Chapter 5 #2
“Always planning for contingencies.” He pulled out some cable ties and a small ball of rope. Glancing up he was met with Zoe’s round bottom bent towards him as she picked up something from the ground.
Despite the layer of fabric, heat shot through him, but it took him a second before he could tear his eyes away from her. She placed the item on the shelf and turned back to him. He swallowed and handed her the cable ties and rope.
She raised her eyebrows. “Do you want me to tie you up?”
The image seared his brain, and he fought back a smile. “Not today. But if you need to restrain someone.”
She stared at him. “What do you expect me to do? Say ‘wait a second while I retrieve my knife to threaten you and then hold still while I tie you up’?”
He did laugh this time. “You never know what situation might arise, but no, that wasn’t my thought.” He hesitated before unzipping a small side pocket in his backpack and drawing out a sealed packet of white powder. He’d been surprised to see it being sold, but it was another contingency.
Zoe frowned at him. “What’s that?”
“It’s a sleeping powder.” He’d recognised the name from his time in Iran.
“A mouthful of this will knock someone unconscious.” He hesitated, not wanting to tell her she might want to use it herself if the situation got really dire.
He cleared his throat. No, he wouldn’t let it come to that.
“You might get an opportunity to put it in someone’s drink.
Then when they fall asleep, you can tie them up. ”
She looked dubious, but took the packet, untied her abaya, and tucked the packet into her bra. “What’s the likelihood of that?”
“Slim, but you never know.”
She studied him as she slipped the rope into her pocket and then slid the cable ties into her bra as well. “How much darkness have you seen?”
The quiet question struck him like a dart on a bullseye. “Too much,” he replied. “But I’ve seen extraordinary good done as well, like what you’re doing for these kids.”
“I couldn’t do it without you.” She reached out and squeezed his hand, and her touch branded him. “Thank you.”
He gently pulled away, suspecting he was falling under her spell. “It’s the right thing to do.”
He checked the time. They could go. He stood. “Follow me.” He pulled up his mask again, and Zoe quickly retied her abaya and adjusted her hijab.
He cracked open the door of the locker and peered out.
Empty.
He gestured for Zoe to follow and stepped into the metal corridor, hurrying to the door that led to the starboard deck.
Over the loud whirr of the engines, he heard voices coming from the intersection ahead.
He grabbed Zoe’s hand and pulled her through the nearest doorway.
It was a tight squeeze, being some kind of cleaning locker with barely enough space for two people.
He pulled her against his chest and rotated them so he was next to the closed door.
He turned, facing the door, keeping one hand behind him, touching Zoe’s waist so he knew where she was, and the other reached for his gun before he stopped himself.
Non-lethal mission.
The voices passed by and he relaxed and turned, and realised his hand was positioned possessively on Zoe’s waist. Heat seared him and he snatched his hand away. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.” Her voice was breathy.
Great. He’d just assaulted the person he was trying to protect. “Really. I needed to know exactly where you were.”
“I know.” Was she disappointed?
His body stirred as he turned away. “Let’s go.”
He peered out the door and, seeing no one, stepped out.
When they got to the outside gangway, dust still filled the air. Thankfully they still had their goggles and scarves. Heath checked the phone GPS as he passed row after row of containers.
They passed a storage box full of lashing rods, and he grabbed the spanner-like tool that tightened them together.
He found the row that corresponded with the number he’d noted and peered along it.
Empty.
Good. He headed down, checking the column numbers as he did.
The GPS corroborated the location. Somehow Nisha’s son had got them the phone.
He strode along the corridor, scanning for grey containers and checking the numbers on the sides to ensure he’d got the coordinates correct. Sure enough, the container was right in the middle on the level they were standing on. Perhaps so that someone could check on the kids during transit.
It made this a hell of a lot easier.
He checked in both directions and then knocked on the container door. He wasn’t expecting a response and wasn’t surprised when he didn’t get one.
“Is this it?” Zoe whispered, her excitement palpable.
“There may be no way to get to them,” he warned.
“Any number of boxes could be packed in front, or they may be locked in a compartment at the back.” He surveyed the position of the lashings and the door latches and noticed a lumpy bit of duct tape tucked in one of the grooves at the bottom.
The colour blended nicely with the metal and looked like rubbish unless you were looking for something specific.
Heath grabbed the loose bit of the tape and peeled it off.
Zoe’s phone.
He handed the phone to her.
“He didn’t give it to them.” Worry filled her voice.
“He probably didn’t get the opportunity, but it was quick thinking to tape it to the outside of the container. We know we’ve got the right one.”
“But they don’t know we’re coming for them.”
He smiled. “Then we’ll be a nice surprise.” Heath glanced up and down the corridor. Without knowing the routine on the ship, he didn’t know how frequently the crew would do their checks.
Quickly he undid the lashing rods in front of the container door before opening the container. The door opened enough to squeeze in if he took off his backpack.
He shone the torch through the opening and illuminated plastic-wrapped pallets stacked in place, two high and two wide with a gap at the top which might be wide enough for him to squeeze through. They were also tied in place on the interior of the container to stop movement during transit.
He whirled around at the sound of voices.
Two crewmen were working their way up the corridor, checking the lashings. It would be easier to evade them without Zoe.
“Get in.” He held the container door as wide as it would go and cupped his hands to boost her inside on top of the pallets.
She took off her backpack, throwing it on top, and then let him help her inside. “I’ll be back for you.” Before she could protest, he shut the door and locked it.
Time to hide.