Page 126 of The Prize

I backed up, terrified of what was behind us. Three more steps and we’d be on a path that would lead to a catastrophic fall.

Elliot wielded his gun back on Wilder. “Off you go now.”

Tobias grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug. Elliot’s gun shot off, barely missing Tobias. He ducked and covered his left ear, where the bullet had flown by, and at the same time shielded me.

“Now!” Tobias yelled.

We turned and leaped onto the Rube Goldberg.

“Hold on tight,” Tobias shouted.

The device tipped and we dropped with it—

If I was going to die it would be with him beside me. I was comforted by the vague thought that if anything happened to us the feds would at least find the paintings.

But what if they didn’t...

Hurtling downward—

The air caught in my throat as I was flung forward and bashed my forehead against the railing when we bounced to a stop, and there came a jolt of pain in my hands and knees. Reaching out, I had a white-knuckle grip on the edge and felt a pinch to my back where Wilder had grabbed a fistful of my shirt to hold on to me.

Squeezing my eyes shut so not to see the cavern below, sucking in a desperate breath, I said, “What’s that noise?” I refused to look.

“Let’s pick up the pace.”

We were on our feet and running down the bouncing frame.

“Hook your carabiner onto the rail. We have to jump.” Wilder hooked his carabiner and I did the same. The gate closed on my silver mechanism and I gave it a tug to check that it would take my weight.

“Now!” he yelled.

I glimpsed a blur of movement as that enormous ball barreled toward us with blinding speed. We leaped into the air and there came a jolt through my body of being caught by my rope, and I swung beneath the rail, tethered beneath the bar—then came a rumbling overhead as that ball rolled within feet above us and continued fast down the track, setting off a chain reaction.

Dangling midair, we swapped a glance of relief that we’d missed it.

Following Tobias’s lead, I lowered myself to the level beneath and the frame bounced again when we found our footing. I unhooked the other end of my carabiner and grabbed another one from my belt to make ready if we needed to leap again. We hurried downward, knowing the unpredictability of another threat that could catch up with us.

Ducking when a wood panel swung round and nearly took our heads with it. Tobias led the way to a large chrome stand and we landed on it with a thud. It took us up and over to another level. We navigated the series of steps taking us down.

“This way.” Tobias gestured ahead.

When we made it to firm ground, I managed a quick glance up toward where we’d left Elliot Burell and saw he was no longer there. A shudder of cold ran down my spine.

Against the brick wall was set a metal ladder leading up into the darkness and it reached all the way to a dizzying height of at least five hundred feet. This was how far we’d fallen.

My body trembled; my breaths raspy as I tried to grasp what we’d faced.

“Well done, Leighton.” He shook his head and his voice softened. “Zara.”

I turned to face him. “Yes?”

“You’re fucking amazing. You know that, right?”

“I’m not leaving without them,” I said firmly.

Up was the only way out. I went ahead and Tobias followed me onto the metal ladder. Halfway up the arduous trek my palms were raw from the tension of each bar I gripped with fading strength.

Eventually, we made it to the same level where we’d been standing. This was the other side.