17. Libby #2
I glanced at Johnny, wondering if he knew about the door, when he sighed in relief and tears filled his eyes.
“Fuck,” he cried out, bending over just as a man stepped out of the trap door. Then he was running toward the man I could only assume was his brother, and engulfing him in a hug.
“How the hell are you still alive?” Johnny asked, squeezing his brother tightly. “I saw the house. I thought you were fucking dead.”
His brother chuckled, patting him on the back. “We thought we were, too.”
Johnny finally released his brother and stepped back, looking him over. His arm was bandaged and his pant leg had blood on it, but other than that, he seemed fine.
“How’s Delilah? The kids?” Johnny asked, looking past his brother to the trap door.
“They’re all good. I promise.”
Johnny blew out a harsh breath, his head sagging in relief. “You got out,” he whispered to himself. “Fuck, I really thought?—”
He bit back the words, and I could tell it was taking everything in him to hold it together.
“Let me grab Delilah and the kids,” Thomas said, squeezing his brother’s shoulder. “We can get out of here, and then you can tell us what the fuck is going on.”
“We need another vehicle,” Jack pointed out. “Jason and I will head out and find one. Stay out of sight until we get back.”
Johnny nodded gratefully, and then we all headed back to the trap door. I was shocked when we descended into another panic room beneath the barn. This was state-of-the-art.
“This was not here before,” Johnny said as he took in the room.
“No, I added it in after the last time the house was blown up,” Thomas retorted. “Figured I should have a backup plan. Thank God I did.”
Thomas walked down a narrow hallway, guiding us to a steel door. Before he even reached it, the door whooshed open and a woman rushed out, burying her face in her husband’s neck.
“Thank God you’re okay.”
Thomas chuckled, patting her back. “Baby, I was gone for less than five minutes.”
She smacked him on the chest, giving him an admonishing smile. “That doesn’t mean you were fine. Are we leaving?”
“Not yet,” Johnny cut in, stepping around his brother to give her a hug. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
His words were low, but I heard the shame filling his voice. It was over, but for Johnny, that fear would be around for a long time.
“Let’s get inside until your friends get back,” Thomas said, ushering us inside.
I glanced around the expansive space, in awe of how much thought went into this underground bunker.
They had everything they could possibly need in here, from a kitchen to a small living space and cots on the other side of the room.
There was even a bathroom with a shower.
I had no idea how it was all hooked up without allowing access from outside.
“Thomas, this is Libby. She’s—” The smile on Johnny’s face quickly faded as he remembered that Rafe was dead, and I was nothing to anyone anymore. “She’s a friend.”
Thomas gave a polite nod, then turned to his wife. “This is Delilah and my kids, Oakleigh, Lucas, and that rugrat is Johnny.”
I smiled, finding it adorable that his brother named one of his kids after him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“So,” Johnny blew out a harsh breath. “Tell me everything.”
Thomas sobered instantly, running his hand along the rough stubble of his jaw. Based on the growth, I would assume they had been down here for at least several days.
“They came in the night. I set alarms at the entrance a few years back, along with cameras. When I saw them coming, I just fucking knew something was going on. I got Delilah and the kids out, and I was coming back for my rifle when they broke into the house. I’m assuming you saw the mess in the kitchen. ”
“And upstairs,” I answered.
He nodded, his eyes flitting to mine for a moment. “For a minute, I thought they had me, but…” He shook his head, lost in the memories. “I shot one of them. Buried him out back. Almost let the pigs feed on him,” he chuckled. “The other one got away.”
That was strange. “He left?” The Shadow Government didn’t run from anyone. At least, not that I could see. Why would they run out after one man was shot and not finish the job?
Thomas nodded. “Took off with two other men. Why?”
“Nothing,” Johnny smiled. “All that matters is you guys are safe.” He glanced around again, grinning at the space. “This is one hell of a panic room.”
“Yeah, I based it off the one you forgot about when our house went up in smoke.”
Johnny rolled his eyes. “I’m never living that down.”
Thomas grinned playfully. “My big brother, the security specialist, forgot about his own panic room. I’m not sure it gets much worse than that.”
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. I failed.”
The smile was still on his face, but strained as he said those final words. Because he still felt like he had failed his brother.
“Anyway,” his brother moved on, noticing the tension in Johnny’s body, “I think I did a pretty damn good job on this panic room. And the kids love it.”
Speaking of kids, they were itching to get to their uncle, and the moment their dad winked at them, they rushed forward and flung themselves at him.
“Where’s Aunt Tahlia?” Oakleigh asked.
“She’s at home. She didn’t come with me this time, but you’ll see her really soon.”
The little girl’s eyes widened in excitement. “We will?”
“Yeah, we’re gonna take a little road trip to where I live. How does that sound?”
The little girl bounced in his arms excitedly. It was so weird to see Johnny interacting with anyone outside of OPS. It reminded me that our lives weren’t like everyone else’s. Would mine ever be like this?
With Rafe gone, I was adrift, with no purpose in life. I had walked away after his funeral and left everything behind. There wasn’t a damn thing I wanted to do, and even now, with everything on the line, I felt like I no longer belonged in this life.
“Hey, you okay?” Thomas’s wife asked. Even after everything she’d been through, she still approached me with kindness and a smile on her face.
“Yeah,” I forced a smile. “Everything’s fine.”
“Are you sure?”
How did I explain that my life had been torn apart and I no longer knew where I fit in? This woman had literally just been attacked in her home, and she had nothing to do with this life. At least I understood that something like Rafe being killed was very much a possibility.
“I’m just glad everyone’s okay.”
She knew I was lying, but thankfully, she didn’t push.
“So, we’re headed to Kansas, huh?” Thomas asked. “Well, I suppose I’d better find someone to care for the animals while we’re gone.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Johnny said. “It’s the least I can do.”
As he smiled at his brother, I turned and headed for the panic room door. I had to get out of here and get some air. I rushed down the hall and up the stairs to the trap door, sucking in large gulps of air as I paced the barn.
I would not break down. I would not fall to pieces right now.
But as I stood in the middle of the dirty floor with hay sprawled in small pieces, all I could think about was all I had lost.
And all I would never experience with Rafe gone.