Page 101 of Wandering in Darkness
“Well, Audrey went inside the building, which makes me think there are more people inside,” I say.
“What do we want to do?” Grayson asks.
“Could we like… call the police?” Antonio suggests.
“Trying to alert the authorities is how we’ve gotten into this position,” Grayson says. “Sadly, Lt. Allen has some kind of pull that’s allowing him to get away with this time after time.”
“So… what if we capture Audrey and then just like… punch her a little?” I ask.
“Does that… solve something?” Grayson wonders.
“Maybe we’ll punch the truth out of her so we can learn what’s going on. And while I’m at it, I will just… enjoy punching her. Does that make me sound like a bad person? I’m not sure I care.”
“They’re dragging someone away from the building,” Grayson says. “Greenhouse two, west side.”
I shift my scope over to look and see them dragging a man out.
“It’s hard to see with their bodies in the way, but I think that’s Emma’s husband,” he continues as I watch them throw him to the ground.
“I don’t like the look of this,” I say a second before one of the men kicks him in the face so hard his head snaps back. It muststun him because he slams down on his back, and for a moment he reaches out, but he can’t seem to get his limbs under him to try to get up or even to protect himself from the next blow.
This one gets him right in the stomach.
“Is he even involved? It sounds like he’s just here because of Emma losing her sister,” I say.
Felix takes the binoculars from Grayson and explains to Lane and Antonio what he’s seeing. “The lock on that storage container they held us in was easy to open. What if I sneak over there, unlock it, and at least get the innocent people out of here? While they’re distracted with Emma’s husband, we’ll get them to safety. And then… maybe we can somehow get to Emma’s husband then.”
They’ve at least stopped beating him for the time being. Instead, they’re just hovering around him while he curls up on the ground.
“I don’t like the idea of you sneaking over there alone,” Lane says.
“I’ll go with him,” I offer.
Apparently, Grayson thinks that was the wrong answer because he protests, “Why would you go? Why wouldn’t I go?”
“Because you’re good at this, and I’m good… at shooting people if the need arises.”
Grayson looks concerned about that, but what else does he want me to say? No, I don’t ever want to kill someone again, but I’m well aware I would go very far to protect the people I care about. “I don’t want you to have to shoot anyone else,” he says.
“I will allow you to stroke my baby while I’m gone,” I announce as I put my rifle in his hands. “He likes it when you squeeze him tight.”
“I’m… concerned?”
“We’ll be right back,” I say. “Treat him well.”
His hand wraps around my wrist before I can hurry after Felix. “Cal, I don’t like this. Stay on the rifle. I’ll go with Felix.”
I catch his eyes. “Grayson, I know this is risky. I know you don’t want me out there any more than I want you out there, but Felix has done so much for me. I want to protect him, and I will. Trust me.”
Grayson seems uncertain, but this time, when I pull from him, he lets me. “Be safe.”
“I’ll be very safe.”
And then I disappear into the trees and rush after Felix. I catch up to him before we get too far—he never moves very quickly.
“Do you have a plan in mind?” I ask.
“They still appear to be distracted. So, you really can’t see the storage container they’re being held in well with the greenhouses blocking it. You see that spot there? If you slip between the greenhouse and that bush, and then inch forward, you’d be able to see them coming long before they could see us. And you’d give me ample time to get the door open.”
