Page 72 of Belgian Betrayal

With the other two men blocking her escape through the tunnel, Catya dove for the room where the auction had taken place.

In seconds, she realized her mistake. There were chairs, a screen and no doors leading out of the room. If she wanted to escape, she had to get past Stanhope, Blackhurst and now a very angry killer.

Hunkering low, she charged like a bull in a fighting ring, aiming straight for Stanhope, who stood with his hand in his pocket.

As she came within reach of him, he pulled his hand out of his pocket and jabbed something at her, hitting her with a jolt of electricity that turned her muscles to jelly. She dropped like a rock to the floor and lay motionless, her mind working, but her body incapacitated.

“Bring the girl and hurry,” Stanhope said. “The effects of the taser won’t last long.” He walked into the auction room, punched a button on the wall and waited while the screen rose into a slot in the ceiling, revealing a door behind it.

The murderous bastard slung Catya over his shoulder and followed the other two men.

Stanhope led the way through a maze of hallways and rooms to a staircase leading to the ground level and the servants’ quarters.

Catya bounced along, her body flopping against the man carrying her. All the while, she willed her muscles to respond. By the time the fire alarm went off, she could feel movement in her fingertips and toes. She’d need a whole lot more control of her body if she was to get out of this alive.

What worried her most was that she hadn’t heard anything in her headset since she’d started up the hidden staircase. All hope of Fearghas finding her vanished. She was on her own and powerless.

Chapter 18

Fearghas had charged down the hallway where the toilets were located. When he didn’t find Catya in the hallway, he barged into the women’s room, frightening the ladies there.

Catya wasn’t in there.

He went into the men’s room just in case. Not there either.

Back out in the hallway, he ran back to the door to the ballroom and stood there, scanning faces, searching for the blond wig and the shimmering gold dress. She wasn’t there.

“Anyone see Catya?” he said into his mic.

“No,” Hank responded.

“She hasn’t returned,” Dmytro answered.

“I replayed the videos,” Ace said. “Last sighting, she went through the door where you’re currently standing.

“Somehow, she got past the cameras,” Fearghas said. “She’s not in there.”

As he stood in the doorway to the ballroom, several men came from behind him and entered the ballroom.

Fearghas moved out of the doorway and further into the ballroom himself, searching again for Catya. “Are you sure she’s not on the second level?” he asked.

“Not there,” Ace responded.

More men came out of the hallway behind Fearghas. He’d only counted three men in the men’s room. Where?—

Cassandra Miles passed him, hurrying into the hallway.

He spun and peered around the doorframe into the hallway.

Cassandra stood next to a decorative built-in display shelf, talking to the MI6 director, Walter Sykes.

The man appeared to be annoyed with the woman. He excused himself, leaving her standing there, and disappeared into the ballroom.

Fearghas backed away from the door before Sykes could spot him.

Once the MI6 guy marched past him, Fearghas looked down the hallway again.

Cassandra was gone. A movement caught his eye. Had the built-in shelf shifted?

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