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.”

then looking along the

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

could have murdered all the

won’t. Whoever’s in those cells represents his working stock. His property. He’ll not be eager to get rid of them. What’s your priority, Michael? We

a lot of screaming, panicking women, running around the place, creating chaos, trying to escape, is likely to make our job

to the man with the highest bid. Get on with it

my axe. James, can you take

Cara with one hand, waving a gun

and strike at the first padlock.

adjust my aim, this time striking square

springs open and after a

at me. Dark-haired and eyed, fair-skinned, she

gesture her, “Quick,

with Charlotte and Cara.

around the door. “Você quer partir? Venha conosco.” He

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

with her. “Nós estamos indo embora. Você quer ajudar?” He jabs a finger

the padlock, she darts inside, gesturing me on to the next.

next. Klempner taps me on the shoulder. “Keep at it. I’ll see

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 hands of the first woman we released. “Abre

his sleeve. “Onde

não sei. Em toda parte.

“What are you saying?”

telling them to scatter. Finchby can’t catch

final door opens, disgorging

Gunshots…

by me, ricocheting from the wall and spitting brick-dust. I duck, and screaming and shouting, chaotically, the women scatter. Splitting and flowing one way and the other; maybe thirty of them, running as if the devil

“Suba

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

hand. Charlotte, give James yours. Arm around my neck.

gives me