“Shh,” Mackenzie chastises and rubs her temples. “Something in this code isn’t right.”
Her head moves up and down as the code moves, a click sounds and a laptop moves through a trapdoor in the wall. Mackenzie eyes it suspiciously.
Maggie steps up beside her.
“I’m not supposed to hack anything, Amelie made me promise to not fuck this up before I’m in.”
“What can we do to help?” Maggie asks and Mackenzie thinks it over.
“Is anyone else somewhat good with computers? I have an idea.”
Everyone shakes their head, but Kathryn steps forward.
“I’m a fast learner. I remember things once I’ve been told,” she says, stepping in front of the computer.
Mackenzie watches the code then she calmly turns back to the computer and starts walking Kathryn through it. To me, everything she says sounds like a different language. As they work, a timer starts counting down on the wall.
“What’s happening?” Elsie asks, a wobble in her voice. She’s tired and emotionally spent, and the day is nowhere near finished yet. My heart goes out to her, but I need her to stay strong.
“A bomb,” Mackenzie announces, like it’s no big deal.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Belle panics, and Maggie goes to calm her down. Everyone in the room starts to talk and the chatter is throwing Mackenzie off.
“Shut the fuck up!” she snaps. “Unless you all want to die.”
Everyone falls silent and Mackenzie continues to talk Kathryn through the steps, working together as a unit. The timer gets to ten, and Adrianne must start to panic also because she laughs maniacally before counting down quietly. Her mouth moves, but I can’t hear her voice.
I watch in anticipation as the timer hits five, four, three…
The timer freezes and both Kathryn and Mackenzie high five as a side door opens. They’re down to the last room, which is Maggie’s.
“Do you have any popcorn?” Baxter asks, and I reach over and pinch his leg, causing him to laugh.
This room is massive, and I’m not sure how it’s possible, but it looks like an outdoor training facility in the woodlands. Handmade weapons and training spots are set up. Maggie stills. She would have known it was her turn, but she seems thrown to be taken back to her childhood. How in the fuck would Baxter know this?
I watch as Adrianne goes to investigate but Maggie throws her arm out to stop her and holds a finger up to her lips.
“We are not alone,” she whispers and everyone nods.
Maggie takes them to the furthest wall and they all keep their backs to it. She stops at a pile of leaves and moves them aside. Finding a chest, she starts pulling out weapons – thank god they are all wooden training items. Except…there’s a gun.
My heart stops at the sight of it.
Maggie tucks a wooden knife into her jeans and holds the gun by her side, gesturing for everyone to follow her. My leg bops with nerves. Where the hell are they? I know they’re there, lurking somewhere, but I don’t think they will be expecting their mother to fight back.
“That gun better not have any bullets,” I warn Baxter.
“Calm down, it’s just a paint gun. I did consider wooden or rubber bullets, but they would still possibly cause damage at such close range. I didn’t want to have to console you if one of your precious boy toys was hurt.”
“I would kill you, just so we’re clear.”
“Noted, what if they killed me?”
I’ve never thought about it. Honestly, I figured if anyone was going to kill anyone that it would be Baxter killing them. “I don’t know, I haven’t given it any thought.”
“But you have thought about me killing them.”
“Them? No. Kalen? Yes.”
