Page 45 of Trapped

“Yes,” she answered, hearing her voice tremble.

“The shooting and the scream might bring more guys. We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Where?”

“Across the rockslide.”

“But that guy just slipped and fell on the loose rubble.”

“He was in a hurry to get back to this side after he heard the gunfire. We’ll be careful.”

He sounded confident. Then she remembered why they’d stopped here in the first place. “Your leg.”

“It will be okay. We’ve got to get going.”

He had barely finished speaking when they heard more voices behind them—farther away than last time but coming closer.

“You were right,” she whispered. “We drew their attention.”

“Unfortunately.”

They put the night vision goggles back on. Then he led her quickly toward the rubble. Stepping onto the gravelly surface, he tested his footing, then reached for her hand.

“Don’t put your full weight down until you’re sure of the surface,” he said.

“Okay.” Together they started across, leaning over so they could grasp the rocks with their hands and moving cautiously. The voices were getting closer, and she wanted to hurry, but she knew that would be a fatal mistake, given what had happened to the last person who had walked out onto this unstable surface.

They were almost to the other side, when the blinding beam from a flashlight hit them.

Cash pulled down his goggles and let them dangle around his neck.

“Over there,” one of the men called.

“Keep going,” Cash ordered.

“What about you?”

“I’ll be along in a minute.”

“Who the hell is that with him?”

“It looks like the woman who got into the bunker.”

“Where the hell did she come from?”

“Who knows. But don’t shoot him if you can help it,” one of the guards ordered. “Montgomery wants him for questioning.”

“Get behind me,” Cash whispered. “Press against the wall on your left.”

She did as he asked, knowing she was using him for a shield.

She could see the men trying to line up a shot, but it looked like they couldn’t do it with Cash in the way.

One of the men started after them across the rubble field, moving too quickly, and the rocks shifted again.

He cursed and slowed down.

Looking back, she saw that Cash had put a boulder between himself and the men and was digging furiously with his hands.

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