“You little shits should be thankful,” the raider continued, as two more guards emerged from the shadows, ambling along the catwalk. “No more ‘spectacles,’ at least for tonight. Let’s hope the old man can do what Jackal says he can, otherwise we might have to feed one of you to the rabids for inspiration, hey? Chew on that for a while, ha!”
He spat over the railing and sauntered off, joining his friend on another platform. I turned to see Zeke draw his gun, aiming it at the raider’s back, and grabbed his arm.
“Zeke, don’t!” I forced his wrist underwater, and he glared at me. “You’ll alert the whole compound,” I whispered, gesturing back toward the curtain. “Let me go first. I can take them out quietly. Even if they see me, it won’t matter if I get shot.”
He hesitated but gave a tight nod. Silently, we made our way to the floating platform, and I started up the ladder to the catwalks above.
I landed over the railings in a crouch, searching for my targets. I could hear their footsteps, sense their beating hearts. One was very close. I crept along the walk, weaving through thick tangles of rope, until I found him, leaning against the railing smoking a cigarette.
He didn’t see the arms that reached through the ropes until it was too late. I snaked one arm around his neck, one hand against his mouth, and yanked him back into the coils. He let out a muffled yelp, but then my fangs were already in his throat.
That was easy, I mused, pushing the ropes aside as I stepped out, smiling. Now, where are the other two?
There was another one, standing at the edge of a platform, smoking. His friend was wandering away, back toward the far wall, leaving the other alone. His back was to me, but I’d have to creep around the cages to get to him. And I’d have to do it before he could alert his friend.
Crouching down, I started forward. I’d just have to be quick—
“Allie!”
The shrill cry echoed through the room, making me jump, and the guard’s attention snapped to the cage. Caleb’s small form was pressed against the bars, his wide eyes fastened on me, one hand outstretched. The raiders followed his gaze and jerked upright as they saw me.
Damn. So much for the element of surprise. As the guards went for their guns, I took two running steps toward the edge of the platform and hurled myself into space. My coat snapped out behind me as I flew over the water, and the raiders’ eyes bulged as I soared from one side of the catwalks to the other. At the last second, one tried bringing up his gun, but I was already on top of him, slamming my knee into his chest. We hit the platform with a ringing clang, and the back of his skull hit the metal edge. He slumped off the platform, hitting the water with a loud splash. The other raider screamed a curse.
I whirled with a snarl, showing fangs, but the guard was already fleeing down the maze of catwalks. Ducking behind the cages, he paused to look back and paled when he saw me running toward him with my sword drawn.
Caleb cried out again, and the guard’s gaze snapped eerily to the child, a chilling look crossing his face. Pulling a huge knife from his belt, he leaned out and slashed at the thick ropes holding the cages above the water. The first snapped, and the cage with Caleb, Ruth, Bethany and Teresa plummeted to a chorus of screams into the icy water.
As the second rope frayed, and the raider raised an arm to hack at it again, a shot rang out from behind. The man jerked. Blood exploded from his chest in a thin spray, and he fell backward. Still clutching the smoking pistol, Zeke rushed onto the platform just as the second rope snapped and the cage joined the first one in the waters below.
I leaped over the edge, plummeting into the foaming water. The second cage had, miraculously, fallen skewed on an underwater table, so a corner still stuck out above the surface. Jake, Silas and Matthew were clinging to the bars, struggling to keep their faces above water. But the other cage, lying on the wooden floor, was fully submerged, and bubbles foamed up where it had fallen.
I dove to where the cage landed, searching frantically for the door. The bodies within were thrashing about, shaking the iron bars, their eyes wide with terror. I found the door padlocked shut and yanked on it. It wouldn’t budge. Snarling under my breath, I yanked harder, straining at the metal, but it stubbornly refused to give.
Looking through the bars, I saw Teresa’s limp body, floating toward the top, and Caleb’s frantic expression as he tried squeezing through.
One last time, I wrenched at the iron door and finally felt it give way. Pulling it open, I grabbed Ruth and Bethany, shoving them through the door, then went after Caleb and Teresa. Caleb was so frantic he refused to let go of the bars at first, and I had to pry him off and shove him out of the cage. Grabbing Teresa’s limp form, I swam for the surface, hoping I wasn’t too late.