by A. C. Grey
Meg tried to play innocent, though she didn't have high hopes for success. "We got lost, Paolo. I don't know what in the hell is going on here, but I don't appreciate being manhandled. I'm sorry if we've gotten in the way, but if you'll just let us go and arrange a ride back into town, we'll be out of your hair.”
Paolo laughed, a sinister tone to his chuckle. "Nice try, Margaret, but I am not that stupid. Now why are you here? Who do you work for? Just tell me and we can make things much, much easier for you.”
"Like hell I will,” Meg said, anger lacing her voice.
Lucy watched this exchange, wishing she could go over there and set Paolo in his place. At the same time, she couldn't fail to notice how damn sexy Meg was when being defiant. But now was not the time for such thoughts. There was so much more at stake.
Paolo reached down, running a stubby finger across Meg's jawline and down her neck towards her breasts. "It's clear you weren't really here because you were interested in me. It's a shame I never got to sample your . . .” He looked down at her cleavage, "goods," he continued after a pause to ogle her. "Perhaps I'll give them a try now.”
Lucy saw red. She'd never been so furious in her life. With a strength she didn't know she possessed, she broke free from the grip of the man holding her. "Over my dead body,” she shouted as she ran up and kicked Paolo in the groin. No sooner had she done so than one of the henchmen had struck her across the knee with a lead pipe. She gasped and opened her mouth to let out a groan of pain, but nothing came out. She saw stars as she crumpled to the ground.
Paolo, who had been hunched over with pain of his own, had recovered enough to speak. "You'll regret that, Ms. Crane. It's all well and good to try and protect your girlfriend, but you'd better start thinking about yourself and your own well being.”
Shock registered on Meg's face, which Paolo picked up on.
"Yes. I knew you two were involved. I may not have known the extent of your deceit, but let's just say that you weren't quiet enough with your bedroom exploits. I'll leave you two alone to think about what the right decision is. Perhaps you'll come to your senses. And if not . . . well, I have ways of making people talk.” He offered them a creepy smile before he and his goons left the room.
As soon as they were alone, Meg rushed to Lucy's side. "Are you okay? Let me take a look.”
As Meg gently rolled up Lucy's pant leg, Lucy sucked in a harsh intake of breath.
Meg winced as she saw Lucy's knee, which was already swelling and beginning to turn a nasty shade of purple. It couldn't be good. "I'm so sorry, Lucy,” she said, almost in a whisper. "I wish there were something I could do. Ice, medicine, a doctor. Anything. I . . . And you did it for me . . .”
Lucy placed a staying hand on Meg's arm. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the throbbing in her knee. "It's okay. I'd do it again. I'd do anything for you, Meg,” Lucy rasped, her voice laden with pain. "But right now, we can't focus on that. You can focus on this. You need to find a way to get us out of here. I have to admit I'm not thinking very clearly. Meg, you need to get us out of here.”
Meg looked into Lucy's deep blue eyes, which were slightly glazed over from the pain. She couldn't think of adequate words, so she swallowed hard and nodded. She got up and began to pace back and forth. After a moment, she tried the door handle. It was locked tightly, which was no surprise. She jiggled it in frustration. She had the key that Pete had given them, but unfortunately, there was no keyhole on this side of the door. She pulled a hairpin out of her golden locks and used the lock picking training she'd received. No luck.
She continued to pace, sighing as she wracked her brain for a solution. She felt absolutely helpless. Trapped, with the lives of thousands on the line. Lucy lying in pain across the room, and nothing Meg could do to fix it. And worst of all, she'd made a critical mistake. She'd been so caught up in the drama with Lucy, in the need for haste, that she'd neglected to check in with headquarters. Not only did they not know the extent of what was going on, they had no idea that the attack was coming soon, or that Meg and Lucy were making one last ditch effort to prevent it. The U.S. was going to be blindsided. Her stomach churned with that realization. If she didn't stop the attack, no one would.
Lucy leaned back against the wall of the room. She struggled to breathe, the pain was so intense. She wanted so badly to help Meg come up with a solution, but none sprung to mind. When her thoughts weren't on her knee, or on their present predicament, they landed on her brother. Her heart ached. She knew he hadn't been involved in this plot. She just knew it. And the ache inside her grew even deeper, knowing she might lose him all over again just after she'd discovered he was still alive. She still remembered how her heart had broken into a million pieces when Jim's best friend Jared, who was on his Seal team, had come to break the news that Jim was missing and presumed dead. She didn't know if she could live through losing him all over again.
Meg had given up and came to sit next to Lucy. "I'm sorry,” she whispered.
"It's okay,” Lucy managed through the pain. "I'm not surprised we're stuck in here. It'd be too easy if you could just break us out that simply.”
"That's not what I meant,” Meg said.
"What do you mean then?"
"I'm sorry I reacted the way I did when you ran off,” Meg said, looking down at her hands.
"You had every right to be angry with me. I compromised the mission,” Lucy said. Even though it hurt her that their budding relationship had been shattered, she understood Meg's feelings.
"Yes, I know I was right to be angry in that moment. But I've been so caught up in that anger that I didn't stop to think about where you were coming from. I can't even imagine, really. I mean, I think if my sister were ever in the same situation I'd probably react the same way. Granted, the scariest situation Missy is ever likely to face is a store not carrying the latest Dolce and Gabbana design in her size. We're not close. Not really anyway. And I'd still face a tough call if it was her in that cell. So I'm sorry if I seemed unfeeling,” Meg swallowed hard. While she figured their romantic relationship was probably done, the least she could do was repair the friendship they had.
"It's okay. In any event, it makes no difference. We're stuck in here, and Jim, well, you saw that email. I don't believe it was him, but maybe I'm biased. I just wish . . .” Lucy's words were cut off as she shifted slightly to get more comfortable. She immediately gasped in pain as she unintentionally moved her swollen knee.
Meg turned towards her, a concerned look on her face. "I just wish there were something I could do for you to make this all better. You got hurt because of me. Defending me. Without thinking, Meg reached up and stroked Lucy's cheek.
Lucy closed her eyes and let out a small sigh, allowing herself just a moment to savor the comforting touch of Meg's skin upon hers. Then she opened them. She pondered for a moment, chewing her lip slightly as she debated whether to ask. Finally, she broke down. "There is one thing you could do.”
"What's that?" Meg asked. "Anything.”
"Hold me?" Lucy asked sheepishly.
Meg nodded and scooted closer, careful not to bump Lucy's leg. She wrapped her arms around Lucy and snuggled her close. Both women closed their eyes briefly, taking in the comforting familiar feeling of being near each other.
Lucy opened her eyes and found Meg staring intently at her. Before either registered what was happening, their lips met. It was a soft, tender kiss. There was no urgency, no promise of passion, of lust. It was slow and lingering as they explored each other. In that moment, it was what they both needed. It was comfort. Lucy shuddered with relief at the embrace. She'd missed this – the taste of Meg, the smell of Meg, the touch of Meg. She'd never felt more at home. For just a moment, she forgot her pain, forgot their terrible situation.
Meg allowed herself just a few moments to savor their kiss, to lose herself. After all, they were going nowhere fast. As much as she'd tried to wall off her heart, to protect herself from this woman, she couldn't do it. Lucy Cra
ne was immune to all her defenses.
Their interlude was interrupted by a sound outside the door. They looked up at the door. It took several moments before the door swung open, as if the person on the other side was trying multiple keys. When it finally opened, Pete walked in.
"What the?" Meg asked.
"You've got to get out of here, NOW,” Pete said in a whisper. "Paolo and company took a break to have dinner. You need to get out now before they come back.”
Meg sprung to her feet. "How did you get past the security?" she asked.
Pete shrugged. "I have my ways. Nothing a little bribery and brute force can't take care of.”
Meg stuck her head out into the hallway and noticed one of Paolo's thugs in a heap on the ground, legs and arms bound. She raised an eyebrow at Pete. "Didn't know you had it in you, Pete.”
Pete shrugged again and responded nonchalantly. "He and I may have had a little disagreement.”
Meg chuckled. "Okay. Remind me to thank you later, Pete. Right now, you need to help me with Lucy.”
"Why?" he asked, eying Lucy, who was still sitting on the floor.
"She got roughed up pretty good. I doubt she can walk. At least well,” Meg replied.
Lucy nodded, feeling like a useless piece of dead weight. She took a deep breath and spoke. "Leave me here. I'm just going to hold you back. Get out, Meg.”
"Like hell I am,” Meg said as she bent down to help Lucy up. She smiled at her, locking gazes with those damn entrancing blue eyes. "Besides, we have a mission to complete.”
They hurried down the hallway as fast as they could travel, Lucy propped between them. Once they were outside the computer room again, Lucy leaned against Pete as she worked her magic on the lock.
This time Meg was prepared. She entered swiftly, making short work of Ray. She decked him across the face with a nasty right hook and watched in satisfaction as he crumped to the ground. After helping Lucy to the chair in front of the mainframe computer, she and Pete bound and gagged the nerd.
Lucy's hands flew across the keys, working faster than she'd ever worked before. In short order she found a contact list of all of the terrorists set to release the deadly virus. She pulled a small thumb drive out of her cleavage, taking a moment to thank her lucky stars that Paolo hadn't searched her there. In no time, the information was loaded onto the drive. Now she just had to figure out a way to disable the missile.
When she finally found the security program that controlled access to the missile, she shuddered. She had written this program, often considered unhackable. Unimpeachable. Unimpregnable. It made her ill to think that a terrorist cell had gotten a hold of her software. Unluckily for them, if there was one person who could find a way to access the missile's controls without the proper credentials, it was her.
Meg paced back and forth, her eyes never leaving Lucy. It was captivating to watch her work. The way her fingers danced across the keys, the way she occasionally let out a little sigh of frustration, the way she'd brush a rogue lock of dark hair back behind her ear. Meg knew it was a risk. She knew her trust had been shattered. But she swore, if she ever got out of this alive, she'd try and make things right with Lucy. Try to make things work. This woman was far more special than she'd ever bargained for.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she was in. Lucy let out a sigh of relief. "I think I've got it,” she whispered. "Just pray I'm right.”
Meg swallowed hard and nodded. Pete looked on in anticipation.
"If I'm right, entering this last command should shut off the bomb. Then all I've got to do is upload a nasty computer virus that will fry the computer's hard drive. By the time things are up and running again, I'm sure headquarters can arrange a way to shut this place down for good. However . . . if I'm wrong. God only knows . . .” Lucy let out a deep sigh before proceeding.
Suddenly a loud alarm sounded and a countdown clock appeared on the screen.
"Shit!" Lucy said.
"What is it?" Meg asked, though that countdown did not give her much hope.
"I was able to dismantle the missile launch system, but now it's saying this whole place is set to blow in three minutes. These crazies must have a death wish. Success or die trying. Now that someone's thwarted their plans, they're just going to blow up their whole compound. We've got to get out of here.”
Wasting no time, Meg and Pete each threw one of Lucy's arms round their shoulders and headed from the room.
"I've got my truck waiting outside that door at the end of the hallway,” Pete said.
Practically at a run, they made it to the door in less than a minute.
As they exited the building, Lucy hesitated and then sank to the ground. Meg knew what she was thinking. Jim.
Lucy was overcome with sobs at once. She knew there was no way to help Jim now. There was no way to save him in time. She'd let him down. And she'd never forgive herself.
Lucy felt Meg's hand on her shoulder. She looked up into those chocolate brown eyes, wiping streaks of tears from her face. "I know he's innocent, Meg. I just know it. It's because . . . because . . .” She struggled to find an adequate explanation. It was on the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't come up with it.
Meg looked at Pete. "Take care of her for me.”
"Meg . . . no.” Lucy pleaded. As much as she'd wanted to save Jim, she knew it was a death sentence to go back in.
"Let me do this. Lucy. We don't have time to argue. Just know that . . . know that I love you. You take that to heart. Remember that. Remember me.” And with that Meg ran back into the building.
"Noooooo!" Lucy screamed between gut wrenching sobs.
Pete gently picked her up, ignoring her fists as they pounded his back, and carried her to the truck.
They watched the door of the compound intently.
Lucy felt as though she were awaiting her own execution. Her heart, her entire world was inside that building.
Suddenly, there was an earth-shattering blast, debris, heat, and fire bursting forth. Lucy wailed against Pete's shoulder. She'd just lost everything. Meg, in a last act of love, in an act of trust – something Lucy had so recently thrown away, was now dead.
Meg Murphy, the love of her life was dead. And all because she'd gone against her better judgment and trusted her.
Chapter Eighteen
Meg sprinted back into the building, hoping and praying that she could reach Jim in time. Yes, it was a risk. A giant one. She didn't know exactly how much time she had before the building blew, but it wasn't much. That she knew. It was also a risk because there was evidence the man she was risking her life to save was a traitor. But despite her doubts, she knew that she needed to trust Lucy. Trust her in spite of what had happened. Trust her completely. Trust her with her heart. Perhaps for the rest of her life. However, right now, how long that life would be was up in the air. It could be over within a matter of minutes.
She prayed that her memory served her correctly. Prayed that she wouldn't get lost on the way to where they'd guessed Jim was located. She continued running – there was no time for hesitation. She needed to be right. The first guess had to be right. After a few twists and turns down various corridors, she came to a screeching halt at the end of a hallway. There was a door. The door she hoped led to Jim's cell. Somehow, through a stroke of luck, it wasn't locked with some fancy electronic lock. She hadn't thought that part through – it would have been awful to get all the way here and not be able to open the door.
She took just a moment to take a deep breath. Then she reached out and tried the door handle. It was locked. She cursed under her breath and ran a hand through her golden locks. Now what? Then she remembered. She pulled out the key that Pete had given them, thankful that it hadn't been confiscated. Had they stayed put longer, surely Paolo and company would've found it. Her hand shook slightly as she aimed the key at the lock. She prayed it work. She let out a small sigh of relief as it entered the lock and turned the mechanism.
As the door swu
ng open, she saw a man lying listlessly on a cot. Even though he was covered in bruises and cuts, she was sure it was Jim. The all too familiar dark hair and blue eyes left her no doubt as to who it was. He was definitely a Crane. "We have to get out of here,” he said.
He nodded, struggled to his feet, and followed her from the room.
"Can you run?" she asked. He'd clearly been through some trauma and she wasn't sure he was up to it.
He nodded again. She knew that the time was running out. The alarm that had been blaring above took on a new and more urgent tempo and tone. Seeing a door at the end of the hallway, she sprinted for it, hoping Jim followed. She prayed that her gut was right, that she hadn't gotten turned around. Prayed that it led to the outside. She opened the door and was elated to be hit with the hot desert air. Freedom. She turned and motioned Jim through the door. Once he was out she followed and they kept running, trying to put some distance between them and the building. They'd gotten only a few feet away when it blew. Before Meg could register what was happening she was airborne. She felt searing hot pain as she was hit with shrapnel. And then everything went black.