However flattering it is to be admired for my mind, and not my tits or my family’s fortune and power, this is still a madman prepared to kill hundreds, thousands, I dinnae, acontinentof people to get what he wants. And this new poison is the key.
I’ve accepted that I must create the antidote. Hugo’s given me free run of the lab and his records, so I have the advantage of going through all his attempts to put it together. I’m already moving faster than he did and the process is exhilarating- though every time my spirits rise, I remember what I’m doing here and my heart hurts again.
Most of my day not spent on working on theantidote is devoted to stealing and downloading as much of the information about C-1161 as I can.
Fortunately, the poison and the antidote’s research is so closely linked that it dinnae look suspicious if I’m at the computer going through the C-1161 files. Downloading it onto a flash drive is tricker. There are internal alarms, I’m sure, that would notify Dubois if I were uploading or downloading anything. Getting through the security software is time-consuming and infuriating as feck.
If my family - I mean,whenmy family blows this place to hell and rescues me, I can finish the antidote at home. I’m not daft enough to think Hugo hasn’t already compounded the poison and dinnae have it stashed in a dozen places.
A gloomy Édouard enters the lab mid-afternoon. “You must be starving, Mademoiselle, perhaps a break for lunch?”
Accepting the tray of olive tapenade, cheese, and figs from him, I eye his drooping shoulders. He is clearly deep in a state of exhausted disappointment in his fellow man.
“Still dedicated to supporting your bosses’ dream of poisoning countless innocents, then?” My sharp tone seems to pain him.
“I know my duty,” he says. Looking at mycrowded lab table, he sighs. “And you know yours, I see.”
“Well-played, Édouard. Well-played.” I have to applaud him. With that wee, snippy comeback, he absents himself quickly and gracefully from the room.
I’ve searched the surrounding countryside from every window in this lab, in my suite, from the dining room and every hall I’m allowed to wander, and I canna find a break in Hugo’s security. The pattern changes every six hours. Drones buzz overhead twenty-four hours a day. I can see all the signs of a perimeter defense, everything from tripwires to explosives to early detection warnings. They nearly shot and killed one poor soul who was just delivering foodstuffs.
The tapenade turns sour in my mouth. I must create this antidote. But I know that once I do, Hugo is likely to kill me, or worse, keep me forever as a slave for his research.
You’re forgetting that he’s not the only one capable of creating deadly compounds,no-nonsense Cat reminds me.I’ll find a way to get myself out of here, and when I do, it will be over Hugo Dubois’ dead body.
I grin.
I get back to work.
Lucas…
I’m watching the guard rotation through my thermal imaging scope. Ryan regretfully messaged me that with only twelve hours’ time, he couldn’t find a pattern in the guard’s patrol. So there won’t be an opening there.
“The MacTavish guards are in the northeast quadrant.” Morris steps up next to me. “Raul’s taking the high point with Dean, the drone operator. He wants to be sure he’s got a good transmission point to trigger the explosives. Armstrong and Clark are at the west gate. You, me and the Robertson brothers will go through the tunnel.”
“Ye dinnae need to be in the tunnel with me,” I say. “Swap with Armstrong, aye?”
He shakes his head, staring at the castle. “Our positions are set, mate. We get in and out with your MacTavish, nice and clean.”
I slap him on the back. “Thank ye.”
“I’m not doing it foryou, you arse. I’m doing it for that five-million-pound bonus.”
“Fair enough.” I strap on my bulletproof vest and my guns. Adjusting my headset, I listen for everyone to count off. “It’s a pleasure doing battle with ye, gentlemen. Count us down, Raul.”
“Three, two, one…”
Two massive explosions white out my vision for a moment as two towers surrounding the castle perimeter explode. Then hellfire rains down from Dean’s drones, strafing the guards in the courtyard with bullets.
I surge from my concealment and race for the tunnel door. It’s at the north end of the castle and the iron doors smash open with a quick round of bullets.
“Headlights on,” I say, sweeping my flashlight beam up and down. Morris groans into his headset at the low stone ceiling, dripping with moisture, even in this climate. “The left turn into the wine cellar should be in thirty meters, stay sharp.” I lead the team and Morris covers the back, turning constantly to check behind us.
I can hear the dull thud of hundreds of bullets being fired and two more explosions, muffled underground but powerful enough to make the stone floor shake.
“Fuck, I hate those guys,” Morris groans into my headset.
“The explosions are on the perimeter,” I say, “the tunnel is stable.”
