Masked (26 page)

Pete appeared beside her, his eyes wide in alarm. The Archers were making a half circle around them, their guns pointed at the soldiers who were keeping their distance. Charlotte looked over to see Bridgette frozen by the front door, her top teeth biting worriedly at her bottom lip. Roman was making his way over, hands out at his side.

Charlotte looked to Pete. “We need to get Bridgette and leave,” she said. “Those soldiers will not hesitate to shoot each and every one of us if we stick around.”

“And risk killing him?” Trent said, nodding his head at Ludwig.

Charlotte nodded. “Of course. They’re the best trained soldiers, Trent. They’d have no problem shooting us and missing him in the process.”

“Then why aren’t they firing?” Phoenix asked, her mask now discarded on the floor along with the others. Charlotte still wore hers. She was so used to hiding her face around the citizens of the upper section, she felt like she couldn’t take the thing off. Old habits die hard indeed, she thought.

“Because I haven’t given them the signal,” Ludwig said, his voice even.

Trent pushed the barrel in harder against his skin. “And why is that, huh?” he asked through clenched teeth. “Playing with us as a cat would a mouse?”

Ludwig chuckled, unperturbed. “Funny you should say that.” He looked at Charlotte, and she could have sworn she saw a hint of sadness and betrayal in his eyes that hurt more than she thought it would, coming from him. “For one thing,” he continued, “I’m not about to go and risk Dinah getting shot amongst this commotion.”

“Her name is Charlotte,” Pete said, stepping closer to him, hands balled into fists at his side. “Use it.”

Ludwig raised his eyebrows, the only sign that what Pete had said had any effect on him. “The name I gave her was given out of respect for her, and signalled her freedom.
That
name was given to her by a man who would no sooner think twice about her life than he would a stranger on the street, yet she carries his blood within her veins. I stand here, protecting her like I have since the day I met her. That’s more than anyone in her family could say. And more than you could
.
”

Charlotte placed her hand on Pete’s arm to keep him from doing anything stupid. Ludwig’s words hit her in a place she hadn’t known existed, one she wasn’t ready to acknowledge – that of a girl severely let down by the ones who were supposed to be her protectors.

“What’s the other?” Lake asked, her gaze trained on the New World leader.

Ludwig looked toward the speaker, his eyes widening a fraction at the sight of her, before returning to the bored look he was so good at maintaining. “The other what, love?”

“You said for one thing,” Lake replied, “suggesting there was more than one reason we’re all still standing here alive. Why else haven’t you given your men the signal to shoot?”

He smiled his approving smile when someone’s passed a test they weren’t even aware they were taking. Charlotte had been on the receiving end of that smile plenty of times. If there was one thing Ludwig loved most, it was saying things to see how well people were paying attention. Charlotte had also realized he was hiding another reason, but was still too caught up in what he’d said before to voice it.

“I’m afraid I had my own plans for this evening,” he answered. “And to be honest, this whole scenario is rather working in my favour, I should say. I’m almost happy you’re all here.”

Charlotte could see them all giving each other confused looks as they tried to make sense of his riddles, but Charlotte knew more than they did.

“Is this about my father?” Charlotte asked, even though she already knew the answer. Ludwig turned back to her, giving her that look that said he knew she knew the answer, and not to ask stupid questions. She’d also been on the receiving end of
that
look as well, many times in the past.

“What about him?” Pete said.

Charlotte looked back toward her sister, to see that Roman was now standing not too far from them, his hands still out, weaponless. Their eyes met, and he nodded subtlety in greeting, which took her back for a moment. She’d almost forgotten about him throughout this conversation, and his obvious knowledge of who was behind the silver mask at the door. The fact that he knew it was Bridgette made Charlotte want to get them all out of there even faster. Having her sister across the room from her was making her extremely nervous. The last thing they needed was for someone to put a gun to Bridgette’s head in retaliation. Thankfully she didn’t think anyone else was aware of the identity switch, aside from Roman. Well, and now Ludwig, of course.

Charlotte looked back to Ludwig. “You were hoping he’d take this chance to get Bridgette back, yes?”

He didn’t nod, just looked at her.

“Was that him who tried to take her before? At the explosion in the warehouse?”

Again he made no movement.

“Why is he so anxious to get her back? He’s the whole reason she’s here.”

This time he shrugged, and said, “I assumed he was after you, not her. I have no idea what motivates your father to do anything that he does.”

“And so now you think that the fact we’re both here means he’ll show for sure?”

Ludwig smiled. “One can only hope. Your father never was one for missed opportunities.”

Trent nudged him with the gun. “That’s enough out of you,” he said. “We need to get out, now. Those soldiers are starting to look antsy, and I really don’t want to wait and see how strong their restraint is.”

“He’s right,” Phoenix said.

“Oh my God, hell has frozen over,” Seamus said.

“Either that, or when we get outside there will be pigs up there instead of stars,” Garrett added.

“Really? Is this any time to be joking around?” Trent gritted.

“I’m not joking,” Seamus said seriously. “I never thought I’d live to see the day she says you’re right about anything. I feel like I could die happy right now.”

“That could definitely be arranged,” Ludwig said.

All their voices joined in as one simultaneously, “shut up.”

“Everyone head over to the front doors, but stay close together,” Pete ordered.

“What about him?” Vi asked, nodding at Roman.

Pete looked back at Charlotte in question. “I’m not really his favourite person, I don’t think,” he said.

“Really? I thought the two of you were getting to be best buds at the end there,” she replied dryly.

“Oh no, that was me,” Seamus said darkly. “I have no problem dealing with him.”

As much as Charlotte was still furious at Roman for what he’d done, it didn’t mean she wanted to see him hurt. She immediately shook her head. “I’ll deal with him. The rest of you go toward my sister.”

“I’m not just going to leave you to approach him on your own,” Pete argued. “How do I know he won’t take you as hostage in return?”

“Because he could have already done that with Bridgette, if he really wanted to.”

“She has a point,” Sam said.

Pete’s jaw flexed as he ground his teeth together.

“This is ridiculous,” Charlotte said in exasperation. “We’ve been standing here for ten minutes, surrounded by armed guards, while the rest of the bloody city watches on. I feel like I’m in some sort of bad school play.”

“Am I the lead?” Ludwig asked.

“Shut up!” they all said again.

“Seriously, Pete,” Charlotte continued. “This isn’t the time to have some sort of inner battle. Let’s get a move on.”

“Fine. But if he touches you, I’ll kill him. I swear.”

“Or I will,” Seamus added. He shrugged when she looked at him. “Maybe will anyway, just for shits and giggles. You never know.”

Phoenix growled. “That’s enough. Everyone, to the front doors. Let’s get what we came for, and get the hell out, before this one gives the okay to shoot holes in us, or the other crazed leader shows up with a whole other world of trouble. Seriously, I can’t handle the both of them in one night. I’m likely to just start shooting everyone out of the sheer frustration of being surrounded by insane, authoritarian assholes.”

“I can definitely forgo the family reunion,” Charlotte agreed. “We need to be far away from here before my father shows up.”

“Too late,” came the one voice she really, really didn’t want to hear right at that moment.

“Oh goodie,” Ludwig said from behind her. “Now the real fun can begin.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

To say all hell broke loose would have been an understatement. Roman looked back at Bridgette to see her standing there, face pale, a gun held to her by her own father. He barely had time to register the scene before shots began to ring out. The New World soldiers opened fire as rebels under the General’s command appeared around the perimeter of the room as if materializing out of thin air. Roman briefly wondered how long they’d been there, waiting for the right opportunity to show themselves before now. He was starting to think perhaps he and Ludwig had fiercely underestimated Douglas Hatcher.

Roman turned away from Bridgette, probably the hardest thing he had to do, and looked for Ludwig. He prayed Douglas wouldn’t do anything rash to his daughter while Roman secured the New World leader. Even though every bone in his body wanted to run to Bridgette, his sense of duty had him turning the opposite way.

Charlotte and the other rebels who were with her were now hiding behind overturned tables. The Upper civilians were screaming and running around like chickens with their heads cut off. He had no doubt some of them would die that evening from sheer stupidity alone. Ludwig had been able to get away from the rebel that had been holding him, and was already heading toward Roman.

“We need to get you out of here,” Roman yelled, just as a bullet narrowly missed Ludwig’s left shoulder.

“You think?” Ludwig replied, running toward the front door while Roman tried his best to cover his back. “I was thinking I’d just sit around and watch how this all plays out.”

“Your sarcasm is unwelcome right now,” Roman gritted.

“Don’t be silly,” he scoffed. “My sarcasm is what makes things so interesting all the time.”

“Only to you,” Roman replied. They made it to the front door. Soldiers quickly blocked them off, their eyes never straying from the massive shoot out taking place.

A soldier named Drake came up to him, his face flushed with adrenaline. “What do we do with the civilians, sir?”

“If those bloody idiots can’t manage to get out themselves, they deserve to die,” Ludwig answered.

Roman took a deep, calming breath. “Open the side doors and try your best to get them out without injury.”

The soldier nodded.

“Just do the best you can,” he said as Drake turned to leave. “Let’s go.” He pulled Ludwig around the side of the building, five soldiers following close behind to ensure no one followed. His blood was pounding loudly in his ears as his eyes continued to scan for Bridgette.

When they had reached the front doors, both she and Douglas were already gone. He had one girl missing and another inside stuck in the middle of an all-out gun war. Never in his life had he felt so anxious and conflicted. If he could just get Ludwig safely away, he could go back and get both girls out of there as well. He hoped.

Ludwig’s black SUV was parked where he’d seen it when they arrived. Another five soldiers were already waiting there, but not the way Roman would have expected. Their weapons lying on the ground away from them, all five were on their knees, hands on their heads as rebel soldiers held guns to them. Douglas and Bridgette stood just in front of them, calmly waiting. Well, Douglas was, Bridgette looked terrified. It was like a punch to his gut.

“How long have you known?” Ludwig said low enough for only Roman to hear.

“Not long,” Roman answered honestly.

“Were you planning on telling me?”

They looked at each other silently as they walked. Roman had never kept anything from Ludwig. The two of them were as close as brothers. Roman owed his life to the man beside him. But Ludwig knew his answer when their eyes met. It was all there for him to see. Although Roman didn’t say the words out loud, they both knew Roman had no intention of telling his leader about the ruse. At least, not until he knew she was safely away from him. Both Bridgette and Charlotte.

“Is love really worth it?”

Roman took a deep breath. “I’m not really sure.”

Ludwig grunted as they walked toward the rebel leader. Neither of them showed any surprise or fear when they stopped some feet away from where Douglas stood.

“Good of you to join us,” the rebel General said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I do believe that’s my line,” Ludwig replied lightly. “I was afraid your invitation wouldn’t make it in the mail, but I’m glad to see it did. It has been ages, hasn’t it, Douglas?”

“Not long enough, Ludwig.”

“Ah, well I see absence doesn’t, in fact, make the heart grow fonder. Or perhaps it’s a matter of you not having a heart.”

Douglas laughed humourlessly. Roman kept his eyes on Bridgette, silently pleading with her to remain calm, while at the same time trying his best to exude some sort of reassurance that he’d get her out of this situation. Not that he had any idea how he was going to do so, but he was more than willing to die trying.

“Funny coming from you, Ludwig – a man who has killed millions standing there and talking about having a heart.”

“Indeed. The same man who spent the last half a decade taking care of your child,” Ludwig said with a tilt of his head. “And apparently I’ve been watching over the other one as well, although for how long I’m not sure.” His eyes went to Bridgette, who met his with a wide stare. Roman didn’t get the sense that Ludwig meant her any harm, regardless of the deception. He seemed just as anxious about her being in Douglas’s hands as Roman was. Every line in Ludwig’s body stiffened when he saw Bridgette’s fear. “That’s a lot more than you can say, isn’t it? Even when you were looking after them, you weren’t really, were you?”

Roman saw Douglas narrow his eyes at Ludwig, his mouth pressed in a firm line. Roman knew exactly what Ludwig was talking about, something that made him hate the rebel leader even more than he had before. But Bridgette had no idea, and he wanted it to stay that way. He wanted to protect her from anything and everything that would cause her pain.