Collateral Damage - Marc Cerasini [84]
"I'm going to investigate," Roddy declared.
"No, wait," Claudia urged. "Stay here until we know more. This could be a terrorist event."
"Now you're being absurd," Roddy replied. "Obviously your husband's right-wing fantasies have clouded your mind."
Outside, a red glow continued to spread over the predawn sky. Sirens wailed. On television, the news anchor's running commentary about the troubled history of the Big Dig was suddenly interrupted when someone off camera slipped him a sheet of paper.
"We've just received word of a second explosion. This one at Harvard Medical School..."
"My god!" Gillian cried.
Roddy stormed off before Claudia could stop him. Both women were relieved when they heard him climb the stairs, instead of going to the front door.
"We have raw video feed coming in of the initial blast at the Big Dig," the anchor said.
On screen, a massive hole in the center of town was spewing fire like a live volcano. Buildings around the site had collapsed, some of them burning. Though horrified, the sisters could not turn away from the screen.
Outside, a police car raced down narrow Acorn Street, lights flashing. They heard popping sounds, like fireworks going off. Then the sound of a car crash.
Roderick appeared in the kitchen again. He was dressed in khaki pants and a golf shirt. "Here," he said, handing a phone to Claudia. "I found your phone on the dresser. Your cell's been ringing nonstop."
Claudia took the phone. It wasn't ringing now, but she had three missed messages in just the past five minutes. She was about to call up the latest one when her cell went off in her hand.
"Where are you going, Roddy?" Gillian cried, nearly hysterical.
"Out. To see what all this ruckus is about."
"No, you can't..."
"Hello," Claudia said into her cell.
"Claudia, thank God you're safe," said her husband.
"Of course I'm safe. A little rattled, maybe..."
"Listen, a terror alert has just been issued for the Boston area."
"I knew it," Claudia said.
Outside, the fireworks got louder, and closer.
"We got the word in earlier this evening, from an untrustworthy source, frankly," Nathan Wheelock continued.
"But it appears the agent in question was correct."
Roddy stormed out of the kitchen. Gillian wrung her hands.
On television, the announcer warned: "The Mayor has just issued a command that all citizens of the Boston area are to remain inside their homes. Let me repeat that..."
"Roddy!" Gillian cried, rushing to the front door.
"Truck bombs, Claudia," Nathan Wheelock said. "At least two of them, possibly as many as four..."
"We heard a number of explosions," Claudia replied.
"Now it sounds like fireworks outside..."
"Those aren't fireworks," Nathan cried. "They're gunshots."
On the television, the anchor took another piece of paper and visibly paled. "We've just received another bulletin. Armed gangs are roving the streets around Boston Commons and the Beacon Hill area. All citizens in those neighborhoods are advised to lock their doors and take shelter in basements or attics..."
Claudia heard a fusillade that seemed to fire off right outside their door. She heard Gillian scream. Claudia closed the phone and bolted to the entranceway. Gillian was standing in the door, clutching her head.
Outside, someone was facedown on the pavement, blood pooling around a shattered skull. It took Claudia a moment to realize it was Roderick. Another form was crumpled on the sidewalk, a youth with long hair and a brown beard, wearing tie-dyed pajamas.
Claudia dragged her sister's arm, yanked her backward, then shut and locked the door. Another round of shots rang out, one of them puncturing the stout oak and shattering a mirror in the hallway.
On the other side of the door, they heard shouts and screams — and more shooting. Claudia dragged her sister deeper inside the house just as someone slammed a shoulder against the front door.
Frantically searching for a place to hide, Claudia opened the closet and pushed her sister inside.
"Keep quiet, no matter what you hear," Claudia commanded.
She'd just closed