From Bunkers to Palaces

Part 14 - Dusk to Dawn

Kate looked downward, spying the back of someone's head. Pulling the glasses down to her eyes, she saw Richard, striding to the carpark.

She had to stop him! How? She wouldn't get down there and out to the carpark before he reached the car even if she went out the window and jumped.

Opening a window, she called, "Richard!" He looked around but not up. She had to make him return inside the hotel. "Richard! Richard! Help me!"

He looked up and his eyes turned to the open windows. "Help! Help!" she called, waving to him. As soon as he turned around and rushed under the portico, she went back into the bedroom and snatched the hat she'd thrown on the bed. She didn't have time to retrieve the wig, but the hat would do.

Pushing the hat on firmly and pulling up the long skirt of the black dress she wore, she climbed out the window, dropping down to the landing. Her eyes focused down, she felt pleased that Richard wasn't in view. He should be racing up to this room to save her.

Looking over the landing to see if there was a way down, she saw it; over at the end of the wall, a ladder, all the way to the ground. Holding her skirts up with one hand and to the outer rail with her other, she moved as fast as she could, all the way to the corner.

Down, down, down, she climbed, then, with her hands on the outer rails she was able to slide the rest of the way, a practiced move but not one she'd done now for several months.

"Hey! Ka...ya! Hey! Where are you going! Come back!" Richard was on the landing above, now racing to follow her.

It flooded her, she needed a new name. He'd been astute enough not to add the 't'.

Hoping she could run, Kate pulled up her skirts and bolted across to the carpark over to the nearest car that had been tampered with. Crouching, she pulled the small black magnetised box down and out from under the car and into sight. It had a timer with sixty-seconds on it. "Oh bugs!" she cried, standing, leaning on the car, catching her breath. Pulling the box off the car caused it to begin the countdown. It wasn't just a start-up-car-bomb.

Richard arrived and shock filled his face as he saw the red flashing light and a small timer counting down now at 50—49—48—47—

"Run!" he said, grabbing her hand. She held it firmly, dragging him towards her, leaning back before twisting his hand and arm, pushing his arm outwards with as much force as she could muster then releasing her hand from his. He fell sideways on the hard concrete of the carpark.

Unsnapping the belt-clip at the top of one of her boots, she dragged it off, pushing the inner liner back as she did, then stamping on the black box, now at thirty-eight-seconds; stamping on it again and again then as this wasn't stopping it, she held holding her foot on and over it until the timer stopped with just two-seconds still on it.

While Richard shook his hand, rubbing his elbow and shoulder, Kate hobbled across to the other car where she'd seen the Jerry look-alike and repeated the same foot pressure on the black box. It stopped at twenty-one-seconds. "So, they need twenty to thirty-seconds pressure, " she said.

Turning to Richard who was now beside her, she asked, "How many other rentals do you have here?"

"Two."

"Show me."

He took her hand and she said, "I need my boot to put on after I stop the others..."

They were joined by Bruce, Peter and Staffy.

"Take Kate to your cars, one car at a time, carry her to the closest first," Richard ordered adding, "I'll get Kate's boot."

When the other boxes were no longer counting down, Richard crouched, lifting Kate's hands to his shoulders, he pulled the inner sock up in the boot before he took Kate's foot and threaded the boot on to it. He fumbled with the latch on the strap while saying, "I need your keys, Staffy. Come with us. Bruce can drive. I'll take the back seat with Kate. Others will likely be watching us. It will be recording in the hotel office...