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“It’s me,” Julia said, choosing a pick from the pick set. “But I need you to be quiet while I open thisdoor.”
The pick was too big. She cursed and chose another one. Still toobig.
Footsteps pounded above her and a moment later a tall man with dark curly hair appeared at the top of the stairs leading to the hall where shestood.
She raised her weapon and fired without thinking, hitting him square in the chest. She could only assume from the blood that blossomed on his shirt as he stumbled back into the hall that he wasn’t wearing avest.
“I thought I was dead, Julia. I thought I would never see you again. Ithought— ”
“Seriously, Elise, I need you to bequiet.”
She fitted another pick into the lock. This one felt just right, and she turned it slowly, forcing herself not to rush, feeling for the tumblers as they cleared thepick.
Time seemed to slow, like she was moving through a sea of molasses, gunfire coming from all corners of the boat, the crash of breaking glass making its way through thehalls.
The lock gave way with a soft click. Julia turned the knob. Then she was pulling her sister into her arms, both of them crying and talking at the sametime.
She pulled back to get a better look, hardly daring to believe the woman in front of her was her sister. But yes, it was Elise, thinner and with bruises on her neck and arms, her blond hair stringy and two incheslonger.
Butalive.
Elise’s eyes dropped to Julia’sgun.
Julia took her hand. “Do exactly what I say.” Elise’s eyes were blank, and Julia wondered if she was in shock. “Do you hear me, Elise? You do everything Isay.”
Elisenodded.
“Stay behindme.”
Julia moved in front of her sister and stepped into thehall.
* * *
Ronan had losttrack of how many times he’d used his gun, how many guards had taken one of his bullets to the head or chest. He’d seen Nick take a hit to the calf, but his brother kept moving, so Ronan could only assume it was a minorwound.
Braden was somewhere on the bridge, the only sign of his presence the occasional firing of his silenced gun, barely audible in the chaos of the fighting at the rear of theboat.
He had no sense of how much time had passed since he’d left Julia in the hall outside the sleeping cabins. He was biding his time, lending a hand to Nick and Braden until the moment when he would be forced to go back in after Julia andElise.
He caught sight of Nick using one of his vicious upper cuts on a short, stout guard. Nick kicked the man backward, waiting for him to hit the railing before he fired his weapon into the man’shead.
The guard tipped over the side of the boat, disappearing into thedarkness.
Ronan turned to find another guard advancing, this one wielding a wickedknife.
Ronan hated knives — which was why he always brought agun.
He pointed his weapon at the man’s head andfired.
* * *
Julia had just passedthe computer room when Elise emitted a strangling sound behind her. She turned to find her sister’s head locked in the arms of a massive man with a shaved head, an earring glinting in one ear, his eyes bulging andwild.
Julia shoved her gun against the man’s throat. “Let hergo."
He loosened his grip and stepped back, and Julia fired into hishead.
Elise’s scream went on andon.
