Page 5 of The Last Strike

Silence.

He slid out from between the storage containers and rushed to the water system. He reconnected the container and flushed it through the syringe. He looked over his shoulder at the stairs. He didn’t know how much time he had, but he didn’t think it was much.

Reed kept his eyes on the volume level in the container, watching as the last inch fed into the system.

It was almost gone when a piercing ring ran through his ears. His head snapped to the stairs. He didn’t know what that alarm was for, but he knew it wasn’t good.

Was it a fire alarm?

“Samuel?” Reed asked. “What’s the alarm for?”

“I don’t know.”Samuel’s reply came quick, rushed.

“It’s not a fire alarm ... Give me a second ... Shit!”Samuel swore.“Is the solution in?”

“Yes, it’s done,” Reed said, quickly packing everything into his kit before he pulled out the glue, sealing the tiny hole he’d made in the pipe with the syringe. He didn’t want to leave anything to chance.

“Good, because you have about thirty seconds to get out of there. I don’t know if you tripped something, or maybe the soldiers called for backup rather than confronting you alone, but there’s about twenty soldiers heading your way. Move!”

Reed’s chest tightened as he ran his thumb over the glue quickly, spreading it in. It looked invisible under the flashlight and he hoped it would hold up if the soldiers examined it.

He sprang to his feet and scoped the basement. He couldn’t get out the same way he came in, so he looked for another exit, beaming his flashlight in an arc. He saw a door at the back of the room, hidden behind shelving. Reed had no idea where it went, but right now he didn’t have a better option.

He ran for it, placing two hands on the metal shelving. He pushed against it, careful not to move it too fast and knock everything off, but he needed to push it hard enough to actually move it. It groaned, then slid an inch. He pushed again, and again, until he had enough wiggle room, but the handle wouldn’t budge.

Locked.

Pulling a lock-picking set from his kit, he inserted a tool. He wriggled the handle and heard a click a second before he heard voices on the staircase, followed by the sound of multiple pairs of boots on the stairs.

Reed slipped behind the door, locking it behind him. It wouldn’t give him much time, but it might buy him the few seconds he needed to get out of this pickle.

He walked into a marble room and for a second he thought it was the Marble Hall, but it wasn’t.

“Samuel, where am I?” Reed asked.

“I have no idea .. . It’s not on any of the plans we have, or in any of the photographs. Just keep moving until I can direct a course for you,”he said calmly, like they were talking about the weather and there weren’t at least six men behind Reed.

Reed ran forward, keeping his pistol raised. He had no idea where he was or what awaited him.

He looked over his shoulder and saw nothing except the indents of his shoes. The ivory carpet was so plush he was leaving a footprint trail. He swore under his breath. Nothing was working in his favor.

Reed moved faster, working to make his footsteps as light as possible. He needed to get off this carpet. He needed to get out of the palace.

He heard two voices ahead of him and he darted to the closest wall, pressing his back against it.

He focused on his breath and slowed down his mind.

“Hold,”James said, which Reed considered good advice for the voices in front of him, but he was also concerned about what was coming behind him.

“At least six men are coming through that door in a minute,” Reed said, his voice barely audible to his own ears.

“Hold,”James repeated firmly.“We’re creating a distraction. Give us a second.”

“Copy,” Reed said, his finger on the trigger. He didn’t know how many seconds he had to give, but right now, as he always did in the field, he placed his trust in James.

Reed’s eyes snapped up to the ceiling as a voice echoed through the room. It seemed to be coming from the speakers.

“Alert! Alert! The palace is under attack. Your Majesty commands you to the basements to take cover. Move immediately. Do not hesitate.”

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