Page 19 of Sor

“Kids!” she yelled. Then she turned, staring at him in disbelief. “What did you say?”

“What did you say?” he asked Ivy.

“Kids. There were skulls and kids. Dead children against the wall. Dozens in different states of decay. Whoever was using that cave was killing children.”

“How could I have missed that?” said Sor.

“I don’t think you did,” said Eric. “I think you saw blackness and bodies, and you thought they were the kids you were helping. In a dark cave, chaos around you, you probably thought they were alive. The skulls are higher up. Look at the photos.”

Sure enough, the ledge that the skulls were sitting on was at least neck-high for Sor and the other men. When the kids saw the men, they started crying and praying. That distracted him and had him hyper-focused on helping the children. Luke gripped his shoulder.

“The adrenalin was probably pumping so hard you didn’t give any of it a second thought, brother. But someone knows what you saw. Someone knows that you saw the skulls and the dead bodies. We need to find out who.”

“I think it was your friend,” said Ivy, handing him a piece of paper. “This was folded into a tiny little square in one of the canisters. I almost threw it away.”

Sor opened it, reading it to the others.

Sorry I broke in, Sor. I knew I could hide these in your cabin. Get your girl somewhere safe.

“He took these. I didn’t even see him do it. I didn’t even know he had a camera on him. I can’t believe how much I missed.”

“Not missed, brother. You were focused on the mission, and your mission was saving those kids. His was watching your back,” said Hex.

“He’s out there somewhere, and we need to find him and keep him alive,” said Sor. “I think he saw more than what’s on those rolls of film.” Hex nodded at the younger man.

“Then let’s find him.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Do you think your friend will be okay?” asked Nell.

“I’m hoping so, baby. I know that the body in the bathtub is not him. He tried to help me and save you by making sure we do something about this. I need to make sure that he’s okay and somewhere safe. I just don’t know how to get to him. I can’t use a phone or e-mail. Someone might be tracking all of that.”

“I think you need to draw out those men again,” she said.

“That’s a great idea, honey. But we killed the last ones. More aren’t likely to just pop up and get the same treatment.”

“They would if I were visible,” she said quietly. Sor stared at her as if she’d lost her mind. Shaking his head, he stood and walked in circles as the others around them watched.

“No.”

“Sor…”

“No. No, you will not place your life in danger for this. That’s nuts! Absolutely not!”

“Sor, you would be with me. The men would be with me. Kate and the others were telling me what amazing technology you have at G.R.I.P. Strange jets and helicopters, the communication devices, weapons, and stealth suits. You could be wearing a stealth suit as I go back to the cabin.”

“Honey, they may not come back there. They lost men, and they won’t be willing to do that again.”

“Someone was still out there,” said Nell. “Send me back, with several men beside me in stealth suits. I’ll go into the cabin, turn on the lights, and we wait. All of us.”

“She might have something,” said Luke, staring at Sor.

“She does have something,” said Hiro. “Our guy that disappeared is back. We planted a dozen more cameras and automatic drones around the cabin. We caught him coming in about an hour ago and were watching to see what he would do. He hid behind the old water pumping station. He’s still there. I was coming to ask what you wanted to do.”

“Fuck me,” mumbled Sor, pushing his hair back.

“Sor, it’s the only way to get to someone who might know where your friend is or what’s really going on here. I’ll be safe. You’re the best at what you do,” she said, smiling at him.

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