TARGET [Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction]

Chapter 8 : Hunted and Trapped

When the lights when out inside the restaurant, everything instantly went quiet. Too quiet. Some of the people sat around the tables looked around a little uncertain, some of their faces just visible from the candles on their tables. The main source of light was the tranquil blue off the fish tank in the centre of the restaurant which sent long, moving shadows across the floor. There was a clatter of noise from the kitchen and the sound of frying pans clattering to the floor, as well as some shouting.

Tom had stopped on his way to the toilets as soon as the lights went out, casting a weary look around, along with the young lady dressed in blue who had also stopped not far away from him. Maybe there's been a power cut, he thought to himself, as he heard a few other people muttering the same thought. He tried to look across to the booth where he'd come from, but he couldn't see it, or Luke. Tina, who was not too far away from Tom was doing a similar thing, trying to see Gareth or her dad at the booth. To be honest, neither of them could really make out where they were, let alone see what was really happening, but that was soon to change.

A man was hurled out through the kitchen doors, slamming down onto the floor as another man entered through them, the sounds of screams quickly being shut out in the kitchen. The waiter now trying to pick himself up off the floor was towered over by a scruffy looking man, his face looking as if his nose had been broken many times in the past, holding a pan in his hand. His scruffy jeans, leather jacket and skinhead hairstyle with a striking tattoo on his head made him stand out from everyone else here, dressed up in their posh frocks and suits. Clearly, he didn't work here. "Apologies ladies and gents, but ya know what they say", the man shouted loudly in a thick Irish accent. "If ya can't stand the heat, get outta the kitchen". As if on cue, the kitchen doors blew open in a blaze of fire, sending several of the nearby tables flying, their occupants screaming and ducking for cover.

Tom yelped as the force of the blast sent him tumbling backwards into several chairs, crashing to the floor with a painful thump, knocking the wind right out of him. Tina however fell backwards over the table that was behind her, the table falling onto its side in the process, the glassware crashing onto her as she screamed in panic. Immediately the restaurant erupted into chaos and sheer panic. People scrambled towards the exits, screaming, running as fast as their feet would allow them as the back of the restaurant erupted into flames, catching on the drapes and tables, setting the place alight. "TOM! TOM!", Luke was screaming madly, his eyes darting all through the chaos as he ran straight towards the now burning inferno. "TINA!", Gareth screamed also, following suit quickly behind, racing to the back of the restaurant, pushing past everyone running in the opposite direction.

"Where are ya?! Come outta hidin then", the intruder shouted, knocking the waiter who he'd throw over the head with the frying pan, the deadly crack off his skull sending a cold shiver down Tom's spine as he watched the poor young man drop down like a stone, dead and still. Tina gasped in shock, her hand clapping over her mouth as she nearly screamed in horror from where she now lay, watching everything terrified. "I ain't got all day", the man shouted, hurtling the pan towards a couple who were trying to escape. That's when he pulled out his gun, cocked it, and fired two shots at them, killing the man and woman in seconds. Now Tom was terrified and scrambled across the floor towards the upturned table for cover. Tina nearly screamed in surprise when Tom practically dived next to her for cover, quickly putting his hand up to his lips to tell her to stay quiet. "Are you hurt? Can you run?", he asked frantically, daring himself to take a quick peak out from hiding to see where the man was. Tina just shook her head, terrified at what was happening, clutching onto Tom for support.