Page 61 of The Prodigal Prince

His questions seemed to be of a more… tactical nature? She wasn’t certain that was the right term, but they focused on things like how far ahead she could see without a flashlight or if the corridor was the same width all the way down. Did the width fluctuate and by how much?

Could he be the commander of some kind of rescue team? Were they going to send troops in or possibly a hostage rescue team or a similar group to try to get to Mac and Gray?

The thought both comforted and scared Fiona. Knowing others were doing their best to get to two of her loved ones relieved her, but at the same time, it might not take much for Mr. Villain and Lefty to decide to take their fears of capture out on Mac and Gray.

They talked more about the room where they’d been held, about the facilities they’d been given access to, what kind of food and how it was served. No detail seemed to be too small.

After a while talk turned to her release. What were those corridors like. What did she see or hear or smell - or even taste - as she was taken from the building?

“I honestly don’t know if I went through that building or not. I don’t remember hearing any doors, much less two. I only remember going from the same stale environment to outside immediately.”

“Were there stairs?” The man scratched another note onto the fourth or fifth piece of paper he’d used in his notepad.

Fiona thought about it. “I don’t think so. There might have been an incline of some kind, but it didn’t seem like there was a staircase.”

Another note as her laptop finally arrived. She logged into her account, but at Thor’s request didn’t look at the photos. They didn’t want her memory tainted.

“Could you tell how wide the door was? How tall? Did the men seem to stoop?”

That wasn’t a thing that would have occurred to Fiona to think about. She searched her memory. “Maybe a little? I heard one of them mutter something about height, but I don’t know what it was. He could have been complaining about the size of a Christmas tree for all I know.”

“How far did they carry you once you left the building?”

“More than a few steps, but not far. They didn’t carry me for more than a couple of minutes, total.”

“What could you ascertain at the last stop before they restrained you?” More notes made it onto the page.

“Not much of anything. Just walls and a corner to the hallway. I know they carried me around it.” She closed her eyes and tried to picture it. “It went to the right from where we were, but it wasn’t a 90 degree angle. It was less than that. Probably more than 45 degrees, but definitely less than 90.”

They worked their way backwards again, back to the room where they’d been held and the area outside it.

Fiona told him everything she could think of. Just as they decided to take a break, an aide of some sort came in an whispered something to Thor.

Thor nodded then stood. “We have something.”

* * *

The confrontation endedwhen Lefty hollered at Mr. Villain.

Mac couldn’t tell what he said, but he found himself left alone.

Unfortunately, they stood right in front of the door to the room that still held Gray.

He watched them as they whispered together.

Then, almost like they forgot about him, they moved toward the corridor on the far side of the open area.

As they moved further away, Mac moved slowly to the door. Carefully, he turned the handle and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it wasn’t locked.

Mac spoke softly and hoped it was loud enough for his son to hear. “It’s me, Gray. Be quiet, okay?”

“Okay.” The reply was even quieter.

He reached his hand through the slightly open door. “Come here and take my hand. We’re going to run, okay?”

His son squeezed his hand in acknowledgment.

Mac watched Mr. Villain and Lefty as they moved even further away.

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