WAS THAT VANCE’S VOICE?And a little bit of reprieve from the darkness. The moments of faint light before the black descended again.
Someone had opened the door.
But why?
She froze and listened. Was it Ellie come to get what she wanted, then finish her off? Maya lifted her chin. “Whatever the case, I won’t give her what she wants for sure.” Because as soon as she had it, Maya was dead. And if she was to die, she’d go down fighting.
But with what? She had no weapon. Her fingers curled into fists. How could she defend herself in the dark?
Then again, it was Ellie. The woman had bested her once. Maya wouldn’t give her that option again. A footfall scraped on the ground.
“Maya! Are you in here?”
She gasped. “Gideon!” She didn’t dare move and risk a misstep in the dark in her desire to run to him.
“Maya?”
“Be careful. There are all kinds of rocks and debris on the floor. Ellie left me a flashlight with dead batteries.”
“Keep talking, I’ll come to you. I have my phone and am using the light.”
As soon as he rounded the slight curve, she could see the flashlight.When he reached her, she hugged him, crushed him to her, and listened to his heartbeat beneath her ear. “What’s happening? How did you wind up here?”
“I went looking for you, found Ellie, found your necklace on the floor—”
“You did! I dropped it, hoping someone would find it and you’d realize I left it on purpose.”
“When Ellie saw me find it, she knew the game was up, but she got the drop on me. Then told me she’d bring me to you, so I let her. Then Vance showed up and shot Ellie—”
“What!”
“It wasn’t too bad a wound, I don’t think, but he was going to get help for her. In the meantime, we need to get out of here before they come back.”
Her mind reeling, Maya shoved aside all the other questions and focused. “I don’t think we can push that door up.”
“We can’t. There’s an iron hook that the handle slides in to. It would be impossible to open from this side. We’re going to have to follow the tunnel and see where it leads.”
“I felt a draft and was walking into it, feeling my way with the wall, but I’ve had to go slow so I didn’t trip and fall. With your light, we can move faster.”
“For as long as it lasts. I have about half a battery.”
“Better than nothing.”
“Let’s go.”
They made their way slowly, with Gideon leading the way, shoving aside debris, rocks, spiderwebs, and whatever else blocked their path. Maya held onto his belt and stepped where he stepped, grateful that he’d had the forethought to keep his phone on him. She’d left hers on the charger when she’d gotten up this morning, figuring she’d get it when she learned others finally had a signal. She hadn’t even thought about needing the flashlight option. But now that she wasn’t in complete darkness, the panic—while still hovering on the edges of her mind—was under control for the moment.
“Do you still feel the breeze?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s—” He stopped and she ran into his back.
He turned to steady her, catching her biceps, phone still held in his left hand. “Oops, sorry. Are you all right?”
“Yes, fine. What is it? Why’d you stop so—”
He shone the light and she gasped. “Oh. Oh no.” The path was completely caved in.
Blocked.
