The Hidden Two

by Kimberlee R. Mendoza

  Sitting on the queen-size bed, Eri and Willow giggled like two teen girls at a high school dance. How could they be so happy? It had been more than a month now, and the well had run dry with ideas. This was their fourteenth time stopping to find a hot spot. The longer it took, the more he just knew his missing friends were dead. Shouldn’t that raise some kind of urgency? Was he the only one who cared?

  “And they always say you’re the best,” Teddy mumbled.

  Charlie peered up from behind the screen with a raised eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Sorry, it’s just…” Teddy faced him with hands out at his side. “Come on, man. Lives are at stake. How many more days can we do this? You just staring at your screen as if, poof, some magic is going to happen.”

  Willow must have sensed his unease. She walked up behind him and laid her frail hand on his waist. “Charlie is doing the best he can. Give him some grace. We’re chasing down trained assassins who do not like to be found. Charlie might be good, but there are dozens of Charlies making sure we don’t find them.”

  “I know, I know.” Teddy paced away. “It’s just, I’m afraid. I mean, let’s be real. They’re dead, right?”

  Charlie leapt up with palms out like two stop signs. “Whoa, dude. No. You have to stop. None of us is going there. We will find them. You just have to chill out and trust me, okay?”

  Eri stepped forward and spoke calmly, “If they wanted to kill them, S.I.U. could have ended it in that house. There was something else they wanted. And you know Laura, no amount of torture will work. She’ll hold out.”

  Yes, Laura was good—the best of the best. Great point. That gave him a slight glimmer of hope. “I mean, there is also the possibility she could escape, right? She’s that awesome. We all know it.” He pointed to the laptop. “Have we checked the dating board to see if maybe they escaped?”

  “Hourly,” Charlie said defeated.

  Teddy began to pace again, resuming his meal of fingernails. “She was always kind to me, even when I didn’t shut up. She gave me purpose. We have to find her. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened. I’m alive because of her. I owe her.”

  “We all do.” Eri touched his arm and smiled. “Maybe we need to take a break and eat. I’m starving.”

  “I could eat,” Teddy agreed.

  Charlie shook his head. “You guys go ahead. I’ll keep at it.”

  “Are you feeling ill? You never turn down food.” Eri pretended to take his temperature.

  “Um, I didn’t say I didn’t want to eat.” He pushed her hand away. “Just bring me something with a lot of grease and sugar.”

  “Now that is the man I know.” Eri kissed the top of his head. “You know, someday that is going to catch up to you.”

  “That will be the day I eat tofu. Until then, extra cheese and mayo please. And the largest fry.”

  She kissed her husband again and motioned for Teddy and Willow to follow her out the door. The air outside was thick and hot, the clouds overhead black and billowing. Normally, where Teddy was from, a rainstorm would cool things off. But not here. It just seemed to make the blanket of heat denser and more unbearable. Maybe this all added to his anxiety. They needed to rescue Laura and Myers and move onto cooler digs before it drove him insane.

  About one block from the diner, it started to pour. The group laughed as they ducked into the truck stop. A few people lifted their heads at the rowdy entrance, but quickly, returned to their plates of fatty substance. The restaurant smelled of cooking oil and baked bread. It made Teddy’s stomach growl.

  He pointed to a booth toward the back, away from the windows. They had learned their lesson about sitting in exposed places. He glanced down at his bandaged wrist. The doctor had said he could get his stitches out soon. Not that they would go to another doctor to get them out. Trying to explain to the cops why his hand had a hole in it was not a fun experience.

  “Teddy, are you okay?” Willow glanced down at arm. “Is your wrist bothering you again?”

  “I’m fine. I just—” His heart dropped into his stomach at the site in front. A young girl named Kaitlin stood at the counter paying for what looked like a box of donuts. “Oh my gosh.” He lifted his menu up and ducked behind.

  Willow followed his gaze and then mirrored his action.

  “Something I should know?” Eri asked from behind their wall of menus, as she glanced over her shoulder.

  “S.I.U. agent.”

  Eri slid to the wall side of the booth and kicked her legs up, probably to use her peripherals. “The skinny blonde with glasses?”

  “Yeah that’s her,” Teddy said, before peering around the menu and then ducking back again.

  “We have to follow her,” Eri replied.

  “She knows us. We couldn’t get within a few feet of her without being made,” Willow whispered.

  “Then I will follow her.”

  “What?” Teddy didn’t have time to respond.

  Eri slid out of the booth and walked to the door just in time to hold it open for Kaitlin. Eri glanced back, winked, and left behind her.

  Both lowered their menus and stared at each other in disbelief. Was this a break or just really stupid? “Do you think Kaitlin will head back, or do you think she’ll figure out who Eri is?”

  Teddy dropped the menu, grabbed Willow’s hand, and ran for the entrance. “Either way, we have to get back to Charlie right away. Maybe he can monitor Eri’s cell phone. Come on.”

  The two of them hurried to the door, glanced around, and then bolted back to the hotel down the block. When they reached it, Teddy could hardly breathe. “We have got to work out more.”

  “Agreed,” Willow wheezed.

  Teddy slid the card in the slot and entered.

  Charlie still sat at the table typing on his laptop. Eyes still focused on the screen, he said, “That was fast. Did you bring me enough greas—” He looked up and stood, fear apparent in his expression. “Where’s Eri? Why are you wheezing? What happened? Where’s my wife?”

  “Kaitlin. A girl we know from—” Teddy grabbed his thighs, trying to catch his breath.

  “Yes, a girl we knew from—” Willow breathed.

  “S.I.U., she—”

  “S.I.U.?” Charlie’s eyes grew wide with panic. “Eri, where is Eri?”

  Teddy grabbed both of Charlie’s shoulders and smiled. “Eri is following an operative. We know her. Can you ping her cell?”

  He didn’t hesitate. Charlie straddled his chair and alternated between typing and clicking the mouse. Within seconds, he had her.

  “What should we do?” Teddy asked.

  Charlie reached in his duffle bag and handled out earpieces. “Here, put these in and start walking. I’ll guide you to her.”

  “Got it.” Teddy tucked a gun in his belt and handed another one to Willow. “Let’s go get our friends back.”

  Chapter Thirty

  Helena opened her eyes. Her head throbbed, and the space was dark. All her muscles complained. Why? She tried to discern her situation; ironically, it was something Laura had once taught her to do. Chains rattled in the dark when she moved her wrists. Her body was bent over, unable to straighten. Her mouth was held shut, probably taped. Panic enveloped her. She tried to move but couldn’t.

  What could she do? The room was too dark to discern much. They must have busted out the lights. Stupid Harding and Alicia. If they weren’t so busy playing “patty cake” in the control room, maybe they would have seen the betrayal. Unless that is what Harding wanted—to kill Helena and have his precious Laura back in the fold. Hatred seethed through Helena’s entire being. She loathed this place. Despised everyone in it. Maybe more than Laura. They can all go to—

  The door squeaked opened. Helena tried to yell through the tape.

  “Why is it so dark in here?” It was Alicia. “Hello? What are you dumb kids up to now?”

  Helena thrashed about, moaning. “Abisha…”

  Alicia sauntered o
ver to her, heels clicking on the cement floor, and shined a flashlight on Helena’s face. Her eyes widened. “What the…?” She hurried to the desk in the far left corner and found the key to the chain. It took a few tries, but finally, the lock clicked open.

  Helena fell over, her muscles locked and in pain, unable to fully work yet. She reached for the tape on her mouth and pulled. She grimaced at the sting.

  “What happened?” Alicia demanded.

  “Our friends happened while you were busy sucking face.” Helena lifted, but couldn’t stand. “Come on. Help me up. We have some vermin to exterminate.”

  Alicia reached for her arm and helped her to stand.

  Helena’s legs wobbled in complaint. “Come on, body, and cooperate. We have to hurry.”

  “They won’t get beyond the boiler room, so I’m sure it will be fine.” Alicia waved at the air.

  With narrowed eyes, Helena faced her partner, blood searing with an incredible amount of rage. “Have you lived with the same Laura I have? You know she is resourceful. While you and Harding were doing God knows what in the control room, she managed to best me and get out of this room. Most likely, she is half way to Mexico right now.”

  “Fine. Okay.” Alicia wrapped Helena’s arm around her neck for support. “No reason to get testy. We’ll get her. And you really should be happy.”

  “What?” Helena shook her head, not sure if she could handle being with this woman one more second. “Why on earth would I be happy?”

  “Because if she is really escaping, you’ll get your wish.” A big smile flashed on Alicia’s face. “You can shoot her.”

  A few steps out the door and Helena already felt better. The girl was right. That did make her happy. Helena unwrapped from Alicia’s hold and tested her legs. Good enough. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

  They rushed the back way to the control tower, as fast as Helena could manage. The hallway never seemed so long. Had it always been this dark and squeaky? Finally, they were standing outside the immense metal door. Alicia punched in the code on the wall keypad and waited for it to slide to the side, before entering.

  Helena followed her in.

  Harding sat at his desk typing on a computer keyboard and watching the letters appear on the monitor. “How are our prisoners doing?” he asked without looking up.

  “Gone,” Helena said with contained emotion.

  “What?” Harding’s gaze slowly met hers, menacing, scary. “What do you mean gone?”

  “They tied me up in their place and escaped. That’s what I mean gone.” Helena crossed her arms and stared him down, then added with a bit of sass, “And thanks for noticing on your monitors, by the way. Good thing we had all those cameras in there, or we might have missed the whole thing.”

  He shifted his gaze. The screens were blackened, with the exception of a small light in the back corner. For a moment, he just stared at them, as if something would happen. Then he tapped them three times and faced Alicia. “Sound the alarm.”

  Both girls stood still.

  “Now,” he demanded.

  Helena went to the monitors and hit the red switch on the right of them. An ear-piercing screech sounded down the hall and throughout the building. Lights flashed from the corners. The S.I.U. agents would all run for the armory. They had practiced this drill a million times since Washington D.C.—the last time S.I.U. fell due to Black’s hands. This place would be like Fort Knox in a matter of seconds. No one in. No one out. Shoot to kill anyone who was with Laura Black.

  Harding cocked the gun in his hand and motioned to the door. “I want her alive, Helena. Do you hear me?”

  “Yeah, sure. I get it. But if she fires on me, I have to fire back.”

  “Then you better hope she doesn’t miss. Because if you kill her, you will join her.” He pushed Helena out the door and then passed her in a run. The three of them sprinted through the boiler room to the secret door. Inside, all students now stood at attention in rows with guns. When Harding entered, all turned in unison sounding a deafening cadence of boots hitting the floor.

  “At ease and listen up.”

  In unison, the group shifted their arms and legs to parade rest.

  “Our enemy has somehow once again penetrated our facility. She is not to be killed but brought to me alive. Do you understand?”

  A loud “yes sir” echoed through the space.

  “However, you may kill anyone with her.”

  “No,” Helena said, before she could hold it in.

  Harding glowered at her before marching to her side. He jammed a gun hard under her chin, causing her head to push back. “If you defy me again, Agent, I will pull the trigger. Understood?”

  Tears seeped from her eyes, both from pain and fear. She nodded, knowing he meant it.

  He shoved her hard against the wall and walked past her. The impact shot pain up her spine. She closed her eyes for a moment to get her bearings.

  “Now, start looking everywhere.” Harding waved his gun at the group of soldiers. “Every nook, every cranny. She’s here somewhere. Find her, and I’ll make it worth your while. Now go!”

  The squad fanned out as they moved throughout the corridor. Teenagers with rifles lined every hallway. Many of them paraded through rooms and closets, looking for the enemy. Helena followed close behind, watching, in some ways hoping they didn’t find her.

  A part of Helena wanted to find Myers and Laura first. She could shoot Laura and save Myers. But both of those choices would get her killed. Maybe she could help Myers and Laura escape and kill Laura later. Yes, that was the perfect plan. Would they even trust her to let that happen? And longer term, would Myers ever forgive her? Could he ever be hers again? Or would it be for nothing?

  Hot tears streamed down her face. At once, she hated all of it. That included herself. There was nothing good left in her. All of that was stolen so long ago. Could she blame Myers for hating her? She hated herself.

  She ducked under bunks and looked in stairwells, closets, and offices. Every man was on deck doing the same. Where were they? Helena needed to find them first. That was one thing she knew. What happened after, Helena would figure out then.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Laura heard the alarms go off just as Myers and Deshawn neared an exit. Both their eyes went wide. Deshawn ran his badge frantically against the door. Little red lights flickered, then nothing. Again. Nothing.

  “Lock down. We’re not going anywhere.” Deshawn stepped back and ran a hand over his head. “Protocol states that if an intruder, such as Black, gets in, no one in and no one out. Kill anyone caught with Black but bring her back alive.”

  Myers raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying they planned for this?”

  “Every day, it seems. The few people I talked to said they knew Laura would be back, and it became part of the training exercises.”

  Laura shook her head. “We didn’t come here. They brought us here.” This all didn’t make sense. Or did it. Did Harding know she’d escape? He had to have. No one would know more than him. But what was his plan? “We need to hide. Suggestions?”

  Deshawn didn’t answer, just began walking back down the hall. They followed him to a grate, where he motioned for them to follow him in. Myers was the last one in and closed them up. They crawled down a shaft to an opening. Deshawn pushed a lever and the floor of the shaft opened revealing a ladder down a long tube. He smiled and jumped in. Laura once again prayed this wasn’t some elaborate trap. But what choice did they have? She swung her leg over the side and lowered herself down. Myers followed right behind her.

  The tube ended outside a hatch door. Deshawn pushed down on the wheel. It wouldn’t budge. He glanced at Myers. Myers nodded and together the two of them got the rusted metal wheel to open. They stepped inside what looked like an old bomb shelter decorated in the 1970s. It housed an old-style TV, a couch, and a record player. The walls were made out of brown paneling, and the floor was covered in an awful rust shag carpet. At the end of the bun
ker were shelves packed with food and water.

  “What is this place?” Laura picked up a yellow wrapped can marked “Soda” in black letters. All the cans were matching with different titles.

  “I’m not sure, but I made out with a hot high-ranking agent down here once.” Deshawn winked at Myers knowingly.

  Myers laughed.

  “And you didn’t think to ask her what this was?”

  Myers and Deshawn exchanged glances and chuckled.

  “Men and their hormones. Whatever.” Laura paced in the small area. “What I’m worried about is if they will think to look for us here?”

  Myers stepped over to the wall and played with the controls. “No way.”

  “What?” Laura came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “Do you know what this is?”

  “Enlighten me.”

  He spun around to face her, only inches away. Their eyes locked and Laura swallowed. “What is it?” her voice cracked a bit.

  “It’s a safe room,” Myers said.

  “And that’s good because…?”

  A big grin encompassed his face. “Because it means I can change the code, and we can stay here for quite some time.” He punched a few keys and several monitors lowered from the ceiling. Cameras caught all areas of the compound, including outside their door.

  “This is amazing!” Excited, Laura kissed Myers hard on the cheek.

  His smile faded, serious, but not mad. He stared at her a moment, looking like he might say something, but instead, walked past her. “I’m going to see if there is a bathroom behind those cases.” He walked around them and disappeared.

  Deshawn walked to Laura’s side. “Can I ask you something without getting punched?”

  Laura laughed. “Yeah, why would I punch you?”

  “I see the way you look at him.”

  “Who?”

  Deshawn nodded to the where Myers had gone.

  “Myers? Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Deshawn peered over at the cases. “Yeah, well, you can deny it, but I see what I see. I thought you and Bryce were married. I mean, I know you’ve been locked up together and all, but…”