Hastily she reached for the knob of the door, preparing to close it before anyone witnessed her presence, their focus on their prisoner in the corner. But as a final man entered, Alexis couldn’t hold back the gasp that escaped her lips.
He’s dressed to the nines. Full three-piece black suit, pocket square and matching tie, shoes shinier than slick ice. He’s a man of power and fear with a face that Alexis could never forget. How could she when she wore a constant reminder of him around her neck?
Whether he could sense her company or merely heard her gasp of air, she’d never knew. But Alexis made no mistake that his eyes mirrored the same amount of confusion as hers when they landed on her face just as she closed the door completely.
With a shove, she heaved the chair under the doorknob, locking the door in place temporarily. As if the god Mercury had taken over her body, Alexis moved as fast as lightning through the hall to the abandoned room.
With the help of the chair, she was able to remove the vent cover and jump into the metal shaft.
“Which way, Heath?”
“Go to your right five yards, then you’ll meet a fake barrier.”
She aimlessly followed his direction in the bleakness until her head bumped against a wall. With all her might, Alexis shoved at the false wall until it gave way. Dirt and rocks crumbled around her as she maneuvered her body out of the tunnel.
“I’m out,” she breathed in relief as she pushed up from her knees to stand.
“Head two miles to your left toward the canal then continue for five miles. That’s where I’ll pick you up.”
Alexis scrambled away from the opening, tripping over her own feet in the process, the sandy ground coating her hands as she braced herself against the fall. But she knew there was no time to waste, the sounds of heavy feet closed in as the goonies raced after her.
She weaved in and out of trees until she reached the small canal of water Heath described.
“I’m at the water,” Alexis declared as she moved back into the tree line, staying out of the sight of the men chasing her. Thank goodness for the years in high school running long-distance because if there was ever a time to need the stamina to run for long distances, then that was this moment.
Steadying her breaths, Alexis listened to the pounding of her feet on the ground as she weaved around the trees and bushes. To her horror, an opening lay ahead, and knowing that she’s only about three miles into her trek, she realized that she’s about to make herself an open target.
The men couldn’t be too far behind her, they don’t appear to be the kind that gave up easily. With a deep inhale, letting the air fill her lungs, Alexis prepared herself for the sprint.
She turned to look over her shoulder and caught the eye of a man quickly approaching. She aimed her gun in his direction and pulled the trigger. Her shot hit the target dead-on, a surprise to Alexis due to her wavering energy, and the man fell to the ground.
Four more men approached her line of sight, just far enough away that she should be able to cut across the clearing just in time – hopefully.
With one final prayer, Alexis tucked her gun in its holster, took a deep breath, and ran for her life. Her feet pounded the surface, the dark night sky doing little to illuminate the area around her. She’s thankful for the night-vision goggles that offered some form of illumination.
But the other men must have a pair as well because just as she reached the endpoint of her sprint, a bullet soared by her head, lodging itself in a nearby tree.
Three more shots fire off.
Pain. Excruciating pain overtook her as bullets hit her shoulder and thigh, both threatening to bring her to her knees. But Alexis knew that if she faltered now, she’d have no escape. This was her only chance out.
Miraculously she made it to the woods and ducked behind a large tree truck, hunkering down toward the ground, as close to the sandy soil as possible. Ripping her gun free from its holster, she peered around the tree, trigger poised at the ready.
Despite the wound on her dominant shoulder, she knew she could still expertly aim and shoot; Alexis always practiced shooting giving both hands time on the trigger.
The first man came within the scope and Alexis fired off two shots, then turned her attention to the other three men approaching, proficiently taking them out as well.
She continued to scan the surrounding area, not finding anything amiss, then turned back behind the tree.
“Heath, I’ve been hit. Took out five men. I’m just outside the clearing.”
“Sit tight until I’ve located you. Don’t move.”
Her vision began to swirl as she rested against the tree. Through the haze Alexis slipped her belt free from her pants and fastened it around her thigh, just above the bullet wound. She tensed as she took in the amount of blood pouring from her leg and couldn’t imagine that her shoulder looked any better.
“I’m losing a lot of blood.”
“Fuck. I’m coming for you, okay? Don’t go out on me,” Heath cried out. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”