Page 145 of The Last Session

Clint hunched down. “Thea, we’re going to go piggyback. Ready?”

Karen and Mikki helped me to my feet. My legs were weak and wobbly, but I remained upright. Clint hefted me up and started swiftly over the rocky terrain. Mikki and Karen followed, lighting our way with lanterns, Mikki hauling a duffel bag.

I glanced back, but the gurgling hole was now in darkness.

Clint didn’t stumble once. I had the dazed feeling that I was riding a horse, feeling a strong body’s mechanics between my legs. We got to theentry chamber, went straight to the stairs. Clint climbed the steep steps like a machine. His confident physicality felt calming. But I couldn’t relax until we were in his car, barreling away from this wretched place.

We reached the top of the stairs, up into the little closet-like room. Clint pushed the door open. The studio was dark, and the familiar scent of paint and ceramic dust reached my nostrils.

Then the light went on. I cried out, pushing my face into Clint’s shoulder. He stopped short.

“What a nice surprise.” Sol’s voice was conversational. “Clint, you didn’t want to stop and say hi to us?”

Something broke in my chest, and I yelped.No.Not when we were so close to getting out.

“Hi, Sol.” Clint let go of my legs, and I slid to the ground, blinking my eyes open. Karen slipped an arm around my waist; she was surprisingly strong too. Mikki was on Clint’s other side. Sol and Moon stood in the middle of the room, with Joe and Steven flanking them. Behind, Catherine leaned against the open doorway. She stared at me, her eyes round and blank. The diamond necklace from the cave altar was back on her neck, glittering in the light.

Joe looked uncomfortable, his gaze darting around.

“Hey!” Mikki struggled to hold on to the duffel bag Steven was pulling away from her. With a final yank, he had it, and backed towards the front of the room.

“Shit,” Karen muttered, so softly only I could hear.

“So what brings you here, man?” Sol grinned. Moon was silent, staring at Clint, her expression unreadable. “I guess I don’t actually need to ask. You must’ve done this before, huh? It’s how you got Cath out. With your scuba gear.” He let out a sharp laugh. “The cave diver, of course! I can’t believe I didn’t think about that. I figured Cath found some kind of aqueduct and crawled back up.Nope.” Sol reached into the back of his waistband and pulled out a gun. “Stop right now.”

Clint’s phone was in his hand. Moon darted forward and snatched it. She turned to Mikki, palm out. Mikki’s eyes were trained on the gun. It looked like Joe’s—was it the same one? Mikki pulled her phone from her back pocket and gave it to Moon with shaking fingers. Still holding me with one arm, Karen used her free hand to do the same.

“You did it last time, right? You drugged us.” Moon shook a playful finger at her, backing away. “The former nurse. I wonder what you usedin the wine? I remember waking up feeling groggy. Good thing Steven caught you last night. We were able to swap out the bottle without you realizing.”

“This has gone too far, Moon.” Karen’s wobbly voice strengthened. “Your past life self has taken you over. She’s controlling you. She’s making you do horrible things. Like—Gracie…” The tears started once again.

“Karen, I know this is hard for you to understand.” Moon’s voice softened. “But this is the way it has to be.”

“It’s doesn’t!”

“It does,” Moon said. “You of all people should understand martyrdom.”

“Hi, Mikki,” Sol said. “I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here. The girl with no impulse control.”

“What are you planning to do?” Mikki asked quietly. “Shove all of us into that hole, one after the other?”

Don’t give them any ideas, I wanted to say.

“Guys,” Joe said in a low voice. “Why don’t we take a beat? Go discuss?”

“I’m sorry, are you in charge here?” Sol asked over his shoulder. “Or can you just shut the fuck up for a second?”

Joe looked away. “Sorry.”

“Listen, mates, we can figure this out.” Clint held out his arms. “Grace chose to go in, right? Everyone else is alive and well.” He indicated me, leaning on Karen. “So let’s just take a breath and de-escalate.”

Moon sighed. “You messed it up, Clint.”

“I’m trying to help you guys.” He pointed at me. “If we hadn’t gotten her out—”

“This would all be over. My life’s purpose completed. Do you know how different things would be?” She continued to smile, but her eyes hardened.

“It’s time to give it up, Moon.” Clint raised his voice. “A woman is dead because of all this!”

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