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 barred

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

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

be eager to get rid of them. What’s your priority, Michael? We have to

don’t think a lot of screaming, panicking women, running around the place, creating chaos, trying to escape,

the man with the highest bid. Get on

somewhere. But I do have my axe. James, can

to his Cara with one hand, waving a gun

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

this time striking square

cuts through. The lock springs open and after a brief struggle with

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

gesture her,

with Charlotte and Cara. Wide-eyed, tearful, she jabbers at

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

up, dashes out, joining us, babbling at

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

inside, gesturing me on to the next. Half a minute later, she exits, now

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 couple of boys emerge from one cell, ten, maybe eleven years old. Another, with eyes like

them into the hands

at his sleeve. “Onde

não sei. Em toda parte. Eles não podem encontrar

“What are you saying?”

can’t catch all of them and Baxter

the final door opens, disgorging its

Gunshots…

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

yells, “Suba

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

to me. Klempner needs you with a gun in your hand. Charlotte, give James yours. Arm around my neck. I need you to hang

gives me