CITY IN PERIL

Two hours later, while Andrew was tended to by paramedics, the Family were pulling to a clean stop just outside the Brisbane Sky Tower. The mayor had wanted to move into the tallest building within Brisbane and have office set up here, so it was here that the mayor worked. "Are we sure about this?" whispered Sienna as they climbed out the back, where Danny greeted them. "We have to," Nicola said back, looking around at the deserted street, and the others agreed. "Where would he be?" asked Mikayla, staring up as the building towered over them, and Darcy did the same, his eyes calculating. "Well, we search each floor. A floor-by-floor sweep should tell us soon enough where he is," Darcy said finally, and as one, the Family agreed. "Well, let's get to it," said Vironica, and they started toward the entrance.

***

A cackle sounded around the room, and the mayor whipped his head around to the doorway, his arms and legs strapped down to the chair he sat on. In stepped the killer, cackling mockingly. "Such a good view of your office!" the killer exclaimed, taking the gasmask from around his head and tosses it carelessly aside. "So, this is your plan? Convince someone to hand their little girl over or else you kill me?" the mayor shot at him angrily, struggling against the restraints as the killer cackled. "Well, there's one way of looking at it, yes," the killer murmured, and this time the killer laughed. "You know, I don't know who you are, and frankly I don't care. I'm going to say this only once, so listen." The killer chuckled and knelt down in front of the mayor, his grin never leaving his face. "Well, here I am. Listening," breathed the killer, still smiling as the mayor glared down at him.

"Get out of my city," growled the mayor, and the smile disappeared completely from the killer's face. "Ah, famous last words. I'll make sure they know you died screaming and squealing, begging for mercy," the killer whispered, and the mayor flinched away. The killer rose and stretched, his joints popping frighteningly loud. "Well, considering you're not going to be alive for much longer, I might as well radio more information in. Don't worry, you get to listen as well." The killer withdrew a radio from underneath his coat, fumbled with it for a few moments, then pressed the button on the side. It crackled to life, and the killer began speaking almost joyfully, no sorry or remorse in his voice. "Hello, my dear officers, I do hope you are enjoying this very fine…what time is it…nine…so night I'm guessing. It matters not.

"For those of you who have not been aware, I do indeed have your precious major with me right now. Why don't you say hello my friend?" the killer lifted the radio toward the mayor, and the mayor shot him a glare as he shouted, "Don't do anything he says!" The killer tutted and backhanded the mayor across the face, hard, making him topple in the char and hit the floor hard. "As you can hear, he's a little on edge. I think it's the shock," the killer said, turning away from the mayor and staring out the window. Someone picked up on the other end, and a familiar voice came through, hurried and panicked. "Philip, don't do this!" Andrew hissed, other noise in the background of the radio as the killer chuckled. "Well, got to give some evidence I make true on my promise after all. Although, I don't think just the mayors life is going to be enough. How about another offering?

"There are bombs planted at various popular locations throughout the city. If you do not do as I have requested, Officer Bailey, I will detonate the bombs, kill the mayor AND kill your daughters friends." Andrew laughed on the other end, "You don't even know where my daughters friends are!" Now, it was the killer's turn to laugh. "Oh really? Are you sure they're not the ones on the fourth floor of the Sky Tower? I am staring straight at them…through the window of the building opposite. I know they're looking for the mayor because they're in the wrong building!" Andrew's voice now came across as determined, "Philip, if you do this, I'll be the one to execute you! I don't care about losing my job. If you do this, I will hunt you down!" The killer laughed again, the sound shrill and death-like.

"Oh, I believe you. But if you manage to catch me, there won't be a point to killing me. I will either have your daughter or kill her right now. Either way she eventually dies, but if you want to save lives as well, you will do what I want!" Andrew didn't respond for many, many moments, trying to work out what to do. The killer waited patiently, clicking his tongue as he rocked back and forth on his heels. Then, the radio came alive again. "Why do you want her?" whispered Andrew, and the killer sighed. "Wrong question. I'm losing my patience. Let me have her, or else she goes." Andrew struggled for words before yelling, "GO TO HELL YOU BASTARD! TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT HER FOR FIRST!" The killer looked down sadly, lifted the radio to his mouth and murmured, "This will teach you to keep your manners in check."

He turned the radio off and hurled it forward, watching as it smashed through the window, the glass showering down onto the street below as the killer dragged the mayor toward the edge. He rocked the back legs over the edge, still cackling like a madman. "Any last words?" he shouted over the mayor's screams, but the mayor didn't respond. He whimpered and screamed and shouted in fear, making the killer laugh again. "Very good," he whispered, then he released the chair. The mayor screamed and disappeared over the edge, the chair hurtling down to the streets below with the mayor still strapped to it. Then it stopped. Several thick metal cables had been attacked to the chair from behind, and they now supported it several floors below. Laughing, the killer gripped onto the frame of the window and hung out the building, staring at the struggling mayor.

"You thought I would let you die a quick death!" the killer shouted, cackling madly as he stepped away, cracked his neck and walked straight over to the power box on the other side of the room. "Time for the next meal. Roasted fuckwit," murmured the killer as he flexed his fingers, placed them on the large lever beside the box and pulled it down. The cables writhed and spasmed as electricity shot through its veins, and then the screams of agony came from below, followed by what smelled like cooking meat. The killer hummed to himself as he turned to the Sky Tower.

***

Rachael, Darcy, Vivian, Vironica, Sienna, Mikayla, Danny, Chloe and Nicola crept through the third floor, keeping an eye out for the killer or the mayor. Nothing on this floor by the look of things, but then again there were ninety floors here, and they had only gotten through two and were currently searching the third. "Guys, what's that?" asked Mikayla, pointing to the window. They all looked up. Something was hanging out one of the top floors of the opposite building, shaking and twitched as loud shrieks came from nearby. Screams Chloe thought as she looked up. Then the screams cut completely, although the smoke poured from the object and it still shook. BOOM!

***

The killer took his thumb away from the detonator, smiling in mock amusement as he watched the sixth and seventh floors explode. The metal, concrete and plaster were ripped apart, and the entire Sky Tower tipped to the side. The killer watched as it leaned, the groaning sound rising to a screech as it fell into the buildings and towers near the centre of Brisbane. The smoke, fire, dust and screams rose as the killer laughed. Sires from police cars came below, and the killer sighed, "They never know when to quit, do they?" he whispered. Then he turned and headed down the steps toward the lobby, grinning madly as he did so. He had lied. He was never going to let such an opportunity fall from his grasp. He had the girl.