Chapter 125: The Virgin And The Masters, Part 36, Christmas Day

MICHAEL

James and I descend the stairs at speed. At every floor, black smoke surges and curls on to other side of glass plating.

Outside is a chaos of police cars, armed officers, fire engines, medical workers and ambulances, but oddly, very few other people. Will Stanton, the Police Commissioner, is there, shouting instructions. A familiar face in a squad car, Corby, who first bungled the interview with Charlotte, looks to be relaying messages from the car, and a large area is cordoned off, police widening the cordon as we watch. Above us, is the clip-clip of helicopter blades moving in on the upper floors of the office block.

Where are all the people? The office workers... Trapped?

Richard is here, by Will, phone to his ear. Seeing us, he gestures us over, then waves up at the ´copters. "There´s help on the way to the girls. Don´t worry."

"Where is everyone?" I ask. "I thought they´d be teeming out..."

Richard almost laughs. "There´s almost nobody in there, Michael. With