them to the names of people I knew. When the third name popped up, I noticed the man to my left glanced over for a few beats.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered, but the last word got caught in my throat as the man I’d seen earlier on the street started to walk up the stairs toward us. He stopped at the end of the row and slipped by the other man and took the seat right next to me.
My blood drained to my feet as the rest of me tried to hold it together. I reached over for Ellie’s arm, but she was already engulfed in watching the movie and didn’t even notice what was going on.
“Miss Harlow,” the man muttered, “Henry would like to speak with you.”
Shit.
“Like I told Henry before, and like I’m telling you now, there is nothing I can do for any of you.”
I was so scared that the heartbeat in my ears almost made me sick.
The leather from his jacket squeaked when he leaned closer. “I think by now you’d know that’s not the answer he is looking for. So, why don’t you use that pretty little head of yours and start thinking about a solution? Because he is right outside, and this time you won’t have your Army friend to save you.”
My frozen fingers squeezed Ellie’s arm tighter to grab her attention. “Time to go, Ellie.”
“What?” She looked around. “But the movie just started.”
“I know. I’m sorry, but we need to go.”
I hauled her to her feet and waited for the man to move out of my way.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he called after me.
“Who are they?” Ellie sensed my fear and took my hand and held on tightly.
“Not good people.” I headed out to the lobby, but the place was dead. “What did they do, clear this whole place out?”
Even in my bubble of fear, I managed to steer myself in the right direction and spotted the front doors. I nearly dragged poor Ellie as I focused on our escape route.
Just as I stepped out the front, a door opened to a town car that was parked directly across from us. Out stepped Henry.
“Sloane.” He fiddled with his cufflink, and it was then that I noticed a new scar that traveled from inside his shirt up across his neck to just below his ear. The new pink skin that covered it was highlighted by the sunlight amplifying his evil expression.
“Ellie,” I pulled her back inside the lobby, “when I say run, I need you to run as fast as you can.”
“Where do I go?”
“Anywhere, but far from here, okay?”
“I don’t know.” She looked at me, confused.
The assholes from the theater now blocked the exit on the other side of the lobby.
“Dammit.”
I whirled around and saw someone open the front doors for Henry.
Think, Sloane!
The bathrooms wouldn’t be smart. They didn’t even have windows. There may be an exit in the kitchen, but I couldn’t risk getting stuck in there. I moved my frantic gaze around the place and realized I only had one more option.
“Come on.” I pushed the big black double doors open and pulled Ellie into a dark theater where A Quiet Place, Part Two was playing. The theater was fairly packed as we raced in front of the screen. Only a few dirty looks were thrown as we pushed through a sea of legs and I helped Ellie into a seat. I bent down next to her, ignoring a lady’s rude comment next to me.
“Ellie,” I whispered, “I need you to stay here.”
“I don’t want to.”
I took her hand and pleaded with her. “I’m so sorry, but these bad men are here looking for me when we were supposed to be having a fun girls’ day. I promise if you sit still, I will come back for you. Just promise me you won’t move from this seat. Please, Ellie.”
A scary part of the movie popped up, and she squeezed her eyes closed. “I don’t like scary movies.”
I took her head between my hands so she’d look at me. “I don’t either, so go to your happy place up here.” I tapped her forehead. “Be with John and find more pebbles.”
Tears flooded my eyes when the magnitude of what could happen to Ellie hit me hard.
“Please, please stay put for me.”
Her eyes squeezed shut, and she started to mumble something. I saw the bald-headed man walk through the side door and scan the faces of the crowd.