Chapter Two - Gemini

Detective Grimshaw and Ryan Palmer investigate another clue to the disappearance of Jayne Palmer. But a planned terror attack threatens the duo.

Never before had I felt the way I did now; the sick stomach-churning of nerves choked me silently as I sat there in Grimshaw’s car, trying to come to terms with what was happening. It wasn't like Jayne to just disappear, putting aside the current arguments we were incredibly close, too close some would say; and if she were to disappear, I would be by her side.

The cold city outside began to turn as the rain started to fall. The hordes of people traveling to work scrambled to shelter, grouping together for warmth like penguins in the arctic. The silent screams of the drowned girls seemed a million miles away from the inside of the car, which the mumbled noise of Grimshaw contacting every cop in the city was slowly filling. And even though I learnt every piece of terminology of the police, it passed through my head like the water outside flowing into the drain.

“Palmer? PALMER?” I turned suddenly, snapping out of my twisted dream world.

“Sorry, got distracted.” Grimshaw’s face turned from a frown to a sympathetic friend.

“I know, we’ll find her don’t worry. I've got every cop searching the train stations in the city; we’re going to the most likely, the closest to you.” Grimshaw seemed confident that his hunch was right; after all, it did make perfect sense.

“Has she ever done this kind of thing before? Disappearing? Coming back after being at her mother’s?” He continued. Standard procedure was to interview the partner of a missing person, and although I knew that it was his job to, I felt threatened by the questioning, especially when the questions were being asked by a good friend.

“No, she always told me when she was going away; sure we've been arguing a lot, but nothing to runaway over” I said defensively, staring out at the drenched city.

“Arguing?” Grimshaw couldn't have sounded anymore stern at this point; like he was onto something.

“Yes arguing, normal married couple things. She works away a lot, I work long hours. Plus…She wants kids.” I had to pause for a second to think about what I was about to say and prepare myself for the shock of admitting the problem for our deranged marriage. Grimshaw remained silent as he knew something had got me worked up.

“I can’t have kids. It destroys your manhood knowing that you can’t give the love of your life something she can’t have” I tried not to let any emotion show but my eyes had other ideas and began to leak. Grimshaw took his eyes off of the gridlocked road ahead and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“We’ll find her Ryan, trust me.” The sound of Grimshaw asking for his trust was enough to make anyone stop and re-evaluate their emotions. I wiped the lonely tear away from my cheekbone and continued staring out of the window, gazing at the passers-by, who were oblivious to the situations of the people in their community; all the hurt and torment that happen just beyond the closed doors of people’s houses go unnoticed as people continue living their same-old, boring lives.

“Calling all officers in the Downtown area! Suspected bomb at Main Street station” Repeat. Suspected bomb at Main Street Station!” Screamed the radio.

“S**T! What the hell is going on?” Questioned Grimshaw as he switched on his sirens and beacon and sped along the crowded road barely missing the cars that had courteously moved out of the way. My heart was pounding, whatever this key unlocks; someone was trying to protect.

 

We arrived at a police blockade just outside of the Main Street station; evacuated people were crowding around the barriers trying to add some excitement into their lives. Sirens sounded and coloured lights flashed as more emergency services arrived passing through the barriers with ease ready to investigate the potential bomb and any possible casualties. We jumped out of the car and darted over to an officer defending the barrier.

“What’s going on here?” Grimshaw was getting agitated, his day transformed from a normal day at work to something out of Hollywood. He whipped out his badge, brandishing it in the officer’s face.

“Bomb threat Sir. We got a tip off a man who said that he planted a bomb within the station.” The officer couldn't believe his luck; first day on the job and he was protecting citizens from potential death. We hurried through the blockade and into the station, dashing past the officers getting a briefing from the Chief Inspector.

“HEY! Wait up there, you’re not authorised to be here.” He always had a leader’s voice which bellowed through the empty station. We turned around quickly to face the obstruction that was the Chief Inspector.

“Sir. I think I know where the bomb is” Out of breath and nearly out of time, Grimshaw stuttered his words. Unbeknown to me, Grimshaw had pieced the bombs location together with scraps of information.

“You do?” I questioned before realising that the bomb in question was actually in the same building of which I was standing in the middle of.

“Palmer’s wife is missing and all that was left was this note and this key. We believe it’s a key to a locker in here Sir.” Grimshaw tried in as little time as possible to inform the Chief Inspector who evidently was not impressed.

“Get these two out of here. What kind of lame excuse is that? Stop wasting my time!” His voice continued to bellow and echoed for what sounded like miles.

“With all due respect, SIR! I don’t think that it is a coincidence that Palmer's wife goes missing leaving a clue leading to this station, WHICH, at this current moment in time is under a bomb threat alert!” I had never seen Grimshaw stand up to his boss before now, neither had the Chief Inspector whose face had sunk knowing that Grimshaw was right.

“You’d better hope you are right Tom.” His face just centimetres from Grimshaw’s he pulled away and looked at Grimshaw severely.

“Locker eighty-four. This way.” Grimshaw’s words rippled through the other officers and bomb squad team as we ran hastily towards the lockers. Rows upon rows of lockers greeted us with their disconcerting grey exterior. And to the surprise of everybody locker eighty-four was the only one without a key in its door. My heart was pounding, whatever lie beyond this door leads me to my wife. I slowly and carefully inserted the key into the lock, closely monitored by the bomb squad in case it was rigged. It unlocked! I pulled open the door slowly, checking the seams for rigging before opening the door fully.

 

Just like the outside the interior of the locker was the same dull grey colour. As light began to fill the dark spaces the whole team stood back in shock before the bomb squad rushed in neutralise the device. I stood and watched in awe as a squad member passed me another envelope and a USB memory stick.

“Sorry Tom. I didn't see it at first but f**k me.” The Chief Inspector didn't seem too happy about Grimshaw being right, never-the-less the bomb was found along with another clue. Grimshaw and I slowly walked away opening the envelope and revealing one word ‘Gemini’

“Take this to the station, run it on a standalone, disconnected computer.” Grimshaw passed the memory stick to another officer and glanced down at the paper in my hand.

“Gemini…That could mean anything right now…”

“…Has to relate to the time and date on this one though, has to.” I couldn't help but interrupt, the fact that the clue didn't lead to my wife had left me disheartened.

“F**K! GET DOWN!” A member of the bomb squad shouted as everybody tried to run as quick as they could away from the bomb. The room filled with the flash of white before bursting into flames. Grimshaw and I were flung backwards towards the entrance. Smoke plumed from the bomb’s origin and flooded the building in seconds. The intense noise left the sharp ringing in the ear, disorientating everybody within the blast radius. I looked up at Grimshaw, noticing the blurry background of debris falling and the apocalyptic scene of fire.

“YOU OKAY?” I shouted to Grimshaw who also was admiring the carnage before him.

“Yeah, let’s go” He surprisingly shot up swiftly which given the previous event was something out of the ordinary, he helped me up and we were suddenly surrounded by paramedics all scrambling to help.

“Listen, we’re not hurt, they’re people in there that need you more. GO!” Grimshaw bravely demanded as we made our way back to the car.

 

The people outside at the barriers began to panic and started shouting demands for information at the officers who were barely coping to hold them all back.

We hurried into the car and Grimshaw grasped the radio with a grip that could kill you if it were around your neck.

“Detective Grimshaw here. I need a cross-reference on the word Gemini, repeat, Gemini; and the date 12-12-12”

“We’ll get onto it Sir.” Murmured the radio back at Grimshaw. I couldn't help myself and continued banging my head against the cold window. Not only have I not found my missing wife yet but I have also just witnessed a terror attack for which I ran from.

“Tom, why did we run? Surely we should be giving statements right now?” I needed answers; my head didn't comprehend what was happening.

“Whoever is behind this is obviously a deranged individual who wants to play a game with us. The sooner we find your wife, the sooner we catch the b*****d responsible” I couldn't argue with his reasoning, after all it is my wife we are trying to find. I gazed out of the window for a second watching the crowd of people battling for information. The press had arrived now heightening the tension. The radio suddenly sprang into action starting us both.

“Gemini 12-12-12. We have a record of a building named Gemini over in Oakland being demolished today at 10:30pm.”

“Thank you very much” said Grimshaw courteously as he put the car into gear and drove off through the crowd headed for Oakland.

 

“It all makes sense. But why would someone do this?” I muttered to myself hoping that Grimshaw wouldn't come back with some clever anecdote or reason. The clues in my hands felt like they were getting hotter the closer we got to Oakland. It took a while to get there and by now it was 9:00am, supposed to be the start of my shift but in honesty I was loving the sense of adventure, however I was not loving the circumstances as they continued to poison my mind with every breath I took.

“We’re here” said Grimshaw in a stern voice. The place was a ruin, five floors of desolation, boarded up windows and an angry demolitions expert.

“Detective Tom Grimshaw, Officer Palmer. We need to take a look around the building.” Grimshaw bravely stood up to the angry little man first.

“You can’t go in; the whole place is ready to be flattened.” His sentences were short along with my temper. I zoned out for a short period letting Grimshaw argue with the man before filling with adrenaline I stormed up to the man, grabbed him by his ill-fitting high-visibility jacket and flung him against the wall.

“Listen here you pathetic little man. My wife is missing, and so far all of the clues lead to this building. So either you let us in on official police business or find yourself under arrest with the charge of kidnap” My voice was soft but harsh. Grimshaw’s face lit up slightly and I dropped the man back to his feet.

“Fine! But you got half an hour until I crush it”

“We’ll take as long as we need, and you’ll wait for us to finish!” My temper was running incredibly short with the little man; and even as we walked up towards the door I could feel a whole lot of anger building up. ‘She’s got to be in here, she has to be here’ I kept thinking to myself over and over again as we peered into the dark lobby of Gemini.