Page 84 of Secrets Along the Shore

His combat boots made little noise on the sturdy floor. This building had to be newer than Viktor’s Dubrovnik home. Every door was solid. The floor didn’t creak under his weight. Another left turn brought him to a row of rooms. He checked the first door. Dim lightfrom the hallway lit an empty room. He moved onto the next. Same. Then the third. Nothing but some boxes and rifles laying out. Viktor seemed to have a small army. Two hundred men, and a lot of weapons.

Tyler skipped the fourth door, with the sound of snoring coming from inside. Maybe he’d gotten to the rooms where Viktor’s people stayed. The fifth door was locked. The sound of clothing shifting inside drew his attention. A muffled feminine whimper came through the door. Had to be Elara.

He grabbed a card from his pocket that Von said would unlock a spring lock. Forcing it between the lock and the door frame. He bent it. After a couple of seconds, the lock clicked. Sliding away the card, he opened the door. Just like the other room where the targets had been kept, the window was boarded up. The dim light from the hallway revealed two huddled forms on the floor.

Tyler entered the room, nudging the door closed behind him. He kept his hand on the door for a second to ensure it stayed cracked. Who knew if it’d lock on its own, and he didn’t care to find out. With his rifle against his back, he stepped over to his targets. He knelt beside Elara’s shadowed form. How would she react when he woke her up? Lash out? Scream? He couldn’t let her do that.

Resting a hand over her shoulder, he clamped his other hand over her mouth as she shot upright. Her hand hit his shoulder. Then his jaw. She didn’t hit hard, but she also couldn’t see what she was hitting. She gasped behind his hand.

“Shh. Calm down.” He kept his voice quiet.

Something hard smacked into his shoulder. Not a fist. An object. Maybe a sturdy toy? Keeping a hand over Elara’s mouth, Tyler grabbed onto Rian’s arm. “Hey. Quit it.”

The kid cried out.

“Quiet. I’m here to get you out.” Tyler checked the door over his shoulder. Their next-door neighbor might wake up if they didn’t quiet down.

Elara yanked his hand off her mouth. “Get away from us!” She pulled Rian away and slid back toward the wall.

Tyler sighed. Of course, this couldn’t be easy. But they couldn’t see him, and he could barely make out their forms. “Elara, Koen sent me.”She had to trust him. They were short on time. He doubted that it’d take the Rukas long to find their drugged man. Especially if they expected to see him bring those crates inside. Not to mention, he hadn’t closed the door. The Rukas down the other hall might check on them.

“Koen? My dad sent you?” Surprise filled her voice.

“Yeah, he did.” Tyler shifted to remove the cramp developing in his legs.

She choked on a sob.

“Momma,” Rian whispered.

“It’s okay.” Elara cleared her throat. “You can get us out of here?”

“Yes. But I need you to confirm that you’re Elara.” He didn’t have visual confirmation since he couldn’t see anything. “What was your first childhood pet?” Asking about something related to someone’s private life—like a pet—was an easy way to confirm their identity since most people didn’t have that information.

“A bunny.”

Tyler nodded once. “What was it named?”

“Bunny.”

Rian laughed, which made Tyler crack a brief smile. At least, the boy was alright. It’d take time for him to adjust to things, but he was far from traumatized by recent events.

Strong kid.

“I was five,” Elara explained. Her form shifted against the wall as she stood. She lifted her hand and might have put it on her head.

The blood on the bed at Viktor’s home. She’d been bleeding before. “Are you hurt?” Tyler checked the door again.

“I-I, uh, Viktor hurt my head. It bled a lot yesterday.”

“Head wounds tend to do that.” How much blood had she lost? She could have had a concussion or maybe was weak and dizzy from blood loss. “Can you walk?”

“I think so.”

“Good.” Tyler pushed off the floor, held in a groan, and stood. “We need to move.”

Elara stayed against the wall. “You confirmed that I’m Koen’s daughter, but I need you to confirm you know my dad.” Rian shiftedagainst her hip. An object swung back and forth in her hand near her waist. A bag of something?

“I’m breaking you out of here, that should confirm who I am.” He stepped back to the door and lifted his M4.