“What does the heat signature show?” I ask.
“The only movement appears to be coming from the room the prisoners are in.”
“We can’t back out now,” Baz says. “Send the word to Gregor to disable the security systems. We’ll handle whatever comes our way.” We check our weapons and remain quiet as we wait for the go-ahead from Bree’s IT guy. When it comes a few minutes later, we emerge from the trees in front of the building and jog toward the door.
Baz insists on entering first, giving us the okay a few seconds later. Jase and Ares flank Bree and me on both sides as we step inside the building. It’s a vast open space with tons of high shelving, crowded with boxes of various sizes. A couple of cars, a boat, a vintage motorcycle, and a children’s treehouse occupy the corner space at the rear. On the other side is an office, the glass walls revealing the desk, chair, and filing cabinets inside.
Jase leads us into the office, cautioning us all to be quiet as he presses his ear to a section of the carpet and listens. You could hear a pin drop in the eerie silence. Ares moves in closer, linking his pinkie with mine.
“I don’t hear anything,” Jase whispers.
Baz steps forward, pushing his brother back.
The more I’m around Balthazar Stewart, the more I like him. He’s a natural leader, and he puts himself before others all the time. I imagine that probably grates on Jase’s nerves, but I’m not going to criticize Baz when he protects my fiancé at every turn. I think Baz has been doing that a lot. Eric Stewart isn’t the only one trying to shield Jase.
Ares and Jase crowd Bree and me, pushing us back as Baz pulls up the hidden opening in the floor, revealing the steep steps underneath.
We file down the stairs, one at a time, and I’m afraid to even breathe. My heart is thumping wildly against my chest cavity, and I grip my gun tighter, trying to prepare myself for what we might be facing.
When we reach the bottom, we crowd into the space behind Baz as he curls his hand around the door handle. “Wait,” Jase hisses under his breath, his eyes flitting between his phone and his brother. “I swear I just saw movement in the hallway.”
“Give me that.” Ares swipes the phone, examining the screen carefully. “It shows five heat signatures in the hallway. Surely that’s excessive.” He curses under his breath. “You weren’t wrong. I just saw that person move.” He taps at the screen.
“You can’t go out there,” Bree says. “They’ll shoot the instant someone shows their face.”
“We need a distraction,” I whisper. “Get your guy to set off the alarm. It should startle them for a few seconds and give us enough time to make the first move.”
“Good thinking, Batman.” Bree lightly punches my arm as she taps out the instruction to Gregor.
“Okay.” She looks up. “Get ready. He said ten seconds.”
“You two stay back.” Jase warns Bree and me with a look. Ares shakes his head when he sees the intent on my face. I want to tear into them for treating me like some prissy princess, but there’s no time.
We ready our weapons as Baz whispers a countdown.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins, and blood rushes to my head.
The second the alarm goes off, Baz and Jase rush out into the hallway and instantly open fire.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Chad
The unmistakable sound of gunfire reverberates in the hallway outside, followed by shouting, and it drags me from the drug-induced haze that twisted bitch put me in before she collapsed on the ground. I was hoping she’d had a sudden coronary, but the rise and fall of her semi-naked chest confirm she’s still breathing. She’s just sleeping. Unfortunately.
My dry lips part as I move my furry tongue, desperate for water. Pain shoots up my arms when I attempt to move. It’s a futile exercise anyway. She has me strapped into her favorite contraption, and I can barely move. I don’t know how long she’s been unconscious or how long I’ve been dangling here, but my arms throb from the unnatural stretching, and I can hardly feel my legs, the limbs turning numb from the angle I’m at.
The walls outside rattle and shake, and there’s more yelling. A glimmer of hope rises to the surface at the thought it could be my friends, but I’m reluctant to place too much faith in it until I know more.
The door handle rattles repeatedly, and the door shakes as someone tries to open it. But it’s bolted on the inside. “Chad! It’s me. We’re going to get you out!” Ash’s voice is like music to my ears despite the clear desperation lingering behind her words.
“Siren,” I croak, the word barely more than a whisper. Clearing my throat, I try again. “Ashley!” I shout with as much energy as I can muster.
“I’m here. We’re here. Hold tight.”
There’s a bit of commotion and then a loud blast, and the door swings open as someone shoots out the lock.
Ash rushes into the dimly lit room followed by Jase. Her eyes dart to the prone body on the floor before swinging to me. Horror washes over her face as she takes the scene in.
