Chapter 12
Keira stared at the girls clinging together in a bunch, tired, hungry and scared. If all hell was breaking loose out there, how were they going to get six girls out of a fortified compound?
One look at their desperate, sad faces made her square her shoulders. They had to at least try. She couldn’t leave any one of them behind in those cold, horrible cells.
She eased the door of the facility open and peered through the crack.
As far as she could see, the coast was clear at the back of the main building.
Rogue stepped up beside her. “Let me go first.”
Keira frowned.
“The girls can relate to another woman more than a man,” he insisted. “I can recon the loading dock and then wave you all across when it’s safe.”
He was right. Keira nodded. “We’ll wait here.”
Rogue cracked the door open and was halfway out when Jade’s voice sounded in her ear.
“Punt!”
Keira grabbed Rogue and pulled him back into the containment facility. “Jade gave the abort code.” She cupped a hand over her ear as Jade continued.
“I was able to get into Viktor’s office and log onto his computer.
His password was predictable. Onyx1. I got in and started the download.
While I waited for the download to complete, I found the security room, took out the guard and shut down the surveillance cameras, but not before I noticed guards gathering at the loading dock, sniffing around the supply truck.
I’m still in Viktor’s office. The data download is nearly complete.
I think this might be a good time to create an explosive distraction.
I’ll join you at the back wall as soon as the download is done. Did you get Lily?”
“We have Lily,” Keira said. “Be careful. See you at the wall.”
Rogue looked outside the door again and faced Keira. “Since we’re heading for the back wall, you and the girls will go first. I’ll cover your six and create a distraction.”
“How will you do that?” Keira asked.
He patted the pocket of the coverall. “I slipped C-4 and a detonator into my pocket when we ditched the truck at the abandoned gas station.”
Keira smiled. “That might be just what we need to take the focus off this end of the compound.” She laid a hand over her bandolero. “I snagged a smoke grenade.”
Rogue’s lips spread into a wide grin. “Good girl. I’ll go out first. Watch for my signal to move out with the girls.”
“I’m worried about Jade. I’m not sure how she’ll get around the guards at the main building.
“She’s resourceful,” Rogue said. “She’ll make it out and join us at the wall.” He peered through the door again. “I’m going. Give me a couple of minutes to check out what’s happening on the other side of the main building and to set the charge.”
Before he could step out the door, she laid a hand on his arm. “Rogue?”
He stared down into her eyes. “We’re going to be okay—and we have so much to live for. I’m putting my bet on us.”
She leaned up on her toes and kissed him. “I’m not entirely sure what love feels like, but what I’m feeling is more than just liking you. I want the opportunity to explore this further.”
“In other words, don’t get myself shot.” He smiled. “Got it. The same goes for you.” Then he kissed her again, peeked outside the door and left.
Keira watched as he crossed the open space to the main building and moved into the shadows to the corner. He peered around the side and ducked back. Then he waved a hand, pointing to the back of the compound and mouthed the word, Go.”
“Girls, my name is Keira. I need you to stay close to me and move quietly and as fast as you can. We’re going to get out of here, but you have to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?”
All six girls nodded.
Keira turned to Lily. “I need you to bring up the rear and make sure no one falls back. Can you do this?”
Lily nodded. “I can.”
“Okay, then. Let’s go.” Keira led the way out of the containment facility and ran toward the back of the compound, looking back to make sure the girls were keeping up.
Lily held the hand of one of the younger girls while herding the others forward. Though their faces were pale and eyes rounded in fear, they didn’t make a sound as they pushed forward.
When Keira reached the back wall, she found the huge trash bins and waved the girls behind them.
Unfortunately, the bins weren’t close enough for them to use them to scale the ten-foot-high wall.
At five feet seven inches tall, Keira couldn’t reach the top of the concrete wall.
Lily, at fifteen, though painfully thin, was almost as tall as Keira.
Between the two of them, they might reach the top.
What they needed was a ladder, more time and a miracle.
“Stay here, stay quiet and stay down,” she said to the girls. “I’ll be right back.”
She left them behind the trash bin and scoured the area nearby, searching for a ladder or anything she could stack to get them over the wall.
On the other side of a junkyard of old appliances, she found a stack of wooden pallets.
Not enough to stack ten feet high, but maybe enough to get them closer.
She grabbed two and lugged them over to where the girls huddled together.
After laying them on the ground at the base of the wall, she hurried back to the other stack and lifted two more. When she turned, she clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming.
Lily held up her hands. “I’m sorry. I just thought you could use some help.”
Keira drew in a deep breath and willed her pulse to regulate. She couldn’t be mad at the girl. Lily was right. She could use the help. “Grab what you can. And hurry.”
They carried all the pallets and added them to the new stack hidden behind the trash bins.
Keira studied the pile and shook her head. “It’s not high enough.” It would only bring them three and a half feet off the ground.
Lily moved the last pallet, tipping it up to lean against the wall, making it a ladder of sorts that got them three feet closer to the top.
Close enough, she could get up there and cut the concertina wire.
Between her and Lily, they could help the others up to the top and lower them halfway down the other side.
Hope surged. It might work.
Knowing they might only have seconds remaining until Jade joined them, Rogue set off the explosion, and suddenly, the entire group of guards discovered the compound had been breached.
Keira pulled the wire cutters out of the bandolier she had slung over her shoulder and climbed up on the pile of pallets.
Using all the strength she had in her hand, she clamped the wire cutters onto one of the two concertina wires and squeezed. The hand tool proved to be less than adequate for the job.
She didn’t have any other option. If she didn’t cut the wire, they couldn’t get over the wall.
They’d be shredded by the sharp strands.
Refusing to give up, she gritted her teeth and squeezed harder, wiggling her hand back and forth until the wire finally snapped in two and immediately sprang apart.
Keira flinched, nearly falling backward off the stack of pallets.
Lily leaped up behind her and steadied her. “Let me,” she said.
Keira shook her head. She now knew how to attack it more effectively and clamped the cutters onto the second wire. The cutters were only halfway through when Lily touched her leg. “A guard is coming.”
Keira leaped to the ground, twisting her ankle in the process. She bit down on her tongue to keep from crying out and rolled back behind the bin with the girls.
Lily kept watch. “Okay,” she whispered. “He kept going around the corner.”
Keira had started up the pile of pallets and the makeshift ladder again when Lily hissed. “There’s a man. He’s running this way.”
Keira eased down the stack, favoring her sore ankle and came to stand beside Lily. As the man came fully into view, her heart swelled. “It’s Rogue.” She checked all around and behind him before stepping away from the trash bin enough for him to see her.
He didn’t slow, but ran faster, waving for her to get behind the bin.
Keira stepped back behind the heavy metal container at the same time Rogue dove in.
An explosion shook the ground, sending dust and debris flying through the air and raining down on the camp.
Shouts echoed in the air.
Rogue leaped to his feet and surveyed the frightened girls. “Everyone all right?”
They all nodded.
He pulled Keira to her feet and into his arms for a quick hug and then set her at arm’s length. “Why aren’t you over the wall yet?”
Keira tipped her head toward the pallets and the concertina wire. “We were working on it.”
He started to climb up onto the pallet when Lily called out, “Truck headed this way. It’s coming fast.”
Keira hurried to stand beside Lily.
Rogue dropped down and joined them as they peered around the corner of the bin.
A large black SUV barreled toward them.
“Get back,” Rogue called out.
The girls scooted backward toward the wall.
Keira gripped Lily’s shoulders and pulled her backward with her, afraid the SUV would ram the trash bin.
At the last minute, the driver slammed on the brakes. The SUV skidded to a halt inches from the trash container. The driver’s door opened, and Jade’s head appeared as she stepped out onto the running board. “Get in!” she called out.
“It’s Jade,” Lily cried out and ran toward the SUV before Keira could stop her.
Jade dropped to the ground in time for her sister to throw herself into her arms. They hugged fiercely, and then Jade pushed Lily back. “Get in. We only have seconds before we’re found out.”
Lily dove into the SUV.
When the other girls emerged from behind the trash bin, Jade’s brow dipped.
“Holy shit. There’s not enough room for all of them and us.
” She shook her head, then ducked into the vehicle and came out with a handful of keyrings.
“I grabbed these from Viktor’s office. There’s a line of these babies around the corner.
You just have to figure out which key belongs to which vehicle. ”