Though Remi tried to even out her breathing, she found it difficult, especially as the heavy footsteps neared. Panic sent her heart racing, the pulse pounding in her ears. Had she listened to Sam instead of siding with Dimitris, they all would’ve been on their way out to the port, not trapped here in the office.
Breathe . . .
She had to trust that Sam knew what he was doing.
Breathe . . .
The heavy footsteps bypassed the office, continuing on toward the bullpen. The next thing she heard was someone shouting. “He’s gone!” Then the sound of running.
“Check the back door,” someone else shouted. “I’ll check the office.”
Breathe . . .
A moment later, the lights in the warehouse turned on. Then someone was at the door, shaking the handle. Remi looked out at Sam, pressed in the corner, his gun out. He put his finger to his lips.
She gave a slight nod.
Breathe . . .
But trying to stay calm wasn’t easy. Especially when she heard the sound of a key in the lock. The door flew open, slamming into Sam. He never moved. Remi could see the guard’s booted feet beneath the desk, certain whoever was out there surely had to hear her heart pounding.
After only a cursory look inside the office, the guard turned away and raced down each aisle of the warehouse.
“Check out the back,” he shouted.
The sound of men running in two directions.
Then nothing but the ticking of the clock outside the door.
It seemed an eternity before Sam stepped forward, reaching for her hand. “Let’s get out of here.” They stepped out of the office. Sam glanced to his right, then stopped short.
One of the guards was standing outside the open back door, his back to them. Sam led her in the opposite direction. Keeping to the wall, they reached the front door, which stood ajar.
Sam looked out, then drew Remi toward him. “Stay low. Wait for my signal.”
She looked to her left, just able to make out Dimitris and Zoe near the trees, hidden behind the shrubs by the road.
“Now.”
Remi ducked as she ran. A moment later, Sam followed.
They heard the flatbed truck’s engine starting up. One of the guards was driving the vehicle away from the loading dock.
“That’s the pallet I was telling you about,” Dimitris whispered. “On the back of the truck.”
It stopped in the middle of the complex grounds. The driver got out, leaving the door open, the headlights on, and the engine running. He jogged to the loading dock, where the second guard stood, both men keeping watch down the road to the port. They were eventually joined by the third guard, who came in from the back.
Remi stared at the twin beams of light aimed down the middle of the road. The moment they stepped out, they’d be caught. They’d never get to the dock without being seen unless they found a way across the road to the ruins. From there, it was at least a quarter of a mile to the water, but they’d have trees for cover.
“This is my fault,” Dimitris said. “I’m the one who insisted on going back in the office.”
“No one’s placing blame,” Sam told him. “Let’s figure out how to get out of here.”
Dimitris nodded at the unattended truck. “What if we stole that? I think I can get into it without anyone seeing. We can drive that out to the dock before they ever catch us.”
Remi eyed the twenty yards of open space between them and the truck. “There’s got to be a better way.”
Dimitris looked at Zoe. “I love you.”