A Surprise Favor – Chapter 27

We make our way to Alejandro, who leads us through a service door in the back of the bakery.

“Good luck!” he says, pulling the door closed behind him. “Don’t tell anyone I let you in here.”

I glance up and around. The corridor is barely wide enough for one person. It’s dark and dank and does not smell nice. There are no cameras — good and bad for us. No one will know we’re here, but Ai won’t be able to track us, especially with spotty duonet service. My access blinks on and off in my vision — there one moment, gone the next. I’m beginning to despair.

“Guys? Can’t we just go out the front door?” There’s a note of whining in my voice that I usually wouldn’t allow. But I’m tired, I’m battered and bruised, and by golly, I want to go to bed.

Nina stops and looks back at me. “Skylar, those men were sent to kill you. Hired assassins. And the sheer fact that the second guy tried to kill you in the hospital tells me he was desperate to get the job done.”

I swallow and wish I hadn’t eaten anything. My brow sweats as I imagine assassins around every corner. Will I ever be safe again?

Declan shoots a scorching glare at Nina. “Don’t scare her,” he grinds out between clenched teeth. “We still have to get to the ship.”

Nina’s face brightens with faked enthusiasm. “Oh, I’m sure everything will be peachy. Just wonderful.”

“Not helpful,” Kalvin calls out from behind me. “Keep moving.”

We make our way along the rear of the stores, halting twice when we hear doors open ahead of us. The dull gray walls are scratched and worn down by years of carrying garbage through here. An eerie stillness hangs in the air. The only sound is our footsteps echoing off the walls and our labored breaths.

The further we go, the more I feel like I’m being watched. I look around, but nothing seems out of place. As we turn a corner, a low growl, scratching and squeaking, comes from behind us. My heart jumps into my throat as something skitters past my feet and rubs against my leg and knee.

I gasp and jump into Kalvin. “Holy shit, what was that?” I’m ready to climb up Kalvin and have him carry me the rest of the way.

Kalvin puts his arm around me and whispers in my ear, “It’s okay, Skylar, it’s just a rat.”

“Just a rat? It was as big as a cat.”

“Shhh,” Declan says, raising a hand. “I think we’re close.”

I take a deep breath and try to calm down as we make our way towards the incinerator room. The closer we get, the stronger the scent of smoke and charred wood become, and it brings tears to my eyes. The smell of rotting food swells, and my stomach climbs up into my lungs. When we finally reach the room, Nina takes one look at it and shakes her head before turning away with disgust on her face. I pull my shirt up and cover my nose and mouth, exposing my belly and bra.

No. No way.

The rest of us stand there for a moment before Takemo speaks up. “We can’t go in there.” He points to the giant, blazing hot incinerator. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Yes, we can.” Declan steps forward. “We have to. It’s the only way out of here.”

My heart plummets, and my head spins. I’m going to be sick. “I agree. We can’t go in there,” I snap. “We need to find another way.”

“It’s the only way.” Kalvin squeezes my shoulder. “We have to.”

I glance between them, feeling overwhelmed and scared. A wave of nausea washes over me, and before I can do anything to stop it, my stomach heaves. I try to turn away, but I end up vomiting right at Saif’s feet.

“Shit,” he says, jumping back just in time. “Oh no, Skylar.”

I heave again and everyone moves away.

“I’m going to be sick too if we don’t get out of here.” Takemo’s skin is pale and tinged with green.

The heat from the incinerator singes my skin, and I begin to sweat everywhere. A wave of nausea hits me again, and I bolt for the door, running down the hall for fresh air. Panting against the beat of my aching heart, I lean against the wall, and the wave recedes. I win this time.

“Sky, that’s our only way out,” Declan says, coming up next to me. To his credit, his voice is soothing and understanding. Most men would call me a baby and demand I go, anyway. He pulls a wad of paper napkins from his back pocket and gives a few to me. I wipe my mouth and throw the waste on the floor.

I grab his arms and press my forehead to his chest. “I can’t. We can’t. People are not supposed to go through there, emergency exit or not.”

I raise my head and he smooths my hair down. “What can we do?”

I look up and down the hall. “What about these doors? Why don’t we just walk into one of these stores and out their front door like we own the place?”

“You think that would work?” Kalvin asks me.

“Probably not. I bet they’re all locked.” Declan’s right to be skeptical. Security would stop us in a heartbeat if we could even open the door.

“Oh.” Saif’s jaw drops. “Oh, wait.” He tips over his wristlet, looks around, walks a few meters down the hall and back. “Good. There’s duonet access right here.” He sighs and mumbles, “You’d think they’d put it everywhere.”

“What?” Takemo asks, leaning in to Saif’s space, but Saif isn’t paying attention to him.

“Yes. Yes!” Saif drops his hands. “There’s a Bhaat Jewelers store in this arcade. My sister mentioned it when she was here the other day.” His eyes grow distant. “Hold on.” He gestures, and we wait. “Hey, sis… Yeah, sorry, no video, and it’s a long story. Any chance you’re still on Laguna?” His smile grows. “Great. Perfect. It’s store twenty dash eleven, right? Yeah. Hey, so we’re going to come through the back door of the store in like ten minutes, and you’re going to clear out any employees so we won’t be seen… Yeah. Yeah. I promise it’s fine. Okay. See you soon.”

My hopes perk up. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Saif nods once. “Follow me.”

I unsteadily make my way with the guys down the maze of hallways. I feel like death warmed up, and my steps are uncertain and clumsy. I stumble into Declan more than once, so I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my nerves. God, I hate being sick. It’s the worst. And I puked up my only sustenance for the day after spending the night in the hospital, so my whole body is weak, tired, worn out. Wasn’t this supposed to be a vacation?

My eyes try to focus, taking in the plain gray walls and numbers next to each door. I pause for a moment to steady myself before continuing on, making my way slowly behind everyone. Nope. My head spins, and I hit the wall, bouncing off it and into Takemo.

“Whoa,” he says, holding me upright. “Shit. You are not okay.”

I press my lips together and shake my head. I’m suddenly very dizzy, and the hallway walls are suffocating.

“We’re almost there,” Saif calls back.

“I can’t,” I whisper. I’m at the end of my rope. I have nothing left to give to this mission. I’m operating on little to no sleep, and my body is battered and bruised. Plus, the nanites are still at work, and that’s zapping my energy as well.

“Come on,” Takemo says, opening his arms. “I’ll carry you.”

“No. I can go,” I protest. There’s no way he’s carrying me anywhere.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Put your arms around my neck.” He lifts his eyebrows and widens his eyes. “Now, Skylar.”

Fine.

I raise my arms and wrap them around his neck, laying my face in the crook of his shoulder. He squats and lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around him.

“There,” he says, with a slight grunt. “Now I can fondle your ass and you can’t say no.” He gives my ass a pat, and a chuckle bubbles up from the depths of my pain and annoyance. This man. “That’s better.”

“Lucky guy. Why didn’t I think of that?” Kalvin asks from behind.

“You can have her next,” Takemo says, turning around.

“Then me,” says Declan.

“I’m going to get us out of here in… two minutes.” I raise my eyes to see Saif looking at the doors we pass and checking his wristlet. “Ah, here we are. Just wait a moment…” His voice trails off, and the door clicks open.

“Come quickly.” Sejal pokes her head out and looks at us all before stepping aside and ushering us in.

Takemo carries me to a chair and deposits me in it. I rest back and close my eyes. I could sleep for a million years.

“What the hell happened?” Sejal asks her brother. Her voice is demanding and bossy and so, so welcome.

“Someone tried to kill Skylar last night.” Saif rubs his face.

“What?” Sejal’s voice climbs an octave. I open my eyes to make sure she hasn’t burst a blood vessel and keeled over.

“Twice,” Nina says, closing the door behind her. “Two different men. Assassins as far as I can tell.”

“What the hell? Did you call the police?”

Declan moves to the door leading out into the store. He looks through the crack, his eyes scanning left and right. “Useless. They sat outside while the second attacker came at her in her hospital room.”

I expect more crazed protestations from Sejal, but her face turns stoney as she assesses us all. Her eyes land on me.

“I said things were complicated,” I tell her. “It’s deadly now.”

Maybe I should give up? If I hand everything over to my mother and Dominic, all of this will go away. I can find a quiet space somewhere and just live. I’m ready.

Sejal kneels down next to me and squeezes my knee. “We’ll figure this out,” she says quietly. “You’ll go back to your cousin’s estate where it’s safe, and —”

“Can’t.” I shake my head. “Even if we get off Laguna in one piece, I have to go to Rio.” Damned Miguel has the backups, and he won’t give them to me easily. But if I’m going to push on, then I’ll have to follow through on gathering evidence to exonerate myself.

Sejal lifts her chin. “Rio I know. I will make sure you’re safe there.”

“She’s not going anywhere yet,” Saif says to his sister, “because we’ll have even more problems once she gets to her ship.”

I close my eyes again as Saif explains the situation, that I saw video of my crew being taken hostage at the ship. When I turn that over in my brain, I realize I haven’t received word from them or anyone else since last night. I turn over my wristlet and find my inbox surprisingly empty.

“No ransom demands,” I push out through my tired, dry lips and throat.

“Get her some water.” Sejal waves to Kalvin standing by the sink. He finds a clean mug, fills it up, and brings it to me.

I sip carefully and clear my throat. “No one has contacted me about my crew. If they were being held for ransom or blackmail or something, then I would have been contacted.”

“Who could it be?” Takemo asks, and I shrug.

“Could be anyone. I have pissed off a lot of people.” My eyes slide to Kalvin and remember Kenzie’s parting words. She said I would regret my choices. Is this her doing?

I tip my wristlet over and access the videos that Ai left for me to look at. Trying hard to concentrate through the pain in my body, I watch the videos again… and again. Ugh. No. I can’t tell who has them.

Sejal stands up. “Well, if they aren’t making demands, then they probably want to talk. We should get you there as quickly as possible.”

Nina steps forward. “Look, this whole family reunion is nice and all, but before Skylar even makes it to her ship, she’ll need to escape this arcade without being seen.”

Sejal thinks for a moment. “We could smuggle her out somehow.” Her eyes search the room, but there’s nothing here that would do the job.

“These guys are a problem.” Nina waves to my network. “Any worthy assassin would know to look out for them as well.”

“We’re not leaving her,” Saif protests.

Nina shrugs, but Sejal snaps her fingers, a smile blooming on her face.

“Your ship has a shuttle dock, yes?”

I nod. “Marcelo’s shuttle is usually docked there, but he’s gone to deal with other things.”

“Perfect. My shuttle is right upstairs.” She points up. “I flew in this morning from Naranja. We’ll bypass the streets altogether and go straight to your ship.”

I sit up a little straighter. “Really?”

“Yeah. I rent a slip on the roof, and it’s not far from here to the elevator. You think you can make it?”

I look at all the guys. Takemo seems convinced. Kalvin and Declan seem worried. Nina nods at me. Saif is smiling at his sister.

“Great idea,” he says to her.

She pulls back, offended. “You sound like that’s a surprise.” Her mock anger turns to laughter, and she smacks him playfully on the upper arm. “Yes, it’s a great idea, but let’s get to the ship in one piece before we celebrate.”