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The hallasn’t that long Shouldn’t they be at the door by now?

Frozen by indecision, she stilled The approaching fire heated her back, but didn’t burn Not yet

“Claire, where are you?” Jake’s diseh the dark

She couldn’t see hied her forward Right hand Right knee Left hand Left knee She repeated the process away from the flames and toward freedom

The drugs and sy She collapsed by the heavyhis strength, she pulled herself to his side and laid her head on his shoulder

“It’s locked Is there another way?” His drug-slowed voice tickled against her ear

“Keypad” The single word scratched her raw throat The keypad deadbolt lock used its own battery not connected to Harvest’s power source or the generator With luck, Burlington had missed it

She pushed her listless body up, balancing against the door until she stood straight Blindly, she patted the wall, searching for the keypad to unlock the door She ran her fingers across the invisible pad, i the location of each button, and punched in Harvest’s ten-digit phone number A vibration buzzed her hand as a s her breath, she turned it A quiet click chimed

The set any words out as she sank to her knees “Try the door”

Jake stood and weaved a bit before pushing against the door It opened soundlessly Fresh air washed over the rain Claire sucked it deep into her lungs, desperate for survival Coughing, she edged into the alley

“Wait here, I’ lot” Jake scurried off, looking much better than she felt

She glanced back down the darkened hallway Fla their way up the walls All her bravery drained out of her weary body It took every ounce of her strength not to give in to the despair, sink to the ground and weep

She’d worked so hard tohardwood floors and hand-carved wooden detail work along the ceiling It had taken months to talk the reticent local far for the photos lining the stairwell Her mother had helped pick out the autumn color schee towels to the deep-purple naeous, Western-style bar She’d been like a kid at Christmas when the workmen installed it All of it was now just fuel for the fire

Tears soaking her smoke-irritated eyes, Claire watched the blaze h heat poured out of the open doorway, she shivered with chill Her mind shut down as her heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces

“They’re gone,” Jake panted as he raced to her side “Co about South Aetting ready to pilot his jet south The regional airport is fifteen ht still catch them”