Page 79 of Captured Heart

I press one last kiss to his lips, slow and lingering, savoring this very last moment. Then, with every ounce of strength I have left, I pull away and shift back slightly, looking down before I lose my nerve. The loss is immediate, like a piece of me has been torn away.

I grip the cloth tightly, doubts beginning to creep in. I can’t believe I’m going to do this. This homemade chloroform could be dangerous if I didn’t mix it right...

No. I shake off the negative thoughts nagging me. I just told him to trust me. Now I need to trust myself. I know what I’m doing. The planwillwork.

I glance up at him one last time. He’s watching me, his expression raw and unguarded, and it nearly undoes me.

“Ready?” I give a slight smile to hide my nervousness.

He nods, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Do it.”

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to remain steady. Then, with shaking hands, I press the cloth over his nose and mouth. I gasp when I see the effect it has on him, my heart shattering as I feel his body go limp beneath me. His head drops to the side as he loses consciousness.

It takes all my strength to shift his heavy body. I lay him gently on the floor, tilting his head to the side and positioning him so his airway stays open. He looks peaceful, like he’s just sleeping, but the sight of him so still sends a pang of guilt and fear through me.

Grabbing the pillowcase I’d soaked in water; I rip it in half. I gently drape it over his mouth and nose to act as a filter. The moisture in the cloth will help trap smoke particles and reduce what he inhales. I keep the other half for myself to help me escape.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I force myself to focus on the rest of the plan.

Step two.

I run back to the bathroom and grab the bowl of sugar and creamer. Moving to the bedside table, I get the box of matches near the oil lamp and return to the door. The sound of my shallow breaths fills the room as I start mixing the ingredients together.

My hands are shaking so badly that the mixture clumps at first, and I have to stir harder to get it right.

I set the bowl down a distance away from Alex to keep him safe from the fumes and strike the match. My pulse races as the flames flare to life. Within seconds, smoke billows into the air, thick and suffocating.

The fire alarm blares, a piercing sound that sets my nerves on edge.

I place the wet pillowcase over my mouth and nose, ducking into the hallway. The acrid smoke burns my lungs and eyes, but I force myself to keep moving. Alex mapped out my escape route in detail. All I have to do is follow his directions.

“Go down the hall and turn left. Hide in the supply closet.”His voice plays in my head, steady and calm.“When the alarms go off and they rush to the room, sneak out through the kitchen door. It’s the closest exit to the fence.”

My breath catches as I hear voices approaching.

“Check the girl!” one of them shouts.

I dart into the supply closet, the door creaking softly as I pull it shut behind me. My heart thunders as I hear heavy footsteps pass by, and I wait, counting the seconds in my head.

As soon as the hallway clears, I slip out of the closet and crouch down to stay below beneath the thickest layer of smoke.

“Fuck!” I hear Bowman’s voice over the chaos. “Turner’s down. Rookie, help me get him outta here.” I hear huffing and coughing. “Smith, do you see her?”

“No! I can’t see anything.”

“Go get the van.”

Shit! I need to move.

“There are only five men here, excluding the guard outside. They’ll leave two here. One to get me to safety, and the other to keep looking for you. The other three are going to go after you. You have to be quick, and you have to stay calm.”

My knees swiftly brush the ground as I move to the kitchen. Trying not to cough, I open the door as quietly as I can, creep outside, and close it behind me.

The night air hits me like a slap when I step outside, cool and sharp against my overheated skin. I gasp, sucking in sharpbreaths, trying to give my deprived lungs as much oxygen as possible.

I assess my new surroundings. The fence is not that far away, just a few yards, but anxiety makes me feel like I’ll have to runmilesto get to it. I see the camera swiveling slowly.

“Wait for the camera to rotate,”Alex’s voice reminds me.“When it’s facing the white building to the right, you have forty-five seconds to get to the fence. The guard sits at the delivery entrance. If you time the cameras right, he won’t see you until it’s too late. You’ll be over before he reaches you.”

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