.
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"I'll drive!" Winston firmly said. He knew that he would not be able to stop Barbara from going there but he would at least make sure that she would get there safely. In a hurry she had grabbed her car keys and was halfway through the office door already. All the way she fidgeted with her mobile. Nkata knew that she would love to call their boss, call him to hear his slightly mocking voice saying that everything was fine and she was seeing ghosts, but Barbara of course did not because she knew how dangerous his ringing phone could become in that probably tense situation inside the bank. Because there obviously nothing was fine.
Barbara's face was as white as chalk. Sitting useless in the passenger seat her eyes restlessly scanned the outside world fly by. Her nervous fingers played with her mobile turning it around and around and around all the time it took to bring them to the scene a few blocks away from New Scotland Yard. When the phone finally buzzed both officers jerked.
"Yes?!" she hoarsely answered it.
"DS Havers? I know you're on the way to the bank." the Commissioner said calmy on the other side of the line and with a bit of surrender to his stubborn Sergeant. "And I know I can't order you back to our office. But remember that there's professionally trained personnel handling the situation. Please don't do anything stupid. And obey their orders. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good. And Barbara, stay confident. As far as we know it's obviously only one single man and-"
"He's armed!" she interrupted him with a voice full of panic. Then she needed a deep breath to calm down another nervous wave of anxiety. Involuntarily Barbara massaged her forehead. She would not start crying. Not in front of Nkata and not with the Commissioner at the phone. She closed her eyes.
"DI Lynley will know how to get through this, Barbara. Just keep calm. And no solo action, Sergeant!"
"Yes, Sir. We're there, Sir."
"Confidence, Barbara." She disconnected the line.
"Hillier." Barbara explained to Winston while she pushed her mobile phone back into her pocket. "Telling me to stay calm and confident."
Winston patted her arm while she muttered an unintelligible curse. "He's right, Barb, and you know it."
They showed their badges when they ducked under the first of police lines but at the second one they were stopped and told that only authorised officers from the special forces were allowed behind that border. Nkata tried to argue with the uniformed officer and in that moment Barbara simply ducked under it and went on.
"Our boss is in there!" Nkata explained apologetically and with a sigh and a nod towards another young officer the guard let him pass too.
"You'll stay with her!" he said firmly and the female officer in uniform and protective vest led them a bit further, closer to the old limestone building with its new modern steel and glass frontside, added only a couple of years ago and providing a good view inside, giving the room behind the huge windows so much light and spaciousness.
They only got to the line of police team buses before they were ultimately stopped but from there they had a good overview of the waiting teams. Men and women with helmets and full bullet proof protective gear stood behind the cars, still taking cover, still hiding their total amount and all with their weapons ready. All were patiently waiting. Next to a police car a bit in the background two uniformed officers of higher ranks were quietly discussing in front of a mobile sat phone. They probably talked about the next steps and also may already be in contact with someone inside. As hard as she tried Barbara could not hear a clear word although everybody around them was silent. Even the usual city sounds were faded and only heard in a distance. Completely unaware that she had grabbed Winston's hand and almost was crushing it she searched for a sign of her boss inside the bank.
Winston understood how she felt. He had suspected those feelings a long time ago. Now it was clearly visible that Barbara felt more for their boss than she would ever admit.
"How many?" she whispered to the female officer next to them. Obviously there was only one robber who held eight or nine hostages inside and they still did not know if the shots had killed someone since nobody inside was moving much except for the man with the weapon. Winston stifled a yelp feeling Barbara's finger nails suddenly piercing the skin on the back of his hand.
"He's soaked with blood!" she whispered when she had spotted the inspector. "And he's not moving!"
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...