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“We’re here to get you home, sweetie,” he smiled. The girl stilled, not saying anything for a moment. Standing, she set the little rat down and watched as he scurried away on the damp floor and out the door. She took one step, almost afraid to take another.
“Christina?” said Raphael.
Before she could even reach Ghost, she started to fall forward. He quickly stepped forward, scooping her into his arms as she began to sob uncontrollably.
“It’s okay, honey. It’s okay. We’ve got you now. We’ve got you.” Her little hands gripped his shirt, fisting it so tightly she was nearly choking him. Luc stepped forward, placing a pair of sunglasses on her head.
“It’s alright, Christina. We just don’t want the light to hurt your eyes. Are there any more, honey? Was there anyone else here?”
“H-he was just here. The man who brought me here. He hated that I wasn’t afraid of the rat. It showed up when he scanned my brain, but I just convinced myself it was a hamster.”
“Smart girl,” smirked Nine.
“Was he alone?” asked Ghost.
“N-no. He had another man with him, but he was young. There used to be two of them, but I don’t know what happened to him.”
“What about other kids, sweetie?” asked Bull. She shook her head against Ghost’s shoulder.
“I don’t know. I used to hear them crying and screaming, but then they were all gone. I think I might be the last one here. He was mad at me.”
“You’re okay now,” said Vince.
“I’m really hungry and thirsty,” she said.
“Angel, can you take her back to the boat?” asked Ghost. “See if you can get her settled while we check out the stuff here.”
Angel took Christina, Raphael and Baptiste following close behind. She was dirty, wet, tired, and surely wanted a shower. But for now, they would get her water and food.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Nine?” called Trak from above. “Up here.”
The men scurried toward the stairs, careful to not step too hard. It felt as if they made one wrong step, the entire thing would come crashing down around them. As they reached the level above, Trak stood in the doorway of a room at the end of a catwalk. From the room, you could see down into the cells from both sides.
“Cameras in all the rooms, recording everything,” said Trak. He pointed to the now dark images on the screen, showing only an empty room. No beds, no chairs. Some had water in the rooms, others just musty, mildew-soaked bricks.
“What’s that on the floor?” asked Gaspar.
“Water in some. There, in number three, is discarded duct tape and a blindfold. I’m guessing one of our lost lambs was afraid of the dark.”
“Pack all this shit up. Call Evie or whoever is available and get the chopper here to lift all this equipment out of here. We’re going to dig into it all and find out what the fuck they were doing. Our team will take Christina back. You guys come once everything is taken into the chopper.”
Nine, Trak, Gaspar, Ian, Ghost, Angel, Raphael, and Baptiste carried Christina back to Belle Fleur. She fell asleep between Angel and Baptiste almost immediately. They kept the sunglasses on her head, along with a thermal blanket over her body, but she seemed remarkably controlled.
The men waited, not so patiently, in chairs outside the hallway of the triage room. The four other kids were doing fairly well, coming along at the same pace that Gracie had. Riley and Gabi walked out, shaking their heads.
“Is she alright?” asked Nine.
“Remarkably alright,” said Gabi, shaking her head. “That young lady is better than any SEAL, any Ranger, any Marine I’ve ever worked on. I think you need to speak with her.”
“She’s alright to talk to us?” asked Gaspar with a frown.
“Honey, she’s showered, eaten, spoke to her parents on the phone, and now waiting for you. Her folks should be here within an hour. They were packing some things she asked for.”
“Riley, what the shit is going on here?” asked Nine.
“We think she doesn’t have an impulsive fight or flight mode. In other words, her amygdala, which controls the fight or flight, doesn’t overreact or kick in like yours and mine do. Gabi’s not wrong. I’ve never seen anyone like her.”
