2:48… 2:47… 2:46…
The green digital numbers blinked through the wire mesh that enclosed the storage area.
2:43… 2:42… 2:41…
"Damn!" Michael crouched down so he could get a better look at the bomb that sat on the floor next to two dozen gleaming metal barrels. The bomb itself wasn't very large - a complex array of wires and four bricks of C4 attached to a timer. By itself it would take out a large portion of the sub-basement, but combined with the chemical stored in the barrels it could take down the entire twenty-story building. Michael tugged on the door. It was locked. He swore again, then turned to look at Sam and Fi who, in turn, were staring at the bright green numbers as they counted down.
2:13… 2: 12… 2:11…
"Start evacuating." Michael nodded across the parking garage, toward the stairwell door. "Pull the fire alarm and then 911 and let them know what's happening." He turned back to the locked door. He could pick it in thirty seconds and still have a minute and a half to disarm the bomb.
1:59… 1:58… 1:57…
He heard Sam race toward the alarm. Fi didn't move. "What are you doing, Michael?"
"The building will never be cleared in time." His lock picks were in his hand and he dropped to one knee to get a good look at the lock on the door. He could do this. "I've got to try to disarm it."
The scream of the fire alarm silenced Fi's response. He ignored everything and worked the lock. He almost had it. A gunshot pierced the air and the loudest of the alarms silenced. He looked up to see Fi holding a gun. She nodded at the nearest fire alarm speaker that was now a silent, smoking mess. Alarms could still be heard echoing throughout the building. Michael returned his concentration to the lock. It clicked open just as Sam returned.
1:31… 1:29… 1:28…
"What are you doing?"
"I've got to do this, Sam. You and Fi, get outside and help where you can."
"Damn it, Mikey." Sam's jaw clenched for a moment before he nodded. "All right. But don't forget you owe me a Mojito for helping with this. Don't go blowing yourself up to get out of that! Come on, Fi. The cops should be coming."
1:14… 1:13… 1:12…
"I'm not going." Fi re-holstered her gun and glared at Michael for a second before looking back at Sam.
"Fine." The tick in Sam's jaw worked again. "But I expect you to be there when Michael buys me that drink." Sam turned and ran toward the stairwell.
1:01… 1:00… 0:59
"Fi-"
"No, Michael." She reached passed him and pulled open the door. "You can't tell me you want to send away the best bomb person here."
"No." Michael dropped his hand to her arm. "But I want you to go."
She smiled and walked through the door.
0:53… 0:52… 0:51…
Fi knelt by the bomb. Michael let her take the lead. She was right. She knew more about this than he did. Especially when it came to the homemade stuff. He watched her for a moment as she intently studied the timer, quietly muttering under her breath. He bit back the urge to again tell her to leave. Instead he took the time to check for a secondary trigger. He walked around the edge of the cage, looking for wires leading to the barrels. There were none. He checked between the barrels, looking for another explosive. It was clean.
He circled the perimeter and ended back by Fi.
0:21… 0:20… 0:19…
"This is such sloppy work, Michael." She sounded genuinely hurt that someone would be so careless.
He dropped to one knee next to her. "Nothing?"
She reached out and ran her finger along a blue plastic-coated wire. It looked like all the other blue plastic-coated wires that covered the device. "I think this may cut the circuit." She held a small clippers over the wire. Hesitated.
0:12… 0:11… 0:10…
"You think?"
"It feels right." She shrugged and smiled.
0:06… 0:05… 0:04
Michael put his hand on her shoulder. "That's good enough for me."
0:02… 0:01…
Fi clipped the wire.
0:00
Michael stared at zeros on the timer. Listened to the wail of sirens outside as they mingled with the incessant blaring of the fire alarms. Smelled the sweet, musky perfume Fi wore. Felt her comforting warmth next to him.
She smiled and lunged at him, enveloping him in a passionate kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and the kiss deepened. It was more than good enough.