Page 12 of All The Way Under

People go missing all the time in these waters, but I’m surprised the Teams didn’t know about the other hostages. Go with the flow, I remind myself. I eat more scraps and find a piece of untouched bread. I secretly slide it up my sleeve. A bargaining chip, depending on Saylor’s mood.

The men are talking among themselves, worried about me being loose, no doubt, but also weighing how much I can help them.

“I can help stabilize those stairs too. So you don’t sway in the fucking wind every time there’s a storm. I saw everything I needed to fix that on the walk here.”

Ah, was that too observant?

“I think,” I add on.

“We don’t let assets walk around and pretend they’re guests at a resort,” Raza says, opening the same door he came through to let other men in to clean.

I count them, cataloging their faces to memory. I grab some more food before it’s whisked away on primitive wooden trays and try to save as much as I can without anyone knowing.

“We let you out today to talk to you about asset twelve. Because she’s going to be here for a long time, it would be better if we could trust her out and about.”

“And her mother is crazy,” someone says under their breath.

I think about Bianca Wyndham’s information and try not to laugh. Of course she’s pulling strings from the other side of the world.

“If asset twelve can be free during the day without causing harm to our men, it would be better for everyone.”

Nery still has his weapon aimed at me, unsure of what I’m going to do next.

Raza doesn’t look phased by my presence any longer.

“You have size on your side. If you agree to help keep her under control, you get this”—he waves his arm to the tables—“and freedom during the day. We will keep two guards for you every day as well.”

How is this all falling into place so effortlessly? Without a challenge.

“She’s too much for you?” I question, moving toward a plate that hasn’t been cleared yet.

There were twenty-two plates. I counted them seconds after I entered. If I agree quickly, they’ll question me more than they already are.

Raza looks at me in that knowing way, and I stand a little taller—a challenge I subconsciously take.

“She killed two of my men.” She wasn’t bluffing. I’m impressed. “They have placed different rules for this asset due to her social standing. I’m merely giving you a better way of life in exchange for another set of eyes on her.”

So…no one wants her harmed. This must be humbling for these motherfuckers.

They kidnapped a woman, and not only can’t they harm her, but they must also give her things to satisfy the ransom guarantee.

If they don’t, some of the money will be held back.

This isn’t how my ransom will work. Not at all.

“Yes. Fine,” I say.

“Put the food back. We will feed her a proper meal,” Raza says, eyeing my sleeve. “Unless you’re still hungry.”

I nod, embarrassed they caught me red-handed.

Ravelo comes back with a meal and motions for me to exit. Nery follows me with the always looming threat of sedation.

The sun is up, igniting the tropical landscape surrounding us.

I don’t hide my appraisal. The dirt paths converge to a pebbly road in the distance.

The ocean is through the trees, perhaps two hundred yards from the trail we’re following back to the cage.

There’s a grouping of motorbikes and two vehicles.

One was the one we used to get here from the beach.

Others are lingering, barefoot, watching curiously as they lead me.

Not only do they not let assets walk free, but it also seems to be unheard of.

I swallow down the uneasy feeling of being somewhere foreign and dangerous.

When we get back to the cage, Saylor is up, clutching the bars. She’s not screaming, though. She is wearing my sweater. It falls to her mid-thigh. When she sees me, she sneers.

“You got out and left me,” she says, when I’m close enough to hear.

Nery appears from behind me, and Ravelo slides her a sack of food.

“Let’s calm down,” I say, hoping she doesn’t go full feral and make things more difficult.

It’s a new day. One in which I don’t have to be a sarcastic prick if I don’t want to.

“I have good news,” I add, flaring my eyes so only she can see.

Saylor takes the food and backs up so they can let me back into this damn hole. After they lock it behind them, I see the tears. Fuck. I do not know how to deal with any emotion, but this is the kind I’ve run from in the past.

“I’m so tired of being in here. You could have woken me up,” she whispers, eating the oatmeal-looking slop in a dish.

My stomach rumbles in hunger. I won’t be able to eat even a fraction of what I’m used to.

“I know we don’t see eye to eye, but think of things from my point of view,” Saylor says while chewing. “What if they let me out and not you?”

Fat chance. I wouldn’t be sleeping to begin with.

“I made a deal. We’ll be able to get out of here during the day. They said you’re such a pain in the ass, and you’ll be here for so long that part of your ransom agreement states you need freedom throughout the day.”

“How did you manage that?” she asks, big blue eyes staring into mine.

I shake my head. “By not screaming,” I say. “And by not killing people.”

The irony in this sentence isn’t lost on me, and I can’t resist flashing a little grin.

She notices and looks away. Saylor wipes at her face with the sleeves of my sweater, and I feel uncomfortable.

“Bullshit. It was my mother, wasn’t it? That’s who gave the terms of the ransom. How did you get involved?”

Stretching with arms against the bars, I ignore how seeing her in my clothes makes me feel. It looks like she’s naked underneath, and it’s been a long time since a thought like this has crossed my mind. The proximity of her doesn’t help, either.

“They wanted to make sure I wasn’t a flight risk. We’re going to have to work,” I say. “Don’t get too excited. We’re not going to be sipping cocktails in a lounge chair.”

Saylor narrows her eyes. “Who said that’s what I want to do? I’d literally lick the ground and roll in a mud puddle if it meant getting out of here for any amount of time. To pee somewhere other than a hole would be enough.”

She finishes eating and pushes the bowl away with her foot.

“When are they letting us out?” She stands, grabbing the bars next to me. “Thanks for the sweater, by the way. I’m going to assume I can keep it.”

The urge to say something scathing bubbles, but I hold my breath and keep it buried. I nearly choke on the next words.

“You’re welcome.” Even though I feel her gaze, I don’t dare turn my face to see it head on. I’m too out of character right now. “They didn’t tell me what time. I think this is where patience comes into play.”

Swallowing down all the vitriol on the tip of my tongue, I back away from the bars and her and sit down, stretching my legs in front of me.

I need to work out. That’s what is wrong with me.

I have too much pent-up testosterone without an outlet.

Women have never been a focus of mine, especially because of how much trouble they always seem to be.

Saylor lifts my sweater over her head, and her shirt underneath rides up, exposing her black lace bra. I look away, but she’s in my peripheral. There’s no escaping her. I take this time to remind myself who she is and how she lives outside of these dirt walls. She ties the sweater around her waist.

“Brody,” she says, spinning to face me.

I look her way now that it’s safe, but I don’t respond to my name.

“Tell me everything you saw out there. I need to be prepared.”

This is safe. This is work. I tell her all I saw, and she listens intently.

“I bet my sat phone is in the stilted house where the food was,” she says, sitting in front of me. “They weren’t hostile. Did you see any women?”

I shake my head. “They do have two other assets. There is another side to this base, or that’s what they said. I’m leery of believing everything all at once until I see things for myself. I offered to help fix a broken bike engine, and they seemed to like that skill.”

“I can fix things too,” Saylor chimes in. “What else?”

She listens like it’s the most interesting bedtime story in the world. When I’ve given all the facts, she looks at me quietly for a beat or two, just looking into my eyes. It makes me uncomfortable, but I allow it, and I’m not sure why.

“You’re different today,” she says. “The vibes are different.” Saylor smiles widely, challenging me to offend her vibes .

I hold the eye contact. She has flecks of lighter blue inside the deep blue. They may be the most unique eyes I’ve ever cared to notice. Nolan and I have blue eyes, but it’s the standard color everyone has.

“I had a good night’s sleep,” I lie. “It’s a new day. Don’t worry, I’m still cranky and mean at heart. The prospect of exploring has issued a temporary halt on sardonic insults.”

She smiles wider, and now it’s time to look away. I pick a spot outside and stare diligently.

“What can you fix?” I ask.

I need her to tell me more about her so the things in my head don’t accidentally come out and make me a liar.

The fact is, I know practically everything about her life without knowing who she is as a person.

I find it surprising the two things don’t match in any way, shape, or form, or perhaps the stereotype I labeled her with is dead ass wrong.

“Everything, pretty much. I’m best with computers, but my dad can fix anything, and I helped him since I was a little girl.”

At the mention of her dad, her voice changes.

“I miss my family so much, which doesn’t make any sense because I’d still be sailing right now and still not seeing my family. Something about being trapped here and not knowing when I’ll see them again really makes me sad.”

If she only knew how long they were intending to keep her, she’d probably start screaming again. I’ll keep that fact to myself.