Page 80 of Stolen Faith
He snorted to himself. Yeah, right.
There was movement, and two guards, clearly visible through the glass wall, walked past the front door. As expected. There was no reason for them to have people at the side exits and leave the front one unguarded.
Though they seemed to be patrolling. They walked by the door and large windows, disappearing from view on the opposite side. If the guards here weren’t stationary, and on walking patrols, maybe they could time it just right…
Rowan remained where he was, silently counting in his head. He’d just hit thirty-seven when the guards retraced their steps, walking back the way they’d come. He counted again, this time hitting forty-eight before they appeared once more. He counted through three more laps, his numbers remaining approximately the same. Not enough time to attempt an escape out that door.
Once again disappointment gnawed at him.
According to the map, there were three more exterior doors on this floor, one at each end of the front of the building, which he assumed were being covered by the two guards he was watching through the glass. They were both mercenaries, given their all-black attire—so those exits were no go’s as well. The other exit door was a fire escape at the front of the sanctuary. That door might be guarded, and if it wasn’t, it would be alarmed, which would definitely hinder their stealthy escape. Still, he should check it out. He could slip into the sanctuary if he timed his run through the foyer just right so that the guards outside didn’t see him.
If that exit was useless as well, Rowan feared their escape wasn’t going to happen through a door but rather through a window. The patrols along the back of the building were far more spaced out than the front. The whole time he searched the classroom he’d only seen the guard pass by three times.
They’d have to break the glass, and if they were careful, they might be able to do it silently.
But the other problem was time.
From what Barry and his co-conspirators had said, they were waiting on the reverend to…do whatever it was they planned to do. They’d said the reverend would be back “tonight.” Well, it was night. Which meant any moment now, Barry might go looking for them.
Once that alarm was raised, their chances of escape dropped to near zero, though maybe in the chaos…
They’d have to risk going out a window.
Rowan was prepared to duck back into the stairwell and lead Brennon back to the classroom when he heard someone chuckle, then music. He realized what he heard coming from the room across the foyer wasn’t a conversation, but rather someone scrolling through videos on their phone. If he could get a phone…
A door opened, and Rowan quickly ducked back into the stairwell, though he left the door cracked. He watched through a sliver-thin crack as Barry walked out into the foyer, then ducked his head into the room where the person with the phone was. “Any luck finding Sophia Starabba?”
Rowan wondered who she was. Maybe another member they were going to kidnap.
A male voice replied from inside the room, his response harder to hear. All Rowan could make out was “no” and what sounded like “England.”
“That can’t be her. Keep looking,” Barry demanded, slamming the door closed, muting the sound of the man’s phone.
Rowan went still as he considered Barry. Maybe their best shot at escape was flipping the situation. Take a hostage. Take Barry hostage.
If Rowan timed it right and kept quiet, he could grab him without alerting anyone.
Fuck. He’d gone too long without a decent meal and restful sleep if he thought that was a good idea. The problem was all the options were bad. Even if they made it out a window, all he’d seen was manicured lawns. That meant they’d be running for their lives with no cover. The mercenaries could pick them off one by one with guns.
Then he heard footsteps coming from the sanctuary, and he spotted one of the redneck warriors.
Barry noticed him and scowled. “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be standing guard in there.” He pointed at the sanctuary.
“Gotta take a piss,” the man grumbled.
Barry sighed like someone needing a restroom break was a huge inconvenience. “Fine. Just hurry up. I’m going to head upstairs to the rev’s office.”
Rowan panicked for a moment, remembering the floor plan. The visible stairs in the foyer only led to the upper level of the sanctuary. To get to the rooms and offices on the upper floors, Barry would have to use either the elevator…or these stairs.
“Go,” Rowan hissed at Brennon. “Down the stairs. Quietly.”
Brennon started moving without question or protest. But the sound of his feet was loud. Fuck. Rowan backed up from the door. If Barry entered the stairwell, Rowan’s decision about a hostage would be made for him.
But Barry turned and headed for the elevator. Lazy fucker wouldn’t even climb a lousy flight of stairs. Barry’s casted arm was still in a sling, held in place against his chest.
Plan B, already risky, now felt worse because the other guy might come out of the bathroom at any minute.
Barry jammed the elevator button and took his phone from his pocket.