“This is Jai.” Joel says, keeping a firm grip on her wrist, his thumb rubbing at the skin underneath the yellow fabric of her jacket.

She offers me a small smile I don’t return. Now isn’t the time.

“Let’s go, Jai. We’ll get back to the car, go to the house and then get on a plane. It’s almost over. We’re on the home stretch.”

I look down at the lump of mush by my feet and it turns my stomach. Maybe I’ve done enough damage for today.

I pull my gun into my shoulder and lead the way out, entering and exiting the room I came through until I’m back outside. As I step out, a slither of black catches my left eye and I turn and shoot, hitting the fucker in the chest. He goes down and stays down.

“Nice shot.” Joel utters as he follows me out into the courtyard. “Ted?”

I look to where I left Ted and my stomach drops into my shoes. Why isn’t he moving?

“Ted?” I shout, jogging up to his lifeless body.

He doesn’t respond. He doesn’t even move.

No…no…no…no…no.

I drop to my knees and snatch my small torch from my belt. I grab his face and pry his eyelids open with my thick thumb. His pupils don’t dilate.

“Ted?” I demand again, tapping his cheeks. “Ted?”

Panic surges like a raging tsunami and I grab at him, slapping his face and shaking his shoulders. This isn’t happening. This isn’t how this was meant to go.

“His pulse, Jai. Check his pulse.”

I slip my trembling fingers against his neck. I wait. And wait.

“Jai…”

I shake my head. It’s not over. Not yet. I clench my jaw until it hurts the rest of my face. This isn’t how it ends for him. Not like this. Not here. Not with me.

I feel it then, tap gently against my fingers. His pulse. It’s there, but it’s faint. We need to get him out of here now.

“Grab him. Help me get him up.”

“He’s alive?”

I nod, grabbing Ted’s arm and wrapping it around my neck, hoisting him up and supporting him at dead weight.

“I’ll carry the bulk of him, you make sure you put pressure on his side. I don’t want him losing any more blood.”

Hesitating, Joel scratches his chin…until I look up at him. He better not deny me help. After everything he better fucking bow at my feet, begging to help.

Exhaling, he grabs Ted’s other arm and presses his hand against Ted’s side.

“Stay close to me, Niq. All right?”

Monique nods. “Okay.”

I move through the courtyard, struggling already with the extra weight on my back. The closer we get to the back of the compound, the darker it is. I don’t know how we’re going to make it back without one of us breaking our necks.

“This could be wasted effort, Jai.” Joel grunts, stepping over a big chunk of stone. “He could…he could die on the way.”

I’m a realist. I know Ted’s death is a possibility—almost a guarantee—but what kind of friend would I be if I just leave him here? If the worst happens and he passes on the way, then I want to make sure his mother gets his body.

“I know,” I groan, shifting Ted’s weight. “but I’m not leaving him here. He needs to be with family.”

Hate and disgust pick holes in my conscience. I shouldn’t have let him come. I should have made him stay at the lake house with Emily—or in the car at the very least. He shouldn’t have been down here helping me fight my battles. He spent his days directing traffic for God’s sake. How am I going to explain this to his mother?

Hold on, buddy. I squeeze him closer to me. We’ll get you patched up. All you gotta do is hold on.

Please hold on.

****

“We’re here.” Joel groan, his body close to giving out.

I grunt, forcing one leg in front of the other. My knee gives away and I stumble, pressing my hand into the dirt to stop myself from face planting. My muscles tremble and burn. Cramps linger, waiting to attack me the second I relax.

“Give him to me.” Joel says. “I’ll put him in the car.”

“Ted?” Huss calls as Joel shoulders Ted’s weight. “Shit.”

I straighten my spine, hissing as sharp bouts of pain shoot down my legs. Huss leaps from the car and slams the door shut.

“We need to get him to a hospital.” Monique says, hugging herself tightly.

Her hands covered in scratches and dry blood from the hike here. Mine too. I lost my gloves fifteen minutes in to entering the compound.

I pant, unbelievably relieved we made it back. Italy here we come.

Huss opens the back door. Lights flick on inside the car, revealing its emptiness. Joel hesitates for a second when he sees the empty back seat and glances sideways at Huss. I take a single step closer, then see the look on Huss's face. It has to be about Ted. Who else would it be about? Joel and Huss whisper as they gently slide Ted onto the empty back seat. I frown, confused, as Joel shuts the back door and turns his back to me, running his hands over his face.

My heart stops still as Huss turns to me, one of his hands stuffed into the pocket of his jeans, the other strapped in a cast and suspended by a sling against his chest.

“Where’s Emily?” I ask, trying to ignore the dread as it manifests inside of me.

“Jai…” Joel utters, rubbing the back of his neck. “Huss…Emily…”

He crouches low, hanging his head in his hands.

No.

Joel lifts his head, shaking it apologetically. I look to Huss for answers and all I get is a fucking stutter. I storm forward, the aches in my muscles no longer a prominent pain when pitted against the swell of my heart.

“Where is she?” I demand, closing the gap between us.

He backs up against the car, his palm exposed to me in surrender. “Jai. I—”

I lash out, punching Huss in the already swollen nose. Blood sprays his hood and covers my hand. I shove him against the car and hold him there.

“T-they took her.” He groans, squeezing his eyes shut.

My heart splits and I flinch. “Who took her?”

“Skulls men.”

I release him and clench at my chest, digging my fingers into the sharp, searing pain beneath my ribs. It’s not possible.

“How?” I whisper. “How’d they know?”

Realization dawns on me. I slowly turn around.

“Why didn’t they take you?”

He swallows, swiping at his busted nose. “They knew because I told them.”

“You f—” Growling, I whip around and slam my fist into his nose again.

Crying out in pain, he crashes to the ground. Anger, irrational and unavoidable, flares inside me. I advance on Huss, stopped only by Joel as he slips in front of me, planting his hands firmly on my chest.

“Jai. Come on. Hear him out.”

“I had no choice!” Huss shouts through his hands as he cradles his busted nose. “They threatened my son, Jai. My son.”

He’s never mentioned the fact he has a kid before. Why now? The first thing a parent does is boast about their child. Why would he keep that fact from us? Because he’s full of shit. He doesn’t have a son.

“Bullshit!” I growl over Joel’s shoulder. “You don’t have a kid!”

“I do! I do!” His lips tremble, stained with blood. “His name is Brandon. He’s seven—only seven. They knew where he lived, what school he went to, and the day him and his mother do their groceries. Jai, please. I-I couldn’t put my son in danger.”

“How’d they know where we’d be?” Joel asks. “We didn’t know until we were about to leave.”

He drops his chin to his chest. “I called them. Skull thinks by taking Emily, you three will come to him…so I gave him her. Like he asked.”

Whipping around, I yell, my shout ripping through the silent woods. Fuck! What the hell am I going to do? I leave her alone with Huss and this is what I fucking get? She’d have been safer with me in the damn compound. Go fucking figure!

I’m going back. I have to.

I storm around to the back of the car and pull open the trunk. I reach for a rifle and shut it.

“Jai, what are you doing?” Joel asks, walking over to me.

“I’m going back.”