Destroyed

Chapter 10: Lights, Cameras, Action!

Pushing away the used coffee mug and sheets of paper out of his sight, Bill logged onto the cameras and typed in a couple of words on the keyboard.

In reaction, the cameras went backwards to the time explosion didn't happen. Before we arrived to the museum, I could see glimpses of people marveling at the exhibits, taking pictures, and chatting happily to each other.

Until I saw Clyde and Allison talking to each other. Their eyes were disappointed, but their mouths moved up and down as if they are fishes. As soon as the camera jumped to the next scene, I made Bill stop the footage.

"Go back," I instructed. Bill obeyed my command, rewinding the footage again until the camera focused on Clyde and Allison. "Go forward, but this time do it slowly." I ordered. He gave me a curious look. "Don't ask," I sighed.

Rolling his eyes, he forward the scene carefully, allowing me to know what they are saying: It's too much to handle, Clyde began. With the kids and Marie, I don't know if I could-"

"But you need to take care of me!" Allison insisted. "I know that she is your wife, but-" The conversation cut off from there. I bit my lip then rubbed my eyelids. Allison and Clyde must be hiding something very dangerous, but what?

My current suspect list is getting full. Bill turned off the security cameras then told me that he is going back with the group. As soon as he left me alone, my cell phone quietly sang We Used to Be Friends.

I checked to make sure no one is watching then hit the Answer Call button. All of a sudden, the song is cut short by the shrill of my mother's voice. "Cleo?" Mom called. "Are you there?"

I glanced at the four bars hovering over the screen and sighed in relief. "Yes," I answered. "Thank goodness," I heard her say. "I heard the news," Mom continued. "Is anyone hurt?"

"A couple people were hurt," I explained slowly. "What about your History teacher, Mrs. Triton?" Mom asked. I swallowed a gulp then let out a sigh. "She didn't make it," I answered solemnly. "I'm sorry," she replied sadly.

"My classmates survived," I added. "Along with eight other tour guides, a doctor, a pregnant woman, and a family of five." All of a sudden, I hear another voice. "Your father wants to speak to you," Mom said.

After a long silence, Dad's voice came on. "The FBI, the police, and many others are surrounding the premises," he said. "Your only duty is to find a way out of there."

Just when I am about to say something, a thought came to mind. "Hey Dad," I began. "There is something I want to tell you. I think someone in my group might be a terrorist."

Instead of giving me a disbelieving rant, Dad believed me. "Your uncle hacked into the security footages before the incident happened," Dad explained. "Don't ask."

"One of the adults somehow knew the museum and other buildings, like it is the back of his or her hand," I continued. "Right now, I have Allison, Clyde, Marie, Harold, and the tour guides in mind."

"Who are they?" Dad asked. I explained it calmly to him. "Are you sure Harold is not a real doctor?" Dad questioned. "Yeah," I answered. "When I looked into his suitcase, he didn't have any doctor equipment, his doctor's license is fake, and I think he killed Mrs. Triton."

"I'll have my team look at the information," Dad stated. "If you have any more helpful information, call me." "Okay," I answered back. "Your mother and I are very proud of you," Dad added. "We want you and the others to be safe, and find a safe route out of there."

"Meanwhile, we will do our best to find a way how to get inside." "Goodbye," I said, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "I love you, Dad." "I love you too, Mary Russell." Dad chuckled. "Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"Got it," I beamed. After I hung up the phone, I slipped it into my pocket then crawled out of the Security Room. "What took you so long?" Isabel asked when she saw me coming over to the group.

While I was gone, the group must have eaten their snacks. Granola crumbs appeared on the corner of their mouths as they chewed in silence. Paige leaned her back against the wall while she held my taser in her hand.

As soon as she glanced in my way, she smiled. "Hey," Paige greeted, tossing me the taser. I caught it with one hand and asked her what was going on while Bill and I left. "Oh, the usual." Paige shrugged. "People were fighting, I tried to calm them down."

"But instead of listening to me, they were listening to their stomachs, I let them eat their snacks." She flicked a strand of dirty blond hair from in between her eyes and stared at me.

"Anyway, what were you and Bill doing in the Security Room?" she questioned. From the corner of my eye, I saw Bill lingering behind the unibrow woman, eyeing me in tense fear. I didn't want to tell everyone what I had found out in the Security Room, especially to my best friend.

Even though Dad promised to get us out, I don't know for how long could we be stuck here for. Most importantly, I didn't want people to get their hopes up on getting out of the museum safe and sound. "We were just trying to find a light switch," I lied nonchalantly.

"I hate carrying my flashlight around, so I asked Bill to see if he can find it, but somehow, we ended up in a Security Room." I expected her to get suspicious, but Paige shrugged her shoulders again then looked at her brother.

Jared sat on the floor along with the others, picking the dust caked on his t-shirt. All of a sudden, a piercing shriek came from Allison.