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The thugs turned into the the nature reserve behind JJMA, parked, and headed down one of the walking trails without even looking back.
“Okay then, great. Now we can go tell Chris where the hideout is,” Matt said, relief clear in his voice. “Let’s go back to the Academy.”
“And tell Chris what? That we tracked them the the reserve? That’s not new information.” I parked a short distance from the thugs’ car and got out. “We’ve got to at least find out where they’re actually hiding out.”
Matt sighed in irritation, but still followed me down the path the thugs had taken.
After a while of silent walking, Matt nudged my arm and pointed to a grassy clearing marked off by police tape. You didn’t have to be a great detective to recognize this was probably where Gene had been kidnapped.
It also didn’t take a detective to see the rustling bushes where the thugs had left the path and were making their way through the underbrush on the other side of the clearing. We followed them at a careful distance, being smart enough to stop in the protection of the underbrush when we reached another small clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a small tool shed. It barely looked large enough to store a lawnmower. Outside the shed stood the phony guard from the jail, smoking a cigarette. With a nod to the guard, two of the thugs entered the tiny shed.
Where are they going? The shed certainly wasn’t large enough to hold one captive, much less four. I wasn’t even sure how it would hold the men we’d followed over here.
“It’s about time you got back,” the guard said sullenly. “The Boss needs you inside. Dr. Rogers is not being anymore cooperative than the McCullys. The Boss is threatening drastic measures.”
“So what does he need me for?” Scarface asked belligerently.
“If Dr. Rogers doesn’t talk in the next fifteen minutes, he wants you to bring the boy. He figures Dr. Rogers will talk if he has to watch his kid get hurt.” The guard looked in disgust at the butt of his cigarette, then flicked it away from him. “I told him to make you do it, since torturing kids is right up your alley.”
The blood drained from my face as I threw a glance at Matt. He was as pale as a ghost. How could we leave Gene to be tortured by these monsters?
“What’s so hard about breaking a few fingers?” Scarface chuckled as he pushed his way into the shed. “Dr. Rogers will talk before you actually have to kill the brat.”
“Fifteen minutes isn’t enough time to get Chris,” I whispered to Matt, trying to justify the only course of action I saw that would save our friend.
“I know.”
“We can’t just leave Gene to be tortured.”
“I know.”
“Unless you have a better idea.”
“Shut up, Scott.” Matt looked at me with the same anger in his eyes that I felt. I hoped at least some of it wasn’t directed at me. “Let’s just get this done.”
I picked up a heavy branch and put it into Matt’s hands. After motioning that he should hit the guard over the head with it, I crept around to the other side of the shed to distract the guard. I waited until Matt was nearly behind the guard, then shook a small tree firmly. Alarmed, the guard turned toward the sound of the rustling leaves as Matt nailed him with the branch. He went out like a light. I stood from my position and went quickly to Matt, who was bending over the guard’s prone body.
“He’ll be out for a while.” He stood and held out a thick ring of keys. “This might make things easier.”
“Good thinking.” I glanced carefully through a crack in the shed door to make sure Scarface wasn’t waiting for us. He wasn’t.
Once we were inside, we both got down on the floor to search for an entrance into the hideout. Scarface and the other thugs had to have gone somewhere. We only had a few minutes to figure out how to get inside before Scarface started breaking Gene’s fingers.
A tug on my sleeve caused me to turn. Matt had managed to pry a hatch up from the floor. I peered down cautiously to make sure the way was clear, then climbed down. Matt followed close behind and closed the hatch after him. We paused at the bottom of the ladder and looked around. We were in a dimly lit tunnel lined with steel doors. Bare bulbs strung along the ceiling faded into the distance and barely lent enough light to find our way down the empty corridor. Large white numbers stenciled on the doors counted up from the ladder, odds on the left and evens on the right. Narrow slots functioned as windows and allowed us to peek inside each room as we searched for Gene.
All my senses were alert for signs of Scarface or any of the other guards. So far we’d been lucky enough not to run into them. Somehow that didn’t make me feel particularly confident. All I wanted to do was find Gene and get out as quickly as possible. Matt peered into the odd rooms as I took the evens. Both of us were careful to only take a quick glance to avoid being seen by any occupants. Not that we saw anyone.
A quick glance through the tiny window of the sixth room showed Gene kneeling in the far corner of the otherwise empty room. He appeared to be praying.
“He’s here, and alone,” I whispered to Matt as I stepped away from the door.
With a curt nod, Matt started trying keys from the guard’s key ring.
Show him the right key quickly. The ring was crammed with keys and we had run out of time. As soon as Scarface got around to checking on Gene, we were in big trouble.
I heard a click and Matt yanked the door open.
“Matt! Scott!” Gene jumped to his feet, a wide grin on his tear-streaked face. “Is this a rescue?”
“It is if you stay quiet,” I hissed. “Someone could come at any time.”
After ushering Gene out the door, we closed and locked it behind us, and headed back toward the ladder leading to the shed. About halfway down the hall, I looked back to make sure Gene was still with us. He wasn’t. He was standing in the middle of the hall with his back to us.
“Come on,” I whispered, motioning for him to follow.
He glanced at me and turned to stare back down the dimly lit hall. “My dad’s still back there.”
“My parents are back there, too.” I came up beside him and took his arm. Even I wasn’t stupid enough to think we could take on the whole compound by ourselves. We would come back for them all once we could get Chris here. “We can’t help them if we get caught.”
Gene pulled his arm away and glared at me. “I’m not going without Dad.”
“We’ll come back with help, I promise.” I took his arm again, more tightly this time. Don’t let anyone come down that hall. “We can’t afford to be caught by the Snake’s goons.”
“You go.” He yanked his arm free and headed in the opposite direction. “You may be willing to leave your parents in the hands of that madman, but I’m not leaving without my dad!”
I caught my breath angrily. Gene had no idea how hard it was for me to walk away from my parents again. I just kept reminding myself that three teens could do nothing against the Snake and his goons. I was trying really hard to make the responsible decision here. As far as I was concerned, that meant getting Gene out of here before we got caught.
“I know where he is,” Gene said without looking back. “They took me to him once, to use me to taunt him.”
I looked at Matt and shrugged in defeat. Dragging Gene kicking and screaming to the exit would surely bring someone.
Matt looked down the hall at Gene, then back at the exit. With a sigh, he turned to follow Gene.
“He’s going to get us all killed,” Matt growled as we hurried to catch up.
We quietly followed Gene down the hall. It puzzled me a little that we’d still seen no one, but I just prayed that they would remain busy long enough for us all to get out. Each step seemed to take us deeper and deeper into trouble. Have mercy on us and get us out of this mess alive.
Gene came to an open garage door without caution. Quickly, I put my arm out to cut him off before he could dart by. I glanced carefully into the garage, then let him go before he could protest. Still no one. It should have made me feel better. Instead, it made me more nervous. Someone should have come to check on Gene by now. I glanced at my watch. Scarface’s fifteen minutes had ended long ago. Everything was too quiet.
Matt caught his lip between his teeth and glanced into the dark hall behind us. Only Gene seemed unfazed as he purposefully crossed the hall to a room without a window and turned the knob.
I shot my hand out and stopped the door before he could open it. The Snake would not have left the door unlocked unless it was empty or he wanted us to go inside. I opened the door a crack and peeked into the room. A long table covered with various scientific equipment stretched across the middle of the room. Dr. Rogers sat in a chair behind it, his head resting dejectedly in his hands.
I closed the door quietly and looked around the hall. Still no one. Motioning for Gene and Matt to come closer, I whispered. “I don’t like it.”
“Isn’t my dad in there?” Gene demanded.
“Yes, but he’s alone. Scarface said they were questioning him. And the door was unlocked, like they want us to go in.” I looked at Matt. “It looks like trap to me.”
Matt nodded. “I don’t like it either. I vote we get out of here while we still have the chance.”
“I agree. We go now.” I reached for Gene’s arm, prepared to drag him out if necessary. I was too late; he was already halfway through the door.
There was only one thing to do, and I prayed it wouldn’t get us all killed.