by Linde, K. A.
Reyna gave a tight nod and kept filing up the stairs.
“Two more flights,” Meghan said. So close.
Just as they reached the landing at the next flight of stairs, an alarm blared overhead. Reyna skidded to a halt, colliding with the other girl. Both of their eyes rounded with fear as they turned to Meghan.
“What the hell is that?” the other woman asked.
“Meghan?” Reyna asked.
Meghan turned frightened eyes toward Reyna. “Shit.”
“What?” Reyna asked.
“Control your breathing. Get it under control. Both of you.” Meghan fixed Reyna’s hair, brushing more in front of her face. It was clear that she was trying to look confident, but her hands were shaking.
“Meghan, what is happening? Tell me!” Reyna hissed.
“Someone knows you’re gone,” she whispered. “Our window just closed.”
Chapter 8
“What do we do now?” Reyna asked. “What’s plan B?”
Meghan shook her head. “There is no plan B.”
“What the hell kind of plan is this?” the other woman asked.
“Look, keep your heads on. Obviously someone discovered that Reyna was missing or that you were missing,” she said, pointing at the second woman. “Or reported our behavior or noticed the cameras are down. I don’t know what happened, but we still have time to get to our rendezvous spot. We have two more flights of stairs and an exit to get to. We can do it. We have to.”
“Then let’s move,” Reyna said.
The other woman agreed, “No way am I going back.”
The stairwell door burst open beside them. Meghan grabbed the other woman and Reyna followed suit and started to haul her up the flight of stairs. Reyna tucked her chin slightly. She didn’t know how many people actually knew that she had been held captive below Visage. Or if any of them would even recognize her face. But she’d rather be safe than sorry.
A flood of people filled the staircase as they continued to climb. It was as if someone had pulled the fire alarm and everyone was trying to hurry outside.
“Christ, I hate these drills,” one woman said at Reyna’s shoulder.
“Tell me about it,” the man next to her agreed.
“Someone said this isn’t a drill,” another man piped in. Reyna tensed waiting for someone to blow their cover. “That the boss himself is going to be waiting to speak with all of us and give us all permanents.”
Reyna blew out a breath. Okay so they didn’t know what the alarm was for. They thought that instead of rotating blood escorts every couple months, they were all going to get permanent live-in blood escorts like what she had been to Beckham.
“I thought only senior officials were getting them,” the woman piped in.
“With the Census finished in the city, they can begin to transition the humans to us.”
“I don’t want a human to live with me permanently,” the first man grumbled. “How invasive.”
“Don’t you miss the good old days?” the woman intoned.
Reyna chewed on her lip and tuned out the rest of their conversation.
After the second floor, Meghan tried to direct them out of the crowd and toward the door. A few people grumbled at them, but they maneuvered through and out. But when they reached the door, a guard stood there, impassable.
“No exit, ladies,” the vampire said with a smile. He glanced down at Meghan’s chest and then back to her face.
She didn’t miss the look either. A smile hit her lips and she simpered up at him. “Look, I don’t want to take this girl through all these people. She has that pesky thing going around. Can’t we pop out the door and take her the long way?”
“Sorry. Boss’s orders. Everyone up to the top level for assessment.”
“I know. I know,” Meghan said with a bat of her eyelashes. “But do you really want me to bring her up there? She’s not an employee. And she’s sick.” She emphasized the last word until he glanced down at our sick patient.
“Sick with what exactly?”
“Are you sure you want specifics? I’m a little worried about having her around any of the vampires at all. We thought the corridors would be empty as we transported her.”
The vampire narrowed his eyes. “The blood thing?” he asked uncertainly.
Meghan latched onto it. “Yeah. Severe case.”
He took a step back. “It’s contagious. What is she even doing in the stairwell?”
“Like I said, it was supposed to be cleared for us. It’s already ravished her body. Look at her.” Meghan pointed at the woman’s skinny arms and narrow waist. “I don’t want this to continue to happen. It’d be easier if we could avoid all of this entirely.”
“Maybe I should radio down…” He trailed off as Meghan stepped closer.
“Plus…the sooner I’m finished the sooner I’ll be free for lunch.”
His eyebrows rose. “Lunch?”
She was shameless. She tilted her neck sideways as if in invitation. “I know a great place.”
He laughed. “Okay. Go on ahead. But be quick. I’ll meet you up front at noon for lunch.”
“Can’t wait!” Meghan said with a girly giggle before shoving both of us through the open door.
She blew out a heavy breath as they tried to seem unhurried as they disappeared from the man.
“That took forever,” Reyna mused.
“We’re late. I can’t think about it.”
The rest of the trek was tense. None of them knew if the cameras were working overhead or if they were being followed already. They kept expecting someone to jump out at them and steal them back to the basement…back to hell.
None of them dared to speak. Reyna found she was even holding her breath as if one exhale would threaten everything they’d worked for. Her gut was twisted up in panic and anticipation. She never stopped hoping that they’d make it out, but she couldn’t think beyond that. Couldn’t imagine what would happen if they didn’t. There was only this one moment and then the next. Putting one foot in front of the other and facing down the dark alley.
“We’re here,” Meghan whispered as they approached a giant black double door. She whispered a silent prayer and then entered her code. It flashed red. “No. No. No.” She typed it in again. Again…red.
“Meghan,” Reyna hissed.
“It won’t open.” Her eyes darted around the room wildly as if expecting a force to come down on top of them at any moment.
“Try one more time.”
Meghan swallowed and input the code a third time. Red. A fourth time. Red.
“We need to get out of here,” the other woman said. “You entering the password that many times is going to be a red flag. We can’t get out this way. We need to find another.”
“There isn’t another way,” Meghan snapped.
“Then we fucking find one!”
“Hey!” Reyna cried, shutting them both up. She knew that they’d only had a short window. She didn’t want to think what the consequences would be if they were stuck here. This couldn’t all be for nothing. “This isn’t helping anything. Let’s try one more time and then we’ll find a different exit.”
“You try it,” Meghan said, pushing Reyna toward the key pad. Reyna poised her finger over it and nodded. “0-7-1-5-0-1-1-0-9-2-1-5-2-1-7.”
Reyna’s finger moved to press the enter key, praying that someone was looking out for her, when the door suddenly slid open on its own. All three women jumped back, on guard. Then an Asian human man peeked his head around the corner.
“Tye!” Meghan said, launching herself into his arms. “I have never been happier to see you.”
“You took too long. Xavier didn’t want me to come look for you.”
“Bastard,” she hissed. Then she collected herself. “We need to
get moving.”
Meghan ushered both of them forward and Tye took stock of the fact that there were two of them. “Pick up a stray?”
“That a problem?” their stray asked.
“Not at all,” he said with a bold smile.
She bared her teeth at him like a wild animal and he just laughed.
They all passed through the door and into a giant loading dock that was empty save for the enormous truck before them.
“Get in,” Tye said, opening the doors. “Xavier is driving and we need to get going.”
All three vaulted into the back of the truck, which was freezing and stocked full of blood.
“What the…,” Reyna whispered.
“Move to the front,” Meghan directed them without explanation.
Bypassing all the blood and supplies, they finally reached the front. Two sets of dark worker’s clothes were waiting for them. Meghan and Reyna quickly changed. She thought they were more believable as nurses, but this would have to do.
“What do I wear?” the girl asked.
Meghan frowned and then grabbed a bag. “Sorry to do this.”
“You’re putting me in a body bag?”
“Temporarily.” Then Meghan turned to Reyna. “I think it might be safer if you’re in one too. I’m sorry.”
Both of them looked at her in horror, but then Tye slammed the truck doors behind them, casting them into total darkness. Reyna took a deep breath and grabbed the bag. She shimmied into it and then lay on the floor. A body bag. She was being transported out of here in a body bag. It was logical yet terrifying.
She heard the other girl grunt and then slide into the bag next to her. Only their breathing could be heard before the rumble of the truck’s engine roaring to life drowned it all out. Reyna heard Meghan disappear through a door into the front cab and then they were alone.
Reyna’s heart rate accelerated. She wasn’t afraid of small spaces or the dark, but it didn’t make it any less terrifying. She couldn’t believe they’d even made it this far.
“Hey,” the girl whispered.
“Hey.”
“I’m Jodie, by the way.”
“Reyna.”
“Thank you for doing this.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Reyna whispered. “We still have to get out of here.”
“But still…thanks.”
Reyna loosed a small smile. “You’re welcome.”
Then the truck was rumbling forward. Reyna clenched her hands at her sides and tried to breathe shallowly. This would all be over soon. Or at least that’s what she kept telling herself.
Only too soon the truck stopped again.
“Why are we stopping?” Jodie asked.
Reyna shushed her. She had no idea, but she strained to listen to what was happening.
“We’re right on schedule,” a male voice said from the driver’s seat. That must be Xavier. The one who’d wanted to leave them.
Someone must have responded, because Meghan piped up. “We’re all set here, boys,” she said in the flirtatious voice she’d used with the guard. “Have all the samples secure.”
Another voice entered the mix. “You’re going to need to open up the back. We’re on a high security breach.”
“Oh no!” Meghan gasped. Quite the actress that one. “And you think somehow we’re part of the breach? Aren’t we on your schedule?”
A rustling noise and then a grunt. Maybe that meant yes.
“Open the back.”
Reyna could practically feel the tension rolling off of the three in the front. Of course they couldn’t deny them access to the back of the vehicle. That would raise more flags than complying. But if they complied, would the body bags be opened?
A door opened. Someone got out of the front of the truck. Reyna didn’t so much as breathe. Jodie had gone completely still beside her.
This was it. This was life or death. This was freedom or captivity.
This was the end.
The back door opened.
Voices could be heard at the far end of the truck.
A foot stomped on the bumper.
A body hoisted itself into the cavity.
The truck rocked at the extra weight.
Reyna balled her hands into fists to keep from trembling.
“What’s in that?” a gruff voice asked.
“What do you think?” Tye asked in a joking easy tone. As if he wasn’t as terrified as she was.
“Didn’t have bodies on the report.”
“They were on ours.”
“Blood illness,” Meghan said, joining them. “It’s going around and extremely contagious. We’re taking them to be disposed of. Too dangerous to do it on-site.”
A foot stepped right by Reyna’s head.
The bag rustled as he reached down to take a look.
The zipper dragged down the front of her. She remained perfectly still. Her eyes were closed. She could sense the light shining down on her eyes and tried to look like death. Her lungs constricted as they demanded air, but she held on longer. They were so close. So damn close.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Meghan asked. The zipper stopped moving, leaving her shoulders exposed. “It’s a blood illness. If you open those bags, you could get it. Vampires aren’t immune. It’s killing them off too.”
“Fine,” the man spat. The zipper snapped back into place, covering her once more, but still she didn’t dare move. “But let me double check your report. Everything else looks in place.”
“Of course,” Tye said.
A rustling of papers and then the doors were slammed shut once more. Reyna released a breath at the same time as Jodie. Neither of them said a word, but Reyna was glad that Jodie was with her. Even though she couldn’t see her, she still felt less alone.
It was a few minutes before the truck came to life again underneath them.
“All good to go,” someone said from the front.
Xavier put the car in gear. They rolled forward a tiny bit before a voice stopped them in their tracks again.
The gruff vampire stopped them. “Wait!”
Reyna tensed again. No. They were so close. So close.
“You forgot to sign for it.”
“Of course,” Xavier said.
A hastily scrawled signature and then they were off. A garage opened noisily before them and then they were out. Reyna couldn’t see it for herself, but she knew. She could tell by the relieved sighs and Meghan’s whoop of excitement.
They were finally free.
Chapter 9
Still Reyna and Jodie didn’t move.
Not for another ten minutes while they waited to see if anyone would follow.
Then the cab door slid open. A sliver of light shot over the body bags, and Meghan’s voice rang out. “We’re in the clear, ladies. Come out of there.”
They both yanked down the zippers and tossed the bags aside with eager excitement. It was done. It was over. Finally.
“We’re free,” Reyna whispered. Her eyes moved to Jodie’s equally dark ones. “We’re really free.”
“I can’t believe it,” Jodie said. “When y’all said you were getting me out, I thought you were full of shit. But it really worked. We’re really gone.”
“I dreamed of getting out. I even plotted for it. But I never knew if it was really possible.”
“I didn’t even dream,” Jodie whispered.
Reyna frowned at that statement. She wondered how long Jodie had been cooped up inside Visage. How long a person had to be held captive before they gave up any hope of being rescued or escaping.
Then Meghan came forward with a switch knife. “This isn’t going to be pleasant.”
“What…?” Meghan snatched up Reyna’s arm without warning and dug into her forea
rm. “The fuck?”
Reyna howled and tried to get her arm away from Meghan but she held Reyna steady. She was strong and powerful for her size and Reyna couldn’t get out of her vice grip. Meghan stuck the knife into the wound she’d created and out popped a tiny piece of metal.
“Sorry,” Meghan said. She held the little tracker in her hand. “We can’t take any chances.”
“A little warning next time!”
“You don’t like needles or blood. I wasn’t going to take my chances with you being squeamish,” Meghan told her. She was already bandaging up the wound with the efficiency of a nurse. Reyna wondered which parts of her personality were an act and which parts were reality.
“I’m not squeamish,” Jodie said, offering Meghan her arm. “Get this sucker out of me.”
Meghan made quick work of removing Jodie’s tracker as well. After Jodie was patched up, Meghan dropped both of the devices into a plastic bag and sealed it shut.
“What are you going to do with them?” Reyna asked. She was applying pressure to her arm in the way that Nancy had shown her dozens of times with the IVs. She was practically a pro at blood loss. Such a strange thing to feel like a champ at.
“Decoy. They already know that you’re missing.” Her eyes darted between Reyna and Jodie. “One of you at least. If not both of you by now. We’re going to need to get rid of these before anyone realizes where you are.”
“So like…who the hell are you people?” Jodie asked.
“Elle,” Reyna answered for Meghan.
“What the fuck is an L? Like a capital letter?”
Meghan sighed. “It’s a long story. Elle, like the name, is the underground rebellion organization opposed to Visage. It was started by a human named Elle who was against Visage’s rise to power. She was killed in Elle’s Rebellion a decade ago and we’ve been working as a rebel group ever since. Our goal is for vampire and human autonomy and equality.”
Jodie snorted. “Good luck with that.”
“We broke your ass out of prison. I think you could start with a thank you and check your attitude at the door before we take you to our headquarters,” Meghan snapped right back.
“I’m a realist. I appreciate y’all saving my ass back there, but no one is taking down Visage.”
