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Brady looks back at me, excitement in his voice. "We're actually passing right under one of the gates that leads out of the Village right now.”
"Wow. This is cool." I give a nervous laugh. "And scary as hell."
"Don't be scared," he says. "You're safe."
His words make me feel somewhat better, even though I know once he gets me out of the Village, I still have a hard mission ahead of me. Warning Trevor without letting him hurt me, and doing so before Beckett hunts me down.
Crazy.
I push the thoughts aside, focusing on this place. How many people in the world even know about these secret Bachman worlds, much less get to be in one for a hot minute.
We reach another black door. Brady gives me a happy smile. "Ready for the coolest part?"
Speechless, I nod.
He opens the door. A blast of cold air hits me, and I shove my hands into the pockets of my leggings.
His eyes light with excitement. "This used to be part of the subway system. The family bought it years ago when this section was shut down."
"This is amazing." I step onto the concrete floor, looking around. I'm so glad I'm not alone in this subterranean maze. Dim light from electric lamps flickers on the walls of the tunnel.
We pass by an old, abandoned train car, its windows fogged up and its metal tracks covered in dust. Brady speaks with awe in his voice as he tells me all about how the Bachmans created this secret escape route from the Village into the city using this particular tunnel that was once part of the original subway system.
Old trains used to run through here until new lines were built, and it became obsolete.
The eerie silence of the tunnel and my unending circle of thoughts about what I have to do seem to swallow up his words. We keep walking, Brady still leading the way through the darkness.
He finally stops in front of a large, rusted door with a wheel in its center. He examines it for a few moments before looking back at me and nodding. "Ready?"
"Yes." This must be the way out.
He grabs the wheel and, with his other hand, indicates for me to help. "Can I get a hand?"
"Of course!" I run over to him, eager to be out of this tunnel. As cool as it is to be a part of such a massive secret, I'm starting to feel claustrophobic. If I had to be a doomsday prepper and live underground, I think I'd have to call it quits.
My skin craves sunshine, my lungs fresh air.
Our hands interlock and we begin to turn until, with a loud creak, the door opens up, revealing a sliver of welcome sunlight. We follow the stairs up into a basement where a small, high window lets in light. Fresh air caresses my face as the sounds of the city fill my ears.
“This is where I leave you.” He nods to a door as he starts for another one. “You go that way, I go this way.”
I head toward the door he’s pointing to. “Thanks for everything.”
“Sorry, Rhett.”
“For what?” I say. “You helped me! You got me out of the Village.”
He turns over his shoulder to look at me one last time before stepping out the door and leaving me.
Strange.
I go up the stairs, entering a small kitchen. What I see in the middle of the room makes my stomach free-fall three stories.
It hits me. All at once.
Brady wasn’t helping me.
Not at all.
