We wait a second before Drew's voice comes back over the radio.
“That’s a negative for both. They had barricaded ten people into an office, and it looks like they went down fighting. All ten people alive and accounted for.”
I send up a silent prayer and thanks to the two guys who gave their lives today. Drew has found these first two bodies, and I’m taking that as a positive. If they aren’t killing on sight, then our girls stand a real chance of getting out of this alive.
“Wilson!”
We turn to see a policeman rushing towards us.
“A call came through, it’s a 999 call. They are refusing to speak to anyone but a Logan Wilson, Calvin Anderson or Drew Cambell. We think they are calling from inside.”
Logan grabs the phone from the office.
“This is Logan Wilson.”
“Daddy?”
My legs buckle from underneath me at the sound of her scared little voice. Terry grabs me before I fall completely.
“Luna, Princess? Is that you?” Logan asks as he grabs the table for support.
“Daddy, I’m scared,” Luna's voice breaks as she cries down the phone.
“I know, but you have been so brave so far. We’re coming. Where are you, princess?” Logan asks as he throws the cup of coffee out of the way and pulls out the blueprints again.
“In the room, I colour in when I come to work with Mummy. She hid me under a table, but it's been so long, and I don’t know where she is. Mummy told me to stay hidden, but when she didn’t come back, I used the phone in here to call the police to ask for you.” Luna starts to sob, and my heart breaks. I point to the room on the blueprint for Logan.
“It’s the same one I sat in with her the first time I met her,” I explain when he frowns.
“Is Daddy Pippin there?”
“I’m here, Luna bug. I’m going to tell Daddy Bambi where you are now. One of us will be there soon, I promise.” I grab our walkie-talkie and connect to Drew.
“Bugs on the line. She’s safe and thinks she’s alone,” I tell him. “I’m going in what’s the best route?”
“No, you’re not. You are going to negotiate with the ones in the basement. We need to get a way of communicating with them so we can get Chelsea out of there ASAP,” Logan snaps.
“I’ll go.”
I turn to see Terry standing beside me. “Tell her I’m on my way. I know what route the others have taken and can get to her quicker and safer. You need to get her mum to safety.”
Before I can reply, Terry pulls up his mask and rushes back to the building. I stand watching the guy who gave me a new path to follow when I felt lost. Now he is running to save my new reason to live. I look to Logan, who is watching Terry disappear out of sight, before he picks up the phone, which Luna is on the other end of.
“Princess, Daddy Pip's old work friend is on his way. He’s going to bring you to us. But I need you to go back to your hiding spot until he gets there, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy,” is all I hear before the line goes dead, and once again, all we can do is wait.
45
Drew
Since Calvin told me Luna was on the top floor alone, I’ve done everything possible to get up here. I’m just leaving the second from last floor when I run into Terry on the stairs.
“Luna’s on the top floor. Calvin was going to charge in to get her, but I told him I would. They are going to try and speak to the guys in the basement now they know that’s where Chels is,” he explains. I notice he is a little out of breath, and to be fair, I’m not surprised. We have all inhaled quite a bit of smoke from what turned out to be smoke bombs set off in several places on each floor. I fucking hate those things and have always avoided them when I can. But right now, that’s the least of my worries I need to get to Luna.
We continue to head up the stairs, taking our time in case there is anyone still hanging around, but luckily, we are met by no one. We reach the door, but as I go to enter first, as I have all on every floor, Terry holds out a hand and stops me.
“Let me go. The last thing your baby needs is to see you getting shot.”