I blink, shocked silent.
“Hurry!” Rebecca shouts. “Get the keys!”
“Oh right,” Jane says, removing them from the man’s belt. She moves slowly—why is she so slow? But Jennifer has already leapt from her open cage, picking them up. Before Jane has even taken a step, we’re free.
“What is that?” I ask Jane. I’ve already got the taser in my hand.
“A sedative. It should buy us some time.”
“You’ve had that all along? In your sock?”
“You fight with your weapons—I fight with mine.”
“We have to get Miranda,” Rebecca says, tugging my arm. I look at Green and Jackson, knowing they need to be released, but the women are in direct harm. I grab a knife from one of the men on the floor and hand it to Jennifer. “Cut their binds and get them off that wall. If we make it out alive we’ll come back for them.”
She runs off and I turn to Rebecca. “Can you lead the way?”
“Yes, I know where the rooms are,” the girl says, her voice shaking.
I grab the remaining weapons off the two men on the floor. Two guns, a large hunting knife. I give one to each person, and keep one gun and the knife. Jane gets the taser. I’ve got no clue if they know how to use them or not.
Jennifer cuts the binds and the men fall to the ground in an exhausted, nearly unconscious heap.
“Come on,” I wave to lead with Rebecca.
The hallway is dark, having no windows for light, but Rebecca and Jennifer lead us quickly, their shoeless feet quiet on the hardwood floors. I’m impressed by their bravery but they know better than the rest of us how important it is to get out of here. As we approach the doors on the left side of the hall I hear a crash behind the door. Voices raise—a male and female. I reach for the handle, gun drawn.
“Watch the door and hallway,” I tell the others. Jennifer nods, brushing her hair out of her eyes. I twist the knob and fling the door open, revealing a bed with messy covers. The bed, thank god, is unoccupied. I step into the room and hold up my pistol.
By the footboard are three people. One is Walker. I’m not as surprised as I should be that she’s up, curly red hair wild around her face. I stare at the broken bottle she’s got up against Butch’s neck. Blood drips down the column of his throat and even though he’s trying not to look scared I see the fear in his eyes.
The other man is someone I’ve never seen but unexpectedly, has a long barreled rifle aimed at Butch. As soon as we enter he swings the gun on us.
“Easy,” I say, keeping an eye on the man. He wears thick black-rimmed glasses and has a slight build. Definitely cleaner and less redneck than the Winchesters. “Walker, you okay?”
?
?I’m fine,” she says, but the sound of heavy footsteps in the hall cuts off any reply and all eyes move to the doorway.
“Watch him,” I tell Walker as though she needs instruction. I push past the other women and see a skinny man coming our way. He’s one of the men that works behind the bar.
He’s carrying a gun with purpose but skids to a stop when he sees the three of us step into the hallway. I stand in the front, holding both the pistol and knife, willing him to force me to use either or both to get out of here alive. Jennifer holds up her knife, Rebecca aims her gun, and Jane flips the switch on the Taser. It buzzes to life.
The man is frozen, his greasy, shaggy hair flopping around his shoulders, and he drops his gun to the floor. “Don’t kill me,” he says, holding up his hands. “I’ll do whatever you want.”
I look over my shoulder at Butch. “Seems like you’ve got a traitor on your hands,” I say, flicking my eyes to the unidentified man who seems to be on our side. “If not two.”
“You know nothing, bitch,” Butch says spitting in my direction. Walker presses the glass to his throat and he swallows nervously.
The man next to him says, “Shut your mouth.”
“Who are you?” I ask, really looking at the man helping us. His skin is dark—a light brown, as well as his hair. He’s from the Middle East, Indian or Pakistani perhaps. He’s slight but holds his weapon with confidence.
“I came for the girls, Rebecca and Miranda. I was sent by their father.”
Rebecca hears her name and peeks around the corner. Her face brightens for the first time since I’ve known her and she rushes into the room.
“Avi?