Chapter 18 #2
Crusher balled his fist and tucked it behind his back, indicating to Draco to stop where he was. Wielding the mop in front of him, Crusher worked his way down the hall, mopping his way toward the guard. He prayed the guard wasn’t curious enough to wonder where the water bucket or water was.
Once he was within three feet of the guard, Crusher flipped the mop up, slamming it into the man’s face.
The guard grunted, but was so surprised, he didn’t have time to reach for his weapon or cry out before Crusher hooked his arm around the man’s neck and choked off his air.
The guard fought to be free, twisting, turning, kicking and clawing at Crusher’s arm to no avail. He couldn’t cry out, but their scuffle created enough noise that Crusher feared other guards would hear.
Draco appeared with zip-ties and duct tape. He quickly secured the man’s ankles and slapped tape over his mouth.
By then, the guard’s struggles had weakened.
Crusher nodded toward the door in front of them. “Open the door.”
Draco spun and flung the door open into a small room with glass windows overlooking a larger room beyond. Protective suits and hoods lined one wall.
Crusher dropped the guard to the floor and held him down while Draco pulled the man’s arms behind his back and secured his wrists with a zip tie.
Crusher and Draco straightened and stared through the windows into the laboratory beyond.
Two figures, covered from head to toe in personal protective gear, leaned close to what appeared to be a box with a glass front, gloves built into the box. The two people were the only ones left in the lab.
Crusher tapped his knuckles against the window in an attempt to get their attention.
They were so caught up in what they were doing that neither turned. Perhaps they couldn’t hear through the layers of protective gear.
Draco pointed to a button on the wall with instructions written in German. “That looks like an intercom. You talk. I’ll stand guard and let you know if someone’s coming.”
Crusher pressed the button and leaned close to the plastic device. “Marta, Cate.”
Both hooded heads turned as one, but neither moved from their position in front of the box. One of the people had their hands inside the built-in gloves. The other person held up a gloved index finger as if to say, "Wait a minute.”
“We’re out of time,” Crusher said. “We have to leave before more guards find us.”
A female voice called out, “Just two minutes.”
Crusher rocked on the balls of his feet, ready to get the hell out of the facility.
So far, they’d avoided detection, except for the guard they’d subdued.
Fortunately, they’d taken him down before he could sound the alarm.
Adrenaline still thrummed through Crusher’s veins.
He turned toward Draco, his body tense, ready for action, preferably the kind that would get them out of the building without further altercations.
“Corridor’s clear,” Draco reported from his position at the door.
Crusher checked his watch. Two minutes could make or break their escape attempt.
He pushed the button again and spoke into the mic. “It’s now or never. Wrap it up. If you have to, leave it. It’s not worth risking your lives. Let’s go.”
Still, the two worked at the box. Marta had to be the one with her hands in the gloves, working with whatever was in the protective container. The woman remained focused on what she was doing.
Finally, she pulled her hands out of the built-in gloves, opened a side door, and removed a container.
“Go,” she said to the other person, hustling her toward the room where Crusher and Draco were waiting. They stopped short of the door and entered a pass-through area, where they dropped the container into a pouch, sealed it, and then stripped off their PPE.
Crusher’s heart swelled as Marta pulled the hood off her head and shook out her auburn hair. She was alive, okay and the most beautiful scientist he’d ever known. She smiled at him through the glass as she stepped out of the coveralls and peeled off her gloves.
Once they were stripped down to their regular clothing, Marta and Cate opened the door and stepped into the staging area with Crusher and Darco.
Marta, carrying the pouch in one hand, wrapped her other arm around Crusher’s waist and pressed her cheek into his chest. “I knew you’d come.”
He touched his lips to her hair. “I promised that if you weren’t okay, I’d find you and make it okay. I keep my promises.”
“Draco?” The other woman’s voice drew Crusher’s attention from Marta.
A pretty blonde with gray-blue eyes, much like Devon Marsh’s, stared with wide eyes at Draco.
Draco turned to face her, his lips curling slightly on the corners. “Cate.”
Cate Marsh’s brow furrowed. “How are you here? I thought you’d moved to Texas.”
His lips pressed together. “Long story.” He glanced through the crack in the door. “We need to get out of here before we’re discovered.”
As a reminder, the guard on the floor stirred and moaned.
“Back the way we came?” Draco asked Crusher.
“Yes.” Crusher grabbed Marta’s hand. “Ready?”
She held up the pouch. “I am now.”
“The antiviral?” Crusher asked.
She nodded. “Finished just in time. Let’s get out of here.”
Draco checked the hallway. “I’ll lead the way and wave you through.” He shot a glance back at Cate. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I am now.”
With one last look in Cate’s direction, Draco stepped out into the hallway and retrieved one of the mops he’d discarded in the struggle with the guard. He sprinted to a T-junction in the hallway and peered around the corner. A moment later, he waved for them to follow.
Cate took off at a quiet run, followed by Marta.
Crusher brought up the rear, snagging the other mop from the floor.
Once they caught up, Draco moved forward again. Only two more corridors until they reached the one with the exit door.
So far, no one had tried to stop them. No alarms had been set off.
Just a few more steps, and they’d emerge into the parking lot.
They’d load the ladies into the back of the truck and have them hide behind the coveralls hanging on hooks.
Hopefully, the gate guards wouldn’t stop the truck to inspect it as it left the property.
A shout sounded behind Crusher. He spun to find a guard barreling toward them, reaching for the gun in his holster.
“Run!” Crusher pushed Marta in front of him. “Get out of here. I’ll take care of him.”
Marta spun back toward Crusher, frantically shaking her head. “No, Jack, he’s armed.”
“Just go!” he called out, turning to face the man in tactical gear.
As the guard pulled the gun from its holster, Crusher launched the mop like a spear, the mophead aiming straight for the guard’s face.
A shot rang out as the man swatted at the incoming mop. The bullet went wide.
Crusher rushed the man before he could aim again. He plowed into him like a linebacker going after the quarterback. He slammed into the guard’s midsection, knocking him backward so hard he hit the wall, the handgun flying from his grip. The man slid down the wall and fell onto his side.
Crusher grabbed the guard’s gun and left him struggling to sit up.
Just as he caught up to the others, an alarm screeched through the hallways and red, rotating lights flashed high on the walls.
As they reached the exit door, shouts rose from both directions. Armed guards rounded the corners and raced toward them.
Draco was first out the door. He flung open the passenger door, half-lifted, half-tossed Cate into the cab, then loaded Marta. He dove in after them.
Crusher ran for the driver’s side, leaped up into the seat and turned the key.
The engine rumbled but failed to start.
Shots rang out.
“Get down!” Crusher shouted and turned the key again, willing the engine to catch.
When it did, he shoved the shift into drive and jammed his foot onto the accelerator, sending the truck shooting forward.
After a glance backward in the side mirrors, Crusher knew he couldn’t slow, couldn’t stop. Half a dozen guards had swarmed out of the building with more coming.