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One of the men seemed to be videoconferencing with a suited man onscreen, although Julia couldn’t hear theirconversation.
“Don’t think about it,” Ronan said grimly as they descended a short staircase to the sleeping cabinsbelowdeck.
They entered another long hall, this one with closed doors on either side. According to the blueprints, this was where the bedrooms were, the most likely place for Elise to be keptprisoner.
Ronan tried one of the doors but Julia could see that it waslocked.
She removed the pick set from a zipper in her wet suit and held it up with a question in hereyes.
Ronan shook his head and mouthed the words, “Notyet.”
He moved down one side of the hall, trying the doors. Julia moved to the other side, doing the same thing. She was on the last door when a familiar voice spoke behindher.
She froze, then turned to face the door Ronan was trying to open, the voice an urgent whisper behindit.
“Hello? Is anyone there? My name is Elise Berenger. I’m an American and I’m being kept here against my will. Please helpme."
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Ronan had barely registeredthe voice of the woman behind the door when something exploded from the back of the boat. The explosion was followed by a series of shouts and the thud of footsteps making their way toward theexplosion.
“Elise! It’s me.” Julia was flattened against the door as if she might be able to materialize through it through sheer force of will. “It’s Julia. I’m going to get you out ofhere.”
Gunfire erupted from the front and back of theboat.
“Uh… I hate to ask, but we could use some help out here.” Nick’s voice was staticky in Ronan’sear.
He looked down the hall and back atJulia.
“Go!” she said. “I’ll get Elise and meet you at themotorboat.”
“No fucking way.” He took a step back, preparing to kick in the door. “Stand back,Elise.”
“Wait!” Julia put a hand on his wrist. “If we make noise, they’ll come.” She held up the pick set. “Go help Nick and Braden. I’ll meetyou.”
He shook his head. “No.”
Another round of gunfire blew through the boat and the lights flickered in thehall.
She looked in his eyes. “Do you trustme?”
He wanted to say no. He wanted to say he didn’t trust anyone but himself to get her off the Elysiumalive.
But that would be the end of them. And besides, it wasn’ttrue.
He did trust her. Whether or not he trusted her wasn’t the right question. The question was, did he love her enough to let hergo?
“I trust you,” hesaid.
“Then go. I’m right behind you.” She held up her gun. “And I know how to usethis.”
He hesitated and shook his head. “Fuck me.” He kissed her hard and fast. “You better be there, Julia. I’m not leaving withoutyou.”
She shoved him and he headed back up the flight of stairs as another explosion rocked theboat.
* * *
“Oh my god…”Elise was sobbing on the other side of the door. “Julia? Is that reallyyou?”
