Page 71 of Fast Justice

His searching gaze snagged back on the suspended shipping container. It stuck out because it was the only one not stacked neatly on board the waiting ships. None of the other cranes were active. Could Rowan…? “What’s the story on that container?” Mal asked.

Hamilton craned his head to get a better look, switched frequencies to speak to the pilots before responding to Mal. “They’re taking us in lower for a good look.”

Maka got up and moved next to Mal, crouching to inspect the container. “Someone’s in the crane cab,” he said. Khan and Hamilton moved closer to see as well.

A man sat high up in the cab, hands appearing to be on the controls. He shouldn’t still be in there, not with the FBI and DEA clearing everyone else out. Leaving a container dangling like that was obviously unsafe. Was he just putting the container into position on top of the rest before he could shut down the crane?

Hamilton was back on the radio. Mal caught the moment when those gray eyes lifted and found his. Hamilton gave a shake of his head. “That crane’s not supposed to be operating,” he said grimly.

God dammit! Was Rowan in there?

Mal focused back on the container, his heart slamming. He had to fight to keep the sudden leap of emotion in check. “Get us down there.” If Rowan and the other women rumored to be held by Montoya were in there…

Hamilton nodded, was already talking to the pilots. The helo descended, coming in closer to the crane cab. The operator was still at the controls. Uniformed FBI agents were converging on the crane, but it was a hell of a long way up to the cab.

As Mal watched, the crane swung the container out further, moving it away from the ship. His muscles bunched, his whole body tensing.No. “Jesus, tell me he’s not gonna—”

The jaws of the clamp opened and dropped the container, sending Mal’s heart plunging into the water with it.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Trapped in the blackness of the container, Rowan looked up toward the ceiling at the sound of helicopters flying nearby and her heart beat faster. Did someone know they were in here? Was someone coming to rescue them?

The container stopped rising. Then it seemed to be moving sideways for a few seconds, but maybe it was her imagination. They stopped moving again. The noise of the helicopters was louder now.

Please, please, she begged silently, praying it was someone coming to save them.

Then, just as hope began to expand inside her, she gasped and stumbled, unable to catch her balance as the container suddenly plunged downward at an alarming speed.

It didn’t stop. She screamed, the shrill sound drowned out beneath the combined terror of the other girls.

They hit the ground, tossing them all into the air for a moment before they all crashed into the floor. A sharp pain bit into her wrists as whatever bound them snapped.

Rowan shoved up on her hands and knees, looking around in the darkness. A faint ray of light was coming in from the end where Montoya had left minutes before. The impact must have broken the locking mechanism. She rushed for the gap, her body stiff and sore, desperate to escape.

Two steps from the doors, cold water flooded around her ankles, the flow strong enough to almost knock her off her feet.

Sheer terror bolted through her as she realized what had happened. “They dumped us in the water,” she cried, fighting to keep her balance as she slogged toward the doors. They had to get out before it sank.

The other women cried out and converged around her, all of them fighting to get to the only exit. But the flow of water was too strong. As the container filled with water and slipped beneath the surface, it swept them all off their feet and sent them crashing against the far end. Rowan bounced off someone. She sucked in a ragged gasp as icy cold water rushed around her thighs, her hips, climbing every second.

I’m not going to drown. I’m not going to drown.The words beat through her mind over and over.

Frantic, she tried to swim her way forward through the torrent. Couldn’t.

Desperate hands grabbed at her. Tried to use her to propel themselves past her.

Panic took over. She kicked free of the restraining hands. She treaded water for a moment, raised her hand above her to gauge how much air they had left. Her hand hit the unforgiving metal roof now less than two feet above her head.

“Shit,” she breathed, so scared she could barely think. She kept struggling through the water to the open door, watched helplessly while the water came in faster and faster, the light fading as they sank deeper. How far down were they? She had to be right next to the open gap when the water closed over her head, or she’d never get out.

The cold water was up to her chin now, and her muscles were tiring. All around her, frightened screams and crying surrounded her. She choked back a sob, flung an arm off her when it hooked around her neck, all her focus on getting close to the doors, trying to time her last breath…

Her head hit the ceiling. She wrenched her head back to steal those last few precious seconds. Water swirled around her jaw, dark and cold as a grave, waiting to drown her.

Mindless terror gripped her. She gulped in one big, ragged breath and ducked beneath the water, propelling herself toward where the doors should be.

A flailing foot caught her in the stomach, forcing precious air from her lungs. Rowan held her breath and kept swimming, her heart slamming so hard against her ribs she feared it would burst.

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