[Quinn 04] - The Silenced

Julien looked at the display. “It’s them. I think they’re here.”

JULIEN TURNED OFF THE SPEAKERPHONE FUNCTION, then switched to the incoming call.

“Oui? … There’s a cafe at the corner,” Julien said, switching to English. “I’ll meet you there in five minutes.” The Frenchman listened. “Because I’m checking her floor right now.… No, it’s better that we meet there. I can give you the layout.” He glanced at Liz. “Yes, she was alone last I checked.… I’ll be right there. Four minutes now.”

Julien switched the call back to Quinn and reengaged the speaker.

“They’re outside,” he said. “We have five, maybe six minutes before they become suspicious.”

“Then get moving, and don’t call me until you’re someplace safe,” Quinn said.

The phone went dead.

“All right, come on,” Nate said.

He grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulders, but Liz didn’t move. He put his hand on her arm and yanked her to her feet. “Come on. We don’t have any more time.”

“Is there really someone downstairs who wants to hurt me?”

“Yes,” Nate said, leading her toward the door.

“Wait. How long are we going to be gone?”

“I don’t know.”

She tried to pull her arm out of his grasp. “I need some clothes.”

He gripped her harder. He didn’t want to hurt her, but at the moment it was better than delaying their departure. “We can buy what we need. Now let’s go.”

“My purse at least,” she said.

It was on a small table along the back wall of the living room. Nate steered their course so she could grab it, then hurried her out of the apartment.

As they ran down the corridor, Nate said, “There’s got to be a back way out of the building. Where is it?”

Liz didn’t seem to hear him.

“Liz.” He gave her a gentle shake. “You need to help us. Back exit. Where?”

“There’s a door to the alley. But you can only get to it through the lobby.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Nate said.

“Stairs, yes?” Julien asked as they neared the end of the hallway.

“Stairs,” Nate said.

Julien raced down, agile for such a large man. On his own, Nate would have been able to keep up with him, but he knew if he let go of Liz she’d fall back, so he slowed his pace and kept a hand on her.

When they reached the final flight, they found Julien three risers from the bottom standing rock still.

“What is it?” Nate whispered.

“I saw someone through the window outside.”

“Did he see you?”

“He was turned the other way.”

“One of them?”

“I’m not sure.”

Could be anyone, Nate thought. But Quinn had taught him to always assume the worst. He looked at Liz. “Which way to the alley door?”

“It’s across from the elevator at the back of the lobby,” she said. “There’s a hallway that leads to the exit.”

They would have to cross through the center of the lobby. If someone looked through the window while they did, they’d be spotted.

“I’ll check,” Nate said.

The men outside might have descriptions of both Liz and Julien, but they would have no idea who Nate was.

“Stay with Julien,” he said as he let go of her arm.

He moved around Julien and entered the lobby. Then, as if he’d done it a million times before, he strolled toward the entrance of the rear hallway. He was only a few feet from it when someone rapped against the window on the front door.

“Monsieur, s’il vous plait. Pouvez-vous me laisser entrer?” The voice was male, most likely the same person Julien had seen.