He points to the older sentry, who has remained seated throughout this ordeal. “You. Open the cage.”
Eyes on the madman, the soldier stands, grabs the keyring off the wall, then unlocks the cell. If given more time, I would suspect he could become our ally.
While all this happens, I lean toward my wife. “If they torture me, say nothing. I can take it.”
Swallowing hard, she nods. “Same goes for me.”
Fuck no. Not happening.
Now inside our cell, Lewis reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a messy stack of hundred-dollar bills along with a gold-handled magnifying glass. “I’ll give you one hour to find the dot. Afterward, I will kill one of your friends, every hour upon the hour, until you have found it.”
“You need to cut me free.” Gwen turns, Lewis clicks his switchblade, and as he saws through her binds, a bang shakes the whole damn mountain.
Chapter 19
“Like wolves, we thrive in the darkest of nights and rise stronger with each dawn.” — unknown
Gwen
Was that an earthquake?It’s improbable, but so is having your baby shower turn into Armageddon—not to mention finding a dead body, a vintage microdot, and being locked underground in a jail cell in the Poconos. Oh yeah, I should not forget my neighbor, a CIA cat lady.
In the pitch black, I’m shoved. As I wobble, someone grabs the stack of money from my hands.
“Oomph.” Landing hard, I roll off and feel around until I find the bump under my ass—Lewis’ switchblade.
After I snatch it off the floor, I stand. A scuffle ensues nearby. While I want to help, I can’t see a damn thing in the dark.
“Gwen, are you okay?” At Axel’s familiar scent, I stop shaking enough to place the knife in his hand.
He pushes me toward a wall. “We need to exit. Go.”
I would, but I’m so topsy-turvy, I have no idea where to find the door. While inching across the room, the lights pop back on.Huh?Instead of near the tunnel, I’m back by the cot. An unconscious guard lies on the floor by my feet.
Heart racing, I count heads. When I realize one is unaccounted for, I shout, “Where is Dr. Lewis?”
“He got away.” Dolly, her clothes drenched in blood, a stack of bills in her hand, swings the cell door open.
Once she enters the hall, I jump over the camos before racing to her side. “Don’t let her go. She’s the only one who can lead us out of here.”
Slate, the closest, snatches her arm, and as she struggles, she snarls. “I need to get the microdot to someone who can decrypt it. Millions of lives depend on it.”
“If you help all of us escape, I will explain exactly how to find it, but not a moment before.” My gaze steady, I stare her down.
She pales, and her jaw drops when she realizes I have the advantage in this negotiation.
“Fine.” Grabbing the keys off the wall, she unlocks the cell to the right while I wave everyone out.
“There’s a tunnel under this one. Down there.”
After I move the cot to reveal the loose grate, Slate growls. “I’ll go down first. Lilac next.”
Once they’ve descended, Axel and I wait for the rest of the women, including Dolly, who gives me a dirty look.
Yeah, well… Suck it, lady. My friends came along to save your sorry ass, even if you didn’t need it. Their lives matter more than any intelligence dot.
“Babe.” Eyes on me, my husband tucks my chin. My God, how I wish we were back at home, in our bedroom, naked.
When he opens his arms, I fold into them to absorb his offered strength.
