I’m absolutely determined to get the three of us out of here alive.
I roll onto my side and let the tears hit the pillow beneath my head. I flinch as my still healing ribs scream at me. “Please, God. Please get us out of here.”
Chapter 12
Hero or No
Roni
“I did it. I got the message to Torque. He’s going to meet us,” Natasha whispers excitedly.
“Good, are you sure he understands the plan? Do you think he’ll get away?”
“He says he can. Besides, we’re out of time. They’re coming to transport us. This is it.”
I can’t believe she pulled it off. Luck is on our side. They’ve been needing Natasha in the boys holding cell to help translate for the last few days. She’s been hoping for the opportunity to find Torque and get him the plan.
He revealed himself to her the first day she was in there, although they weren’t able to talk. Thank God he knows what she looks like. Everything is falling into place.
“Okay.” I nod. “Where’s the milk?” Natasha winces and pulls a disgusted face. “I’m the one drinking it. Now hurry.”
“Yuck,” she mumbles and rushes to get the curded milk she’s been hiding away for me.
She rushes back. “I think I hear them.”
I grab the cartoon and say a prayer before I take a gulp. I almost upchuck it immediately, but I fight through and take a second gulp, holding some of it in my mouth. Natasha takes the carton and hides it.
“Are you okay?” I nod and try not to make a face.
“Everyone, let’s go,” the asshole they call Kodiak yells as he bursts into the room.
Nervous cries and whimpers ring out as the girls start to stand and file toward the door. I nod at Natasha and she falls in line. I go to stand behind her, but Kodiak walks up and places a hand on Natasha’s shoulder.
“You to front. Now,” he barks.
Natasha looks over her shoulder at me. I say with my eyes what I can’t say out loud. We stick to the plan, nothing changes.
She licks her lips and gives a slight nod before turning to move to the front. I feel sick to my stomach and it’s more than the curded milk, but this isn’t the time for me to lose it.
We are all led out into the hallway. The first thing I notice as we walk the hall is that the other rooms have been emptied. All the doors sit open and the rooms or vacant.
My heartbeat races. I don’t know where everyone has gone, but I don’t think it’s anywhere good. However, I’m not going to worry about that. I need to get Natasha and Torque out of here.
“Stop walking slow,” Kodiak says in my ear before shoving me.
It’s that one shove that screws up our plan. We’re nowhere near the exit we wanted to be near when I start to lurch, but I can’t keep from doubling over and letting it all go.
“I can help. She doesn’t understand you,” Natasha says.
“You, back in line,” he barks. He then grabs my arm. “You come with me.”
I don’t budge. I continue to heave even though I have nothing left. Peeking up, I give Natasha a look of warning as I see Kodiak reach for his gun.
“I said let’s go,” he says holding the gun to my head.
“Please. She doesn’t understand. I can help,” Natasha tries again.
I still haven’t moved. Wrong idea. Kodiak backhands me so hard I see stars.
My head explodes with pain. I swipe a hand under my nose, and it comes away with blood. This time when he tugs me forward, I go because my head is buzzing too much to fight back. My vision blurs, but I keep moving.
“Otvedi ikh v komnatu. Now,” Kodiak barks.
“What room?” Natasha asks nervously.
“Shut up. You come with us,” he snarls, yanking me forward.
I do my best to steady myself before we get too far away from the exit Natasha and I need. This will only get harder if we get out of range of the exit we planned to take. I suck in a breath before I throw my elbow into Kodiak’s balls and take off running.
“Let’s go, move, move, move,” I say to Natasha.
I push forward as fast as I can. Doubling back toward the room they’d kept us in. We turn the first corner but don’t get much further before he grabs Natasha by her hair and shoves his gun into the side of