“I never even met your parents,” the man said. “I’m sorry they’re dead, but I had nothing to do with it. I was there to help you. Like I’m here now.”
Easy words. “You killed them. You killed my sister. Now you’re going to kill me, too!”
“Listen to me. I am
She stared at him, unable to believe it.
“Your name is Marion Dupuis. You smuggled a child into the States. A little girl from Africa. You were trying to save her.”
“You killed that man in New York,” she said. “I saw your picture on TV.”
The man almost laughed. “The same people who brought you here set things up to look like I murdered someone. We’re the same, in a way. These people aren’t friends to either of us.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I get that. And that’s fine. But think of it this way: If you think you’re going to be killed anyway, what’s it going to hurt coming with us?”
“I think I hear something.” The voice came from the man holding the flashlight. Nate, he’d been called.
“Check,” the other man said.
Nate disappeared into the hall, plunging the room back into semi-darkness.
“Keep quiet,” the man with the gun whispered.
She did as she was told, a part of her wanting to believe the man’s words.
Several seconds passed before Nate returned.
“Two people,” he said. “Passed right by, though.”
“Good,” his partner said. “Now what’s it going to be? You come with us and see if we can get you out of here? Or stay and die for sure?”
“Who are you?” she asked.
The man hesitated, then said, “I’m Quinn. My friend’s Nate. So, what’s it going to be?”
She wanted to go, but…
“Iris,” she said.
“What?”
“The child,” she said.
“Iris,” Quinn repeated.
“I won’t leave without her.”
Quinn went silent as he turned to the side and stared at the empty corner of the room for several seconds before looking back at her. “What if we get you someplace safe, and then I go look for her?”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“The place I mean is still within the facility. But we’ll have a better chance to find her if I go alone.”
She could see Nate glance at his partner, concern on his face. “I told you I don’t trust you,” she said.
“Without us you won’t even have the chance to find her.”
He was right, and she knew it.
The simple answer was none.
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Can you walk?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
Quinn held out his free hand to help her up, but she avoided it and rose on her own.
“From now until we get you hidden, you have to do exactly as I say, and no talking.”
“Okay.”
He looked at her feet, and she followed his gaze.
“What?” she asked.
“Do you have any shoes?”
“Right… yes.”
She spotted her tennis shoes and started to sit down so she could put them on, but he said, “Not yet. You’ll be quieter in bare feet. But once we get outside, you’ll need them.”
“All right.” She was starting to believe him.
“Just don’t drop them.”
She nodded, then followed him out the door of her cell.
