Page 82 of Tango
“He had a momentary lapse of judgment,” Darren replies. “Just needed some motivation to get back on the right track.”
“You won’t get away with this.” Alice clenches both hands into fists at her sides.
“Actually, I will.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Oh, you will, Otherwise, I’ll put so many holes in lover boy here that he’ll look like Swiss cheese.” He aims his handgun at me. “Do we have a deal?”
“Not a chance,” I growl.
“Yes. Fine.” Alice turns to me. “I won’t let them kill you.”
“Alice, you can’t do this.”
“I have to,” she says. There’s defeat in her eyes, and it kills me to see it.
“Great. Now, you can come with us until it’s time. Come on, don’t be shy,” Darren says as he gestures toward the aisle they’re currently standing in.
A security guard lifts my weapon and vest then steps back. Together, Alice and I start walking. Every step we take, I’m looking for a chance. An opportunity to get us both to safety, but as the guards fall into step behind us, I realize with horrible certainty—we’re trapped.
And backup won’t come for at least another twenty-four hours.
The only joy I have right now is in knowing that, when I miss my check-in, Dylan, Bradyn, Elliot, and Riley will level this place. And even if I’m not alive to see it? The sheer knowledge of what they’ll do brings me more joy than it probably should.
Chapter 28
Alice
Ramiro is alive.
And not just alive—but working for Darren.
It was all a setup.
He would have known about the dumpsters. Was he waiting for me? Is he the one who told them to hurt my parents because he knew it was the only thing that would bring me out of hiding?
I continue pacing the supply room they’ve placed us in while Tucker scours the shelves. For what, I have no idea. He’s barely said five words to me since we got locked in here, shielded behind this door with an armed guard just outside.
We were both stripped of our weapons and any gear we brought in. We’re sitting ducks. Waiting for whatever they have planned for us.
“Yes. Thank you, God.”
I turn as Tucker kneels to the ground, an old laptop in his hand. “Everything in this room is useless; that’s why it’s here. Dead batteries, fried hard drives—they’re all broken.”
He beams at me. “Nothing is useless.” Lifting the leg of his black cargo pants, he reveals a hidden pocket just inside the bottom of the pant leg. He removes a small black tube then unscrews the bottom and pulls out two wires.
“What is that?”
“Something of my own invention,” he replies. “I call it tech life support.”
“What does it do?”
He flips the laptop over and removes the battery cover, then takes both wires and connects them inside the computer. After turning the laptop over, he presses a button on the bottom of the tube. “Moment of truth.” He presses the power button, and the laptop comes to life.
“How did you do that?”
He looks over at me. “Finding me more and more attractive by the minute, aren’t you?”
