Page 19 of Sawyer’s Mistake

Saoirse looked at him uncomprehendingly. He wondered if she might be going into shock. He needed to get her out of there.

“They’re just slugs, Saoirse,” he said.

Finally, she giggled. “Just slugs? Those things are the size of our heads!” Then she got very quiet. “Is that really their food?”

He nodded. They needed to get out of there before one of the Remur got peckish. He ushered Saoirse out of the room and started herding her towards what he hoped was the exit.

“Hold on, Jake, there’s somebody there!” She grabbed onto his shoulder, pointing at one of the rooms.

He turned just in time to see a face disappear below one of the glass windows, as if the occupant had ducked out of sight. He tried to think of what he’d seen; the face was too dirty to even make out whether it was male or female, but it was definitely human.

“We have to get her out, Jake,” Saoirse whispered.

He shook his head quickly.

I need to keep you safe no matter what.

“We can’t stop, Saoirse. We need to get out of here before the Remur come back.”

He looked up into her eyes. He’d steeled himself to find disappointment shining in them, but it wasn’t disappointment he found, it was anger.

“We’re not leaving her here, Jake.”

He took a deep breath. “I can’t fight them with my hands tied behind my back, Saoirse,” he said. He didn’t want to admit just how weak he felt or how much pain he was in. “We need to get out of here before the Remur come back.” He swallowed thickly. “Don’t you understand? I need to protect you. Once you’re safe, we’ll come back for her,” he promised.

She pressed a small, pale hand against his shoulder.

“We’re here now, Jake, and we’re not leaving her. How would you feel if it was me in there?”

The person in the cell chose that moment to stand up. She pressed her face against the glass. Definitely female. She looked terrified.

Sawyer cursed out loud. Saoirse was right. They couldn’t leave another human here.

“Okay, check the door, let’s see if we can find a way in.”

Saoirse tried the handle. “It’s locked. The key’s not here, Jake,” she whispered.

“Get back,” Sawyer asked. “Let’s try the old-fashioned way.” He raised his boot and kicked just below the door handle. It rattled but didn’t open. He tried again, with the same result. Without using his arms, he couldn’t get enough power behind the kick.

This isn’t going to work. We’re wasting too much time.

“Wait, Jake, she’s trying to say something,” Saoirse said excitedly. She approached the glass and put her hand against it.

“Tell me,” she said. The woman on the other side made a pantomime of opening a door then pointed to the far side of the hallway and brought up three fingers. Sawyer followed her hand to the end of the hallway where, high up on the wall, stood a row of switches.

“She’s saying we need to hit switch number three, Jake! Help me up!” She ran to the door, her bare feet padding noiselessly on the floor.

He swallowed a curse, rushing to her side. As he did so, he felt the bindings around his left wrist tighten mercilessly. He swallowed a cry of pain and sat down on the floor, leaning back against the wall.

“Get up on my shoulders, Saoirse. You’ll be able to hit the switch then.”

She nodded and clambered onto him easily. He couldn’t do anything to help her with his hands tied behind her back, but she seemed to be having no trouble keeping her balance. He remembered she was a climber.

Don’t look up, don’t look up.

But of course he did. Straight up towards her creamy thighs. Her panties under the flowing white dress were made of white lace. He felt his pulse race. He wondered if that was the kind of panties she favored or if those women back on the boat had made her change into them before handing her over to the Remur. That second thought cooled his ardor.

The door opened with a loud, metallic clang that had him cringing, knowing any Remur on this floor or the next would probably be able to hear it as well.