Episode 8

Ben looked at Miah and smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”

She nodded, smiling back. “It’s been—”

“Shh!” Connor suddenly hissed, rising from his chair, listening intently. They both froze. Connor looked to Ben with urgency, who nodded to one of the rooms. Ben crept over to the kerosene lamp and, before putting it out tossed the flashlight to Connor. “Hide her,” he whispered.

Miah gaped wide-eyed as Connor pulled her into the room, and whispered, “Ben!”

He reached for her hand and grabbed it tight, as if trying to convey what he could not put into words. “Miah…They’re coming. I’ll hold them off. Just do what he tells you to do!”

“Ben!”

He extinguished the lamp, and they were in darkness. Her heart beat fast as she tried not to panic. She heard the sound of something grating against stone, a faint sound like footsteps. Miah moaned in anxiety, clenching her fists.

“Keep her safe, Connor!” Ben shouted.

“I will!” he called back, breathing heavily.

She felt Connor pulling her into a small compartment and squeezing in after her. Then a door closed and she heard footsteps outside even louder. There was a loud bang, and the trapdoor was thrust open. Multiple footsteps entered the room, scuffling across the uncarpeted spaces of the floor.

“Come out with your hands up!” she heard a muffled yell. The voice was commanding and harsh, and it made her shiver. Connor’s arm was up against hers in the dark, and she felt him grab her hand comfortingly. She fought to keep from hyperventilating in the closed space, but almost choked on her breath.

“Ben Lockham!” she heard the voice. Then there was the sound of an impact, and a loud groan. She gasped and tried to move, a scream itching up her throat, but Connor squeezed her hand tightly, and she swallowed the sound.

“Where are the others with you?” he asked. When there was no answer, he shouted, “Tell me!”

Miah cringed, and it was all she could do to stop herself from screaming and stopping them from hurting him; she dug her fingernails into Connor’s hand, but he only held it tighter.

“They escaped,” she barely heard his voice, “down the escape tunnel.”

There was the sound of a door opening, and another voice called, “There’s a tunnel here!”

“Good. Follow them.”

Miah stood with eyes wide in the dark, listening in trepidation.

The footsteps echoed down the tunnel, and after a few minutes of silence, Connor slowly opened the door, squeezing past Miah. He stepped out and listened for a while, and then flipped the flashlight on with a click. Instantly a figure leaped up from the shadow by the doorway, a gun raised, but Connor dropped him with a kick before he could shout to alert the others. Miah gulped.

“Quick,” he said to Miah, breathing heavily, “we’ve got to get out of here.”

She blinked and nodded. “Where’s Ben?”

Connor walked into the main room where he had been and checked in the other rooms, but returned. “They must have taken him.”

Miah’s mortified face was barely illuminated by the flashlight, her eyes wide with terror; her eyes darted toward the tunnel. She took a step toward the opening, but Connor was quicker.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Connor grabbed her wrist, fumbling to stop her. “Stop!”

She broke from his grip and dashed into the tunnel.

A few seconds later she ran back, shaking. “Give me the light,” she demanded, trying to sound firm, but her voice betrayed her.

“No.”

Miah grabbed for it, choking back a sob, but he held it above her reach. “I have to follow him!” she cried, reaching for it.

“You can’t do anything for him, Miah!” He placed the flashlight on top of the refrigerator and grabbed her arms, clenching his teeth. “We can’t do anything right now!”

She struggled, but stopped as she burst into tears. Connor slowly let go, and hesitatingly put his arms around her. She didn’t push him away, and he held her tighter. “What are we going to do?” she cried into his shirt.

“We’ll get him back,” he replied, “if I have to drag him from Linz myself.” He held her close as she cried, and wondered how on earth he could keep his promise.