Page 57 of Covert Operation
His smile falters for the first time. “That’s strange.” He pulls the lever down then shoves it up again.
Nothing happens.
The realtor stares at the panel for a few long seconds, mouth pressing into a tight frown. “That should have switched all the lights on.” His face lights up. “I bet someone turned it off outside.” He spins away and goes back to the front of the building, the soles of his shiny shoes making echoey sounds as he walks away, leaving us alone.
“Let’s keep looking so we can get done with this guy as soon as possible.” Zeke’s hold on me tightens as we make our way toward the offices located at the back of the building. “Hopefully these look better than the rest.”
The first one is filled with old desks and rolling chairs, like they shoved all the furniture into one place and just left it. A slight mildew scent hangs in the frigid air, but it doesn’t look too terrible. The rest of the offices are much the same, minus the furniture, so we give them a quick glance as we pass. When we reach the back exit of the building, Derek still hasn’t returned, so Zeke and I venture out into the back lot on our own.
The heavy door makes a clicking sound as it closes behind us and I peek over one shoulder. “I think it locked.”
“Figures.” Zeke scans the snowy lot, scowling at the crisscross of footsteps tracking all around. His grip on me tightens. “Stick close to me.”
I swallow hard. “Who made all those footprints?” The sheer number of them has my heart rate picking up. A lot of people have come through here recently. “Do you think it was people like us who came to look at the place?” I can’t hide the hope in my voice.
Zeke’s eyes come to my face, looking it over before offering the truth. “No.” He takes a deep breath, his exhale clouding the air between us. “It’s probably people looking for somewhere out of the wind and snow to hunker down.”
A stab of empathy tugs at my heart. “I guess I can’t blame them.”
I open my mouth, ready to suggest we skip checking out the back lot, but before I can say a word, I’m thrown face first into thesnow, Zeke’s big body covering mine as the building behind us explodes.
TWENTY-FOUR
ZEKE
I TUCK MY head as close to Savannah’s as I can, hoping to protect her from as much of the blast as I can. Debris rains down around us, peppering the churned snow.
The second it’s safe, I push up, hauling her along with me. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but getting her somewhere safe is my top priority. So I do a quick scan, looking for the best path to get the fuck out of here.
While discovering this place was a frequent stop for the unhomed had me on edge originally, it was a blessing in disguise. My own footprints get lost in the mess as I heft Savannah into my arms and start to run. She looks pretty and perfect in her dress and suede boots, but they will make it impossible for her to move as fast as I need her to.
“What’s going on?” she asks, panic edging her words.
“I don’t know, so we’re getting the fuck out of here.” I dart behind a building, putting it between us and anyone who might be out here as I continue racing to the treeline at the back of the property. Like the rest of this area, numerous footpaths are cutthrough the woods, helping me both cover my tracks, and find a way out.
Savannah tenses as voices carry through the trees. She peers over my shoulder, her grip on me tightening. “I don’t see anyone yet.”
“Good. Tell me if you do.”
I break through the trees into an area that might have been considered residential thirty years ago. Now it’s a strange mix of abandoned single-family homes and old commercial buildings. The closest spot where I can hide Savannah is a small Cape Cod with a sagging roof and a cracked sign hanging over the porch indicating it used to house a florist. It’s not a bad option, but it’s too easy and likely the first place anyone who might be following us would look. I continue past it, zeroing in on a larger building at the end of the dead end street.
Savanna tenses right as I reach the corner of the three story hotel. “I think I see someone.”
My lungs are burning, but I push harder, determined to get her somewhere safe. She trusts me to keep her safe. To protect her.
No one’s going to take that from me.
I don’t slow down until I reach the back of the sprawling building and find the hidden employee entrance. The heavy steel door presents a problem that might send us to one of the more easily breached exits, but given this area has an alarmingly large number of prints, I take a chance and test the handle.
I blow out a relieved sigh when it opens. Without hesitation, I duck inside, blinking as my eyes adjust to the sudden shadowydarkness. The odds are high we’re not alone in here, so I slow my breathing, being as quiet as I can.
Savannah shifts in my hold, but I don’t let her down. I take another minute to make sure there’s no one close by before slowly letting her soft body slide down mine until her feet are on the filthy floor. Even once she’s standing on her own, I keep a tight hold on her. “Stay right behind me.”
She nods silently, eyes wide, her gloved fingers curling into the heavy fabric of my coat as I tuck her against my back. Slowly, we begin moving through the building. Savannah’s movements are nearly as silent as mine as she follows my lead. I didn’t think it was possible for me to be more impressed by the woman following closer than my shadow, but she’s proving me wrong.
Our path gets brighter as we reach the lobby. The ground-level windows are boarded up, but what remains of the rapidly dwindling daylight filters in through a set of skylights situated right above the check-in desk. Trash and other debris covers the grimey tiles as I step carefully through the mess, picking the path of least resistance as I plow toward the hall of first floor rooms. If it was just me in here, I wouldn’t hesitate to go upstairs, but Savannah’s skill—or lack thereof—is forcing me to make different choices than I normally would. Escaping through a second floor window with her in tow isn’t an option.
The mess stacked on the floor continues into the hall as I move quickly in search of the best strategic location. I barely pause as we pass the indoor pool, weighing its viability before moving on. It’s not the worst option, but it’s also not the best.