unharmed.
"I'm Max Mason. We've been hired to get you out of here."
"Hired? You're not the Army?"
"No, Ma'am, not even close. Stand back."
She looked completely stunned but did as he asked.
"Come on, Mason, we gotta get the hell out of here!" Josiah shouted.
Mason pulled out a magnetic explosive device from his webbing and slapped it onto the lock. He turned away, and the small shaped charge popped and blew the lock off with little effort. He grabbed the bars and ripped the door open. The girl was quivering at the back of the cell and clearly wasn't sure whether to trust them or not.
"Who sent you?"
"Your father hired us to get you out of this hell hole."
"Prove it."
"Sorry, no time."
He stepped forward and grabbed her. She tried to resist but to no avail.
"Get off me!" she screamed.
He held her at arms reach, slapping her lightly on the face. It was more to shock than hurt her.
"Pull yourself together, or do you want us to leave you with these scum?"
She shook her head and submitted, knowing she was powerless to fight him even if she wanted to. She dipped her head and then looked back up as she remembered something important.
"Wait, there's another girl here."
"We passed her on the way in. She's gone."
"No, in the next cell. Please help her. I'll get my father to pay you for it."
Mason stopped and thought for a moment.
"What's the hold-up?" Josiah asked from the corridor.
"Check the cell beside us!"
He grabbed Skylar and hauled her out the cell while his comrades checked.
"There's a girl in there all right. She's gagged and tied to the bed," replied Josiah.
"Get her out."
"We ain't got all day."
"Do it!" yelled Liu.
The old timer turned to the short Asian with a scornful look.
"We aren't leaving her behind."
"And you think the target’s daddy is gonna pay for god knows who?"
"We've already been paid to do this job. What more is it to us to take this one as well?"
"Get the girl!" Carter's voice boomed.
Josiah went silent. He would submit to the Boss' will, but he wouldn't do the job for Liu.
"We got incoming!"
Laser fire soared down the corridor.
"You've got ten seconds!" said Carter, taking up position to repel their attackers. Liu quickly put a charge on the locks, but it didn't completely break the seal.
"It's stuck!"
Mason rushed to his aid and grabbed hold of the bars of the upper part of the door.
"Put your back into it!" yelled Liu.
They tried with all their strength but failed to open it.
"Stand back," said Mason, lifting his rifle.
"You could weld it shut with that."
"Maybe, but it's this way or nothing."
He fired a dozen shots into the lock and another dozen into the hinges of the thick reinforced door.
"Now pull!"
The two of them grabbed the bars once again, heaving with everything they had until it prised open little more than twenty centimetres.
"That's all we're gonna get."
"It'll do."
"For you maybe," said Mason with a smile. "Only a girl could fit through a gap like that."
Liu ripped off his body armour and webbing and squeezed into the cell.
"It's getting a little hot out here!" Carter shouted.
Mason looked back to see the Boss ducking for cover from gunfire which was rapidly growing nearer. The previously tied up woman was now on her feet. He was surprised to see she was not at all shaken like Skylar. She could clearly handle herself and was making a break for the door to join them.
"Name’s Mason."
"Erin."
"You better hope we get paid up for this one!" Josiah called out.
Mason shook his head as Liu got out from the cell behind her and grabbed his gear.
"We're outta here!" cried Mason.
Carter was quick to his feet and running past the cells to lead the way. Peter and Josiah were providing fire to cover them as they made their way further inside the old freighter.
"Where are we going?" Erin asked.
Mason could tell she knew they were going deeper inside the ship, and it rightfully worried her.
"Just keep up and you'll be fine!"
She wasn't happy at having her question ignored, but he had no time to be concerned about anything but the plan.
"Come on, go!" Carter ordered.
He ushered them through a doorway, waiting with his rifle while they all rushed past him. As Josiah made it to the door, he caught sight of one of the kidnappers. He fired two shots with his rifle and punched the door release switch. He glanced back and saw a laser go through before the door sealed. It hit Josiah in the