Chapter 2

"Captain Hunter, Luther says he's never seen this type of detonator mechanism before. He failed in his first attempt and nearly triggered the sidearm."

Captain Hunter's brow furrowed into a tight knot.

A spark of hope ignited in my chest.

"See! I was telling the truth! Let me go in there!"

Just then, Christine sauntered over slowly.

"Officer, you really shouldn't believe him. He's always been a braggart. Back in our unit, he never stopped going on about being the best in the country. But really, he's just a slacker coasting by."

She leaned in closer to Captain Hunter and whispered, "Besides, he's not quite right in the head. Last month, our superior had a talk with him. He said if he caused any more trouble, he'd be fired.

"Don't you think it's suspicious that a guy like that shows up at a bomb site with a box full of tools?"

Captain Hunter's gaze toward me shifted instantly.

I opened my mouth, but all the blood in my body was rushing to my head.

"Christine, this is no time for jokes! You're treating the safety of hundreds of people inside like a game!"

Christine put on a wounded look. "See? He's getting worked up again. People with mental instability will fly off the handle at the slightest thing. Officer, you really need to keep an eye on him. I'm worried he might hurt someone."

Captain Hunter waved his hand without hesitation.

"Take him away! Lock him up in the command vehicle. We'll wait for confirmation from headquarters."

The two officers dragged me toward the command vehicle.

I twisted my head to look back at the hotel. Inside the lobby, children in performance costumes were being evacuated in batches by the staff.

Today was the finals of the state junior piano competition.

More than 300 children and their parents were still inside, and there were only 26 minutes left before the bomb beneath their feet was set to detonate.

Inside the command vehicle, my handcuffs were fastened to the crossbar at the back of the seat.

Captain Hunter sat across from me, flipping through my phone and credentials.

"Headquarters EOD Unit, Julius Kinney." He picked up the radio. "Command Center, verify an identity. Headquarters EOD Unit, Julius Kinney, badge number 079527."

The radio crackled with static for a few moments, but no immediate reply came.

My throat was parched with desperation.

"Captain Hunter, verification takes time, but the bomb isn't going to wait. Just let me talk to Luther—I can guide him remotely over video if I have to."

Captain Hunter hesitated and was about to speak when the door of the command vehicle slid open.

Christine leaned half her body in, holding up her phone.

"Officer, have you finished your verification? I have something important to report."

"What is it?" Captain Hunter asked with a frown.

Christine stepped inside, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Captain Hunter, let me start by apologizing. I was just joking around out there. Julius really is a bomb disposal expert from the headquarters EOD unit, and all his tools are standard issue. He wasn't lying to you."

Captain Hunter furrowed his brow and was about to speak when Christine cut him off.

"But I had a reason for saying that. Three months ago, Julius made an operational error during a live-fire training exercise. He nearly got three team members blown up.

"The unit issued him a formal disciplinary penalty, and headquarters is already in the process of terminating him. But he's been refusing to sign the paperwork, and he's even vowed to get revenge on the unit."

I was dumbfounded. This was pure slander!

"Christine, you were the one who made that operational error and nearly got those three colleagues killed!"

I shot to my feet, the handcuffs yanking the chair with a loud clatter.

"If I hadn't caught it in time, those three would have been blown up by you!"

Christine flinched back at my outburst, her eyes reddening immediately.

"S-See how he gets?" she said in a trembling voice. "The moment the truth comes out, he flies into rage. He's even trying to turn it around and blame me."