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“I swear that I don’t know anything. I can’t tell you information I don’t know. Please . . .” She hoped begging would appease him. He seemed like the sort who enjoyed preying on the weaker.
He dragged the sharp edge of the gardening shears up her foot, drawing a thin line of blood. “Are you sure?”
It stung. Bailey sucked in a breath, trying to keep a lid on her panic. “I swear.”
“And you don’t know anything about Aslanov’s research, how to read his notes, what the formulas meant?”
“I was five.” She tried not to cry, but the terror was beginning to swallow her whole.
“We captured a few research subjects in South America. I’ve got one jailed in the mine below the compound. We need to understand your father’s notes to continue our tests. But if you can’t help me . . .”
McKeevy reached behind him and ditched the gardening shears for a scalpel off the wall. He set the sharp edge right against her breastbone and began to press. Bailey didn’t dare thrash for fear he’d cut her deeper. Instead, she whimpered, wishing she could go out with more grace. God, if she could just get one more opportunity to be uncuffed and fight back, she’d make the most of it.
Suddenly, someone banged on the door. “Joe!”
“I’m working the prisoner here.” He sounded annoyed, his scalpel hand shaking.
Blood pooled between her breasts.
“We’ve got a big fucking problem. Klein is gathering all the officers.”
“For fuck’s sake.” He slammed his implement on the table just above her head, then sneered down at her. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Then he turned and left. The second the door closed behind him, Bailey dragged in a sharp, ragged breath. Relief spilled through her, leaving her trembling. She knew this reprieve was only momentary, but she’d take it. She wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and mentally escape, but she had to keep her wits about her and find a way out of here.
She jerked her gaze all over the room and thrashed as hard as she could to see if there was any give in her bonds, but she was irrevocably tied down and had no means of escape.
As she reached that terrible conclusion, the door creaked open again. She craned her head around to see if McKeevy had come back to finish up her terrible death. Instead, a very young pregnant girl entered the room. Bailey figured she was probably sixteen and at least six months pregnant.
“Don’t ask questions. Just listen. Otter Klein, the leader of LOSS, just found out the feds have the compound surrounded and that they’ve obtained a search warrant from a judge. Otter, Joe, and the rest, they won’t go down without a fight.”
Bailey welcomed the news that help was on the way, but wondered why this girl was telling her—and if that help would come too late. Or was this girl setting a trap? Maybe, but Bailey didn’t see that she had much choice except to listen.
As she waited for more, she realized the girl was loosening the strap around her wrist as quietly as possible. Bailey began wiggling her hand to speed up the process, fighting to be free. Moments later, she pulled her left hand from the bindings and reached across her body to release the right. The girl moved to her ankles.
“Why are you helping me?” she asked.
Her rescuer turned sad blue eyes on her. “I ran away from home at fourteen after I got in a fight with my momma. Joe picked me up off the street, promising me a ride to a friend’s. Instead, he brought me here and raped me. This will be the second baby he’s put up in me, so I can’t go nowhere. I won’t leave my boy with him. But if you get out, will you tell my momma that I’m still alive? Here’s her name and address.” The girl teared up as she pressed a piece of paper into Bailey’s hand.
Her heart broke for the young woman who’d been so trapped and abused. Bailey couldn’t imagine just how hopeless she must feel. “What’s your name?”
“Destiny.” Her voice cracked.
“How old are you?”
“Just turned sixteen. Look, I’m going to get you out in the hall. At the end, there’s a table with flashlights. Take one and go to the stairs. All the men are holed up, trying to decide what to do about the feds coming. If you stick to the shadows, you should be able to make it out that door. Once you’re through, you’ll find a tunnel. Run straight ahead. Don’t veer off. And keep running. That leads to an open field just off the compound. Joe brought you in that way. The nearest town is a few miles south, but the feds will probably spot you before then.”
“Come with me,” Bailey said, grabbing her hands. “Get your son. We’ll do this together.”
“Can’t.” Destiny held back her tears. “The women are gathering to make survival packs in case we have to abandon the compound and hike into Canada. If I don’t turn up real soon, they’ll come looking for me, then no one will get away. I’m supposed to be rounding up the little kids now. The bigger kids are helping me.”
Bailey wanted to ask a hundred questions. Were all the women here against their will? How many people lived in this compound? She stifled her curiosity. None of that information was relevant now.
“I will do everything I can to get out of here and see your mother, I promise. And if I can do anything at all to free you, I will.”
Tears splashed down the girl’s young cheeks. “I’d appreciate it. Billy, my boy, he deserves more than this life. He’s barely a year old, but I’m already worried about him. And if Joe knew I was here, he’d kill me.”
“Then let’s go.”
Bailey couldn’t find her shoes. They’d sure help with survival in the wild, but she’d ten times rather take her chances out there than in here.
The girl nodded, then opened the door, peeking out and looking both ways. She opened the door wide and motioned Bailey toward another door, at the end of a long, narrow hall.
“That way,” Destiny whispered. “Out the door and keep going.”
“Thank you.” Bailey squeezed her shoulder. “I’m going to make sure you get your life back, too.”
“God bless you.” The girl picked up her long skirt and dashed away in the opposite direction.
Down that part of the hall, Bailey could hear men shouting about the fucking feds. A loud crash sounded, followed by the sound of fists connecting, then some grunts. A door creaked open and footsteps darted down the hall. Someone shouted again, this time an ugly curse. Had she already been spotted? Had someone discovered her missing?
Bailey didn’t hang around to find out. With her heart thumping, she turned toward the door and hugged the shadowy wall, darting down the industrial tiled floor. With every step, she could only pray that she’d make it to the door before anyone caught her. If not . . . well, she knew the consequences.
* * *
IT felt like thirty years had passed since Joaquin had awakened next to Bailey, rather than just over thirty hours. The nightmare seemed never ending.
He paced the county sheriff’s office in Leon, about ten miles up the road from the LOSS compound, then turned to Sean. “I don’t like the strategy of executing a search warrant when we never saw McKeevy drive in. Securing it probably alerted LOSS that we’re onto them. What if they end her quickly for it?”
Sean tossed his hands up at the question. “I wish I knew what the hell was going on. He should have arrived hours ago. We found that SUV stolen just outside of Davenport abandoned about two miles from here. The local sheriff has a K-9 unit. They’re picking up Bailey’s scent all over the vehicle. She made it that far. Where else would he have taken her? Somehow, he got her into that compound without traveling that road. We’ve got agents and deputies combing the area now. We’ll figure out how and rescue her. You have to believe that or you’re going to lose your mind.”
“Do I need to remind you what this monster is capable of?” Wondering what she might be enduring even now kept slaying him over and over. Even if he got her back alive, would she ever be whole again, inside and out? The worrying and not knowing were killing him. r />
Hunter approached from behind and slapped him on the back. “Breathe, buddy. Worrying isn’t going to help her.”
His head knew that he couldn’t help Bailey if he didn’t stop freaking out. But he hadn’t let himself really care about anything or anyone since his father. He’d forgotten how much loss could hurt. Hurt, hell. He was hemorrhaging. The fear was eviscerating his fucking soul.
Joaquin tried to take a deep breath. “Is there anything new?”
“No. We should hear something in the next hour. The special agent in charge is going to let us ride down with the folks serving the warrant. We have to stay a quarter of a mile away from the compound while they go in, but we’ll be close in case Bailey needs you after they extract her. I know you wanted to go in. I did, too. But we’re lucky we got this concession. They won’t budge another inch.”
Joaquin knew it was more than he should have expected and probably a hell of a protocol breach since neither of them were federal agents anymore, but yeah, he’d wanted to be part of the crew who rescued Bailey . . . if she was still alive.
“When are we leaving?”
“In five.” Sean tossed him a protein bar, then followed that with a bottle of water. “You haven’t eaten anything all day, so until you do, you’re not going.”
He really didn’t think he could, but if it meant the difference between going and staying, he’d choke it down. “Fine.”
Sean’s phone beeped. He lifted it and shook his head. “Callie . . .” He tapped out a reply and read it aloud. “‘News soon. Patience, lovely. Or you’ll learn it from Thorpe while I’m gone.’”
As he hit send, he grinned and walked off. Sean’s life was looking up in every way. Joaquin didn’t know if he even gave a shit that he had one after today.
Forcing himself to swallow the bar and water, he made sure his gun carried the fresh clip Hunter had given him and tucked it away. The troops started gathering near the door. The FBI had overrun this little sheriff’s office. That was about the only thing that gave Joaquin hope. They damn sure wanted whatever was on that flash disk. He hoped to fuck if they recovered it today, they would destroy it.
Sean motioned to him, and he joined the group as they filed out the door. A cluster of black SUVs waited in front. Joaquin didn’t know where they’d come from and he didn’t care. Hunter kissed his wife, and they shared a quiet moment. He assured her he’d be back and smoothed an affectionate hand over her belly. Joaquin wondered what would happen if his sister’s husband didn’t make it home. She would be devastated, kind of like Joaquin himself felt right now. She’d turn in to herself in grief and maybe never come out. Joaquin wouldn’t blame her. Yet she smiled and kissed her husband as she took the terrible risk. He didn’t understand.
The short ride south covered some remote prairie land. Joaquin tried to divorce his mind from the wretched fear eating him alive.
After what seemed like an interminable trip, the agent driving exited the main road and turned onto a bumpy dirt one. “Here’s where I leave you. We’ll be back to get you as soon as possible. Don’t walk to the compound. Don’t interfere.” He looked at Sean. “We’re only allowing this as a favor to you, so don’t make us regret it.”
“Understood. Thanks,” Sean answered, climbing out of the front seat of the vehicle.
Hunter followed, opening the right rear door. His father scooted over and eased out next as Joaquin opened the back door on the left and stepped out into the stiff breeze. As evening approached, the four of them turned and began trekking into a wide open, grassy field. He had a feeling it was going to be a long, miserable night. Putting one foot in front of the other was a challenge. Even breathing felt like a chore. He had to keep going for Bailey.
Sean waved off the fed, who drove away in a cloud of dust.
“What are we allowed to do?” Joaquin asked. The restrictions chafed.
“We scout around a bit,” Sean offered. “Stone just texted me information about some abandoned limestone quarry not far from here. I’m going to bet LOSS has made use of those tunnels and dug a way out, aboveground. Paranoid paramilitary loons usually have an escape route.”
“Absolutely,” Hunter agreed. “If they have any idea you’re coming, they’ll use it, too. Do the feds know about the tunnels?”
“I’m sure they do. Now, whether they’ve put two and two together and decided that LOSS is making use of them . . .” Sean shrugged.
“If we find that opening and surround it, we’ll be prepared in the event the separatists send their soldiers out to wage war on the FBI.”
“I hope that’s exactly what they do. Stone also did a little research today and told me that over the past year they’ve purchased enough explosives to rig this entire compound to blow into a million pieces. Let’s hope they don’t take the nuclear option.”
Joaquin’s blood froze over as they began walking in the direction of the coordinates Stone had sent Sean earlier. The walk dragged on as the sun inched down. The feds should have arrived by now. He listened for sounds of gunshots, but heard only eerie silence. Somehow, that grated on him even more. Were they too late? Had LOSS already abandoned the compound in the dead of night? Had McKeevy secreted Bailey somewhere else entirely so he could take her apart at his leisure?
A million scenarios all zipped through this head, each uglier than the last. He swallowed down the panic threatening to rise again. How the fuck had he let his guard down and fallen so deeply in love with this woman in just a handful of days? A damn stupid move—especially since he’d thought he knew better.
As the sun began to dip lower, Sean and Caleb both extracted flashlights from packs they must have grabbed at the sheriff’s station. They paired up, Hunter veering off with his dad over a rise. Joaquin followed Sean as they scouted the area around Stone’s coordinates.
Grass and shrubs coming back to life from the winter dotted the gentle hillside. Behind a cluster of foliage, they found the SUV that McKeevy had most recently stolen and abandoned. Every door was wide open, as was the hatch in back. The FBI had been through it with everything but a microscope and planned to tow it off shortly, so Joaquin knew he wouldn’t find Bailey or any sign of her here. But knowing she’d come this far in the vehicle helped him feel closer to finding her. Of course, the K-9 unit couldn’t tell him whether she had still been alive when she’d left her scent in this car. But he refused to think that she hadn’t.
Static filtered in over the radio the agents had lent Sean, then muffled voices. Sean lifted it from his belt and held it ear-level between them. As they listened, the agents approached the compound, discussing the electronic gates designed to deliver a stunning jolt to trespassers. The perimeter of the compound was surrounded by fences less expensive and off-putting—simple chain link with barbed wire—but attack dogs roamed the premises and had already sniffed out the feds, barking relentlessly.
Joaquin closed his eyes. The FBI’s strategy of playing official and making nice didn’t feel right. The feds would have to force their way into this compound—and that would be more difficult now that they’d lost the element of surprise. Son of a bitch.
“We’ve got to find a way in there,” Joaquin insisted. “Now. They’re going to fail.”
“They can deal with fences and dogs. This is nothing unexpected. Be patient.”
“Would you be patient if Callie was trapped in there?” Joaquin demanded.
“I’d be whatever I needed to be in order to get her out.” Sean sent him a dark frown. “Get your shit together.”
As the other man stalked off with the flashlight, Joaquin followed, cursing. Sean was right.
Sean ascended the top of a gentle rise, then frowned. He shined the flashlight directly down, kneeling to shove aside long strands of grass swaying with the wind. “I found some sort of metal flap. It’s been painted a dark green to match the grass.” He shoved his palms under the lip and tried to lift it. “I need your help.”
If this
door was a way into the quarry, they might be able to get into the compound. This might be Joaquin’s way to rescue Bailey.
He knelt beside Sean. Together they tugged and pulled. The sucker was heavy and stuck good.
“Damn it. Why won’t it open?”
“There may be a latch on the inside,” Joaquin mused. “We need a damn crowbar. I had one in my SUV. If I had thought for a second we’d need it, I would have—”
A deafening roar exploded a moment later. The ground beneath their feet rolled. A fireball lit up the sky. It had come from the direction of the compound.
Bailey.
Joaquin staggered back, staring at the twisting wall of flame in the distance. With his heart thundering, he charged toward it, icy disbelief washing through him. “No!”
Sean chased him down and grabbed him around the neck, holding him back. “Where do you think you’re going, man? That fire is probably a thousand degrees. You have to stay back.”
