“You got some music on that thing?” she asks. “Might help pass the time.”
I chuckle. “Nope. But on the other end of this little device, there are a whole bunch of people trying to find us. And save Natasha. If you can get out of here, you can contact them.”
“And how do you think I’m gonna do that?” She snorts. “In case you haven’t noticed, Dr. Sexy Pants, that door is locked up tight. And I got bad knees. I ain’t runnin’ nowhere.”
“If we’re lucky, all you’ll need is a fast shuffle. Do you remember how to get out of here? Once you’re up the stairs, can you find the door?”
“Well, duh. It’s only one hallway, then out to the parking lot. I’m old, Doc. Not stupid.”
“Gladys, you’re not oldorstupid. If you do this, you’re a super hero.”
“You know what to say?”With every passing minute, I’m afraid we’ll run out of time. Thank fuck my blood sugar seems to be stable, but that could still change, and after this stunt, there’s no way I’ll get another soda or candy bar before the end.
“Tell them where I am, that they’re gonna kill Natasha once she’s arrested, and the word ‘firefly.’”
“Good. Make sure you stay in public. Stand in the middle of the goddamn street if you have to. Flash your tits. Stop traffic. And if those fuckers come near you, tell anyone who will listen that they kidnapped you and you want to call your nephew. What’s his name?”
Another snort, and she shakes her head. “My memory is sharp as a tack. Two tacks even. Dax Holloway with Second Sight in Boston.”
I frame her face with my hands so I can press a kiss to her forehead. “Good girl.”
“Bet you say that to all the ladies.” Her brown eyes shimmer. “I don’t like leavin’ you down here. They’re gonna beat the shit out of you and I don’t think you can take much more.”
I gather her against me, holding her tightly. I’m not sure I can either. But this is our only option.
After a few seconds, she sighs. “Knew you’d be a good hugger. Nat is damn lucky you didn’t give up on her.”
I chuckle, then ease her back. “Okay. Stand right here. As soon as they go for me, you get up those stairs as fast as you can. Put the earbud in once you’re clear of the building. It’ll beep when it finds a signal. You hear that, you start talking and don’t stop until someone talks back or comes for you with that codeword.”
“I got it, Hot Doc. Don’t die.”
I offer her a weak smile. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”
Those assholes are late.I could be dead down here for all they know. Gladys has been sitting for at least half an hour—she needed to conserve her strength—and I can feel my blood sugar dropping again.
“This is taking too long,” I mutter. There’s still a little soda left, so I drain the warm, flat liquid in a single swallow. “It’s now or never, Gladys. Want to try out your acting skills again?”
She lifts her hand, and I help her to her feet. “If it’ll get me warm, I’ll strip naked and do a hand stand.”
“Fucking hell. I didnotneed that visual.” Moving all the way across the room, I sink down onto my side and tuck my hands behind my back. “Make them believe I just had a seizure. If they think I’m dying, they’ll try to resuscitate me, and we might have a better chance at this.”
With a nod, Gladys shuffles over to the door. “Help! Oh, God! Doc’s dyin’! Get your asses down here!” She keeps up her cries until the lockthunks. Doherty and Collins burst into the room. I keep my eyes mostly closed. Just enough so I can see her grab onto Doherty’s arm.
“You have to help him! He started floppin’ around and moanin’ just a minute ago, and now he won’t wake up!”
He shakes off her hold, and the two of them rush over to me. Gladys slips out of the room. Thank fuck.
Collins crouches next to me. As soon as he reaches down to check my pulse, I slam my fist into his jaw. His ass hits the ground, and I’m on top of him in a heartbeat. My knee lands on his dick. He yowls, and I hit him again, then kick my leg out to catch Doherty in the ankle.
“Shit!” Doherty growls. His phone skids across the concrete floor. My fingers tighten around Collins’s throat. His eyes bulge. Lifting him halfway up, I grin, then slam him back down.
Before I can spin around, pain explodes across the back of my head. My grip loosens. Desperate, I throw myself toward where IthinkDoherty is, but find nothing but air.
A boot slams down on my lower back. With a pop, my left leg goes numb. Fuck.
I’m not out of this fight yet. I can’t be. Straining, I reach back, find denim, and pull with all I have in me.
Doherty stumbles. The intense pressure lifts. But I can’t get to my feet. Rolling, I grab for the soda can one of them dropped and lob it at Doherty’s head.
