Chapter 40

40

Kate lay on the cold, hard bed, her wrist chafed and sore from the handcuff binding her to the metal frame. The room was silent, save for the constant hum of the generator and the occasional gust of wind whistling through the cracks in the walls. She'd lost track of how long she'd been here, her exhaustion battling with the overwhelming sense of boredom and terror that gripped her heart.

Suddenly, a distant boom shattered the monotony, followed by a series of muffled crashes and the sound of something heavy smashing into…something upstairs.

She sat up, her heart pounding as she strained to make out the source of the commotion. Could it be the generator exploding?

No, the power was still on.

She tugged at her restraint, desperate to break free. This could be her chance.

An engine screamed. Her breath caught in her throat.

The wall on the far side of the room buckled, exploding inward in a shower of concrete and metal. She ducked her head, shielding her face from the flying debris as ice and snow blew in through the gaping hole.

As the dust settled, her eyes widened at the sight of a blue snowmobile nose protruding through the opening. It teetered for a moment before crashing down onto the floor. Its engine sputtered, then quit.

A black-clad figure slipped in through the hole, moving with a familiar grace that sent her heart soaring.

Fenn .

Elation surged through her, a wild hope that this nightmare might finally be over. She yanked at the bed frame with renewed determination, the metal creaking under the strain.

But her joy was short-lived. From behind her, a dented, old locker toppled forward with a deafening clang. She whipped her head around, her eyes widening in horror as Hawk emerged from the gaping crack in the ice wall.

Behind the goggles, his eyes blazed with a cold, calculated rage.

He lunged for her, his movements lightning-fast. Before Kate could react, he grabbed her by the collar, pulling her in front of him like a human shield. The cold metal of a pistol pressed against her temple, and she could feel the heat of his breath on the back of her neck.

Across the room, Fenn staggered to his feet, his movements unsteady. Kate's heart clenched at the sight of him, battered and bruised but still standing. Still fighting.

Hawk aimed the gun at Fenn, his finger tightening on the trigger.

Kate's breath caught in her throat, her mind racing. She had to do something, had to give Fenn a chance. With a desperate cry, she yanked on the cuff with all her strength, the metal cutting into her wrist. "Fenn, look out!"

The gun discharged, the sound deafening in the confined space. Kate watched in horror as the shot lifted Fenn off his feet, sending him crashing back on top of the snowmobile. His body went limp. The world stopped.

Fenn. No.

A second gun discharged, the sound reverberating dully through her damaged ears.

Hawk cursed, falling away from her with a grunt, his weight pulling her down on top of him. Her arm—still cuffed to the bed—wrenched her shoulder out of its socket. White-hot pain speared through her body.

She gasped, tears stinging her eyes as terror gripped her heart. The stench of gunpowder, sharp and hot and acrid, filled her lungs.

Fenn.

He wasn't moving.

No. No, no, no .