I wait until I can’t hear the engine sounds any more, then, when I’m as certain as I can be that everyone has left, I rip off the sack hood they put over my head and take a couple of deep breaths.
I take a brief look around, but the room is mired in darkness. What little I can make out is bare and nondescript. It looks like a cabin, but it’s definitely seen better days. Fortunately for me, the rotted sidings where a sliver of moonlight peeks through means it shouldn’t be too hard for me to escape if the door is actually locked.
First things first, I need to untie myself from this chair. The rope is tight, but not impossibly so, but it still takes longer than I’d like to pick apart the knots in the dark. Thank God my hands are free.
As I work, I scan the room more thoroughly as my eyes acclimatize to what little light there is. I think I can make out a rickety table in the corner, and what looks like a broken chair lying on its side near the door - a potential weapon if needed.
Finally, with both legs free, I rub my ankles to restore circulation, and gingerly test my balance. The last thing I need is to find myself crumpled on the floor if I’m not alone.
As much as I want to rush, I take care as I creep to the door and press my ear against the worn wood.
Nothing.
Slowly, I turn the knob. It's unlocked. Either they're incredibly stupid or dangerously confident. I’m not sure which is more favorable.
Easing it open, I find myself in a second room. There are windows in here, easing the darkness, so I hurry towards one and peek out.
The view outside confirms my suspicions, we are indeed in a wooded area, but not just any. This is worse than I imagined, because even by the light of the moon, I recognize the lush greenery and murky water stretching as far as I can see as the Everglades.
Definitely not a walk in the park.
The only good thing is it’s a full moon, so it’s relatively bright. Still, there are no signs of civilization. No streetlights or buildings with lit windows. Just wilderness. Everywhere.
I pull the burner phone out of my pocket, so I can ring someone to help me, but of course, there’s no damn signal out here in the wild. I don’t let it discourage me. Once I get out of here, I can try again.
I can see the rough track they must have used to access this place. I can follow it to get to the highway, so I don’t get completely lost. There’s bound to be a signal there.
Carefully, I scan for any movement, straining to hear engines or voices, but there's only the buzz of insects and occasional bird call. They really did leave me here to die.
A chill runs down my spine despite the humid air. I need to move fast, but I’m really not dressed for it in the black sheath dress and heels I left Elysium in. With the windows from this room pouring more light into the one I was kept in, I go back to see if I missed anything in the dark and breathe a sigh of relief when I see my bag. Half the contents have been scattered, but I pluck out a pair of stretchy leggings, a thin, long-sleeved tee-shirt, and the sneakers I bought from the convenience store.
I scramble out of my dress, pocket my burner - there’s no sign of my iPhone - and leave all the other clothing except for the second pair of leggings and an oversized top. Repacking anything personal, along with my wallet, which they surprisingly didn’t bother with, I head for the only entrance and try the handle. This door is locked, but I don’t hesitate in taking the chair leg to the already broken window and knocking the glass out. I’m just finishing up, making sure there aren’t any shards to catch myself on - bleeding is the last thing I need with a bunch of alligators around - when I hear the distant sound of vehicles once again.
“Fuck!” I mutter under my breath.
My heart races as I strain to identify the distance of the approaching vehicles. Yep, they're definitely getting closer. Time to get out of here.
I hoist my bag over my shoulder and clamber through the window, wincing as I nick my arm on a stray shard of glass after all.
Cursing, I drop to the muddy ground outside, crouch low, and scurry towards the tree line, my sneakers squelching in the damp earth.
The engine sounds grow louder and headlights bounce, splitting the darkness and showing more than one vehicle.
Not only that, but they’re blocking my escape. I need that road so I don’t get lost in this godforsaken swamp and become gator chow.
Pressing myself against a thick cypress trunk, I will my ragged breathing to quiet as I try to come up with a new plan. Wandering aimlessly around the everglades without so much as a flashlight is suicide.
I take a chance on venturing deeper into the woods while still trying to keep the buildings in sight and praying I’ll be able to find my way back after they’ve gone.
Chapter 19
NIKO
The SUV bumps and bounces on the dirt track we’ve pulled onto. Dense vegetation closes in around us, branches scraping against the windows. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating a path barely wide enough for the vehicle, and the telltale reflection of black, brackish water through the undergrowth. Yuri takes his time, carefully navigating this godforsaken trail, and I have to stop myself from urging him to move faster, but despite my impatience, I know caution is better than ending up half-submerged in the damn swamp.
After what seems like an age, we finally approach a cluster of buildings.
“We’ll need to search each of them individually,” Darian says. “There’s too much wildlife to be certain of any one signature.”
