“You ready?It’ll be a ten-count as soon as I’m clear of the door.”
She swallowed but nodded.“Big explosion?”
“Shouldn’t be.Just enough to pop the lock out, but you never fuck with explosives.”
She took a deep breath.“Got it.Get me out of here, please.”She ducked back behind the wall.
“Stay safe, man.”I slapped Mercer on the shoulder and cleared out, taking up a position next to Lacy.She was shaking with nerves.I wrapped my arm around her.
Mercer backed away from the cell as far as he could and still keep the detonator in range.
He spoke loud and clear.“Ten.
“Nine.”
“Eight.”
“Seven.”
“Six.”
“Five.”
“Four.”
“Three.”
“Two.”
“One.”
Lacy tucked her head against my chest and dug her fingers into my shoulder.
There was apopand a puff of smoke.Lacy turned her head at the muffled sound.Mercer stepped up to the door and grabbed the handle.When he pulled, the door opened easily.
Lacy pulled out of my arms and raced toward the open cell.“Layla, are you okay?”
Mercer blocked the open doorway with his arm.“The point was to get your sister out of the cell, right?”
Lacy glared at him but stopped trying to enter the glass room.Seconds later her sister stepped out.She walked through the small cloud of smoke and coughed.“I’m here.I’m fine.”
Lacy wrapped her in a hug, then stepped back to study her.“You look awful.Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Rude.”Layla elbowed her in the side.“You see how you look when you’ve been locked in a cell for two weeks.I’ll be a lot better when I get out of here, I promise.Can we leave now?”
I nodded.“Burn, we clear on your side?”
She lifted her chin.“Clear.”
“Orion, we clear up top?”
There was a crackle of static.
“Orion?”
This time he responded.“Yeah, boss, we’re clear.”
“Problems?”
