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.”

looking along the passage and its

for that. Once we're out, you can sing to the world about what's in here, but until

cut him short. “By that time Finchby and Baxter could have

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

women, running around the place, creating chaos,

“Sold to the man with the highest bid. Get on with it then.

do have my axe. James, can

clinging to his Cara with one hand, waving a

ahead, unslinging the axe from my shoulders, I aim… swing… and strike at the first padlock. The angle’s a little wrong. The blade bites in,

this time striking square

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

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

gesture her, “Quick,

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

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

up,

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

and this time, 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

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

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

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

at his sleeve.

sei. Em toda parte. Eles não podem

“What are you saying?”

telling them to scatter. Finchby can’t catch all

door

Gunshots…

screams by me, ricocheting from the wall and spitting brick-dust. I duck, and screaming and shouting, chaotically, the women scatter. Splitting

“Suba as

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

gun in your hand. Charlotte, give James yours. Arm around my

gives me a