Chapter 18

JUDE HARRISON

‘Jesus Christ!’ gasped Jude as Victor Patterson’s death unfolded before him.

The terror felt by the other Passengers came through his car’s speakers alongside the uproar from the Inquest room. His stomach muscles clenched as a wave of nausea rushed through his body. Having failed to eat for the best part of twenty-four hours, there was little left inside him to make a reappearance.

Jude couldn’t tear his eyes away from the screen. Live footage continued from an unidentified second vehicle behind Victor’s burning taxi.

It braked and attempted to swerve the fireball ahead. But of all the potential hazards it had been programmed to react to, a car bomb was not one. It smashed into the rear, its bonnet crumpling like a concertina. Jude could hear more screaming, this time from inside that second car, then the car doors opened and its Passengers scrambled to safety. Moments later, a second fireball engulfed that car too and the footage came to a swift end.

He briefly forgot about Libby as his attention was drawn to the other Passengers, trapped like him, all with no means of escape. In particular, he was concerned about the visibly distressed Claire. Hers was the first voice he’d heard in his car after the Hacker’s. He watched as she held one hand over her mouth, the other protecting her unborn child. When faced with death, her maternal instinct was to shield something she loved unconditionally. He admired her selflessness. Amongst the other terrified voices, he could just about make hers out. ‘Please … I’m begging you,’ she sobbed. ‘Please.’

Jude was filled with a need to try and reassure her that help was imminent and that they mustn’t give up hope. There was very little he could say to reassure her or anyone else held in their vehicles against their will.

But he had to try.

‘Claire,’ he began, attempting to make his voice heard above the others.

‘Claire. It’s Jude Harrison.’ He waited for her to acknowledge him waving at her. ‘Are you okay?’

Her hand moved from her mouth to her eyes to brush away the tears. ‘I can’t die,’ she said, her voice barely audible above the others. ‘I can’t die now. Not like this.’

‘Please, try not to panic. I know it’s easier said than done, but we can’t give in, okay? My instinct rarely lets me down and it’s telling me that you’re a strong woman. You need to hold on to that for both of your sakes.

You hear me? Don’t give up. None of us should give up. We will find a way out of this.’

‘How?’ she asked. ‘That Hacker, he said we are all going to die like that poor old man. How can we stop that happening?’

‘I don’t know yet and it’s going to be difficult, but try and keep faith until we’ve exhausted every avenue. Okay? Will you promise me that?’

Claire sniffed up much of the snot running from her nostrils and wiped away the rest with the back of her hand. Jude watched as her response came in short, sharp nods.

His eyes returned to the screen and, in particular, Libby. In an instant he noticed that something wasn’t right with her.