Page 77 of Into The Rabbit Hole

“That’s where they are,” Wes said into his ear. “You’ve cleared the traps so keep going. The ground from here lookssafe.”

On hearing that, Wade jumped off the wall and bent his knees to take the impact of hislanding.

“Wade, watch out, it’s Zeek!” Wescried.

Wade turned and came face-to-face with Zeek. He’d come out of nowhere and he was carrying agun.

Zeek smiled at him, believing the gun would scare Wadeaway.

It didn’t. Wade was past feeling scared. This little idiot had put him through so much and had done so much wrong that all that was in Wade’s mind now was to endhim.

Zeek raised the gun at him, but Wade stepped straight in the line of the barrel and grabbed it from him, throwing it to oneside.

The shocked look on Zeek’s face was classic, but it was immediately replaced when Wade landed a cross punch and an upper cut in quick succession straight in hisface.

He heard his nose break and blood spurted from hisnostrils.

The impact sent Zeek flying, but the fool was dumb enough to get up and come at Wade, who had a jab waiting forhim.

With a kick to the stomach, Wade took him down and jumped on him to beat the life out ofhim.

“Wade.”

That voice was too close to belong to Wes. Wade looked up and saw Brian coming towardshim.

Wade was gasping and panting from the anger that raced through his blood. He wanted to finish Zeek off, make him pay for everything he’d done. For killing Merissa. He didn’t have to kill her. He could have kidnapped her and tortured her, anything would have been better than death. When he looked at Zeek he saw a man who had murdered an innocent woman who deserved so muchmore.

“Leave him,” Briancried.

“Wade,” Wes’ voice came on line. “Listen to Brian. Leave Zeek. You have forty minutes to get out of there and disable thebombs.”

Wade stood up and looked down at Zeek. He was out cold and Wade hoped he was in pain. He looked at Brian as he camecloser.

“Come on, son,” he beckoned Wade. “I lost your mother back there. Let me help you find the girls and then I have to get help for yourmom.”

“Stay with me, I have a plan.” Wade gathered himself and tried to calm down. “Wes is above us with surveillance of most of the area. I have a microphone so I can hear and speak tohim.”

“Really?” Brian looked both surprised andimpressed.

Wade nodded. “The girls are up there.” He moved quickly towards the stairs and Brianfollowed.

As soon as Wade got up the stairs, he heard crying. He could hear both Taylor andChloe.

He kicked the door open and almost heaved from the smell and the disgusting sight of the corpse with the maggots crawling all overit.

His eyes went straight to Chloe’s and then toTaylor.

“I’ll get Taylor, you take care of Chloe,” Brianinstructed.

“Dad.” Wade heard Taylor cry. It didn’t even sound strange to hearit.

His poor Chloe looked happy and relieved to see Wade, but she was crying so much she couldn’ttalk.

“Baby, don’t cry. I got you,” Wade said, going over to her. He went behind her and untied the ropes that bound her hands. They were so tight it left her skin raw and bruised around her wrists. As soon as she was free she made a move to hug him, but then stopped because of the bombvest.

“Wade, thanks for coming,” she cried evenmore.

“I’m sosorry.”