Read Blackout for Free Online

cutting-edge weaponry. It is very serious indeed.’
    ‘It will be if my Xbox goes offline,’ said Ben sternly.
    ‘It’s more serious than your Xbox, young Benjamin,’ spluttered the professor, failing to hide his irritation. ‘It means that Wales and Scotland have been plunged back in time. Back to when computers hadn’t been invented. Back to a time before your parents were born.’
    ‘Crikey, back to Victorian times?’ gasped Ollie.
    ‘Not quite that far, Master Oliver,’ said the professor, casting a weak smile towards Mrs Cook. ‘But certainly back to the 1950s or 60s. That’ll never do.’
    Ben peeked at his mobile phone, reassured that there was still a signal.
    The professor looked ashen with worry. ‘And I have a horrible feeling that we might be next.’
    The Past Master had allocated assignments. Hilda and Harold had been chosen for the most
difficult mission. It was also potentially the most rewarding with fifty diamonds on offer. If Hilda and Harold could pull this one off, the plan would be almost complete.
    Bank robbers had certain stereotypical characteristics. They were sharp-minded, violent, ruthless, shouty, quick and always dressed in black. Hilda and Harold didn’t really fit the bill, although Hilda was a bit shouty (largely because she was hard of hearing) and they were
dressed in black. They’d even gone so far as painting their mobility scooters black especially for this occasion.

    Getting into the vault was supposed to be fairly straightforward. It was the getting out bit that was going to be difficult.
    The Past Master had organized entry. Their story had been phoned through to the bank manager. She’d been told to expect an elderly couple who would be dressed in black because they’d come straight from a funeral. Their ID had been checked and the security guard had searched Hilda’s basket. He’d questioned the need for gas masks, but Harold had explained about Hilda’s condition. ‘It’s an experience my wife had in the war,’ he said. ‘The Blitz, sonny. Way before your time. If it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking German. Poor Hilda here, she was traumatized as a young girl –
wasn’t you, love?
– and can’t go anywhere without a gas mask.’
    The security guard had raised an eyebrow and attempted to explain that they’d have to leave the basket at reception, so Hilda had done as they’d practised. The old lady started her rapid breathing exercise. ‘She’s nearly ninety,’ explained Harold. ‘Dodgy ticker,’ he said,
tapping his chest. ‘Isn’t that right, dear? You really don’t want to get her worried.’
    The security guard looked at the frail old lady and thought better of it. He knew they’d just come from a funeral and didn’t want to push things too far. He’d seen movies and he knew bank robbers were young and shouty, not old and breathless. He beeped them through security and followed them, just above snail’s pace, down the corridor to the vault where the safety-deposit boxes were kept. Their fake ID had secured them the key to box number 1. The security guard had always wondered what was kept in box number 1.
    Harold fumbled with the key. He knew that if he took long enough the security guard would step in and help. And, sure enough, ‘Let me get that for you, sir,’ he offered. The guard inserted the key, tapped in the number and the door beeped open. By the time he turned round, the old people had their masks on and Hilda had sprayed something in his face. He blinked a couple of times and then hit the floor with a thud.
    ‘I can’t hardly see what I’m doing, Harold,’ complained the old lady through her mask.

    ‘There’s no rush, love,’ reassured her partner in crime, his wheezy breathing magnified by the mask. ‘He’ll be snoozing for a good while.’
    Hilda took the diamonds from the safety-deposit box and, one by one, dropped fifty uncut diamonds into her plastic pillbox. She replaced the childproof plastic lid and