Right Place, Right Time

Ready To Run

The shopping centre, I explained to Harry, was utter chaos. After he and Niall had been spotted in the Pound Shop, hysterical girls had texted their friends that they were there and the place was flooded with manic teenagers. I couldn't see any security guards so I fought my way through to the security office. There I spoke to a big barrel-like guard called Mike, who was able to fill me in what had happened, which I was now passing on to Harry.

"Mike told me that after you got separated from the others, Niall started having a panic attack and Preston told his bodyguard..."

"Paddy," interjected Harry.

"Yeah, Paddy," I said, "well Preston told Paddy to get Niall out of there because he was freaking out, so they took off and they're on the way to the venue in the van. Preston went to look for you but he got knocked to the ground and accidently kicked in the head. Luckily there were some people from St John Ambulance in the centre doing a CPR demonstration so they are looking after him in the first aid room. They think he has concussion."

"Oh no," said Harry, worry creasing his brow. "Is he OK?"

"Well, I didn't see him myself - he's miles away down the other end of the centre - but apparently he's lying down with a monster headache and Mike says he is not quite with it. The St John people are keeping an eye on him but they won't let him go anywhere. I told Mike to tell him you were safe. Mike says he will find some way of getting you out of the centre and to the stadium because there is no way Preston is capable of doing it."

"Poor Preston - I hope he's going to be all right," said Harry. He looked really upset. "So the security team here are going to get me out of this place? Are they on their way?"

There was a slight problem there, I explained to Harry. There was a smaller than usual team working because a couple of staff members were off ill. Of those who were on shift, one guy got headbutted and was being treated by the St John people. One seemed to have lost his radio and couldn't be contacted and another one had got his glasses smashed in the chaos and couldn't see a thing. It wasn't very professional.

"That leaves just Mike, and he reckons there's no way he can get you out on his own without being mobbed again. He's trying to find the missing guy and will ring me when he does. He's in a bit of a flap about it, to be honest. He says if they can't round up enough security guys then they may have to call in the police."

"Oh, no, I don't want to waste police time," said Harry. "Isn't there some way I could just slip out from this place and get a cab to the venue? Is there a direct exit to outside from in here?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Unless you count the fire exit but if you try to go out that way you'll set the alarms off and attract a hell of a lot more attention. You'll have to wait until the security guys can come and escort you out."

Harry sighed and pushed his hair back off his face. "No offence, this seems like a nice place apart from the smell of vomit, and I can tell by the quirky way that you dress that you'd be a lot of fun to hang out with, but I can't spend the rest of the day hiding out here. I'm supposed to be meeting these kids in half an hour."

I wasn't sure whether the comment about my outfit was a compliment or not, so I let it go.

"Well, there is another way..." I said. "I'm not sure how you'll feel about this, but it might be our only option. Give me a minute, I'll be back."

*****

"You're joking, right?" said Harry, when he saw what I had brought back into the party room with me.

"Nope." I shook my head. "Best option I can come up with at the moment. Only option I can come up with at the moment. Do you want to get out of here in one piece?"