Hot Revenge Box Set 2

James

Michael looks me up and down. “You fit to walk?”

“I’ll manage.”

He gives a short jerk of his head and turns to Charlotte, arms outstretched. “You walk. I’ll carry Cara for you.”

She retreats, clutching Cara to herself, shrieking. “No!”

Michael steps back, holding up his palms. “Whoa… Calm down. It’s me. What do you think I’m going to do?”

She bursts into tears. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

He takes a step closer, moving carefully. “Charlotte, we have to leave. I’m not sure you can carry Cara and walk too.”

“No.” She swings her head in denial, tries to step out, then totters, Cara still tight to her chest.

Michael exchanges a look with me, shaking his head, then he moves in… “Hold on to Cara.” …. sweeping her up. His voice changes to a kind of fake yokel accent. “Come, Mr Frodo!” he says. “I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

She gives him a watery smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop saying that. You’ll be fine when we’ve got you home and rested up for a few days.”

Klempner shoves a knife into his belt. Another into the top of his boot. A handgun into a pocket. Then, picking up his SMG, “We need to get moving. I'll go to the front. Michael, you with Jenny in between. James, cover our backs.”

*****

Michael

My arms full of Charlotte, we clear the first flight of stairs to the corridor of ‘cells’. “Klempner, we should release the other women.”

along the passage and its barred doorways,

look. “Michael, we don't have time for that. Once we're out, you can sing to

him short. “By that time Finchby and Baxter could have murdered all the witnesses. Gotten

his working stock. His property. He’ll not be eager to get rid of them. What’s your priority, Michael? We have to

running around the

shoots me a calculating look. “Sold to the man with the highest bid. Get on

somewhere. But I do have my axe. James, can

his Cara with one

I aim… swing… and strike at the first

my aim, this time striking

cuts through. The lock springs open and after a brief struggle with the bolt, I open the door to a dim

and eyed, fair-skinned, she would be beautiful

her,

sees James with Charlotte and Cara. Wide-eyed, tearful, she jabbers at me, hands

partir? Venha conosco.” He

breath, then scrabbling up,

with her. “Nós estamos indo embora. Você quer ajudar?” He jabs a finger to me… “Ajudem-no.” Then he stands back, plucking at

padlock, she darts inside, gesturing me on to the next. Half a minute later, she exits, now with another two

the shoulder. “Keep at it. I’ll see if I can find those

count. The crowd of women grows; black-skinned, white-skinned, coffee-skinned. Asian, Caucasian, Afro. Few seem to share a language, but all come bursting from their grim prisons, flooding down the cells. A couple of boys emerge from one cell, ten, maybe eleven years old. Another, with eyes like blue ice

the keys, thrusting them into the hands of the first woman we released. “Abre

tugs at his sleeve. “Onde

parte. Eles não podem encontrar todos

“What are you saying?”

can’t catch all of them and Baxter probably

final door opens, disgorging its

Gunshots…

from the wall and spitting brick-dust. I duck, and screaming and shouting, chaotically, the women scatter.

yells, “Suba

as he arrived at the cell and he’d taken a beating. He may not want to admit it, but he’s struggling with

me. Klempner needs you with a gun in your hand. Charlotte, give James yours. Arm around my neck. I need you to hang on

me