Page 15 of Intangible
He was going to be sick. “Memphis? Is that you? What’s wrong?” He could hear the rising panic in Thayer’s voice.
“I’m okay. I’m trying not to be sick,” he moaned as he swallowed the bile back down. “I can’t throw up here.”
“What will happen?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never had this problem before.” He retched once into the corner on his knees, still trying to hold the little bit of breakfast down. “I have to go. I’ll be right back.” He focused on the hotel room until he returned.
Falling out of his chair onto his knees in the room, he grabbed the nearest trash can, emptying what little breakfast he had had into it.
“What the fuck!” Knox exclaimed, jumping up from the bed where he and Murphy had curled up to watch a movie. “What’s happened?” Falling to his knees next to Memphis, he laid his hand on the man’s back as he continued to throw up.
“I have to get back.” Memphis was pasty as he reached for the rabbit on the floor. Knox tried to stop him, wrapping his arms around his thighs, pulling him back, but Memphis was already gone.
Memphis landed back in his dark corner, collapsing against the wall. Thayer looked at the corner in concern but couldn’t call out to him. They could hear the men talking as they walked down the tunnel. She stiffened her spine, prepared to do whatever had to be done to put their plan in motion. Memphis willed her to feel his support even though she couldn’t see him. She had to know he was there, giving her the courage she needed.
“Hi, baby.” The man with her breakfast greeted her in a malicious tone.
“Hey, yourself.” Taking a deep breath, she arched her back, sticking her breasts out. “What’s for breakfast this morning?” She took a seductive step toward him. She had to get him to open the door, then distract him long enough to shove the piece of her pants she had ripped off earlier into the lock.
Thayer had told Memphis she would do whatever she had to help in her escape. As much as it killed him, all he could do was wait and pray she didn’t get hurt in the process.
Running his hand down the front of her shirt, she just managed to school her features into a smile instead of showing the repulsion she had to feel for the man. Using his key, the man opened the door to get closer.
When he grabbed her hair, pulling her head to the side, Thayer backed against the door, hurriedly stuffing the small piece of cloth in the hole. He licked the side of her neck while pinching one of her nipples painfully.
Hearing his buddies calling him, he shoved her back inside, swinging the gate closed behind him. With a nasty laugh, he stalked out of the room.
Thayer just managed to grab the door as it banged closed, the cloth preventing the lock from catching, before it swung back open. When she heard the door close down the tunnel, she threw open the cage door, rushing to Memphis.
“Memphis! Are you okay? I can’t see you in the dark.”
“You can stop trying to feel for me too. You’re digging around in my abdomen.”
She laughed, sitting back on her heels at his words.
“Thank God. I was freaking out.”
“Yeah, that was unpleasant. I’m fine now though. Are you okay?” She nodded at him. “Go eat, then we’ll look around the tunnel to see what we can find.” Thayer sat still for a minute. “I’m coming. Go eat, you need your strength.” With a quick nod, she stood up, moving back to the cell. She left the door wide open, however.
Looking up, she flinched at Memphis’ pale face and dark rings under his eyes as he walked toward her from the dark corner of the room. He knew this was taking a toll on both of them now.
“Sit with me while I finish.” She watched him as he slumped to the cot. “Do you have to do anything special to make something solid?” she asked between bites of her cold breakfast.
“Not really, I just have to focus on it being solid. I just can’t do it with people or animals, I don’t know why. I also have to have something personal in my hand to focus on and I can’t really bring anything extra with me, like a lockpick or baseball bat.”
Thayer nodded, eating the sausage biscuit they had left in the McDonald’s wrapper. She took a small sip from a bottle of water, knowing it would have to last the day. “Is this all they feed you?” Thayer nodded, picking up the biscuit. “No wonder I could see your hip bones. I wish I could bring you more to eat.”
“I thought you said you weren’t paying attention?” she asked, a small smile playing at her lips. “You know, when you stripped me?”
With a deep sigh, he looked over at her. “I’m a man, of course I paid attention.” He smiled when she laughed, shaking her finger.
“And I thought you were a gentleman!” She grinned back at him. “I promise not to tell Knox about it.”
“I already did. So far he’s tased me, tied me to a chair, punched me in the face and threatened to feed my testicles to my dog. I think we’re getting along pretty well all in all.” Thayer burst into laughter. When she finally caught her breath, she looked over at Memphis.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
