Chapter 10 #2
Lena’s echoing laughter traveled through the musty, dank air. “I’m not surprised that you're capable. It’s just that . . . I don’t know. I guess I never pictured you as a hammer-and-toolbelt kind of guy.”
“What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”
I bet you are.
She cleared her throat, reminding herself this wasn’t the time or place. “So where did you learn your mad carpenter skills, anyway?”
“One of my long-term covers was for a construction company overseas. It was owned by a man we later proved was using his trucks to smuggle drugs in the UK, from Liverpool into London and other surrounding areas. It was a highly intricate operation, and I was under for almost a year.” Rafe’s sideways glance met hers.
“Believe me, you can learn a lot about two-by-fours, drywall, and interior wiring in that length of time.”
Lena chuckled, adjusting the strap at her shoulder as they made their way farther into the abyss. “So how far does this go?”
“It runs just shy of a quarter of a mile from the house.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah.” His eyes widened with awe. “I can only imagine how long it took them to build. Especially given the lack of tools and supplies. There was nothing available like what we have today.”
“Just more proof that, even back then, when it came to fighting for their lives and the lives of others, there were people willing to step up and put in the work. Even if it meant risking themselves in the process.”
A low grunt reached her ears as he sent her a sideways grin. “Reminds me of someone else I know.”
“Funny.” Her head tilted slightly. “I was thinking the same thing about you.”
Rafe’s solid frame shook with soft laughter as they traveled toward their own sense of freedom. Not from ruthless slave owners, of course. Rather, from the person determined to ensure their deaths.
When they reached the far end of the tunnel a few minutes later, Lena wasn’t surprised to find yet another secured door.
Identical in design to the first, it too was made of impenetrable steel with a keypad mounted to its frame. Rafe entered the code, and the red light switched to green. He opened the door and motioned for her to take the lead.
“Ladies first.”
“Why thank you.” Lena gave a little curtsy as she walked past, stepping out into the clean, evening air.
She drew in a long, deep breath, waiting for Rafe to secure the decades-old tunnel. Dusk was settling in, though the sky was largely obscured by an archway of intertwining branches and leaves.
Lena glanced back to check on Rafe, who’d just locked the door designed to resemble a cluster of leaves. He turned around and pointed to the wooded area behind her.
“The car’s about fifty yards in that direction.”
She shifted her stance so he could once again take the lead. “Good thing I wore my boots.”
A canopy of vines hovered over them at such a low height, Rafe had to duck his head to avoid being struck by its drooping branches. They crossed a short clearing of grass before entering the dense woods ahead. Dusk fell swiftly as they made their way through the trees.
Slivers of the sunset’s rays shone like golden daggers, cutting through the countless limbs. Before long, she and Rafe stepped into another unexpected clearing. This one was about an acre in size with trees encircling the grassy space.
“It’s over here.” He veered off to the right.
Lena scanned the immediate area as best she could with the rapidly setting sun. Untrained eyes may not have noticed the section of thick, bulbous foliage ahead. If they did, they’d most likely never give it a second thought.
But like Rafe, she wasn’t most people.
She’d been trained to spot the secrets others wanted to keep hidden. It also helped that she was specifically searching for a covered vehicle, and since Rafe was headed in this direction—
“Nice hiding spot.” Lena motioned that way with her chin.
“I thought so.” He flashed her a grin.
She released a soft snort as they reached the concealed vehicle. Together, they immediately got to work removing small branches and limbs. With that done, they pulled off a large blanket made of nylon ghillie netting. Her low whistle joined the cadence of buzzing and chirps.
“You have a BMW X5 Protection VR6 as a backup car?” Lena smiled in appreciation. “Are you expecting a missile attack on your home?”
At first glance, the sexy black car looked like nothing more than a luxury vehicle. But Lena had driven one almost identical to it for an op a couple of years back.
Designed for government use, the car’s entire frame was armored, protecting its occupants from blasts or shrapnel.
Multi-layer ballistic glass with polycarbonate coating resisted bullets and prevented splintering.
Even the tires were run-flat, allowing them to continue driving in the event of full-pressure loss.
Add in its 530 horsepower, 750 Nm of torque, and off-road capabilities, and it was the perfect choice to fit their current needs.
“You know your cars.”
“I know this car.” She turned her doe-eyed gaze his way. “Any chance I can drive?”
With a rumbling smirk, Rafe rounded the back bumper on his way to the driver’s side door. “Don’t push your luck.”
He pressed the key fob he’d just pulled from his pocket. A low beep and a flash of the car’s exterior lights let them know the vehicle had been unlocked. They tossed their bags into the back, got into the car, and buckled themselves up for the ride.
Speaking of—