Page 162 of Patching Over

“How could I forget,” Wrecker mumbles. I can hear the strain in his voice and realize this bunch of assholes has a lot to answer for, since Wrecker comes across as so self-assured, so confident. Yet, at one point or another, they tried to break him.

Just like my woman.

“They have church every morning?” Butcher questions.

My group and I veer off further into the entry point of the building we’ve been assigned to infiltrate from, before I can hear their response, switching over to the secondary channel that Hawg is focusing on so we can maneuver through this place and find Moira.

“There’s a trap door inside the pantry,” Hawg advises. “Ten steps down, then it opens into a large room. Several bedrooms are along the hallway to the right. The guards are now all incapacitated in one way or another,” he adds.

Personally, I hope they’re all headed straight toward Hell, complete with fire and brimstone and a personal audience with Lucifer himself.

“Going first,” I advise. When Banshee tries to object, I glare at him, causing him to put his hands up in surrender. “You’re our VP, Ban, gotta protect you,” I mutter. “That’s my job.”

“Should only be women and children down there,” Hawg cautions, “so, no excessive force unless absolutely necessary.”

“Ten-four,” I reply, slowly opening up the hatch door. Those dim lights that I’ve seen on many overnight infomercials come on, lighting our path without letting anyone below know that we’re heading down.

Phantom, the last one through the door, gently sets it down without a sound, as one by one, we carefully head downstairs.

CHAPTER

ELEVEN

Moira

“Moira, wake up, we have to get dressed,”Hannah whispers, her voice sounding urgent as she shakes me awake.

I come awake slowly, stretching before rubbing my eyes with closed fists, and look at the little girl who is standing next to the bed we share, already dressed. I struggle to sit up, swiping the hair out of my face while looking at her in confusion.

“They’re here, we have to be ready. We have to be quiet, though, Moira, but everyone has to be ready when they get down here.”

Who’s here?I wonder as I sit on the side of the bed.

“Uncle Wrecker and Uncle Dragon, as well as many others I don’t know.”

Immediately, I’m fully awake, as if a jolt of caffeine has been shot into my veins. Whipping off my nightgown, I quickly put on jeans, a t-shirt, and my socks and shoes while Hannah waits at the door, fidgeting. One by one, we quietly wake up the other women as Hannah explains we’re being rescued. They get dressed, then they wake and dress the other children,anticipation humming in the air around us. The buzz has my body vibrating. I had prayed they’d come for us, and I’d taste freedom again, but like all things in my life, it was too much to believe would come to fruition.

While Hannah expectantly watches the hallway where the guards come through to bring us food, I help the other women make bottles and pack up diapers so we’re ready for whatever is about to happen.

My nerves are pinging wildly because based on other things Hannah has told me, I know thatKrackenis with them.

He came to find me, to rescue me. Does that mean I’m his like he said several times when I was in Roanoke?

Hope blossoms even more as I hear the slight creaking of the door that lets the guards come down the stairs, especially when I see the soft glow of the LED lights that lead down the stairs and hallway.

He’s here.

Relief swamps me as he’s followed by several other Roanoke brothers. I scoop Hannah up and hold her close as they lead us back up the stairs. It’s all done quickly, but with proficiency. I want to run to Kracken, to jump in his arms and apologize profusely, but inside I recognize that this isn’t the time for that. Plus, I’m not sure I’m ready to rip the binding from my mouth off just yet, maybe when I’m feeling safe, I’ll give it a try.For him. Only him.

“Cover their eyes,” Kracken says. “We, uh, we had to make sure we could get y’all without any interruptions.”

Hannah pipes up and replies, “Mine are already closed, Moira. Please, take me out so I can see my mommy.”

While all the children old enough to see anything have their eyes covered against the sheer gore that is evident along our path, I’m impressed that they managed to take care of all the men who were guarding us. Actually, I wish I would have hada chance to get in a few licks of my own because of how they treated me and the other defenseless women guarding the children.

“Yeah, let’s get the fuck out of here, this place gives me the creeps,” Scythe replies, visibly shuddering.

“Thank you for rescuing us, Mr. Kracken,” Hannah sweetly says, her eyes still squeezed tight. “I’m Hannah, Selah’s daughter. I knew you’d come for us, my sisters told me you would.”

---