Page 80 of Rogue Mission
The lights are dim thanks to the team taking control, but it’s the air that feels wrong. Stale and unforgiving.
I draw in a breath to calm my nerves.Focus, Rosalie. Get in. Get out.
But it’s almost like the place knows we don’t belong here.
That’s just weird, I berate myself. The air doesn’t know anything.
Justice moves first, scanning the corners of the room, clearing all the places where someone could hide.
Even a dust bunny wouldn’t be safe from his inspection.
His movements are deliberate, quiet. Mine aren’t nearly as stealthy.
Tugging on my vest, I count out a four-breath cycle. Slow down, I tell my nervous system. But the zoomies in my chest don’t listen.
He glances over his shoulder, inspecting my expression before saying, “Lead the way.”
“Back room,” I whisper. “Cold storage. Lower level.”
If it’s still there. Fingers metaphorically crossed, I take the lead.
Behind me now, he urges, “Let’s move faster.”
I salute him.
We skirt past the glass partitions. The sole of the boots feel unfamiliar, almost sticking faintly to the tile. The pinch of thetoe box gets even more pronounced, like all of my nerve endings are on fire.
Wait…is this tension some kind of trauma response from being held here?
“You’re okay.” I whisper, before I catch myself.
Justice grabs the back of my vest and pulls me to a stop. “What’s up?”
His gaze skates over me, worried, as if he sees through my cracks.
I give him a thumbs up, making sure my hand doesn’t shake.
He doesn’t look convinced, but lets me go.
The faint hum of refrigeration in the cold storage room grows louder as we approach the keypad on the wall.
I’m buzzing, every sound feels too loud as I shake out my hand.
“Code?” Justice asks.
“I only know one. Hope it still works.”
They used a code I wasn’t supposed to see, but I memorized them by the tones that accompanied the buttons being pushed.
Six-one-seven.
“Say a good luck prayer,” I say as I raise my hand.
The panel is cold to the touch, but the tones are exactly like I remember. Three days of fear while I was being held etched them into my brain.
The lock clicks open. The mechanical noise ricochets off metal and tile and I drop my head and breathe,thankgod.
Another obstacle checked off a list of many.
