Page 70 of Edinburgh Escape
“I once bit a plastic straw in two,” Bryce said.
“Oh, honey, this is harder than a plastic straw. I would hate for you to break a tooth on it.”
“My mum says I’ll lose my front teeth next year. They’re baby teeth, and I’ll get new ones.”
He had a point.
“Let me break yours first to see if it’s even possible.” Maggie snaked across the floor until she was behind Bryce. He raised his wrists to get closer to her.
His tiny wrists were cinched tightly together, making it hard for her to get close enough to sink her teeth into the plastic. Once she was able to bite into the plastic, she didn’t let go. It would take too much time to get back into position.
Maggie tried biting with her front teeth, but it didn’t seem to make much of a dent in the hard plastic. Using a combination of biting and a back-and-forth sawing motion, she started making headway until suddenly it snapped in two.
Bryce immediately wiggled around. “Let me get yours.”
Maggie rolled over, giving Bryce her back and her wrists.
Using his hands, Bryce felt along her side and found her wrists. Then his little forehead pressed against her back as he bit into the zip-tie.
Maggie had adult teeth. How would a five-year-old with baby teeth be able to break through the hard plastic?
While he continued to bite into the tie, Maggie did her best to pull it tight, hoping that keeping tension on the binding would help.
Voices sounded outside the van.
Bryce lifted his head.
“Don’t stop,” Maggie whispered. “But if they open the door, drop down, pretend you’re sleeping and hide your hands behind your back. Got it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Bryce said and went back to biting her zip tie.
As the voices moved closer, Maggie tensed, ready to tell Bryce to drop.
Then her tie snapped, and her hands were free. She quickly slipped out of her shoes and wiggled and pushed until she was able to slip the ties off her ankles. Then she slid her feet back into her shoes.
Footsteps sounded near the back door.
“Get down and close your eyes,” Maggie said softly.
Bryce lay down beside her.
She wanted to pull him into her arms and shield him, but they had to appear as if they were still asleep. Instead of holding the boy, she lay on her side, her arms behind her back, her ankles crossed together as if still secured.
At the screech of a metal door handle being turned, Maggie closed her eyes almost all the way, giving herself just enough of an opening to peer through her lashes.
Dim light eased the darkness from overhead lights in the distance.
“We got the brother and the sister,” said a man with what sounded like a Russian accent. The beam of a flashlight bounced against the door and then shone into the interior of the van.
Maggie closed her eyes to the light, careful not to squint. She needed her captors to think she and Bryce were still under the influence of whatever they’d used to put them to sleep. If they thought they were awake, they might drag them out and learn they’d broken free of their bindings.
Maggie prayed Bryce wouldn’t open his eyes or move.
“You must negotiate the ransom with your cousin,” the Russian said. “Tell him he has four hours to transfer money. If he doesn’t pay, his family dies and you with them.”
“Oh, he’ll pay,” a familiar voice said. Maggie recognized it as Ewan’s cousin, Rory. “Look, I’m not going anywhere. Is it necessary to keep me tied up?”
“No, but then I don’t want you to try anything.”
