Page 94 of Once a Hero

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Her gear was so heavy that Beatrice could barely walk across the rug in the office. Her head was down, checking her steps.

The large floor rug with the geometric pattern had been a gift from a grateful but anonymous client. It was handmade in Persia, but it was ultra-modern. The patterns ran in grids, like a…

Circuit board.

Wait.

The nodes on the board were large circles, reminding her of the amber cabochons in the brooches.

Maybe…

Shots fired outside the office interrupted her thoughts. She’d have to return to this later.

Her headset crackled. “Ansel, where are you?”

“We’re outside. Can you get to where Ken is?”

“He’s in the bathroom downstairs.”

“Not anymore. He’s with Ray and they’re in the bunker. Get to the bunker and we’ll find you.”

“Copy that.” Beatrice was about to tell Jake what Ansel had said.

“I heard that too.”

“Thank God Ansel canceled his plans of going to Paris to wait for us.”

“Yeah.” Jake was at the door. “You saw the swarm. We’re up against an army.”

“There’s a back stairwell.”

Jake nodded. “Lead the way.”

Beatrice wasn’t sure if she wanted to be in the lead. She unlocked the door, but Jake got out first, shielding her.

He nodded to her, but Beatrice had no idea what that meant. He pointed this way and that. All she knew was that she had to get them the stairwell.

Beatrice took the lead and Jake followed her down the hallway.

It was filling with smoke, and Beatrice had a hard time seeing. She could hear noises coming from the now distant lab—people ransacking and breaking things.

The insurance would pay for all of that, but they had to stay alive to collect.

Beatrice didn’t know why that popped into her head. She was sweating now, and her brain was going blank. She had never been in this situation before.

“Stairs,” Jake whispered into her earpiece. It was as if he had sensed her hesitation.

She nodded. It was too late now to return to the office to get their night vision goggles.

In the low visibility, Beatrice found the Exit sign above the stairwell. Quickly, they entered it.

They made their way down two flights of stairs. Jake groaned a couple of times, and Beatrice knew his leg was hurting.

Jake went out of the door first before he motioned for Beatrice to come along.

The hallway was empty. No smoke. No people.

---