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.”

at me, then looking along the passage and its

don't have time for that. Once we're

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

represents his working stock. His property. He’ll not be eager to

women, running around the

man with the highest bid. Get on with it then. You got those

downstairs somewhere. But I do have my

to his Cara with

ahead, unslinging the axe from my shoulders, I aim… swing… and strike at the first padlock. The angle’s

my aim, this time striking

the blade cuts through. The lock springs open and after a brief

at me. Dark-haired and eyed, fair-skinned, she would be beautiful if she weren’t so obviously

gesture her, “Quick,

and Cara. Wide-eyed, tearful, she jabbers at me, hands

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

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

ajudar?” He jabs a finger to me… “Ajudem-no.” Then he stands back, plucking at his

time, as I crash open the padlock, she darts inside, gesturing me on to the next. Half a minute later, she exits,

already working on the next. Klempner taps me on the shoulder. “Keep at it. I’ll see if I can find

bursting from their grim prisons, flooding down the cells. A

the hands of the

at his sleeve. “Onde

sei. Em toda parte. Eles

“What are you saying?”

scatter. Finchby can’t catch all of them and Baxter

door opens, disgorging

Gunshots…

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

“Suba as

been exhausted as he arrived at the cell and he’d taken

Charlotte, give James yours.

gives me a dry