Page 51 of Secret Revenge
“Where’s the data?” Jonathan’s voice was cold and hard, sending a chill up my spine.
The data. If I can get him to take the data, and leave Travis…
But I already knew that wasn’t going to work. For it to work, Travis would have to stay hidden, and I doubted he was going to stand for that while there were guns pointed at me.
“I’ll get you the data,” I agreed, and I didn’t have to feign my terror. It’s−”
It was at this moment that I heard the bedroom door behind me creak open, and Jonathan’s eyes registered shock.
No, Travis! No, no, no…
But it was too late. The attacker’s aims shifted from me to Travis.
“Hey, Emily, was it−oh.”
I heard Travis stop cold in the bedroom door.
Run, run Travis, there’s a window in the bathroom…I thought furiously at him, but dared not speak aloud. There was no telling what might cause one of our captors to start firing their guns.
Travis didn’t move. The room grew so deathly still, that I could hear my breathing loudly in my ears.
The air cracked with dangerous energy. Jonathan glanced from Travis to me, and back to Travis, a look of delight slowly growing on his face.
“Ah, Travis Ross… Who would have thought? Now I understand why my star reporter had her sudden change of heart.”
Travis frowned and stepped forward. “What do you want?” His voice was commanding. He was so used to being in charge.
“Well, if you must know,” Jonathan said, straightening his arm and pointing his gun at Travis’ forehead. “I came here forthe files Emily stole from you. But I think you’ll be an even better prize for my employer.”
“Run!” I screeched, unable to contain myself any longer. I took a gamble, aiming a low kick at the knees of the henchman closest to me. But a moment later I was on the ground, crushed under the henchman’s weight with his arm around my neck.
“Let her go,” Travis’s voice was low and deadly.
“Oh no. You’llbothbe coming with us. Unless you see another option.”
I watched Travis’s gaze travel from me to Jonathan, then back to me. He didn’t see another option.
“Fine,” Travis’s voice dripped with disdain. “But if you harm her, there will be no refuge for you or your men.”
Travis, you noble idiot, run!
One of the men with Jonathan walked behind Travis and nudged him towards the door impatiently with his firearm. With all the guns trained on him, there was no way Travis could escape.
Someone has to have called the police,my mind tried to soothe itself.All these men with guns outside my apartment, someone has to have called…
My mind raced, seeking any way to stall them long enough for the police to arrive.
“Wait!” I cried out. “I have to change. I'm completely naked under this bathrobe! And if anybody sees me like this, surrounded by a bunch of men, they’ll know something’s wrong.”
There was a pause as Jonathan considered. “You find your clothesandthe data. I’m not leaving here without that flash drive.”
“Yes, sure,” I agreed, relief flooding me. Any moment of freedom I could get could be used as a weapon.
To my dismay, one of the henchmen followed me. I glared at him, sidling up to my closet and clutching my robe about me. “What are you, a pervert?”
He grumbled something incoherently, but turned around to face the wall. He’d know if I ran for the window, but maybe he wouldn’t be able to see what I put in my pockets.
I took my time changing my underwear. I selected the sturdy push-up bra I’d bought for my trip toCalypso−and pulled out the emergency burner phone Michael had given me. I was grateful that I’d stored the thing in my underwear drawer, hoping to deter anyone who might search my apartment from finding it. I quickly turned the phone on and sent Michael an SOS, then stuffed it into one of the cups of the sturdy bra.