Page 32 of All The Way Under
“We aren’t in the real world,” I hiss. “The other hostages are behind you. You need to focus on our surroundings, Saylor.”
Something about me saying her name snaps her out of the whatever lust haze she was in.
“Two men, and they’re speaking English. We need to talk to them.” I’m not sure why they’re here now, but this may be our only chance to figure out who they are.
Saylor looks over her shoulder, then spins back to me.
“You have to talk to them. They like and trust you,” she says, her demeanor changing on a beat. “Try to get their attention.”
“That’s something you can do,” I reply, winking, now that I’m safe from her sexual desires.
She smiles and shakes her head subtly. Saylor turns when the guards leave and signals for them to come over.
They look to be in their twenties or thirties, and they’ve been through it. Their clothes are worn, and their skin is mottled with dirt. It’s easy to tell they haven’t been afforded the same luxuries we have. The one on the right looks terrified, but he stands and approaches our table, sliding in next to Saylor.
“You have to help us. We’ve been here for months. They said we aren’t worth much, and they may kill us if they can’t get anything for ransom.”
I swallow hard, deciphering how this new complication affects my initial plan. Surely the pirates are just telling them they’re going to kill them. They’re trying to get a higher ransom from the government.
“Please help us,” he says, low voice shaking. “I’m Turner, and that’s my younger brother, Collin. We don’t have family, and I think they picked us up by accident, thinking we were someone else. Rich people of value or something. We’re nobodies, and I just need to get my brother out of here. Please.”
Turner’s voice turns to a whisper on the last plea. When his face lands on mine, I see a brief flicker of recognition, and it sends a trill of warning down my spine. I try to place him, but can’t.
Saylor palms her chest.
“We are also being held in the cage across the way. Are you guys in the one on the other side? I’m Saylor, and this is—” Saylor says, laying a hand on my arm.
I cut her off before she could say my name. “What skills do you have?”
“I’m a math teacher,” he says. “A high school math teacher. My brother is a real estate agent, and he’s good at…video games.”
I exhale a breath, showing my irritation. I don’t have much time. “How well can you lie?”
Turner looks around erratically, eyes wild. Not well, I think to myself before he replies. “I-I don’t know,” he stutters. “To save our lives, I can.”
“You know woodworking and carpentry,” I say, lowering my voice to a growl. “We will need your help soon.”
Turner looks at his brother, then turns back to Saylor, then me, nodding. His gaze finds mine.
“I know you,” he says. “Where do I know you from?”
From my periphery, I can see Saylor narrow her eyes at him and then me.
“You’ve been caged for a long time. We’re just the first Americans you’ve seen. We don’t know each other, but we will soon if you do what I say.”
I don’t know him. That’s for sure. What are the odds that he knows me from back home? From college? He teaches math, so he must hold a college degree. From the Naval Academy, though? He looks the same age as me, but I’m also weathered from a rough and tumble life.
“Tell your brother to man up if you want to live.”
He’s across the room, shaking without his big brother by his side. Clearing my throat, I let my eyes dart to the guards returning, the bamboo door making a swishing noise as they enter.
“You saw how the stairs needed to be fixed, and you know woodworking. They let us out because they found out we have skills they don’t. Specialize in something. We’ll be fixing thestairs sometime this week, and we will need help. Tell them that.”
As soon as Nery sees Turner at our table, he blows a dart, hitting him in the bicep. Saylor screams. Not her blood-curdling, annoying screech, but an actual scream because she’s terrified, and that dart missed her by mere centimeters.
Turner falls to the ground seconds later. His brother, Collin, runs over, tears streaming down his red, dirty face.
“You aren’t allowed to communicate.” Nery hisses.
