Page 15 of Wild Oblivion

My finger hovered over the button again.

“You know…”

“Would you shut up!? You’re making me nervous.”

“You want me to do it?”

I pressed the button.

In an instant, the beam had pierced the metal housing and severed the trigger circuit.

A wisp of smoke drifted from the tiny hole in the metal. The acrid smell of charred metal and burnt electronics wafted.

My heart pounded.

I detached the bomb from the underside of the table, trying not to jar it or make abrupt movements. It had been affixed with dual-sided industrial-strength adhesive tape.

The table jittered and rocked slightly as the device broke free, spiking both our heartbeats. I winced, anticipating the worst.

Still no boom.

I exhaled, shared a look with Jack, then carefully put the device into a bomb detonation sphere and sealed it in. The thick-walled steel TCV (Total Containment Vessel) was designed to contain shrapnel and overpressure from a blast. The small TCV was on a motorized cart with fat, knobby tires.

Sergeant Hartman piloted the remote TCV out of the restaurant, and we grabbed the doors, holding them open. Hartman drove the TCV across the street and up a ramp, into the back of a total containment vehicle, where it was sealed inside.

Blood pumped, and adrenaline coursed through my veins. You’ll never feel more alive than on the brink of death. I was an adrenaline junkie and had certainly gotten my fix for the day. Maybe even the year.

By that time, the FBI had arrived.

With the threat somewhat neutralized, the BDU removed the device from the area and recovered the portable mini-fluoroscope. The ATF would take over and make the evaluation.

It was a tense few moments, but now that the threat was neutralized, a wave of relief washed over all of us.

Jack looked at his watch with a triumphant grin. “It’s happy hour somewhere.”

I didn’t disagree.

It would take a minute to ramp down from the adrenaline, and a nice glass of whiskey might smooth the transition.

Paris Delaney and other news crews had captured all the tense moments. The camera closed in and the lens focused. "Deputy Wild, you were able to successfully disable the bomb. Can you tell us what kind of device it was?"

"The threat has been neutralized. If anyone has any information about the perpetrator of this crime, please contact the Coconut County Sheriff's Department.”

"What went through your mind as you disabled the bomb?"

"I kept thinking I better not make a mistake." I smiled and stepped out of frame.

I was sure she’d run with the lead:Deputies save Coconut Key from certain doom.

I wouldn’t be disappointed with a headline like that.

I talked to Tony. He smiled from ear to ear and gave me a bear hug. “You’re a fugg’n hero, brother!”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Pizza anytime, on the house. You know that.”

“Thank you. You got any surveillance footage?” I knew better, but I thought I’d ask.