AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Vikka snapped off her tie.
Shae shook her head, then pulled the tie down with her teeth and pulled her hands down, hard.
The ties broke. “Let’s go.”
“Nope.” Judah climbed under the wool blanket and closed his eyes.
“So…when—”
“Shh,” Judah said, his eyes still closed. “You’ll know when. For now, get some sleep. It’s going to get cold tonight, and we have heat and blankets.”
Yes. Yes, they did.
Blankets and maybe, well, hope.
She pulled up the blanket, rolled over.
And maybe for the first time in weeks, really slept.
Ten
Today Ned committed treason, and he didn’t care.
Because Shae was still alive. And if he played this right, in twenty-four hours, she’d be free.
So yeah, denial was his friend.
Even though she looked rough.
Alive, but rough.
Her face bruised, a welt on her cheek, her eye blackened a little, but still alive. And almost…angry?
Ned couldn’t tell by the picture on his phone, but he stared at it a long time before he heard Fraser’s feet shuffle from the bedroom.
He opened the door. “Ready?” Fraser stood there in a pair 5.11 tactical pants, a pullover, a jacket, his backpack over his shoulder.
“You are,” Ned said. He’d changed into jeans and a shirt, a suit jacket, even a tie. The getup felt stupid, but maybe this entire plan was stupid.
Thankfully, Fraser said nothing as he gulped down a container of juice and a croissant, a little stale from last night’s bakery run on the way to the Airbnb.
Ned couldn’t risk anything in his stomach, thanks.
Fraser said nothing as they drove to the site, and Ned dropped him off where he’d parked the car yesterday. Fraser got out, carrying with him their communications gear, confirming contact when he got into position.
Ned confirmed back, then set the earpiece in the glove compartment.
He drove up to the gate.
Here went nothing.
The complex wasn’t heavily populated this morning. But it was early, the sun still rising to shine upon the containment tower, the few parked cars in the lot.
Ned showed his passport—his real passport—and his military ID to the guard. “I’m here to talk to Director Shumann.”
Just a little homework had netted him that name.
The guard let him through, and he parked near the building as the gate closed. Then the guard headed back to his station.
