Red Awakening (Red Zone 2)

“I’m good here,” she said. “It seems to me like this is the safest place for me, and I have no problem talking to you while I float.” Or watching them bicker like children. Was this normal behavior during an abduction? She always imagined it would be far more serious and a whole lot scarier. Maybe they were new to this?

Eyepatch pointed at the Amazon. “Get her out. That’s an order.”

For a second, it looked like the woman was still going to refuse, but she let out a disgusted grunt instead. “Fine. Turn around,” she snapped. “I don’t want you two perverts watching me while I strip.”

Eyepatch turned. The other guy shrugged. “Like I’m interested in seeing you naked,” he said before turning his back to her, too.

“I can’t believe I have to do this,” the Amazon grumbled as she reached for her boots. “I am totally going to dunk you a few times before I toss your ass out of there.”

Keiko debated whether she should wait until the woman had undressed before telling her she planned to get out. It was clear that, one way or another, she was getting out of the pool, and she would rather walk out than get hauled out by Amazonia.

With a sigh, she stopped the strip show. “Don’t bother getting undressed. I’ll get out.”

“About time.” The woman picked up the robe and held it out again. “I’m glad you saw reason. Do you know how much hassle it would be to get all this gear off?”

Keiko could imagine it would take quite a while for the woman to strip, given that she had a gun strapped to each thigh and who knows what else on her person. “I’ll get out. But first, I want to know if the man I’m with is okay. He should have been here by now. Are you holding him somewhere?”

“Mace is perfectly safe,” Eyepatch said.

A chill went up her spine at the familiarity in his voice. Had they been watching Mace? Was this all about him? After all, they were in his hotel room.

“Prove he’s fine,” she said, making no move to swim to the side of the pool.

“I can’t. He isn’t here yet. In fact, we were wondering if you could tell us where he is.”

It definitely sounded like this might be about Mace. “I don’t want to tell you anything.”

“Well, how about you just get out of the water and wait for him with us?” From his tone, it was clear Eyepatch was losing his patience.

Tough for him.

“Damn. I was really hoping I wouldn’t have to get in there, but seeing as you haven’t moved an inch…” Amazon reached for her boots again.

“No.” Keiko held up a hand to stop her. “It’s fine. I’ll get out. Don’t look,” she ordered her intruders, bizarrely expecting them to comply. “I’m getting out.”

The two men gave impatient grunts but kept their backs to her. They were strange criminals, oddly courteous and accommodating. The Amazon leaned over, offering a hand to help her out of the water. Keiko reached for it, but instead of climbing out, she yanked hard and pulled the woman into the pool. The loud splash made the men turn. Keiko didn’t give a damn about their attention; she’d achieved what she’d intended.

With a graceful push, she climbed out of the pool and headed for the towels. Let them look. She wasn’t shy, and she wasn’t about to let her nudity embarrass her.

The woman surfaced behind her, spluttering and coughing. Keiko smiled at her. Which only infuriated the Amazon further.

“That’s it. I’m going to shoot her.” The woman glared at her.

“Go ahead,” Keiko taunted the beast. “Laser pistols don’t work when they’re soaked.”

“I bet a knife would work fine.”

“Give it a rest,” Eyepatch said. “This is turning into a Three Stooges movie. Can we please try to act like trained professionals?”

While they grumbled at each other, Keiko reached for a towel as she went over her options. There weren’t many. Unless… She’d seen a dumbwaiter in the dining room. The freight elevator was tiny, mainly used for sending up meals, but she bet she could fit inside it. All she had to do

was get in there. A surge of adrenaline made her shake, but it was easier to feign being calm now that she had an escape plan.

“Don’t even think about running,” Eyepatch said as though reading her mind. “It won’t end well.”

That made her hackles rise. “What if I’d rather throw myself off the building than talk to you?”

“You seem like a smart woman, and that would be a dumb move.”