Free Urban Outlaws by Peter Jay Black

Obi said.
    Being guided made Jack feel uneasy, despite the fact that he trusted Obi with his life.
    They tiptoed up the next hallway towards the door at the end.
    ‘Stop,’ Obi said.
    Jack and Charlie froze.
    ‘Someone’s coming up the stairs,’ Obi said. ‘Quick. Hide.’
    Jack grabbed Charlie’s hand and ran to an office door. He threw it open, pushed her inside, closing it just in time. Seconds later someone opened the door to the stairwell.
    The heavy, slow thud of boots on marble echoed down the corridor. They stopped, a door opened, then closed and the footsteps moved on again.
    ‘Security guard’s checking rooms,’ Obi said.
    Jack looked at the lock – it was an old-fashioned mortise type – not electronic. Obi wouldn’t be able to help them with this one – they were on their own.
    Charlie was already hurrying across the room. They were in a small office. For a moment, Jack thought she was going to look for a way to open the window, but instead Charlie ran behind the desk and started opening drawers.
    ‘Obi?’ Jack said.
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Where is he?’
    ‘Three doors away.’
    Charlie finished rifling through the first drawer, cursed, slid it shut, and opened the second.
    They heard the guard’s footfall stop again and the rattle of a door handle.
    ‘That one’s locked,’ Obi said.
    The guard’s steps continued.
    Charlie shut the second drawer and moved on to the last.
    ‘Two doors left before yours.’ Obi sounded anxious.
    Charlie cursed. ‘Nothing,’ she said and slid the last drawer closed. She spun on the spot, her eyes scanning the room.
    Another rattle of a door handle.
    Jack’s mind raced. They were cornered. The windows didn’t open. He looked up at the air vent in the ceiling. Even if they could get up there in time, he doubted it would hold their weight.
    Charlie dashed over to a shelf unit.
    Jack continued to run through scenarios. Maybe they could take the guard by surprise, overpower him. Problem was, they’d have to knock him out somehow. Those single magical punches only happened in films. If only they had Charlie’s stun gun.
    Charlie upended a pot of pens. ‘Yes,’ she said, holding up a set of three keys.
    She hurried back to the door and tried the first.
    It didn’t work.
    The guard’s steps moved on down the corridor towards the room next to them.
    ‘ Hurry, Charlie ,’ Jack whispered.
    ‘All right,’ she hissed. Beads of sweat covered her brow.
    The door to the next office opened, then closed again a few seconds later. The guard’s footsteps sounded very close now.
    Charlie tried the second key.
    It didn’t work either.
    ‘Come on, seriously?’ she hissed through a clenched jaw.
    She fumbled with the keys, slid the last one into the lock, and turned it. There was a small click and she pulled back, held up her hands, her eyes wide.
    The footsteps stopped and for a second Jack thought the guard had heard the lock engage, but then the handle moved up and down. There was a pause of a couple more seconds, then the guard carried on.
    Jack and Charlie let out simultaneous breaths.
    •   •   •
    Ten minutes passed before Obi was sure the guard had moved on to another level of the building and he gave Jack and Charlie the all-clear. They unlocked the door and slipped back into the hallway.
    Their way down the fire stairs was uneventful and they reached the exit and stepped back into the alleyway.
    Charlie ducked behind a van and peered round the corner. ‘Clear.’
    Jack didn’t move – he was still holding the door open.
    Charlie turned back. ‘What are you doing?’
    ‘You go.’
    ‘What?’
    Jack glanced back at the stairs. ‘There’s something I need to do first.’
    ‘No way,’ Charlie said, rushing over to him and grabbing his hand. ‘Let’s get out of here.’
    Jack pulled his hand free. ‘I’ll meet you back at the bunker.’
    ‘But –’
    ‘Trust me,’ Jack said in a firm tone. ‘Besides, if I get caught, I’ll need you to come