisation, I’ll take the rap for it later, OK? I want all the usual, laser guided rifles and small arms. I’m authorising use of teflon bullets with silver tipped dum-dum heads. Get tasers, stun grenades, smoke bombs, gas cannisters, but I also need harpoons, flame-throwers, chains, cables, and nets.
Sandra looked back to Max.’Here. Can I trade this in? She held up the Sig Sauer. I need something with more impact. Give me a Glock automatic.’
Max reluctantly handed his own over to Sandra in exchange. ‘You’re not supposed to be issued with one of these unless you’ve had specific training, you know. There’s no safety catch for a start, so take care.’ He offered a Sig Sauer to Skylar.
Skylar declined. ‘You won’t need all this. Leave it to me.’
Sandra asked, exasperated ‘So what are you armed with?’
Skylar smiled politely. ‘Charm.’ He winked.