I have no way to track time. The thin slivers of daylight coming in from the outside are getting shorter. The sun is higher. With this, the temperature rises. While there is no light coming in to add any heat, there is also no air-conditioning. This ship was meant to haul stuff, not humans. Sweat trickles onto my lips. It’s the only thing I’ve had to drink since my meager breakfast of peanut butter and water.
I think I might be delirious when the first muffledthudcalls my attention. It sounds both close and far.
Blaed walks up to X.C., his brisk footsteps drowning out whatever I thought I heard. They converse quickly. I can’t make out any of the words, which is annoying.
Blaed exits once more, this time down a narrow opening to my left.
I hear the noise again.
A few things occur to me at once.
1. X.C. specifically named Oliver and Declan in his plan. He must intend to tell them he has me captive, or he already has. He expects them to come for me.
2. While my hands, ankles, and torso are bound, my mouth is not covered. Is X.C. counting on me to call out for help? To draw them in? For what? A verbal spat? Or perhaps a more lethal showdown, given that both Blaed and X.C. are armed.
3. The noise I am hearing must be either Oliver or Declan. They are so close, my heart is singing. But this is a bad situation. One or all of us could be shot or killed. The consequences of what I say and when I say it matter.
I think on it before the noise sounds again.Thud. Should I stare ahead coolly, as if this is exactly what I expected? As if help is right on time. It might unnerve X.C. or he could call my bluff.
My immediate default would be to call out “I’m in here!” Whichduh, captain obvious. Not helpful. It’s not going to give Oliver or Declan any useful information that the sound of my voice wouldn’t already provide.
The noise rings out again, this time much louder. Closer. I hear the grating scrape of metal on metal.
X.C. turns to face me, a sinister glow in his eye. He palms his handgun and unlatches the safety.
“There’s only two—” is all I manage to scream out before Blaed returns and covers my mouth from behind me.
X.C. shakes his head. Blaed’s strong hand covers both my mouth and nose. X.C. helps him to untie my ankles. Once my legs are free, I begin to kick wildly.
X.C. backs away before I can make contact. His gun is raised, ready to take aim once he locates his target.
Blaed uses his free arm to lift me from the chair. The rope round my torso drops to the ground once I’m standing and a new sensation touches my back. Even through my clothes, I can make out the shape. Round and hard. The muzzle of his gun.
We wait for whoever is here to enter.
“Charlie!” The only voice that would make me happier is Declan’s, but hearing Oliver is great too.
I don’t want to be shot. I really, really don’t want to be shot. But I need to let Uncle Ollie know I’m here. I do the first thing that comes to mind and stick out my tongue. Blaed jolts his hand a few millimeters. It’s enough, and then I open wider and bite down on his hand as hard as I can.
“Bitch!” he cries out.
“Don’t shoot!” X.C. hisses at Blaed. “We have no leverage without her!”
Blaed curses under his breath and wraps his arms round my neck, his gun again at my back. I’m a human shield now. I can’t believe I ever thought this guy was cute or nice. His touch makes my skin crawl.
“I’m coming, Charlie!” Uncle Ollie calls out once more. I can’t see where he is, but knowing he’s near gives me hope.
X.C. is on edge, turning this way and that to see where Oliver will come from. He’s terrified right now. That’s an advantage.
Abangrings out to my right. X.C. and Blaed both turn to face it. Then anotherclangto the left.
They shift again, me with them.
The recognizablethump thump thumpof running feet approaches. Uncle Ollie grunts and then slams into X.C. Xander hits one of the metal bins hard and his weapon drops and so does he. The sound of the impact reverberates.
Then Uncle Ollie turns toward Blaed.
This is all wrong. Blaed has a clear open shot on Uncle Ollie; he needs to move. Another set of distant thuds begins to sound.Declan!My heart sings, hoping it is him. Blaed tightens his arm round my neck. I want to pull his arm down, but my hands are still tied behind my back.
