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It was his sister who’d helped him through all that.
“I mean, it really does break my heart, what she must have gone through. It also makes me want to ring that fucker Leonidas’ neck like a wet rag. He’s gone on too long playing his twisted games and not paying any consequences.”
“I agree,” Wyatt said. “I think he’ll get what he deserves, though. I’m planning on it.”
“First, we got to get Roman and Bang Bang out. How’s that coming along?”
“It’s been tough, but I think I’ve managed to figure something out. I’m usually great with puzzles, and especially when I have to solve them under pressure. This is the ultimate puzzle, and I think I’ve got a close-to-ultimate solution.”
“Is that why we’re heading to Georgia tomorrow?”
Wyatt nodded, his nerves spiking. Tomorrow would bring the first big step they’d be taking toward rescuing Roman and Bang Bang, and a lot hinged on whether or not Wyatt could convince his one and only ex to help them.
Sounded awfully familiar.
“We’re meeting with Theo Cupper. He’s an, eh, acquaintance of mine. I knew him when I was running around in some of the darker cyber circles. The ones that would sell bundles of credit card numbers and passwords. He’s stayed in that world, and I think he could be the one to help us.”
“How so?”
“By hacking into the prison’s security system and blowing a virtual hole directly through it. I want to cause chaos, enough of it to create a distraction that would allow us to slip away with Roman and Bang Bang unnoticed. I can’t do it—I can barely crack through their firewalls… although I did manage to get past a few. But I think Theo could help with bringing it all down.” Wyatt gave a sideways slanted smirk.
Phantom pursued his lips, nodding, seeming impressed.
“Sounds like a solid plan.”
“I’ve got more details to go over and finalize, then I plan on sitting us all down and going through it. It won’t be easy, obviously, but I think we’ve got a solid shot.”
Phantom nudged Wyatt with a shoulder. “You’re doing a good job, by the way. Of keeping this ship sailing. I haven’t been able to think straight since the museum, and I know Mimic and Mustang are just as shaken. Doc’s been a wreck, but she hides it better than most. You’ve kept it together, Salt. You’re the boss now.”
Wyatt swallowed a nervous gulp. He had been so focused on figuring out a way to get them out that he’d barely had time to think about the role that had been thrust onto him. He was never one to take the lead, always preferring a quieter role in the team. Something still crucial but never the leader position.
And then there he was, having suddenly taken the wheel in a car that felt as if it were driving at a hundred miles per hour with its brakes cut.
He was about to say thanks for Phantom’s kind words but was interrupted by another set of footsteps entering the space.
“Hey, boys.” It was Artemis “Mimic” Flores, her long, lithe legs covered by a pair of baggy sweatpants, her navy top tucked into the waistband. “I’ve been looking for you. Mustang found something—I think you two need to see it.”
“Let’s go,” Wyatt said, standing up, following Mimic and Phantom out of the exhibit. Behind them, the belugas tossed a ball between each other, blissfully unaware of the bullshit those two-legged, air-breathing, hairy creatures had to go through.
Chapter 3
Roman Ashford
Roman could hardly believe it as Aimee led him into the general population, walking with a hand on his back and another on her gun. The heavy doors into the common spaces unlocked and slid open on squeaking gears, a chorus of sounds blasting through it. Aimee gave Roman a gentle push and was immediately greeted by a bunch of hooting and hollering, everyone seemingly excited for the new blood that had just entered—sharks circling for food, immediately sizing him up, wondering what they could take from him and what they could use.
Roman didn’t care. He could handle himself. He was just glad to be moved from solitary. Not only did this give him a better shot at escaping, but it also kept him from losing his sanity. Something happened to a person when they were locked inside of a windowless shoebox. And sure, some people were monsters who had to be kept away from others, but Roman certainly wasn’t one of those people, and the crushing loneliness had been starting to wear on him.
At least now he could carry on a conversation with someone. So what if the conversation was about trading Cheetos for toothpaste—he was just glad he could say a few words.
Bang Bang, don’t worry. We’re coming for you too.
Roman wondered if Salt would be able to work the same magic with Bang Bang. Maybe he already had? He looked around the gymnasium-looking space, at the tables lined up in the center with the prison cells all against the walls. There were two floors and a couple of barred-up windows. An ancient television hung from the wall, playing what appeared to be a reality show about crab fishing, although the random bursts of static made it hard to tell.
