Page 26 of Trigger

Carter

“What time is it?”

Thorsen’squestion pissed me off for obvious reasons.

“Idon’t know.”

“Whatday is it?”

“Idon’t know. Still today, probably. Stop asking stupid questions.”

He wasawake for a while now, and I knew it because I heard his breathing change. Itwas easier to notice these things in the darkness, when my sense of sightwasn’t the dominant one. How his chest rose and fell with each breath or how hegroaned when he got uncomfortable. Or how his hand lay beside mine, closeenough to feel its heat. I thought about pulling my hand away, but in thedarkness and the cold, I needed to know that I wasn’t alone in this bunker.

“Whodo you think set us up?” Thorsen said, sounding hoarse.

Ishrugged. “It could be Bob. Or Baldie, since I sent him to prison a few times.It could be anyone.”

“So,Baldie is an admirer, too? I’m jealous. By the way, how long do you thinkbefore the gang figures out that we’re missing?”

Atthat point, I really wished for him to shut up.

“Idon’t know,” I said with a sigh. “A day?”

“Andhow long before they figure out where we are?”

Nowthat was a tricky one.

“Days?Weeks?” I mused. “Never?”

“Fuck.”

Yeah.

Fuck.

Thorsen

“Weshould do something.”

Cartergave me a skeptical look.

“Likewhat?”

Istood up and looked at the ceiling, mulling it over.

“Like,maybe try to reach that hole.”

Abitter laugh fell from his mouth. “We can’t reach it, brainiac. If it’s notobvious to you, then you're an even worse detective than I thought.”

“Youdon’t think I’m a bad detective,” I countered. “And you may be right, but Istill want to try.”

I bentmy knees and pointed at my back.

“Hopon, grumpy.”

Carterblinked in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“Itwon’t work the other way around if that’s what you’re implying. I’m bigger thanyou.”

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