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

a startled look. “Michael, we don't have time for that. Once we're out, you can sing to the world about what's

time Finchby and Baxter could have murdered all the witnesses. Gotten rid

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

around the place, creating chaos, trying to escape, is likely

man with the highest bid. Get on with

my axe. James,

to his Cara with one hand, waving a gun in the

shoulders, I aim… swing… and strike at the first padlock. The angle’s a little

adjust my aim, this

and after a brief struggle with the bolt, I open the door to a dim

cringes back, babbling something at me. Dark-haired and eyed, fair-skinned, she would

gesture her,

and Cara.

door. “Você quer partir? Venha

breath, then scrabbling up, dashes out, joining us,

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

next. Half a minute later, she exits, now

on the next. Klempner taps me on the shoulder. “Keep at it. I’ll see if I can find those keys. Back in

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

thrusting them into the hands

tugs at his sleeve. “Onde

Em toda parte. Eles não

“What are you saying?”

scatter. Finchby can’t catch

door

Gunshots…

wall and spitting brick-dust. I duck, and screaming and shouting, chaotically, the women scatter. Splitting and flowing one way and the other; maybe

yells, “Suba

He must already have been exhausted as he arrived at the cell

needs you with a gun in your hand. Charlotte, give James yours. Arm around my

gives me a dry