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Beside me, Barbi is dragged along, her body limp and bruised. I see the anguish etched across her face, the defiance in her eyes waning, but not extinguished. I reach out to her, a futile attempt to provide some semblance of comfort, but the guards yank her away, laughing at my attempt to reach her.
As we approach the interrogation chamber, a surge of dread engulfs me. I know what awaits us within those walls. The prospect of Barbi enduring torment at the hand of Artemus tightens the knot in my stomach.
The guards shove us through the heavy door, the metallic clang reverberating through the room.
Artemus’s eyes gleam with malicious anticipation and his voice drips with sadistic pleasure. “I’m a patient man. I gave you a chance to save her, but since you chose to defy me, it’s time to resort to more persuasive methods.” He fumbles at his belt while gesturing to his guards to strip Barbi and hold her down on the table.
I know what comes next, what he’s capable of. My resolve wavers, the weight of Barbi’s impending rape making me want to do whatever it takes to spare her. I’m on the verge of caving, of giving him what he wants, to spare her from this agony.
Barbi’s voice pierces the air, filled with a strength I’ve never heard before. She lifts her head and our eyes lock. Stripped bare in front of these men does nothing to soften her resolve. “Guardian secrets are not worth my life. You promised.” Her terrified shout ends on a whimper. “You promised.”
Artemus’s sadistic smile widens at Barbi’s defiance, relishing the opportunity to break her spirit. He motions his guards to strap her down and spread her legs for him.
Barbi’s words jolt me back to reality, reminding me of the promise I made to her, to myself, and to my team. My heart pounds in my chest, torn between my need to protect her and the weight of my vow.
I steel myself, locking eyes with Artemus as I struggle to find the strength to withstand what is about to come. Memories of our love, our shared moments of happiness, fuel my resolve, but the horror of her impending suffering threatens to crush me.
Artemus’s smile fades, replaced by cold rage. In a sudden burst of fury, he lunges toward Barbi, his intentions clear. He drops his pants, palms his dick, tugging furiously to get hard, but before he can carry out his despicable act, the shrill sound of perimeter alarms echoes throughout the facility.
Artemus’s eyes widen, his grip on the situation slipping. Confusion clouds his face, and he stops. “We’ll deal with them later.” His voice filled with frustration as he zips up his pants and tightens his belt.
“Back to their cells?” One of the guards asks.
“No. Take them to the hole,” Artemus snaps the command, and his men jump to obey.
The sudden chaos injects a surge of hope into my veins. Perhaps there’s a chance for escape, a sliver of opportunity amidst the darkness?
Barbi’s released from the table and immediately yanked to her feet. Two guards grab my arms and haul me out of the room. As we’re dragged away, the distant sounds of gunfire reach our ears.
Theholeturns out to be a more fortified prison than the cells we were locked inside.
We’re shoved into a fortified room. Instead of iron bars, the door is heavy steel with a tiny slit at eye level. Its walls impenetrable. They toss us in and slam the door with a metallic ring of finality. The moment we’re alone, I strip out of my shirt and help her put it on. The shirt’s massively big on her, plus with all the cuts and tears, it really doesn’t offer her much in the way of coverage, but it’s better than nothing. Barbi and I huddle together, our bodies battered and broken, as we listen to the faint reverberations of gunfire in the distance.
THIRTY-TWO
Alec
The distant gunfireis a spark of hope in an otherwise impossible situation.
Barbi clings to me for strength. The moment stretches, making me wonder if I hallucinated the gunfire. Seconds tick by, stretching to minutes, until that flicker of hope within me dies.
Then, a rhythmic pounding in the hallway beyond the door pulls me up short.
“What is it?” Barbi struggles to a sitting position. She places her back to the wall and folds her legs up against her chest. Propping her chin on her knees, she wraps her arms around her shins. She looks—defeated.
She won’t survive much more.
“Men.” I place my ear against the steel door. “Down the hall, running.”
“Why would the guards…” She pauses and gives voice to a hope I won’t say aloud. “Do you think…?” But even she’s too frightened to hope.
The sound grows louder, closer, building to a crescendo. I peer out the tiny slit in the reinforced steel door, but there’s only darkness and shadows shifting on the opposite wall.
A figure in black rushes to the door. He bangs on the heavy steel, startling me. I jump back and stumble.
“Alec? Are you in there?”
Holy shit, I know that voice.