Page 101 of Hidden Chance

Another man untied her while two others waited with their guns ready.

She rubbed her wrists as she walked to the door but pushed her shoulders back. Before exiting, she turned to Hannah and gave her a gentle nod, and then Zin shoved her into the hall.

“You’re next.” He waited at the door as they dragged Hannah out and pulled her down the hall in time to see Jemi enter a nearby room.

Hannah tried to breathe through the panic that bit at her as she neared the door waiting for her. When they reached it, she saw the room was empty and stumbled forward when the barrel of a rifle was pressed into her back.

“Have fun,” Zin said, before closing and locking the door.

She looked around, relieved Pike wasn’t waiting for her. It gave her time to get control over herself.

A thin mattress was in one corner with a dingy blanket strewn haphazardly across it.

“Make him not want to touch me,” she prayed. “I’m not going to be strong enough for this.” She thought of Jemi in the other room with a stranger. “And protectJemi. Let her find a way out.” The thought that she’d been through this all before and survived was a small comfort. If Jemi could do it, Hannah could.

After taking another look at the mattress, she huddled into the corner farthest away from it, wrapping her arms around herself.

Then the door opened, and Pike appeared. He nodded to someone outside, then entered. At first, he stood still, watching her with a frown. Then his gaze slid to the bed.

“I don’t like to beg for my dinner,” he said, taking a few more steps into the room. “There are plenty of beautiful women in the world who would gladly offer themselves to me willingly.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked over to the mattress, kicking it. “I could have given you better than this. Did I not make my invitation plain enough? Or do I repulse you? Because that would be a first.”

“I knew exactly what you wanted. It’s not what I wanted.”

“You’ve always thought you were too good for me.”

“No. I knew we had different values. Although I didn’t realize how deep that chasm was until now.”

“If you weren’t so full of yourself, you wouldn’t be in this situation now. But Hannah Reynolds always thinks she knows best.”

“It has nothing to do with knowing best.”

“Then why are you here?”

“How can you not see the evil that this is? I always knew we saw the world differently. But I didn’t think you were capable of this.”

“What? Evil? That’s what you think I am? I already told you, this is not my choice for you. You’re lucky I’m the one in here instead of someone else. You should be thanking me.”

She scoffed, and it made him flinch. “And what about the kids and the innocent people in the villages who are being brainwashed, who are dying because of you?”

“I have nothing to do with that. All that stuff you’ve been fighting against, that’s not the part I play.”

“How can you say that? You know exactly what they’re doing, and you’re helping them do it whether you pull the trigger or not.”

“I handle the paperwork and some logistics, but this is only about money for me.”

“You think that makes you innocent?”

“Why do you have to be so self-righteous all the time? I tried to help you, Hannah. I did everything I could to save you from yourself, but no, you had to be Mother Teresa.”

“The fact that you see that as a bad thing speaks volumes about how depraved you are.”

“Well, if I’m depraved, then you’re a raving lunatic. What planet do you live on, huh? You don’t get anything in this world by doing good.” He moved in on her. “You could have had anything you wanted out of life, and you chose this.”

“Yes. And you are choosing to let them kill me.”

“If I could have my way, I’d send you home immediately. You have to know that.”

“And what about the kids? The schools?”

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