Page 46 of They Found Us

The vile man laughs at my efforts. But then stops. His attention perks up, and his eyes dart to the door. From our room, we hear Zander let out a little cry. The man storms to the door, and I just hope Alga has gotten away or that someone else is here.

“Stop right there!” The evil man demands when he exits Mark’s room and continues into ours.

I follow him, and my heart sinks when I see Alga still in there with Zander in her arms, rushing to get away.

“Put him down, or I will shoot both of them!”

Alga stops, but she doesn’t turn around. She holds Zander to her chest.

I can barely hold it together as a gun is pointed at my son. My breathing is erratic and panicked. All I can do is beg. “Please, kill me. Just don’t harm my babies, please.”

Slowly he turns to me, pointing the gun at my head. His face again has a wicked smile. Tilting his head to the side, he says, “I will kill you, and then I will take them both.”

Alga takes the chance and runs to the door. But his reactions are faster. He shoots in their direction. I hear Alga drop to the floor.

The noise pierces my ears as much as the pain explodes in my heart. “My baby.”

Another shot is fired. Now I hear Zander cry. He is still alive. I look in desperation. Alga is on her knees, hunched over Zander. Dark crimson fills her white blouse. She tries desperately to move. The vile guard just watches her as if he enjoys her struggle. Taking the opportunity, I quickly push myself up and dive on to him with as much strength as I can. Astonishingly I manage to knock him off balance. In his momentof distraction, I caught him off guard. Fighting with all my might, I try to wrestle the gun from his hands.

“Alga?”

Sergio’s voice fills me with some hope.

“Sergio, quickly, please.” But in my hope, I lose focus, then I’m overpowered and thrown across the room as he stands.

When I look in the direction of the door, Sergio has hold of Zander and disappears into the hallway. Alga lies lifeless on the floor. Again, I throw myself at the guard, grabbing on to his shirt, begging and pleading for him to leave my children alone. But I am no match for him.

He turns quickly, throwing an elbow to my face, and I drop to the floor. My head then is met by his boot. There’s a sharp piercing crack as my eyes blur.No, stay awake, Katie. You must stay awake and save your children.Rolling onto my front, I push myself up, trying to get on to my knees. My heart sinks as I watch him leave the room, and I hear another loud, sharp, explosive sound that is becoming all too familiar.

“Mummy.”

Mark’s voice has my stomach turning. He cannot see this nightmare. I quickly run into his room, lift him out of bed, and put him in his wardrobe. “We are going to play a game, okay? Like hide and seek.” I speak swiftly and clearly. Mark’s tired eyes try and focus on me in the darkness. “You hide in here and don’t come out until either me, Papa, or someone you know finds you. Okay? Can you do that for Mummy?”

Mark rubs his eyes and nods. I grab his iPad and headphones off his bedside table. “You can watchIn the Night Gardenwhile you wait.” Thankfully Mark is happy with this. I quickly cover his ears and turn the volume up high. I close thedoor and pray he doesn’t come out. I then return to the other room just as the evil man does.

Chapter Thirteen

Leo

“Sergio’s not answering his phone. Why is he not answering his phone? He should be in the house by now.”

“He is probably just checking on everyone before he does. Look, we are here now. Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down, Marco. If this was your fucking wife and child, you would be ripping Van’s head off by now.”

Marco is quiet, knowing full well I am right.

The car pulls up to the gates.

“Anything to report?” Van asks the guard as he lowers his window, waiting for the gates to open.

“No, all quiet, boss.” He nods at me in the back.

When the gates are open far enough, Van sets off down the gravel driveway. But just before his window closes, I hear a sound I am very accustomed to in the direction of the house.

Marco looks at me with a concerned frown.

“Put your foot down, Van,” I demand.

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