Apollo may not have warned me before—but he’s warning me now.
It’s a gift I will not take lightly, but accept gladly.
My feet hit the ground in soft thuds, but I don’t stop. There isn’t time for super stealth or elaborate plans now.
The place where everything is about to unfold is coming up fast and I pray to Apollo and Mnemosyne that they’ll all be safe—the girls and Blake—until I get there. I pray with every fiber of my being I’ve been given enough time to change the course of this.
The terrain is uneven and close, but I’m getting closer.
I round a bend and hear hushed voices speaking in frantic angry tones. The hairs on my neck rise—I’ve only got seconds to react.
“The guy’s coming to, I think. Want me to knock him out again?” Peter says.
“He’s nothin’ but trouble…”
The exact words from my vision—the one’s I’ve been dreading since I saw them have been spoken, and I race forward before the rest can continue to unfold.
“Hiya there, gentlemen,” I say, stepping out of the shadows.
Blake’s eyes widen, and his face turns ashen. He shakes his head frantically, nodding back toward where I came from. His eyes are nothing more than slits as he flares his nostrils wide.
I grin apologetically at him with a “sorry not sorry” kinda smile, as I edge further inward.
Beyond the two men, the small group of girls huddles together, but their faces are bright with curiosity and…hope.
“Hey—who in the hell are you?” Peter says, standing up quickly. His green eyes are wide with shock and his lopsided mouth gapes open. “Oh, damn—it’s the bitch from the cabin.”
Foresight flashes into my mind—the other guy, Brady, will try to over-power me by leaning on the element of surprise. As he lunges, I sidestep his power grab, and he falls flat on the floor as his momentum carries him down.
While I have the element of surprise to myself, I pull Blake to a stand. Without missing a beat, he drops his arms down, stepping through them so they’re in the front of his body. With a swift movement he throws his bound hands in the air and brings them down across his knee, breaking the duct tape. Casting it aside, he rips the tape from his mouth and lunges as Brady attempts to stand back up.
The girls scream and squeal as they scoot back, trying to avoid the scene unfolding in front of them.
Peter stands in the middle of the space, halfway between the girls and the three of us. His jaw still slacking open, I suddenly get the vision of him coming to his senses and grabbing the girls.
As Blake lands an elbow across Brady’s cheek, splitting it open, I sidestep the two of them and tackle Peter. Of the two of them, he’s the one I feel I could most overpower using my gifts. His height and weight almost match mine, but I have something he doesn’t—Apollo’s aid.
Wrapping my arms around Peter’s torso, we both free fall backward, landing hard against the cold ground.
He hits with a sickening, “Ooof” as his back thumps against the rocks.
The girls scream again, but this time, they all climb to their feet and edge further down the cavern tunnel. Their hands are bound in similar fashion to how Blake’s where—but they’re also bound to one another with some sort of coated wire.
Peter entwines his fingers in my hair, pulling hard. My chin tips upward and he plants a knee in the middle of my thigh. Sparks of pain explode in the muscle. Rolling off of him in surprise, he twists around, throwing me down, as he straddles across my body. A sick, creepy grin sliding across his lips and I immediately bring a fist into his groin before his has the opportunity to pin my arms down.
Screaming in agony, he slumps off of me, groping at himself.
I slide out from under his weight, kicking at him again to push myself further away.
“Blake, gun—” I scream, seconds after seeing Brady ditch their fight in lieu of the weapon.
Blake lunges forward, kicking the gun out of his reach just as Brady makes an attempt for it. The gun clatters against the walls as it hits the rock face.
“Thanks,” Blake says breathlessly, as he lands his fist against Brady’s cheek and the bridge of his nose.
Blood splatters the ground as a fissure separates across Brady’s face. He let’s out a howl, groping at the wound. Blood gushes between his fingers, and Blake brings his elbow down on the back of the man’s neck. He drops instantly and doesn’t move.
Without missing a beat, Blake yanks Brady’s arms behind his back and pulls rip ties outta thin air. At least he had those, despite the missing luggage case. He clicks them in place, then moves on to restraining Brady’s feet.
I’m mesmerized by the way Blake moves—such precision and power. There’s no doubt in the way he maneuvers as his training and muscle memory kicks in. It’s only the second time I’ve gotten to see this side of him, yet this time immediately brings back memories of the way he was as an Apollo guard. He didn’t mess around then, either.
Images of Peter rising up and landing a blow to my face pull me from my admiration of Blake and I scramble to my feet. Instead of retaining his opportunity for a punch, things shift in real time as Peter lunges forward. Before I know what hit me, we’re on the ground as I struggle to breathe—the wind effectively knocked out of me.
Stars and burst of light invade my vision and I’m suddenly spinning in a sea of abstracts.
Blake’s voice is far away, saying something—but I can’t quite grab hold on the words. My body has an odd sensation, as if it’s being moved—but I’m not really in it.
Maybe if I rest for just a minute...
No sooner does the thought flash through my mind, I feel myself sinking. Sinking through the earth beneath me—sinking into a place of utter cessation. The beauty in the stillness of this space is something I never knew could exist—and yet, it feels vaguely familiar. Almost as if it’s the place from which we all spring from.
Whatever it is, it’s a restful, peaceful place I could totally get used to. Yet, somewhere in the back of my being, I know it’s all temporary. Rest and peace have never been in the cards for me.
A blast somewhere nearby extracts me from the tranquility and forces me back into my body. My eyes pop open at the sound of gurgling beside me. Breathing takes effort, as I struggle for each inhalation. Slowly, the pain eases and I twist around, taking in my surroundings.
“You shot me—” Peter screams in agony. “You fuckin’ shot me.”
Less than a foot from me, Peter clutches at his shoulder, blood streaming from beneath his palm.
A few meters away, Blake drops the gun to his side, then tucks it in the space between the small of his back and his jeans.
“Are you okay?” he says, rushing to my side. Blake drops to his knees, placing his left hand on my shoulder.
I nod, unable to find the energy or breath to speak.
Returning the acknowledgment, he stands up, making his way to Peter. Without a single warning, Blake lands a blow across the man’s face, and his body slumps to the dusty floor. His limp hand slides from his wound, and Blake grabs hold of it, twisting him over to apprehend him in the same manner as Brady.
“Holy shit, Diana—you are either the dumbest person I know, or the bravest. What in the hell were you thinking? How did you even find us?” Blake says, shaking his head and dragging Peter’s limp body closer to Brady’s.
Sitting, up, my gaze strays past him to the group of girls hiding in the shadows.
Swallowing hard, I shake my head and point to the girls.
I don’t have it in me yet to talk. Besides, the priority should be the girls now—it’s what we came here for, after all.
Blake’s eyes linger on me for a moment, concern and conflict creeping across his features.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks.
“No not really. But I’ll be okay. Go help the girls,” I whisper, my voice scratchy and labored.
Nodding, he shoots a quick glance at the apprehe
nded men and walks off down the cavern tunnel. Shining his flashlight toward the girls, they tentatively step out into the light.
“Are you…are you here to save us?” a redheaded girl no more than ten says, clutching to the arm of the brunette next to her.
Blake stands his ground, not chancing going any further, as he bends down on one knee.
“Yeah, Diana and I—we’ve come a long way to make sure you’re all safe,” he says, his tone soft and gentle, pointing my direction when he says my name. “Are any of you hurt?”
Each of their faces flit through a series of emotions as they each try to decide what to respond with. Their pain isn’t necessarily anything that can be seen, but none of them are 100% okay with how the past few weeks have transpired.
A blonde girl in the back raises a pointer finger to the men beyond and says, “They’re not the ones in charge. There’s another man—”
“Lester, right?” I say, edging myself to an awkward stand. The words tumble out, as my body screams from the movement.
The blonde girl nods.
Blake throws a glance over his shoulder, his eyes bright and curious.
“Well, we need to get outta here before Lester comes looking,” he says, walking to me and holding an arm out to grab onto. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, just had the wind knocked out of me. I’ll be fine in a bit,” I say, forcing air deeper into my lungs.
Turning back to the girls, Blake says, “I’m going to get you all out of these restraints, okay?”
He lets go of my arm gently, waiting for me to grab hold of the cavern wall. Once I’ve steadied myself, he walks to the grouping of girls, and takes out a small pocket knife.
“So, what’s everyone’s name?” he says, keeping his voice calm and gentle as he cuts through the duct tape binding them all together. “Mine is Blake.”
The small redhead is the first to speak, “I’m Torie.”
Her hand waves quickly in front of her body.
“I’m Haley,” the blonde says.
“Rebecca,” the brunette says, rubbing at her newly freed wrists.
The last one, a tall, dark-skinned, dark-haired girl steps out of the shadows. She doesn’t say a word, but instead, embraces Blake in a full-on hug.
“That’s Kaylee,” Torie says.
Blake waits a moment, allowing Kaylee to feel safe and calm. He rests his hand on the back of her head, holding her close.
“It’s really nice to meet you all. This is my—uh, this is Diana,” Blake says, waving a hand to draw me closer to the group. “I wish we were all meeting under better circumstances, though.”
“How’s everyone feeling?” I ask, walking closer. Breathing is much easier, but it’s still hard to get words out.
“I’m starving—” Haley says, her eyebrows tugging in.
“It’s been almost a day since we ate,” Torie says, nodding as her tummy rumbles.
Blake tips his head in acknowledgement, “Reinforcements are on their way, but we need to get outta here. As soon as we’re out, I’m sure food will be a top priority. Is everyone able to walk?”
They all nod in tandem with one another.
“Allow me to lead the way. I know the way out,” I say, taking my time to step out front.
I turn my own flashlight back on and take my time, allowing insights to flood into my awareness so I know exactly the right way to take. I push my mind further—going into the future so I know we’ll be safe in whatever pathway we choose.
Light extends out in front of me, acting like our virtual GPS as I follow its lead to bring the girls out of the cavern and to safety.
For a long while, none of us talk—we simply walk in silence, each circling the recent events in our minds and hoping for the best. Blake’s thoughts encompass a myriad of topics—the safety of the girls, wondering how I found him, wondering where I was in the first place—the phone call to Interpol—then flashing back to our kiss. Some of his thoughts are garbled, as he tries to parse them out and I take a step out of his mind to give him some privacy.
Each of the girl’s minds flit back and forth between recent days and wondering what it will be like to go home. They’d all resigned themselves to the horrors awaiting them, so this change in direction is a welcome one.
“Your parents will be so relieved to have you back,” I offer, responding to their thoughts.
Kaylee’s eyes brim with tears, but she flares her nostrils and nods with resolve. The other girls link arms, tugging each other tightly. This was by no means a good circumstance, but the sisterhood they’ve developed between the four of them is strong. I can already tell it will last through their entire lifetime.
“Is it very much further?” Haley asks, her eyebrows furrowing.
I stop walking so I can close my eyes and get a better reading on the distance before we’re out of the tunnel. From what I sense, the walk isn’t much further—another twenty minutes or so. I open myself up, searching for details on when or if the Interpol Agents will find us.
Luckily, it seems at least one has entered the cavern in search for us.
“We’re very close,” I say aloud, picking up the pace.
I can’t wait for this horrifying life experience to finally be over for them—so they can move on with their lives.
Not to mention, I can move on with mine. Whatever that’s about to entail.
The girls stay close at my heels, with Blake taking up the rear. I sense his alertness as he makes a mental map on how to get back to the two men, while simultaneously being alert for danger. He doesn’t need to do it, I can easily get him back to the location—but he wouldn’t be the man I know and love if he didn’t.
As we reach the last bend out of the tunnel, I take a tentative look around, trying to get a gauge on where we’re about to exit. The location is different from the main mouth of the Korykion entrance. More to the side, this opening is obscure, but easier to escape and be found by the authorities.
The light from my flashlight ceases as it finds the opening of the cave and shines out into the wilderness beyond. A man dressed in field gear steps into the light just as we’re reaching the end.
His flashlight shines up beside his head and he calls out, “Interpol—don’t move.”
The girls and I stop, waiting for the signal we’re all clear. Blake, on the other hand, steps forward, dropping his flashlight to the ground and raising his other hand.
“Blake Wilson—United States, ex-Special Forces. I’m the guy who called,” he says, making his way to the front of the group.
“Glad to see you, Mr. Wilson,” the man says, keeping his flashlight beside his head. “I see you located the girls. Everyone get out okay?”
“Yeah, We got ‘em out. The two guys are back—”
Seconds too late, I realize my guard was down just enough. I was too focused on those around me and not focused enough on the legitimacy of the man in front of me.
I lift my gaze, just in time to see the glint of the gun and receive the insight from my gifts—this Interpol Agent is legit, but he’s also Lester.
Chapter 20
HEAT RISES FROM SOMEWHERE INSIDE ME as Lester raises his gun, pointing it directly at Blake. Nothing about how this is about to play out is good, and I curse myself for being such a gullible nitwit to let my guard down.
I should have known better. People are still people after all. They mostly still suck.
“So glad I’m the one who found you first,” Lester says, with a slight lilt to his voice. “I’d hoped to head you off before you reached the others, but I had contingencies just in case. I have to admit, this is so much better.”
Recognition dawns on Blake and he doesn’t hesitate. He reaches behind his back to garnish his own weapon—the gun confiscated from the other men.
Neither of them is the kind to take long pauses to think things through. They both share the “kill or be killed” mentality.
Suddenly, my gifts flash me forward—though the
insight is almost instantaneous, it sure did take its sweet ass time to kick in.
Though both men pull the trigger—Lester is a split second faster, having already had his weapon ready. Racing toward their intended targets, Blake’s bullet grazes Lester’s ear. Lester’s bullet makes accurate impact—lodging itself directly into Blake’s heart. Blood gushes out of the wound, staining his grey dress shirt as it streams down his torso. Before I can will my feet to move, I watch in horror as my soul mate drops to the ground, his mouth contorted in a large-O of surprise.
I don’t follow the vision any longer—instead, I blink it away, and spring into action.
“Get down,” I command to the girls, throwing my arm out and pointing to the ground.
Their eyes are wide as screams of surprise escape their lips, but they hit the floor without needing to be asked twice. Before I have time to truly think about it, I step out in front of Blake just as the bullet leaves Lester’s gun. With my arms splayed wide, I jump in the way, putting my body between Blake and the bullet.
The impact as it rips through my torso is enough to slow my momentum and force me backward instead of continuing on my sideways trajectory. My body slams against Blake, but his strong arms encircle me as we drop.
Blake’s bullet flies wildly off course, thanks to my fall, and it lodges itself in the rocky cavern wall.
Instead of Blake’s shirt stained crimson, it’s my own. As I hit the ground, my hands instantly fly to my wound, trying to keep the blood inside my body as pain sears through me. Blake’s nostrils flare wide and his lips press into a thin line. He doesn’t say a word. Instead, he lays me down gently and returns his focus to Lester.
His mind is a whirling cyclone of fury, worry, and what if’s—but he also knows he can’t dwell there. Not yet.
Standing up, he picks up his fallen weapon, then clutches the gun tightly in his hands.
I grope at the place where the metal invaded my body, mesmerized by the way the dark liquid is warm as it rushes through my fingers, just below my rib cage. The bullet is still lodged somewhere inside, and I can feel the entire trajectory it took as it ripped apart my insides.
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