Chapter 18 #2
What no one knew, except for the men who owned The Refuge, was that there were seven underground bunkers hidden on The Refuge property.
In the woods. They’d given them numbers, so they could be referred to in an emergency.
If the lodge was at six o’clock on a standard clock face, the cabins were at nine o’clock through three o’clock on the property.
They were named according to their position.
Bunker one-oh-one was at one o’clock, just northeast of the lodge.
Bunker one-o-nine was at the nine o’clock position.
All of them spread out in the forest surrounding the main cabins.
Each bunker was stocked with about a month’s worth of food and water.
They were primitive, designed for the men to escape if necessary.
And they were hidden so well, there was no way anyone would stumble upon them.
In fact, they could walk right over them and have no idea the bunkers were there.
When The Refuge was built, they’d been a necessity for the owners’ peace of mind.
Three years later, they were rarely given a second thought.
Until now.
Brick had never been so happy to have a bolt-hole as he was right this moment.
“Keep your head down. This guy’s armed,” Tiny said. “Just heard a gunshot. He’s got three million dollars on the line. He obviously wants Alaska bad and will do anything it takes to get her. Including taking you out,” Tiny warned.
“Not happening,” Brick said sternly. “Keep me updated. You guys have the situation there under control?”
“Yes.”
Brick didn’t know if his friend was lying or not, but there was nothing he could do to help at the moment, and he had more important things on his mind—namely, keeping Alaska safe.
“You have Mutt with you?” Tiny asked.
Blinking, Brick looked down. His loyal and faithful dog seemed to be able to read his mood, because he was sitting at Alaska’s side, practically on her foot, not taking his gaze from his master’s face.
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure Tonka knows he’s safe.”
In emergencies, when they had to implement lockdown procedures, Tonka was in charge of the animals, of course. And he took his job very seriously.
“Once I check in with everyone, I’m headed your way,” Tiny told him. “I’ll bring one of the others as well. We’re gonna find this guy. This is our territory. Chen just made the biggest mistake of his life.”
“I’ll take Alaska to bunker one-eleven and meet you,” Brick said.
“You’re gonna leave her in there by herself? We haven’t checked the batteries in the emergency lights in a while. We’ve let that slip,” Tiny said.
“Fuck.”
“We’ve got this,” Tiny reassured him.
Brick wasn’t reassured. He’d had to watch his battle buddies die in front of him once; he didn’t think he was capable of sitting back and letting his new friends take care of what he felt was his problem to deal with.
But at the same time, he wasn’t sure he could leave Alaska.
Especially if the lights in the emergency bunker weren’t working.
He had a high-powered flashlight, but doubted it would be enough for either of their comfort.
“Keep me updated,” Brick said, not agreeing or disagreeing with Tiny.
“Ten-four. Watch your six.”
Brick disconnected the phone, shoved it in his pocket, and turned to Alaska.
The daylight was almost completely gone now, and soon it would be pitch dark in the woods. The previous evening, it hadn’t worried him. He’d had no doubt he could get them back to his cabin safely. But now? When there was a man hunting them? The dark wasn’t nearly as comforting.
“What’s wrong?”
Brick didn’t have time to explain everything that was happening, but he also respected Alaska too much not to make her aware. “Long story short, Choo is really Yong Chen. He’s the man who bought you from the Russian.”
Alaska rocked back on her feet in shock. Brick hated this. Fucking hated it, but knowing a threat existed was safer for her than not knowing.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. She began to rub her right palm against her thigh over and over. “He touched me!”
Brick felt sick. He reached for her hand and held it tightly, even when she tried to wrench it out of his grasp. “He’s not going to fucking touch you ever again,” he growled.
It took Alaska a long moment, but even as he watched, she pulled herself together. “So what’s the plan? I’m assuming he’s here?”
“He set fire to the POW cabin and set off fireworks near the lodge,” Brick told her.
“Oh, no! Our poor guests! They have to be so upset!”
Figures she’d be more concerned about others than knowing the man who’d bought her as if she were a piece of meat was on the property. “He’s armed, and I’m assuming he’s here for you,” Brick said bluntly. “But he’s not going to get you.”
Alaska began to tremble, but asked, “So what now? Does he know where we are? Is he going to come out here to find me?”
“I’m assuming he’ll go to our cabin, and when we aren’t there, he’ll know we’re out here somewhere. We had a long conversation today about my love of hiking and which trails are my favorite. He’s even seen a map of the entire property. He’ll assume you’re out here with me.”
“Where can we go? Where can we hide?” she asked, her voice louder than it had been.
Cognizant of the fact a man who wanted to snatch Alaska for his own sick agenda was likely stalking the forest at that very moment, Brick stepped into her personal space. He pulled her against him so they were plastered together from hips to chest.
“I’ve got this. I’ve got you. I haven’t just found you, only to lose you already. That asshole isn’t going to get his hands on you. No fucking way.”
His words seemed to calm her. Brick felt her take a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Brick agreed. He took hold of her hand in an unbreakable grip, then stepped off the trail and headed east. He knew exactly where he was and where the closest bunker, the one they called one-eleven, was located. Mutt stayed right on their heels, never more than a few steps away.
Brick didn’t want to use the flashlight but had no choice. It would be a beacon shining right on them if Chen was anywhere nearby, but he also needed it to get them to safety.
He walked quickly, holding onto Alaska when she stumbled. But she didn’t complain once.
When they arrived at the spot where the bunker was located, he led Alaska over to a tree and said, “Stand right here. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Brick hesitated. “We’ve got this, Al. Promise.”
She nodded bravely.
“Mutt, stay,” Brick told his dog. Mutt sat, once again nearly on Alaska’s foot as he obeyed.
Brick clicked off the flashlight and closed his eyes for a beat, letting them adjust to the darkness. He heard Alaska’s quick inhalation, but she managed to control her fear.
When he opened his eyes, he could just make out the trees around him.
He walked toward a small grouping nearby.
Just to the north of them was a flat area, which concealed the bunker.
He leaned over and, after a few seconds of searching, found the ring on the circular lid to the bunker. It lifted straight up.
This particular bunker was one of the smallest on the property, which wasn’t ideal, considering the circumstances.
Brick would’ve preferred to be in bunker one-oh-seven.
It was more spacious, wouldn’t bring back as many bad memories for Alaska.
But he also didn’t want to risk being out in the open for any longer than they had to be.
Once she was inside, Chen wouldn’t find her. And Brick could go hunting.
As he stared down into the blackness of what he knew was an eight-by-five-foot box, he had his first doubt that Alaska would be able to handle this.
The bunkers weren’t built for long-term living.
They were more like hidey-holes, in case their demons ever got the best of them.
Meant as a temporary place to regain their equilibrium, and to keep others safe, if need be.
“Drake?” Alaska whispered from behind him.
Brick immediately turned to go back to her. “I’m here,” he said softly as he approached.
“What’s going on? I don’t understand why we’re just standing here.”
Brick put his arm around her waist and led her toward the hole in the forest floor. “I’m telling you something only seven people in the world know about. There are safe spaces out here. Places we built to escape to if needed. Bunkers.”
“Oh! That’s so smart,” Alaska said, surprising him. He kind of thought she might be mad, offended, or hurt that he hadn’t already told her about them. But he should’ve known better. His Alaska would understand why he and his friends needed to keep this a secret.
“Where is—oh!” she exclaimed as she stared down at the small manhole-size hole in the ground. Then she looked up at him and whispered, “It’s underground.”
“Yeah, hon.” He didn’t mention that a bunker implied it would be underground.
She stepped backward, out of his hold. “I…no. Drake…I can’t.”
“You can,” he countered, trying to sound completely relaxed. But he couldn’t be nonchalant about this. He knew how big of a deal this was for her. Knew how hard it would be.
She shook her head frantically. “No, I can’t! We can just hide behind some rocks or something. Maybe we can go to the Sitting Rock?”
The hair on the back of Brick’s neck was standing straight up.
He needed to get Alaska hidden. He didn’t like standing out in the open like this.
Not when a sick, desperate man was hunting for them.
But he needed to soothe her. He couldn’t just stuff her in the bunker and leave her there.
She’d never forgive him, and her mental health couldn’t take it.
He stepped toward her and whispered, “Breathe, Al.”
“I’m trying,” she said, practically panting.
“Slow down your breaths,” Brick ordered. And then, clarity hit.
He wasn’t going to leave her. There was no way he could do such a thing.