Page 115 of Serial Burn

Idiot.

Jesslyn walked through the stacks of supplies and chemicals, realizing there was order in the chaos. She found a door in the far wall of the windowless room but, after close inspection, realized it was reinforced steel. Not going out that way. She wove through the chemical maze, noting the pool nets, PVC piping, pool floats and toys, and more until she finally found the bottom of the stairs. The door was shut at the top. Okay, that was her way out, but first a weapon. She searched for a moment, every ticking second a scrape along her nerves. Nothing was going to work. Everything was unwieldy and awkward.

She paused.

Except maybe the PVC pipe. A piece the size of a baseball bat would do the trick. Jesslyn managed to find one that was a tad shorter than she had in mind, but it would work.

With the piece of pipe gripped in her right hand, she took a steadying breath, realized her nerves were just about shot, and started up the steps.Lord, please, I need your help, your wisdom how to get out of this situation, your—

The deadbolt unlocked.

“Yes, we have everything you need in stock,” a voice said from the other side of the door. “I’ll have it ready when you get here.”

She spun and hurried back down the steps as fast as possible with as little noise as possible. At the bottom, she swung behind the nearest stack of boxes and willed her heart to slow down.

Stay cool, Jess, stay cool. Keep it together.

The door opened and heavy footsteps started down. Okay, he’d check on her while he was down here, see she was gone, and ... what?

He didn’t seem like he’d thought this whole kidnapping thing out very well. The room he’d kept her in had been fairly easy to escape. Anyone wanting to keep someone should have thought about the window. Or maybe he just didn’t think she could squeeze through it. And if she hadn’t lost the few pounds from being sick, she might not have.

Thanks, God, for knowing what I need when I don’t have a clue.

A door slammed overhead and the footsteps paused, then continued on. Derek muttered to himself, walked right past her, and grabbed something off the top shelf of the stack. When he turned, she whacked him in the head. He went down with a thud.

“Derek!”

The shout came from the top of the stairs, and for a moment Jesslyn thought she’d been seen but realized the person was looking for him upstairs.

“Derek! Where are you? I need to talk to you now!” The woman’s voice came closer. “Derek!”

Did she dare hope that this was someone who could help? Or should she stay hidden and wait for the person to leave?

Possibly locking her in once more.

Jesslyn stepped into view as footsteps started down the stairs. “He’s a little incapacitated right now.”

The woman let out a low cry and planted her hand over her heart. “What are you doing down there?”

“Derek Morgan kidnapped me. Who’s he to you?”

“He’s my brother.” She narrowed her eyes. “Why would he kidnap you?”

Derek’s sister? The one who wanted her dead? Uh-oh.

“What are you doing here so soon?” Derek rasped behind Jesslyn.

Jesslyn whirled to see Derek awake and holding a hand to his head, his eyes dark and furious.

“Soon?” the woman asked.

“I-I haven’t called you yet. I was just getting ready to, but ... how did you know to come here?”

“Because this is where you work when you’re not at the school?” Her tone implied he was an idiot.

“B-but you never come here.”

“Derek! Pay attention! Why is she here?”

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