The Enemy Within

Chapter 33

Rohan turns sharply to confront him, and the man realises that he has been made. The assassin pulls out a gun and fires a shot at him. Rohan throws himself behind a table as the bullet whistles past his ear. Chaos spreads across the mall as people panic and start running helter-skelter, screaming. Tanya also dives behind some tables. Rohan crab walks towards her and pulls her towards the staircase. A bullet buries itself in the woodwork near his head. He looks up to see a woman has joined the man and both are aiming at them.

Rohan jumps in through a crowd of people pulling Tanya along. A couple of shots ring out and a man falls behind him.

Rohan bends low and they reach the ground floor of the mall. People are screaming and running for the exits. The force of the thronging crowd carries them into a supermarket on the ground floor.

Rohan looks around and see a door on the other side with a sign– 'Staircase – Staff Only.'

He sees the assassins entering the store. A plan forms is his mind, and he moves from shelf to shelf quickly. He picks up a plastic water bottle and empties it. He pulls a bottle of vinegar from a shelf. Next he pulls a box of baking soda and a roll of toilet paper and tape from another shelf. Tanya watches him in amazement, while keeping a lookout for the assassins.

He fills up the empty water bottle about 75% full with vinegar then takes the tissue paper and lays it flat and puts some baking soda in the middle. He rolls it up and covers it all with clear tape except for one small dot. He pokes a hole on the uncovered spot, quickly puts it into the bottle and screws on the cap. He shakes the bottle hard and throws it in the opposite direction. It hits the floor and explodes.

Everyone dives for cover, screaming. Some stationary catches fire and the sprinkler system goes off. The entire supermarket becomes a hellhole, with water pouring down, people slipping, things falling off the shelves – total confusion reigns. The assassins look around trying to spot Rohan. They run to cover the main entrance / exit. Rohan pulls Tanya up and they dart towards the staircase door at the opposite end and run through it.

They pound down the stairs. They see a door marked 'EXIT' – and run through it.

Rohan and Tanya burst through the door into a dark alley. They look around and head straight for the main road. As they run out onto the road they see a couple of cabs slowly going by. Rohan flags one down and they both jump in, "Kochi Airbase. Quickly please."