“You think she’s awake?” One of the guys up front asked.

Reese froze. If they turned around now and saw her like this, it was all over.

“Nah. I haven’t heard so much as a whimper out of her. We’ll be there in a few minutes. Then she can be his problem.”

A few minutes? Her heart pounded in her chest so loud she swore it was making an audible sound against her ribs. She had to move. Now!

If she slid out and stayed perfectly still, she might be able to avoid getting run over as they went by. Maybe. She wasn’t sure. But the van hadn’t stopped for even a single second the entire time she’d been conscious. Maybe they’d run every light, or maybe there were no lights where they were taking her. It didn’t matter anymore. The only chance she had of getting away fromthose guys was to get out of this van. And she had just minutes to do it.

At peace with whatever happened, as long as she wasn’t taken back to Russell - because who else would go through all this trouble to kidnap her - Reese drew in a deep breath and carefully slipped out of the latch, only opening it as high as she needed to pass through. She had no idea how much landing would hurt, but she needed to land flat or risk breaking her legs or neck. Keeping her legs up against the belly of the van, she felt for something to act as a toehold and managed to find some sort of pipe or hose that would work for the moment. The underside of the latch had two notches in it, almost as if they were made to be handles. She white knuckled her fingers around them as she slid the rest of the way, her head being the last to come out. The heat of the engine and the roar of the road flying by under her were the first things she noticed, but despite the growing discomfort and fear, she was more determined than ever to see this through.

But now came the hardest part. This van wasn’t going to stop until it reached its final destination. Which meant she had to let go.

Now.