Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
She heard something heavy hit the doors. Zach. He would try to get in.
“Our boy? The one you took from me?” Ray asked, his voice low and gravelly.
“He’s still your son.” Shannon’s voice was soft but steady.
How many times had she been put in a position where she had to placate this man so no one got hurt? Zach’s mom was a study in tragedy. She’d made the mistake of falling in love with the wrong man, and there had been no going back.
Another bang and pop and she realized Zach and her uncle were shooting at the door, trying to get it to give.
It wouldn’t. It was too well built.
“I think him watching me kill his bitch will be a fitting punishment for betraying his father,” Ray said, but she watched his leg twitch.
He wasn’t all there. What she’d done earlier with the hammer to his head was probably still going to kill him, but it would be too late.
“Of course, maybe it’s time I took care of you, too,” he said in a growl. “Look at you, Shannon. A gun to your head and you stand there. Ain’t no fight in you at all.”
But this was how Shannon fought. She’d gone on the run to protect her family, given up the life she could have spent with them so this man didn’t infect them all. Sometimes bravery was simply standing tall and not giving in.
And sometimes it was standing up and taking the fucking shot no matter what.
Devi got to her feet. The man was clearly not thinking straight because he didn’t even turn and look for her. His eyes were on the woman whose life he’d ruined.
“I always was your god,” he said, blood caking his face. “You always thought you were so smart, but I was your god and I’ll be the one who kills you.”
“Not if I kill you first, fucker.” She needed him to look her way.
He turned slightly and Devi fired. Once. Twice. She saw Shannon move away, stumbling back. Ray shot, too, but it went wide and at least one of Devi’s hit. His chest. Though he wore a dark shirt, she could see the blood, see the way his hand went there, and he dropped the gun as his body started to fall.
Shannon picked it up and scrambled to her feet. She stood over him and put a bullet in his brain. The room went quiet, the only sound Zach still trying to get in. Shannon looked her way. “We should have done that last time. You okay?”
“Devi!” Zach was screaming her name.
He couldn’t see her. He didn’t realize she was unhurt. She nodded Shannon’s way and rushed to the doors. “I’m fine, babe. He didn’t hit me.”
Zach put a hand on his chest like he needed to restart his heart.
Her uncle gave her a thumbs-up. “Good shot. Your parents are going to be proud.”
She sniffled, tears beginning because they were still in an impossible situation. “You have to run. Zach, we have no idea how we’re going to get out. We’ll try.”
But they would have to navigate a maze with a hundred doors that might or might not work. They wouldn’t know they were stuck until they hit the end and were trapped. Zach could go back the way he came. He could get to the landing bays.
Zach’s head shook. “I stay with you.”
He put his hand to the window.
She put hers there too, against his, save for the cold of the slightly now cracked glass. Huisman had thought of everything. Bulletproof glass. Doors that could withstand anything. A chaotic system they would never be able to navigate.
A buzzing sound hit her ears and the light on the pad next to the door went green.
Devi’s eyes widened and her hand shot to the door, opening it in an instant.
And then she was in his arms.
“Yeah, it’s open, Lou. We’ve got them,” her uncle was saying. He held the door open for Shannon. “You got a handle now?” He nodded. “No. We can’t risk a helo battle at this height, and we need to get our people safe.” He frowned. “What? Are you fucking kidding me? Yeah, we’re coming in.”
Zach hugged her so hard she could barely breathe.
Huisman had planned for everything.
Everything except Louisa Ward.
Devi was still shaking as she held on to the man she loved.
“All right, people. Let’s head to the landing bays. Lou’s set up there now since she’s managed to take over the entire system, with one exception.” Big Tag’s head shook. “The kids are going to kill me.”
Zach’s head came down and he kissed her softly before dropping his forehead to hers. “Never again, Dev. I can’t handle it. You are out of the kidnapping business.”
She was. Although he could kidnap her whenever he liked.
Ten minutes later she stared at the screen Lou had managed to pull up.