Chapter 33
THIRTY-THREE
Z ack gritted his teeth and yanked on the ties around his arms. Instead of loosening, they only dug into his skin. He walked over to Naya, strapped in the chair.
“We need to find a way out of here.” Her voice rose.
“And we will. I won’t let us pay the price for the trouble they’ve caused.” Zack crouched down next to her. “Are you okay?” A bruise had formed on her cheek, and Zack swallowed hard. If Roger or Hudson had done that…
He ground his teeth.
Naya nodded. “Callahan shot Ingram.” She pinched her eyes shut and a tear fell. “I don’t know if”—she gulped—“if she’s alive or not.”
Zack wanted to wipe the tear and console Naya, but each second that ticked by narrowed their chances of escaping.
“Let’s get out of here. Then we’ll find her.” He offered a smile for her sake, then inspected the ropes around her wrists. Roger had used rope, unlike the plastic restraints Hudson had fastened on Zack. It made it harder to undo, but not impossible.
“Can you twist your way out?”
Naya tried to work at the ropes, but with her arms behind her back, the ropes didn’t budge. “I can’t.”
“Hang on.” Zack stepped back and lifted his hands high in the air, then yanked them down and out in front of him. His bonds snapped, and he tossed the zip ties aside.
Zack scanned the room for a sharp object that would cut Naya’s ropes. He opened a metal standing cabinet in the back corner of the room.
A stack of papers, cans, and office supplies occupied the shelving. A quick spin of the desk organizer on the top rack revealed pens, paper clips, and…
Bingo.
An X-ACTO knife was mixed in with the writing supplies.
“I’m going to help you get out of this chair, but I need you to trust me.”
Naya’s wide eyes stared at the knife in his hand. “Okay.”
Zack circled around behind her and knelt. He tugged on the rope, pulling it away from her wrist to create a gap. He slid the knife down and out toward him. With the swift motion, the fibers frayed, then snapped.
Naya rubbed her wrists and stood up. “Thanks.” She brushed her matted and tangled curls away from her face. “Let’s get out of here.”
“You go check the door. I’m going to see what’s back here.” Zack raced over to the supplies against the wall. A few empty paint cans sat on a tarp next to a water jug and aerosol containers. He picked up the gray aerosol can.
Butane.
That could get them out of here.
He shook it.
Empty.
“The door won’t budge.” Naya yanked on the knob. “And the window’s got wiring in the glass.”
Zack picked up the other aerosol can and pressed down on the valve. Liquid hissed from the top. “I’ve got a plan!”
Naya raced back over to Zack. “Do you smell that?”
He sniffed. “Smoke.” There was no way to tell where the fire was coming from. If his idea backfired, they’d be dead.
He needed to be honest with Naya. In case they didn’t make it out of this room alive, she deserved to know how he felt.
She must have sensed his hesitancy, because she grabbed his hand. “Whatever happens, you didn’t cause this mess, Zack. You’re the hero. My hero.” Her lip quivered.
Lord, help me get us out of here. You brought Naya back into my life. Please don’t let this be the end.
“Naya, I love you. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I needed you to hear that from me.” He wiped a tear off her cheek with the pad of his thumb.
“I love you too, Zack.” She pulled in a breath. “Tell me what to do. I’m ready to fight this till the end.”
“One of the many reasons why I love you.” He pulled away and handed her the gallon jug of water. “Dump half of this out. We’re going to make a rocket.”
The smell of smoke continued to intensify, and Zack coughed.
Zack took the lid from the water bottle and used the X-ACTO knife to make a small incision.
Naya held the half-empty water container and Zack twisted the lid back on before pouring the butane in. Then he uncapped the jug.
He had no idea what room they were in, and if he sent this off in the direction of the fire, the explosion would be lethal. There was nothing he could do to control the situation. No way to calculate the odds of staying out of trouble.
This is in Your hands, Lord. Only You can save us. One way or another.
“Back up, Naya. I’m going to shoot this off into the ceiling.”
She moved to the door.
Zack flipped the bottle over and let go. The container sizzled and shot up into the air, then catapulted into the ceiling.
Zack twisted his body and shielded his eyes. Liquid sprayed him, and plaster rained down around them.
“It worked.” Naya jumped up.
“Let me help you.” Zack bent down on one knee and held out his hands.
Naya placed her foot into his hold, and he hoisted her up. She pulled away some of the remaining plaster so she could squeeze through then grabbed hold of a beam in the ceiling and swung her leg.
A cry escaped her lips.
“You okay?”
“It’s my elbow. I’ll be fine.” She cradled her arm. “I’m in.” Naya coughed. “The smoke smells stronger up here.”
“Hang on.” Zack backed up against the opposite wall, then sprinted to the other side of the room. He pushed off the wall and stretched out his hand to grip a beam from the exposed ceiling. With one hand wrapped around the wood, he used his other to push up.
The weight crumbled the plaster, and he lost his grip. His arm dangled and he dropped back to the ground. Dust flew in his eyes.
“Zack,” Naya screamed.
“I’m fine.” He wiped his face, then ran across the room and jumped once more. He swung his legs up and over and gripped the beam.
He’d made it.
He lay there for a minute staring at the floor below. His chest heaved.
“Which way do we go?” Naya shifted in the enclosed space, and her arms brushed his.
Minimal light filtered into the space, and it took a second for his eyes to adjust. They could go forward or backward. “Let’s try this way.” Zack pointed straight ahead and inched his way through the space first. If they ran into any obstacles, Zack wanted to take the initial hit.
More light streamed up ahead.
“We’re getting closer to something,” Naya said.
They crossed over a thicker beam into what was probably another room. The light grew, and Zack quickened his pace. “Just up ah?—”
Zack’s words were cut off by a rush of heat and flames.
“Watch out!” Zack shouted and ducked his head. This wasn’t an exit. They’d just walked straight into the landmine. “We need to go back. Go. Go.” Zack spun on his knees.
Naya was already turned around and a few paces away.
The heat nipped at Zack’s ankles, and he dug his hands into the beams, moving faster.
“We can’t just drop back into the room we were in or it’s over,” Naya yelled over her shoulder.
“Keep going the other way.” Zack coughed. “Let’s try to break the ceiling of another space.” His lungs burned.
Smoke filtered through the enclosed duct work. Each particle cut off more oxygen. Zack pulled his shirt up over his nose.
“I can’t see much,” Naya wheezed. “It’s so hazy.”
They crawled past the gaping hole above the room Roger and Hudson had trapped them in. The second the fire filled that space and collided with any traces of butane, they’d be burned to a crisp.
“I can’t go…much…more.” Naya lowered her head and expelled a cough.
Zack glanced behind him. They had minutes before the fire caught up to them. He scooted past Naya in the space and sat back on the beams.
He lifted his legs up, then shoved his feet against the ceiling. The heels of his shoes broke through. “Help me push through this plaster.”
Naya slid next to him and stomped her feet.
They made a hole big enough to maneuver through. Zack peered below. No obstacles stood in their way. “Let’s go.” Naya dropped to the floor and Zack followed.
“Where are we?” Naya spun around.
A shout slipped from Zack’s lips. Thank You, Lord.
He grabbed Naya’s hand and bolted around the conference table. “Follow me.” They’d landed in the room the forklift had driven through the other day when they’d been called to Ethos to get the employees out. The hole he and Eddie had created in the wall was boarded up. There was no time to plow through it.
They raced for the door and tugged it open.
Zack turned left in the hall, Naya on his heels. A boom resounded in the space behind them and shook the area.
Zack stumbled, and he lost Naya’s grip. He turned around, ready to pick her up, when she stood. “We’re almost there.”
A painting on the wall fell to the ground, and debris and dust flew through the air.
Flames ripped through the hall.
Sirens whined around them, but he’d welcome the loud cries any day. Help was on the way.
Zack and Naya ran past the receptionist’s desk and pushed through the doors out onto the front lawn.
Naya braced her hands on her legs, her breaths coming in pants. “We’re alive.” She turned back to the building, and he followed her gaze. Smoke poured from the windows and roof.
Fire trucks screeched to a stop, and the police sped in behind them.
More tires squealed on the pavement, and a figure ran down the sidewalk. “Hey! Don’t let them leave,” Zack shouted, then raced after Hudson. He was not about to let Hudson or Roger get away.
Hudson froze for a split second, checking both directions.
“You idiot. Get in the car,” Roger bellowed.
Zack’s footsteps pounded against the cement.
Hudson opened the door and slid inside, then grabbed the handle.
Zack took another step and gripped the corner of the door, yanking it open. “Not so fast,” he grunted.
“Watch me.” Hudson put one foot on the curb and threw a fist.
Zack grabbed Hudson’s wrist and pulled it behind the guy’s back.
Hudson let out a shout.
“Zack, watch out,” Naya called.
He looked up, right into the barrel of Roger’s gun.
“Police! Stand down!” Basuto yelled.
Roger backed away from the vehicle, then he swung his weapon and fired.
Zack dropped to the ground with Hudson.
More shots rang out, and officers swarmed the area.
Roger bolted back to his car and yanked open the driver’s door. Ramble hopped over the hood of the car and tackled Roger to the ground.
Hudson was yanked from Zack’s grip. “I’ve got him.” Tazwell pulled her cuffs and snapped them on Hudson’s wrists.
“Uncle Roger is to blame. He made me do it.” Hudson shouted and writhed in Tazwell’s grasp. “Told me I had to kill Will and take out this nosey hooligan.” He stared at Zack.
Zack took a step back and held up his hands. Lights flashed and people raced around.
Ramble pulled Roger up from the ground and restrained him. Then the officer escorted him over to the sidewalk.
Zack’s buddies raced back and forth to the building with hoses spewing water.
Where was Naya?
Zack spun around and nearly toppled over when Naya wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Are you okay?” She turned to face him.
He gulped. “Yeah. And you?”
Tears poured down her face. “I will be.”
Zack wrapped her in his arms and tucked her head to him. Her heart beat a steady rhythm against his chest. They were both alive and unharmed. He never wanted to let go. Never wanted her to leave.
“That dirty reporter is going to write lies. None of it’s true,” Roger snapped. His face was a dark shade of red.
Naya stepped out of Zack’s embrace but wrapped her arm around his.
“It’s over. Give it up, man.” Zack shook his head.
Ramble and Tazwell put the two men in the back of their cruisers, and Basuto walked over to Zack and Naya.
“I’ve got evidence from my dad that Roger is behind everything,” Zack said.
“I don’t doubt it. We got prints back from the abandoned truck by the cabin, and Sylvia confessed too. Said she was the one behind the shooting that day and had been ordered by Roger to take care of Powells after Roger killed him.”
“She was willing to confess to everything?” Zack raised his brows.
“Once she learned about Will’s death, she said she was done working for Roger. She didn’t want the money he was offering. Not when her chance at love was gone.”
Naya gasped and raked her hands through her hair. “Ingram. Roger shot her. She’s at my house.” Naya took a step toward the sidewalk.
Basuto held out his hand. “She’s alive. They took her to the hospital.”
Naya’s shoulders dropped. “Thank You, Lord. But how?”
“She’s the one who called 9-1-1. Apparently, Roger thought she was dead and mumbled something about going to Ethos. She overheard it and told us you guys were here.”
“So it’s really over?” Naya turned to Zack, then back to Basuto.
“I’m going to need your statements, but yeah.”
When they finished giving Basuto the rundown of what happened, Naya said, “Are you able to confirm who was behind my attack at the mountain?” She rubbed her arms.
“We have a copy of Will’s secret files, and they share everything.” Basuto grimaced. “Will executed the attack at the mountain and started the brush fire. Even wrote the note on your car and had Sylvia plant it.”
“So they all had different roles in Roger’s schemes?” Zack frowned.
“Seems that way.” Basuto nodded. “The files say Hudson was responsible for shooting at the fire truck during the parade. And the attempted gas leak. He even helped start the fire at Roger’s house and the chemical leak at Ethos to shift suspicions to Green Warriors.”
“Unbelievable.” Zack shook his head.
Naya sighed. “Thank you for everything.”
“Just doing my job. You two should go get checked out now.” Basuto pointed to the ambulance.
Zack walked hand in hand with Naya over to Trace and Kianna.
The Lord might be giving him a second chance with her after all these years, but he wasn’t sure he could say the same about his job on Rescue.
Amelia shouted orders, and everyone worked together to battle the blaze.
Zack wanted to be one of them. Wanted to belong at the firehouse. But he didn’t know how he could make that happen.