Page 65 of Wild Oblivion

“They have,” Daniels replied.

"Then what is that dumbass doing?"

"Shit," the sheriff grumbled.

"I'll go get him.” I darted across the street and ran into the lobby of the building.

The place was empty.

I found the stairwell and spiraled up to the 12th floor, quads burning, chest heaving for breath. Sweat misted the small of my back. No better workout than running stairs.

I burst into the main hallway and darted about, checking the offices, looking for the guy I had seen in a corner office.

I found the idiot collecting his laptop, a few notebooks, some pictures, and a few external hard drives.

I flashed my badge. "You need to evacuate the building.”

His brow wrinkled with annoyance. "I just need to get a few things.”

"Now!"

"Look, buddy. I've been working on this project for the last six months. I'm not letting all my work go up in smoke. Besides, the bomb is across the street at the aquarium. We’re totally safe here.”

I scoffed. This guy had no idea what he was talking about. “News flash. We don't know where the damn thing is. Okay. Get your ass moving.”

His annoyed gaze persisted. "You ain't the boss of me.”

"Look, dipshit. I'm risking my life to be here. Now please evacuate the building.”

"Okay, okay! I just need to grab one more thing.” He rummaged through a drawer, pulled out another data drive, and tossed it into the cardboard box with all the other items he had collected.

That's when I noticed we had another visitor.

Emily had followed me into the building. She had stepped out of the stairwell, spotted me, and jogged toward me.

My face tensed with frustration and worry. "What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t reach you by cell. The feds have jammed service in case the bomb can be triggered by remote.”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

“I know. I just…” she stammered. “I don’t think the bomb is in the aquarium. I don’t think it’s in this building either.”

“Let’s have this discussion elsewhere,” I said.

The office worker had gathered his stuff and cradled the banker box.

We all moved toward the stairwell when a thunderous BOOM rumbled the building.

The pulse tore through concrete and steel, ripping it apart at the subatomic level.

34

The pulse knocked me down and punched the air out of my lungs. Debris and loose papers swirled. The blast had sheared through concrete and rebar. It rang my bell, and my vision blurred. The air was thick with that ozonated smell.

The world had gone silent for a moment.

My pulse thumped my ears. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, and the trauma of it all made my whole body feel numb. It took a second for my hearing to return. For a few moments, I didn't know if I was here or there.