Page 45 of Last Shot

‘If no one can tell me who owns that backpack ...’ Her voice was calm, but her heart was thundering. Realisation seemed to be dawning on Grey, but everyone else was still looking at her like she had started stripping off her clothes. ‘You all need to get out. Now.’

‘Who in God’s hell are you?’ Giovanni rounded on her. ‘And where do you get off ordering me and my—’

‘Gio.’ Grey held up a hand. ‘You need to listen to her.’ He walked towards the bag.

‘NO!’ Max screamed, throwing her whole weight at Greyson. ‘Don’t touch it!’

‘What is it?’ Tomaso asked.

‘Max? It could just be a bag.’ He was looking at her like she was deranged. Maybe she was.

‘Do you want to take that chance, considering everything?’ she hissed.

He shook his head, conceding. ‘You heard her – out.’

‘Carefully!’ Max warned. ‘Don’t walk near it!’

Giovanni swore under his breath. Nella, Frankie and Tomaso scampered up the stairs, Nella’s heels clicking like a clock. Luca took longer, making sure his mother was in front of him. Giovanni waited below.

‘Gio.’ Grey’s voice was hoarse. ‘You need to follow them.’

‘Like hell.’ Before she or Grey could stop him, Giovanni had cut open the backpack’s zip like he was slitting the throat of a deer he’d just shot.

Max had only ever seen bombs in training videos. She’d disabled a fake one once as part of her colleague’s hen’s night. If it ‘exploded’ before they could disable it, they had to do a body shot off the stripper.

‘Run!’ She didn’t recognise her own voice.

Everything happened in flashes. Like an old film camera rolling through projections against a wall before it all went black again.

Giovanni looked at Grey.

The little red numbers flashed 0:09.

0:08

Giovanni:No time.

Grey:Your father’s passage. Gio. GO!

0:06

The barrel where Frankie had been standing.

Gio pressed his fingers on the side.

Barrel wasn’t a barrel.

Hole opened up.

Grey:Gio, JUMP!

0:05

Gio was no longer there.

0:04

Grey:Max! MAX!

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