The Belial Library (The Belial Series) (17 page)

He stood and walked back to a group of men latching cables to a sled. Hugo's narrowed eyes followed Deveraux’s retreating form.

Laney didn’t need Deveraux’s warning about the ruthlessness of these men.  She’d seen it first-hand.  And the man walking towards them was the personification of it.

Hugo stopped in front of the two of them.  He didn’t bother to bend down.   He just stood there, towering over them. 

Laney craned her neck to look up at him. She glanced over her shoulder, realizing two men had walked up behind them. One of the men reached down, yanking her up.  Jen received the same treatment next to her. 

Laney held in the yelp that wanted to escape her lips, her stomach bottoming out.  Whatever Hugo wanted them for, it couldn’t be good.

The man holding her cut through the ties that bound her hands.  The other man did the same to Jen’s.  Confused, Laney rubbed her wrists, looking back at Hugo.  What game was this?

Hugo stared down at her.  “We need you to show us the entrance to the cave.”

“Why us?”  Laney asked, inwardly knowing it would be a cold day in hell before she helped these bastards. 

He waved towards the rest of the hostages.  “I don’t want any problems in translation.  And I also don’t want to play any games.”

The two men who had untied them pulled Elena and Eddie from Nana.  The children screamed and tried to break away, but the men held them securely. 

Nana ran after them.  Another man blocked her way, punching her in the stomach.   She dropped to the ground, the air knocked from her.

With a roar of fury, Julian leaped to his feet.  He sprang at the man who’d struck Nana.  The man pulled his sidearm and shot him point blank.  Julian crashed to the ground, blood pouring from the wound in his chest.

A wail erupted from Nana as she crawled for him.  She put her hands on his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Tears streamed down her cheeks.  Blood ran through her hands, dripping to the ground below.

Shocked by the swiftness of the violence, Laney turned to Hugo.  Anger boiled through her.  “What is wrong with you?”

He smiled.  “I’m just very goal orientated.  Now, I need you two to show us where the entrance is.”

In response, Laney glared back at him.

Jen nudged her.  “Laney, Elena and Eddie.”

Two divers stood at the edge of the bank, ready to dive.  Elena and Eddie had each been latched to them. But unlike Hugo’s men, the children had no gear.  They stood on the edge of the river, terror spreading across their faces.

Laney pulled her eyes from them to Hugo’s face.

“Like I said, you’ll show us where the entrance is.”  He waved his arm and the divers dove into the water, dragging Elena and Eddie with them.

CHAPTER 34

The children didn’t even have a chance to scream before they disappeared below the water's dark surface. 

“No,” Laney yelled, sprinting for the water.  Jen beat her to the water’s edge and dove in.  Laney followed, her arms and legs churning frantically under the murky water.

The divers were treading water fifty feet in.  Eddie and Elena thrashed in the water next to them but the divers held the rope taut, not allowing them to reach the surface.

Jen’s height gave her an advantage and she outpaced Laney.  She swam right by the two divers, heading straight for the cave.  Laney approved.  Jen didn’t waste any precious time making sure they followed.  She knew they would.

Jen disappeared through the tunnel entrance.  The first diver followed her, Eddie being dragged in his wake. 

Laney reached the second diver just as he entered the cramped space.  She rushed in behind him.  Pushing him forward, she tried to protect Elena’s head from being slammed into the walls of the tight space.

As the diver emerged into the pool, Laney shoved Elena’s head up towards the air before she surfaced.

Gasping, she looked at Elena.  She was turning blue, not breathing.  Shaking, Laney yanked the rope off Elena’s still form and pulled her towards the bank, not even looking at the bastard diver. Jen was already at the bank, hauling up a spluttering Eddie. 

The first diver walked off, talking into his radio, not sparing them a glance.

“Jen, grab her,” Laney yelled.

Eyes wide, Jen grabbed Elena, pulling her up.  “No.”

Laney hauled herself out.  Jen was already breathing into Elena’s mouth.  Laney scrambled over to them. 

As soon as Jen stopped her breaths, Laney began to pump her chest.  “Come on, little queen.  Stay with us.”

Jen began her breaths again.  Laney prayed as she watched, her whole body going numb. 
Please don’t be dead
.  

Eddie pulled himself to Elena’s other side, taking her hand.  “No, sister, no.”

Laney began chest compressions again when Elena coughed. She quickly turned her onto her side, patting her back.  “It’s okay, sweetheart.  Let it out.”

Elena coughed for a few minutes, water running from her mouth and nose. Finally, she stopped and lay curled around herself.  “I want Nana,” she cried.

Jen pulled Elena into her arms, rocking back and forth.  “I know, honey.  We’ll get you back to her.”

Laney pulled Eddie into her arms.  He didn’t resist as his tears fell along with his sister’s. 

Up ahead, the second diver blocked the entrance to the cave, a nine millimeter in his hands.  Jen's words were meant to calm Elena, but Laney knew the likelihood of them keeping that promise was all but nonexistent. 

CHAPTER 35

It had been hours since they’d entered the cave.  Laney wasn’t sure of the exact time, as neither she nor Jen had a working watch.  Her watch had been smashed during the furious swim in.  She’d ask one of the men surrounding them, but they all seemed too busy looting priceless artifacts to answer a simple question.

Deveraux had at least done a good job of making sure all of the artifacts were protected.  The whole cave had been recorded and photographed.  Then each artifact was carefully wrapped and placed in a water-tight container. The artifacts would survive, but it killed Laney to watch everything slowly disappear.

Behind Laney and Jen, Eddie and Elena lay curled around each other, fast asleep.  For the first hour or so, they’d been terrified, but exhaustion had finally won out and they’d fallen into a fitful sleep. 

Laney reached over and pushed back Elena’s hair, then Eddie’s.  “I hate that they're in the middle of this.”

“I know.  These men are inhuman.” Jen watched the last of the folios get loaded in their crate and sealed.  “Nothing seems off limits to them."

Laney leaned back against the cave wall. “Okay, my friend, what’s our plan?  They’re about finished emptying this place and I’m pretty sure we’re not going to last much longer past that.”

Jen held up her wrists.  “At least, they didn’t lock us up this time.”

Laney looked at all the firepower in the room.  “I’m guessing that has to do with the fact that we’re grossly outnumbered and outgunned.  I may be fast, but not faster than a speeding bullet.”

Jen’s eyes narrowed.  She motioned towards the entry.  “Speaking of bullets, isn’t that Warren?”

Laney glanced over at the entrance.  Warren stood in dive gear.  With his hood down, the massive bruises that dotted his face stood out.  Laney took satisfaction in the bandages covering his nose and the splints on his fingers.  He looked over at the two of them. 

“Bastard,” Laney whispered.

Warren started walking towards them, his pronounced swagger still there.  A larger man followed behind him.

“Oh look, he's made a friend,” Laney said.

Warren stopped in front of them, the same, familiar smirk on his face.  “Well, seems like you two got your comeuppance.”

“Us?  Have you looked in a mirror lately?” Laney asked.

Warren narrowed his eyes, gesturing at the two sleeping children.  “Maybe I should let some of the men have fun with these two.  Some of them like the more tender flesh.  Like my friend here.”  He jerked his hand over his shoulder at the hulk standing behind him.

“Any of you touch them, and you’re dead,” Jen said.

He laughed.  “And who’s going to do that?  You?  Maybe you don't understand exactly who's running things around here.”

Laney looked over at Jen.  “Tough talk from a boy who needs a bodyguard to talk to two helpless woman.”

Jen shrugged.  “You know what they say, all talk, no penis.”

Warren's face grew red.  “You’ll regret that, bitch.”  He reached down to grab Elena. 

Laney sprang to her feet, her right uppercut landing just under his jaw, followed by a left cross and then a right hook.  He dropped to the ground.  

Jen dropped to her back and up-kicked his partner as he leaned down to grab her.  The man flew back, crashing into a sharp rock behind him.  He didn’t get up.

Laney stomped on Warren's groin.  She grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him up.  “Next time you antagonize someone who just kicked your ass, make sure they’re not in the position to do it again.”

“I think that’s enough.”

Laney looked back at Hugo, who stood behind her with three other men only a few feet away.  She backed away, her hands up.

Hugo gestured for two of the men to help their fallen comrades.  Laney looked over at Jen, regretting baiting the worthless man.  She glanced down at Elena and Eddie. 
Please don’t let them pay for my actions
.

Hugo glared down at them, his arms crossed over his large chest.  “I know I should be ticked off at you for taking down two of my men, though, to be honest, they weren’t really worth much to begin with.  But, an example must be made.  Bind them up.”

Two men placed zip ties round their wrists, pushing them to the ground.  They did the same to the children, who screamed in fear when they woke.  Laney and Jen scooted next to Eddie and Elena, keeping them between them. 

Laney closed her eyes. 
Just let it be quick
.  A minute passed and no shots rang out.  She opened her eyes. 

Hugo smirked at her from above.  “Oh, you thought I was going to shoot you?  Now what kind of example would that be?  I’m just waiting for something.” 

Beyond Hugo, a man made his way quickly towards them, a rectangular box in his hand, two lanterns tucked under his arms. 

Hugo gestured to the large stone doors behind them.  “Place it over there.”

The man placed the two lanterns at the base of the doors.  Between them, he placed the container and then hit a button.  A clock face glowed red. 

“Do you know that drowning is supposed to be the worst way to die?   But don’t worry, you may be crushed to death before that ever happens.”  Hugo turned and jogged towards the entrance.  The three men with him followed him out. 

The cave was now empty of everyone and everything except for Laney, Jen, the kids, and Hugo's going-away present.

Laney stared at the clock face and the dull, grey, clay-like substance that could be seen beyond it.  C4.  Thirty minutes and this place was going to blow.

CHAPTER 36

Laney watched the timer count down in disbelief.  This couldn’t really be happening, could it?  “Why are they blowing this place?  Why not just leave it?”

Jen shook her head.  “They need to remove all traces.  I’m betting they’re trying to collapse the rock face.” 

Laney felt hollow.  “Right on top of us.”

A small explosion from outside the cave shook the roof and small bits of rocks were torn from the ceiling.  Smoke and debris blew back through the entry tunnel.  Instinctively, Laney and Jen shielded the children. 

“What was that?” Elena cried.

Laney stared at the entrance in horror.  “They destroyed the lagoon.”  She looked across the children’s heads at Jen.  “They wanted to make sure we couldn't escape.”

“Not happening.” Jen squirmed in her seated position. 

“What are you doing?”

“Hold on.  Almost there.”  Jen continued her shaking and then held up her unbound hands.

“How did you do that?” Laney asked. 

Jen moved to Laney’s back.  “There was a rip in my ties.  I just gave them a little help to finish the tear.”

Laney could feel Jen sawing through the binds.  But then she could swear she felt Jen just pull them apart.  Laney held up her hands, rolling her wrists to restore the circulation. 

Jen had already moved onto Eddie’s bindings.  With quick movements, she had them off him and moved onto Elena.  “I’ve been thinking about how to get out of here.  I think the stone doors are the answer.  We open the middle one, we escape.” 

Jen freed Elena with a final tug.  After a quick hug for the terrified girl, she moved towards the large doors.

Laney looked after Jen in shock as she moved towards the stone doors.  What the hell was going on?  How had Jen released them all so quickly?

“Laney?”  Elena asked. 

Laney shook her head, pulling herself back.  She walked over to the kids and gave them both hugs.  “Come on.”  She ushered the two children to the doors.  And the bomb.  The kids stared at the clock, seemingly unable to tear their eyes from the countdown.   Twenty-three and a half minutes to go.