A distant sound echoed and Maya froze. “What was that?”
“I think someone just opened the door.”
“He’s coming,” Maya whispered. “Or someone is.”
Gideon shone the light on the ground and found one of the many heavy rocks scattered about. “Hold the light on the wall,” he told Maya and passed her his phone. “This is going to make noise.”
“It’s either that or be stuck. See what you can do. It’ll take him some time to get back here.”
He slammed the rock on the crack and a big chunk of the wall fell backward.
“That sounded like a gunshot,” she said. “Weird.”
“Must be the acoustics in here.” He held the light to examine the area. “It’s thin and there’s definitely space on the other side.”
“Hit it again,” she whispered. “I can feel the air stronger now. Hurry.”
He bashed it once more, and another large section broke away. Maya slipped her gloves back on, then reached in to grip the edge and pull. Another part separated, and she tossed it to the ground. “It’s almost big enough for me to slip through.”
Gideon knocked out more and shone his dimming light through the opening. “It’s a room with another tunnel directly across from this one.”
He motioned for her to go through. She bit her lip, looked at the opening, then back at him. “You won’t fit.”
“I know, but you will. You may have to go and get help.”
“Uh, no way. I don’t know where this leads and I’m not leaving without you. Not unless I absolutely have to.” She yanked at theedge once more, and while more pieces broke off, they weren’t big enough to make a real difference.
Another sound echoed through the tunnel—a footstep. Then another.
Maya’s frantic gaze met his. “He has a gun,” she whispered. “We have no weapons. And while I’m not too shabby with hand-to-hand combat, I have a bum shoulder and I definitely can’t stop a bullet.”
“I know.” Together, they might be able to take the man down, but he wasn’t going to risk it if he didn’t have to. An angry, vengeful man with a gun was too unpredictable. “Go on through,” he said. “I have an idea.”
“What?” She moved to the opening and slipped halfway through, then gasped.
“What is it? Too tight?”
“A little.” She wiggled and grimaced.
“You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“Well, it’s either a few scrapes or the possibility of a bullet. I know what my choice is.”
She had a point.
With one last grunt, she pushed through. “I’m through and it only took part of my coat and the top layer of skin on my back. If you’re going to come through, you’re going to have to widen it.”
He used the rock once more, his pounding once again sounding like gunshots going off, but finally he managed to add another two inches to the opening. “I think that’s as good as it’s going to get.” He shrugged out of his bulky coat and shivered. He had on a long-sleeved T-shirt and a sweatshirt over that, but the chill still bit. She took his coat from him and he ducked his head through the opening. His shoulders scraped harder than hers had, but he gritted his teeth and pushed on through. Barely.
Pain and a warm sensation traveled down his back, and he figured he’d left a good chunk of skin. But while he was a large man, Vance had thirty pounds on him at least. There was no wayhe’d make it through. Not without some work to widen the area—which would buy them some time.
“You’re hurt.” She placed a hand on his back and he turned. She had his coat clamped under her left elbow, one glove clutched in her left hand. She held up her right, and he noted the blood on her palm and the horror in her eyes. “Lift your shirt. I need to take a look.”
“It’s nothing that won’t heal, and like you said, it’s not nearly as bad as a bullet.” She nodded and he held her hand while he wiped her palm with the hem of his sweatshirt. “I’m fine,” he said. “Truly.” Okay, it stung like nobody’s business, but it wasn’t fatal. “Put your glove back on.”
She did so, but the worry in her gaze deepened.
“I know you’re back here!” Vance’s shout echoed around them, and Maya froze.
