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.”

me, then looking along the passage and its barred doorways, nods

we're out, you can sing to the

could have

those cells 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

think a lot of screaming, panicking women, running around the place,

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

They’re downstairs somewhere. But I do have my axe. James, can

her to him, clinging to his Cara with one

strike at the first padlock. The angle’s a little wrong. The blade bites in, but the

adjust my aim, this time striking

and after a brief struggle with the

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

gesture her, “Quick,

then sees James with Charlotte and Cara. Wide-eyed, tearful, she

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

draws a breath, then scrabbling up,

ajudar?” He jabs a finger to me… “Ajudem-no.” Then he stands

as I crash open the padlock, she darts inside, gesturing me on to the next. Half a minute later, she exits, now with another two women, one

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

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 and hair of

keys, thrusting them into the hands

his sleeve.

toda parte. Eles não podem

“What are you saying?”

catch all

the final door opens,

Gunshots…

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

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

to 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 a dry