Page 48 of Klaz
I pulled back, drinking in the sight of her. Even soaked and bedraggled, she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
“You’re incredible,” I said, meaning every word.
A faint blush colored her cheeks. “Yeah, well, I don’t make a habit of needing rescue.”
I shrugged off my jacket, draping it over her shoulders, covering the sodden uniform dress. She snuggled into it, her shaking slowly subsiding.
“Did you get it?” Cinta asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement despite our dire situation.
I patted my chest, feeling the hard lump of the diamond. “Safe and sound.”
She grinned, a flash of her usual cockiness returning. “We did it. I knew we would.”
Reality quickly reasserted itself as another alarm blared in the distance.
“We need to move,” I said, glancing towards the door. “It won’t be long before they notice the diamond’s missing, storm or no storm.”
Cinta nodded, her expression turning serious. “Right. Ready to get out of here?”
CINTA
Isplashed through ankle-deep water, the once-pristine casino floor transformed into a treacherous maze. Shattered chandeliers littered our path, their crystals glinting in the emergency lights.
“Shit,” I hissed, looking back at our planned escape route. A wall of water blocked the way, steadily rising. “We need another way out.”
Klaz’s red eyes darted around, assessing our options. His jaw clenched, a telltale sign of frustration. “The main exits will be crawling with security by now.”
I nodded, adrenaline sharpening my senses. The air reeked of ozone and wet carpet. In the distance, I heard shouts and the crackle of energy weapons.
“This way,” Klaz growled, pulling me towards a service corridor.
We ducked behind an overturned blackjack table, narrowly avoiding a sweep of searchlights. My heart hammered with fear and exhilaration. I’d pulled off plenty of cons before, but never anything this high-stakes.
As we crouched in the shadows, I noticed a series of tubes running along the ceiling. My mind raced, piecing together a plan.
“Klaz,” I whispered, gripping his arm. “Those pneumatic tubes – they’re used to transport equipment and chips between floors. We could use them to bypass the flooding.”
He frowned, skepticism evident in the set of his shoulders. “You’re sure?”
“Trust me,” I said, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. “I’ve escaped through tighter spots.”
Klaz hesitated, then nodded. “Lead the way.”
Quickly I found the closest access panel, Klaz providing cover as I worked to pry it open. The metal groaned, finally giving way to reveal a narrow passage.
“Ladies first,” I quipped.
Klaz snorted. “Not a chance.” He squeezed his broad frame into the tube, his shoulders scraping against the sides. “Stay close.”
The tube was pitch black, and my breath came in short gasps as we crawled through the twisting passageway.
Water rushed beneath us, the sound amplified in the confined space. Metal creaked ominously. I focused on Klaz’s steady movements, using them as an anchor against my rising panic.
“You okay back there?” Klaz’s low voice rumbled through the tube.
“Never better,” I lied, forcing levity into my tone. “Though I might skip the seafood buffet next time.”
Klaz chuckled, the sound oddly comforting. We continued our slow progress, the journey feeling endless in the darkness.