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I glance over at Addie and she gives me the subtlest of nods.
“Keep an eye on them,” Torres tells the guards. “I’ll be right back.”
As Torres walks away, I exchange a look with Deck indicating I’ve got the guard on the right, closest to me. I’m done waiting around, and my crew knows it.
Three…
Two…
One…
I take a flying leap toward the nearest guard, tackling him down hard, while Deck does the same to the other one. Meanwhile, Addie and Ryder order the gem expert to sit down and shut up. While they keep an eye on him, Deck and I subdue the guards fast. It’s honestly not that hard. They underestimated us, likely thinking we didn’t know how to fight, and that was a serious oversight on their part. A hard punch to the throat then an arm wrapped around the neck…squeeze…and it’s lights out. They both slump forward and we grab their guns and jump up.
“We need to split up,” Addie says. “Linc and Ryder, cover the main floor. Knox and I will head down a level. Stay in communication.”
I touch my earpiece and take off at a jog, forcing Addie to run alongside me or be left behind. Time is ticking down fast, each precious second echoing in my ears, and the need to find Hunter drives me forward.
“She’s in trouble,” I say, my voice full of the doom my heart feels. “I know it.”
Addie doesn’t comment, just races forward with me. As we pass by the huge glass wall leading out to the back patio and theupper pool where Hunter and I swam, I swear I get a whiff of her soft vanilla scent.
Hang in there, Sparrow, I’m coming.
No one is around and it’s far too quiet. My internal alarm bells are clanging. Something isn’t right, and my gut is screaming at me as I rush down the closest staircase.
“Knox!” Addie hisses.
Not stopping, sorry.Yeah, maybe I’m being careless, but the overwhelming need to find Hunter, to hold her in my arms and make sure she’s safe, propels me forward. I lift the gun I stole off the guard and hold it like a divining rod as I race forward. If anyone dares get in my way, I won’t hesitate to shoot.
At the bottom of the stairs is a long hallway and I hurry forward, stopping at a closed door with a panel beside it. Locked. I’m deciding how best to open it when Addie reaches me, out of breath.
“We need Linc,” she states, reaching up to touch her comms.
“No, we don’t.” I lift my gun and fire once…twice…blowing the door wide open.
Before she can criticize my impulsive move, I’m already pushing through, my gaze darting around some kind of mini museum filled with various art.
And then I see her.
Eyes shut, forehead leaning against the glass, Hunter is locked up in some sort of circular chamber meant to display art. Relief, quickly followed by worry and then a wave of fury, rolls through me as I run over to her.
Her head slowly lifts and surprise flashes across her face. Her mouth moves, and I think she calls my name, but I can’t hear her. The tube is sealed shut and no sound escapes it. Instantly, I know something is wrong. Her skin has a bluish cast to it and her eyes are slightly unfocused. She lifts a shaky hand, pressing it to her chest, and mouths, “No…air.”
“No air,” I repeat, and Addie curses beside me.
No. Air.
Fuck. Me.
Panic rears within me and I try to force it down and focus. Getting Hunter out is priority number one. Motioning for her to watch out, I lift the gun and fire off a shot. Nothing happens. It’s bulletproof glass.
“Dammit! We have to get her out!” I zero in on the control panel, needing the code in order to open the door. Only Torres will know the code, but there’s no time to search this entire house for him. I touch my earpiece. “Deck! Get down here!”
I can hear the panic in my voice.
“I’m a little busy up here,” he answers, and I hear gunshots.
“Hunter is locked up in some kind of tube and running out of air fast. I need the code to open the door. Do you have eyes on Torres?”