Chapter 49

 

RENEE LED THE two boys, Ian and Ryan, down the corridor and helped them with their masks. Ryan had absences and by the distracted look in his eyes, she wasn’t quite sure he was coping with the stress. It also didn’t help that his asthma was playing up. She handed him his pump and waited for him to calm.

Ian met her eyes with a puppy dog look in his. The mask rattled around in his shuddering grip. He had great difficulty with his movement at the best of times. Now, with nerves, he was far worse. These boys would be the slowest. It was important that she keep them calm and moving.

“You’ll be just fine,” she whispered with a smile, helping Ian fix the mask in place. She double checked the filter on Ryan’s mask as precaution. “Just keep next to me, okay?”

Both boys gave a shaky thumbs up.

She glanced at the offices. All in darkness. She slid on her own mask and guided them into the storm. The smaller of the two, Ian, kept tripping. He was always unsteady but not this bad. She stopped them. He pointed to his lace, then shook his head. Renee sighed, dropped to her haunches, and started to tie it up.

She felt a frantic tap on her shoulder.

Ryan pointed to the east corner of the building.

A flashlight beam.

Renee pulled them back, tripping over the hedge separating the fake grass banking from the path. She slid down the grassy banking and yanked them both down to lie flat on their stomachs. Ryan covered Ian as if to protect him. The beam turned the corner and headed to the door.

Had she closed it?

The beam flashed around as it halted, a few feet from the door. Renee put the scope to her eye and just made out a blurry figure.

A figure with a rifle.

She opened her mic. “Urs, it normal for guards to have automatic rifles?”

She heard Frei grunt on the other side. She ducked as the beam shone their way.

“No. The guards on the gate were armed to the teeth too.” She sighed. “They trust the buyers less than us, it seems.”

The beam turned and walked back the way it came. It turned the corner and Renee pulled the boys up.

They hurried up the bank and over the hedge, stopping only to check on the direction of the light. Ian stumbled when they reached the dorms. He lurched and pulled them both into a plant pot as he clattered to the ground. The large stone pot smacked into the wall.

She yanked them up, ran into the garage, and shut out the storm.

She checked her watch.

Ten minutes.

Renee sighed, pulled the masks off the boys, and led them to the bus.

“Sorry,” Ian mumbled over and over, tears in his eyes.

Renee took him by the face. “Don’t be. We’re here. Just get on the bus okay. Take on water.”

“Miss Worthington got us here,” Ryan said, wrapping a protective arm around a shaking Ian. “You did great.” He met Renee’s eyes. “He takes out loads more things normally.”

“Well, then,” she said in her softest tone as Jessie appeared with two bottles. “You were fantastic.”

Ian blushed as Jessie nudged him and exchanged a look with Ryan.

“He and Ty might start fighting over you,” Jessie said, offering her water.

Renee shook her head, flashed a quick smile, and headed back out into the dust. She needed to right that pot.

 

URSULA WAITED UNTIL the guard returned to his original route and hurried to the overturned pot. Renee joined her a second later.

“Ten minutes. How can we get them out in time?”

Ursula took one side as Renee grabbed the other. “Huber.”

“What?” Renee grunted as they took the strain and hauled the pot upward.

“He is here for the kids. If he thinks it’s in his interest, he’ll delay.”

Renee put her hands on her hips. “We are not—”

“I know. You think I’d do that?”

Renee dropped a hand to her side. “No.”

“Then stop giving me the third degree and move.” Ursula strolled toward the garage. She knocked once, ducked inside, and pulled up her mask to take on water.

Jessie scampered to her as Ty and Leigh-Anne helped Ryan hoist a wobbling Ian onto the bus. Good to see they were a team.  

“Ready?”

Jessie nodded and pulled her mask on.

“Good, you got the rope?”

Jessie tapped her back. There was no point reminding Jessie this was the most dangerous part. So she held open the door and said a prayer.

They’d need it.

 

THE PLAY WAS at the halfway mark as I checked from the wings. Owens shot a glare at me when she caught me. I ignored her and tried to ignore the amount of people in the audience. Baby steps. I turned away and focused on backstage. Trails of wires snaked along the walls and floors. Bits of black tape bound them with white markers sprayed or taped in case anyone missed them. The walls bare brick, curtains hanging from metal rods up in the ceiling, chains draping down.

The remaining students huddled in the corner. Jed and Miroslav sat apart but Jones’s and Sawyer’s kids clung together. Frei’s group had left with a brief nod to me. She had a task for them but I couldn’t find the words to offer support. I knew better than to talk. My own nerves would make them think I was worried.

Maybe I should share that I was nervous about being near a lot of folks at once, they might find it funny.

Miranda caught my attention before I moved. She paced up and back over and over. She rubbed her hand, the wrist that was hurting, and stared at her violin.

She couldn’t play but she had to play.

I walked to her as the others glanced at the door and waited for Renee.

“If you try playing, they’ll know.”

She spun around and jumped when she saw me. She’d been lost in her thoughts. “What if they realize?”

“They won’t.” I glanced at Miroslav who gave a warm smile and a thumbs up from his stool. I was glad to see he was sipping water. It was hot and humid backstage.

“But—”

“If Miss Samson says they won’t, they won’t.” Jed’s voice was gentle as he strolled up to her. “I’m sorry you got to cover us but there is no one who can pull it off like you.”

Miranda flung herself into his arms and he held on tight. He met my eyes, concern glinted in his.

I couldn’t make any promises. If either of us made the slightest mistake, we would need some kind of a miracle to get us out in one piece.

Renee hurried in. She had a graze of dirt on her right knee. I went to her and handed her a bottle, leaving Jed to reassure Miranda.

“What happened?”

She touched my hand. A flash of a pot toppling.

“He sucks tying laces,” I muttered.

“Doesn’t matter, I’m behind.” She sipped on the water. “The guard changed his route.”

“And his gun grew,” I added.

Renee handed me back the bottle and motioned to Sawyer’s and Jones’s kids. They took the masks and shoved them on before she could say anything.

“Guess they’re keen,” she mumbled.

“Watch the dorm?” I said, grabbing her hand. “Someone heard that pot hit the deck.”

Renee met my eyes and nodded. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me, just don’t get hurt.”

She flashed me a smile and hurried out.

I turned back to see Miranda cuddled into Jed.

I could have done with a hug.