Exit, Part 1

I had this in my head for a few weeks. It was written completely and perfectly last week at about 4am one night. In my head. It got a bit battered in the translation to text. The events occurred several months before Jez came to Paragon. I did break it into two parts to make it a bit less "wall'o'text," since it got a little long.


Somehow, everything had gone wrong for everyone involved. The flooded offices from the pipes bursting that was supposed to keep people away instead caused many to work late to catch up on missed work. The bombs that were supposed to go off at the same time had gotten desynched, causing one to explode too soon, while the rebels were still inside the embassy. Jez and her partner Rick were only supposed to be passing through, flying back to the United States in the morning.

Less than a quarter of the building had been directly affected by the first bomb. Sirens sounded from everywhere; the security systems from inside and the local emergency vehicles outside. Outside, rescue crews streamed between ambulances and equipment to the building itself. Most of the embassy employees had gotten out, except those trapped in the ruined section of the building. The rebels still roamed through the building, no longer bothering to hide. The local police were assisting the embassy’s security, searching for the rebels and for employees who needed help getting out.

Jez and Rick knew the approximate location of the second bomb. While people still inside streamed down the staircases, Jez and Rick climbed up. The search for the second bomb had mostly been concentrated on the lower floors. However, the purpose of the bombs was more to cause panic than complete destruction, so they were placed at opposite ends of the building to cover as much ground as possible. T his second bomb was on the fifth of six floors, in an employee lounge. Jez and Rick knew this because they’d had the luck to find one of the rebels searching an office. He had been adamant about not telling them anything at all. For awhile.

“Son of a bitch,” Jez swore as the tear in her pants grew from catching on the doorway. They’d spent a few minutes directly after the first blast in the affected area of the building, helping until the rescue crews arrived. The building wasn’t in danger of immediate collapse, but the damage done had been extensive. Several people had been killed, and more injured. While climbing over debris, Jez had ripped the left leg of her pants in two places, her sleeve, and cut her hand.

Rick, as always, was immaculate, and Jez glared at him as he grinned at her briefly as they both scanned the hallway. He gave her a small nudge as they turned in perfect unison and went down the left section of the hall. She made an all but unnoticeable sidestep, intending to step on his foot, but he dodged easily and laughed under his breath as they continued without breaking stride.

They checked each room quickly. From training and practice, each knew the other’s movements and intentions as well as they knew their own. The electricity had gone out with the blast, but the hall and the rooms were lit by the flashing lights and streetlights from outside, as well as intermittent emergency lights inside. The first bomb had been placed to take out the embassy’s emergency generator. The second bomb had been placed to take out the director’s office, and most of the other of the most important offices. The director, of course, had not come back after the offices were flooded.

Inside a room with bookshelves lining the walls and two large tables in the center, they heard footsteps in the hall. Silently, they glanced at each other and went to the door and eased out. The footsteps faded away the way they had come. One person, not hurrying. They both knew it had to be one of the rebels. Jez tensed and took a step, but Rick touched her arm, stopping her.

“Bomb,” he said quietly. Jez sighed and frowned, but nodded.

Two rooms later, they came to a locked door in a corner. Jez reached for the lock picks in her boot, while Rick rattled the knob. They both stopped when they heard movement in the room.

“Hello? Is someone out there?” A hesitant male voice called from inside.

Jez and Rick waited.

“We’re locked in here… and there’s a bomb."