Chapter 7: Six Devices
Bomb technicians found the first device beneath the main stage.
The second was hidden inside a maintenance cart.
The third was attached beneath a bridge crowded with pedestrians.
Each device used a different triggering system.
Victor had designed them to delay the bomb squad.
John studied the festival map recovered from the safe house.
Six red marks had been drawn across the page.
But there was a seventh mark near an abandoned office building overlooking the river.
John understood.
Victor wanted to watch.
He entered the building alone.
The elevator was disabled, so he climbed twelve floors by stairwell.
At the top, he found a rifle stand beside an open window.
Victor was watching the evacuation through binoculars.
John raised his weapon.
“Step away from the window.”
Victor slowly turned.
“You came alone.”
“No.”
Victor glanced toward the stairwell.
John shook his head.
“This time, I wanted you to believe I did.”
Victor smiled and pressed a button.
A screen on the wall showed the timer.
Nine minutes remained.
“Kill me, and the bombs detonate.”
John lowered his weapon slightly.
“Tell me how to stop them.”
Victor moved toward a side door.
May you like
“Catch me.”
Then he ran.
