Page 97 of The Shop on Hidden Lane

Bruce obeyed but he did not shed any of his battle-ready tension. He was ready to defend his pack.

They all turned around to face Hatch’s private security team.The blondes were armed with high-powered pistols. They wore head-to-toe black—matching uniforms, black caps, and black boots.

“Damn,” Bea muttered. “It’s those two again.”

“Meet the armed Barbies,” Deke said.

“No offense,” Sophy said to the team, “but the tuxes were a better look for both of you.”

Fifty-Two

“We don’t have time forthis,” Bea said in her soothing psychic-knows-best voice. “We must get out of here immediately. Surely you can feel the energy levels rising. There’s going to be an explosion and we’ll all be buried under the rubble.”

The twins ignored her. Sophy wasn’t surprised.

“Forget trying to talk sense into them, Bea,” she said. “The Alchemist has probably promised them that they will be fantastically rich at the end of this project.”

“No more talking,” Blonde Number One said.

Blonde Number Two gestured with the pistol. “Through that doorway, all of you. The Harper woman is right, we don’t have a lot of time. The Alchemist is waiting.”

Sophy looked at Luke, who was exchanging silent messages with Deke. She knew they were planning a desperate move that would no doubt get at least one of them killed. Even if it worked it might not buy them the time they needed. There was only one hope for surviving the day.

“No,” she said quietly.

The men looked at her. So did Bruce.

“She’s right,” Bea said firmly. “We don’t have time. Sophy is our best chance.”

“Shut up,” Blonde Number One snapped. “Move.”

Luke and Deke exchanged another look and then evidently made their decision.

They went through the door, Bruce at Luke’s heels. Sophy and Bea followed.

The security team escorted them down a short, glowing passageway and into a large, circular chamber. Except for a small patch of bare concrete, the curved walls and the domed ceiling were covered in mirrored tiles. The uncovered section explained the source of the hypno-tiles, Sophy thought. They had been pried off the wall.

Ten six-foot-tall towers fashioned of the same mirror-finish alloy stood in a ring at the center of the chamber.

Inside the circle was a pedestal. Six round, faceted crystals were lined up on top. Each glittering stone was about two inches in diameter.

The mirrored chamber was bizarre, but it was the seething currents of energy swirling in the space that rattled Sophy’s senses.

She caught her breath. “So much power.”

“So stupid to mess with it,” Bea said.

Deke looked at her.

“Still think this is the best way out?” he asked softly.

“It’s the only way out,” Bea said. She looked at Sophy. “Isn’t it?”

Sophy met Luke’s eyes. “I think so, yes.”

“It’s too late,” Hatch said, his voice flat. “The energy levels are close to ignition point. Had them under control, or thought I did, until the fucking insane idiot decided to crank up the intensity of the light. It’s amazing there hasn’t been an explosion already. Just a matter of minutes now, if that.”

Sophy and the others turned toward him. He was hunkered down on the floor of the chamber, his arms wrapped around his updrawn knees. He regarded them with hopeless resignation.