The leader cocks his head.Like he’s playing a game.“You sure about that?”
The older man tries again, pushing up to his knees, only to be backhanded with the gun.Blood splatters on the tiles.
I hope, this time, he stays down.For his sake.
Meanwhile, a different mask, this one leaner and jumpier than the Hulk, grabs Sterling before he can move, kicking the back of his legs.
I watch Sterling fall to his knees, his jaw tense.
His gaze is furious.
The jumpy one fits a zip tie around Sterling’s wrists, pulling tight enough that I can see the skin go white.
Fuck.
The leader hovers over the older man, waiting.
He stays down.
“J,” the leader says over his shoulder, and the guy beside Sterling looks up.“Keep an eye out.I’m gonna make sure this asshole is situated.”Then he leans down and grabs the older man by the collar.
“Sure thing, T.”
Using initials instead of names—that’s smart.They prepared for this.
I don’t know if that makes me more comfortable.
T drags his prize toward the offices along the west wall, but he turns right.He must be throwing him into a room by himself.Cut off from the rest of us.
A door slams shut.The seconds pass, and no sign of T.
I’m praying there won’t be a corpse in there later.
Tegan is pulled off the ground, still shaking.I stand, stepping between her and the guy who moves to touch her.He stinks of cologne.
I look over his shoulder, and my heart lurches.
Sterling is herded to his feet, and I know with a certainty that they’re going to separate us.
I won’t even consider what might happen if he’s put in the same room as the other guy.
There are only seconds left to decide.
Stay with Tegan or try to get to Sterling?
What the hell do I do?
* * *
Make Your Choice:
stay with Tegan(go to 40)
find a way to Sterling(go to 53)
go back(go to 20)
Fate must be laughing at me.
