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Eventually they’d have to startunfriendlies being drawn to them The Snake Eaters were down here somewhere, and friend or foe, if they startled those o under the radar for as long as possible

When they finally reached the bottoes to choose froh of relief, but there wasn’t enough room in the subterranean hallways to even puff out his chest He closed his eyes, bringing his gun up to rest the cool barrel against the bridge of his nose

"You okay?" Deuce asked, his whisper harsh in Ty’s ear

Ty nodded and sed past the knot of panic in his throat "Okay, Nick would have been leading the to put himself into the mind-set Nick must have been in He’d rather be in Nick’s ht noay

"Is he a lefty or a righty?" Deuce asked

"Lefty, why?"

"Given no tio with his dominant side He’d choose left"

Ty raised an eyebrow, and Deuce shined the light toward his chest so they could see each other

Deuce nodded "Trust e and they hurried down it, trying to be silent and listen Water dripped, and so sound echoed in the distance It could have been the pipes of the old house, or so on the main level above the

When they reached another intersection, the space opened up It looked as if they were nearing an older part of the house, or maybe even tunnels that predated the ht on the stone, and when he did, they stared at it with ed line of ray stone, ith tiether with such precision and skill that no mortar had been used The top was a mixture of darker rock and brick and mortar

"This looks like ruins fro his hand over the bottom half of the stone

"Oh God If this was part of the castle coo all over the island Livi said there were lava tubes and caves They would have used those to connect these things"

Deuce put a hand over hishis head

A wave of desperation and fury swept over Ty He was co to help his brother, or any of the people he loved, right now He had rarely experienced that kind of helplessness, and he didn’t kno to deal with it "Nick couldn’t have taken them far in the tiot tired or i scared theet her back, Deacon I swear to you"

Deuce just nodded, still covering his rabbed Deuce’s shoulder and pushed hi himself beside his brother at the corner of the intersection

"Should have been

"We’re never getting out of here," another voice co calm and collected despite his prophecy of dooht it sounded like English and Frost

He whistled low to get their attention Their shuffling footsteps halted, and everything went silent A light played over the walls

"Identify yourself," English finally called

"It’s Grady" Ty didn’t step into sight, though He handed his gun to Deuce and put his finger to his lips Deuce nodded "Did you find her?"

"No We didn’t realize how fucking big these tunnels were down here," English answered "Thank Christ you’re here, though, do you knohere we are?"

"Yeah, I can lead you out" Ty put one hand out into the passage to let theht of their flashlights The three re Snake Eaters all looked relieved to see him None of them made an untoward move, but then, he hadn’t told them where they were yet so it didn’t ease Ty’s suspicions

"We’ll help you keep looking for her," Frost offered

Ty nodded, both grateful and still wary He pointed the way he’d coht shot froet out Small spaces,to see if they’d lish ca to h of relief He wasn’t going to be turning his back on these men anytime soon, especially not with one arm out of commission, but at least for now they’d passed his test He bent and picked up a s on the ith it It ain harder, trying to o back up those stairs," English said to Frost and Park He indicated hisdown them Maybe we can find an exit on this level"

"The kitchen has an exit," Deuce said He turned his flashlight back on and handed Ty his gun English and Frost both jumped when he spoke, then calmed immediately when they realized it was hi back, probably for the sa

"I hear you, lish said "Can’t be too careful"

"Especially since Kline" Frost glanced from Ty to Deuce

"This was her first run with the co "She’s on me and I’ll take responsibility for that If you don’t want to trust us, I don’t blame you But these fuckers killed Hardin, and he was our brother We want this We’ve got your back on this, Sidewinder"

Ty stared into his eyes and saw nothing but truth and anger and pain "I’ lives Man’s a hero"

"Yes he is"

Ty filled them in on what they’d learned, and where they should be searching for A O’Flaherty down here?" Frost asked "Can’t he lead us to them? Is he okay?"

Ty winced, hesitant to ad a fit of anger "He ounded, but when he wakes he’ll be the first one down here searching The proble so fast, he’s not sure he knohere they are He also said he gave the oldest boy a gun, so we need to be careful"