Page 92 of Ruger's Rage

A small smile crosses Sarah's face. "Who said anything about roads?"

Once inside, she looks at Wrenleigh and Sadie Jo, Coin’s little girls.

They’re not that little, though. Wrenleigh’s fifteen, and Sadie Jo is turning thirteen in a couple of weeks. “Girls, come with us.”

They don’t ask questions, just follow Sarah’s orders.

She leads us through the common area and down a hallway I've never explored before, ending at what appears to be a storage room.

"Close the door," she instructs Ellie, who complies without question.

The room is cluttered with boxes, club memorabilia, and old furniture.

Sarah moves toward the back wall, sliding aside a heavy bookcase to reveal what looks like solid concrete behind it.

"What are you doing?" Kinsey asks, voicing my own confusion.

Sarah doesn't answer, just presses her palm against a seemingly random spot. To my shock, a section of the wall slides inward.

"What the hell?" I breathe.

"Insurance policy," Sarah says, echoing her earlier words. "The founding members were miners, remember? They knew how to dig more than just coal."

Beyond the hidden door lies a narrow passage, rough steps leading down into darkness.

"Is that?—"

"A tunnel," Sarah confirms, already pulling out flashlights from a hidden compartment. "One of three. They run under the compound and up into the mountains. Lead to safe houses the club's maintained for decades."

"Does Ruger know about this?" I ask, stunned.

"Of course. All Presidents do. But it's not common knowledge—only shared on a need-to-know basis." She hands each of us a flashlight. "And right now, you all need to know."

Gunfire erupts outside, distant but unmistakable.

"Time's up," Sarah says grimly. "Ellie, you know the way. Take them to Cabin Two. I'll catch up."

"Sarah—" Ellie starts.

"I need to grab something first," she insists. "Go. Now."

The urgency in her voice means there’s no time to argue.

Ellie nods, gesturing for Kinsey and me to follow her into the passage.

"What about Bloodhound?" I ask, hesitating at the entrance. "The prospects?"

"They know to hold as long as they can, then use the north tunnel," Sarah explains. "I promise you, they know what to do and when to do it, Tildie."

More gunfire and it gets closer now.

The sound of shattering glass reaches us.

"Go!" Sarah pushes me gently toward the passage. "I'll be right behind you."

I step into the tunnel, immediately engulfed by cool, damp air.

Ellie leads the way, her flashlight beam cutting through darkness that seems to pulse with each distant gunshot.

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