Chapter 14

chapter

fourteen

Dottie and Brooke walked over, Michael between them, holding each of their hands, looking back and forth between the adults with wide eyes. Even though he couldn't hear, he knew something scary was happening, and tears brimmed.

"This is bad," Dottie whispered.

Rhiannon bent down to sign to Michael, but he didn't give her the chance. He launched into her arms and wrapped his tiny arms around her neck.

Did he feel warm?

She pressed the back of her hand against his cheek. He did, but it was ungodly hot in here and there was almost no air circulation. She hugged him tight, murmuring soothing nothings against the top of his head. She remembered when her mom used to do that for her after a nightmare. Without her hearing aids in, she hadn't been able to hear the words, but she'd felt the hum of her mom's throat against her head and had always found comfort in the vibrations, even more than the words.

"Shhh, love," she whispered, her heart aching for the boy. "We're going to be okay. We're going to figure this out."

"I'm scared," Hailey said, and Dottie draped an arm over the teen's shoulders, pulling her in for a side hug. "Why is Will listening to them?"

"I don't know," Dottie murmured.

"What are we going to do?" Brooke asked.

Rhiannon felt the weight of Michael's small body against hers, his soft breaths hitching with every tremor of anxiety that rippled through the room. Alan's voice boomed like thunder, electrifying the air with a crackling tension. His followers all nodded in agreement, their expressions hardened with determination, convinced they had found their savior in the man who whispered promises of safety and retribution.

Rhiannon glanced at Pierce, his hardened expression unreadable as he stood at the edge of the chaos, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

She caught his attention with a wave of her hand. "We need a plan."

Pierce's lips thinned as he nodded, his eyes darting between Rhiannon and the growing mob. He stepped closer, his movements fluid and purposeful, and waved their small group in for a huddle.

Gareth lowered his voice. "We need to leave."

Pierce's jaw clenched, a muscle ticking beneath the skin. He gave a sharp nod, then gestured toward the blocked hallway.

"No, I don't want to go back over there," Brooke said. "What if the floor gives out?"

Pierce and Gareth looked at each other and despite the language barrier, she had the feeling they were sharing the same thought. Pierce's hands moved swiftly, signing to Rhiannon.

"He says we don't have a choice," she translated, keeping her voice low. "The main entrance is completely impassable."

Dottie's brow furrowed. "But what about the structural damage? We could be walking into a death trap."

"It's our best shot," Gareth said, his gaze cutting toward Alan. "It's more dangerous to stay here. They could just decide, fuck it, and kill us in our sleep."

Pierce grunted to get their attention. "Until we get the hallway clear, we need to sleep in shifts. We also need to gather anything we can use to defend ourselves."

When Rhiannon translated, Dottie's eyes widened. "Defend ourselves? Surely it won't come to that."

Pierce's expression remained grim as he signed again.

Rhiannon swallowed hard before relaying his words. "He says we need to prepare for the worst. Alan's group will become more volatile by the hour."

Brooke hugged herself. "This is insane. We're supposed to be working together, not... not turning on each other like animals."

Gareth gently squeezed her shoulder. "It's human nature. When people are scared, they look for someone to blame." Then he looked at Pierce again. "I'd keep your dog close."

"No," Dottie gasped, her hand flying up to cover her heart. "They wouldn't hurt sweet little Razzy, would they?"

Pierce nodded, his expression dark. "They want to hurt me, so they'll go for the people I care most about first— Rhia, Razzy, and Micheal. But I'm not worried about Razzy. They'll underestimate him. Everyone always does, and he's more dangerous than he looks."

Michael stirred in Rhiannon's arms. She stroked his hair, wishing she could shield him from the harsh reality unfolding around him. "We won't let them touch Razzy or Michael."

"No, we won't." Hands on her hips, lips pressed into a disapproving line, Dottie shook her head. "Not on my watch." She glanced toward the checkout counter, then leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "I have a gun locked in a safe under the registers. We were robbed a few years ago, and I started keeping it there during my shifts."

Rhiannon stared at the others, a cold pit opening up in her belly. "Does Will know you have it?"

"No, I don't?—"

"He does," Hailey spoke up. "He's talked about it before. He thought Dottie was paranoid."

Gareth groaned softly and muttered, "Fuck."

"Does he have the combination to the safe?" Pierce signed.

"No," Dottie said without a shred of doubt after Rhiannon translated. "Only managers have that."

"We need to get that gun before they do."

Rhiannon froze and looked at Pierce in horror. "That's not a good idea."

"What did he say?" Hailey asked, wide-eyed.

Even without translation, Gareth was already nodding. "He wants the gun."

Rhiannon's heart raced as she looked between Pierce and Gareth. They both looked like the soldiers they once were in that moment. She shook her head, tightening her grip on Michael. "No, absolutely not. We can't escalate this situation with a weapon. If nobody else has access to it, then we should leave it right where it is."

"It's not about escalation, Rhia. It's about protection. If they get that gun first, we're all in danger."

As he signed, Gareth said, "Will might not have the combination, but if they get desperate enough, that won't stop them."

Dottie nodded grimly. "Gareth is right, and I assumed Pierce said something similar, so I'll go. They won't suspect anything if I'm just puttering around behind the counter."

"We'll create a distraction," Gareth offered. "Draw their attention away from you."

Pierce nodded in agreement.

So they were all determined to ignore her.

Fine.

She tucked Michael against her chest and called Raszta to her as she retreated to the farthest corner of the store, behind several toppled shelves. They would be safe back here if bullets started flying. Michael protested as she tried to set him down on a bed of sweatshirts.

"Shh," she murmured and wiped at the tears streaming from her eyes. She signed, "It's okay, sweetie. We're just going to play a little game." She tried to keep her expression soft and calm as if there was absolutely no danger just on the other side of those shelves. "We're going to hide here with Raszta and be very, very quiet. Can you do that for me?"

Michael's lower lip trembled, but he nodded, his blue eyes wide and solemn. He curled up against Raszta, burying his face in the dog's wiry fur. Rhiannon's heart clenched at the sight. She combed her fingers through his hair. He was sweating, and if she wasn't mistaken, he felt warmer now than he had a few moments ago.

Dammit.

"Stay with him," she signed to Raszta.

The dog's tail wagged once, and she took it as agreement.

Rhiannon took a deep breath, steeling herself. She couldn't just sit here and hide while the others put themselves at risk. With one last glance at Michael and Raszta, she crept back toward the group.

Across the room, she saw Gareth and Pierce conferring in low voices. Dottie had already slipped behind the counter, her movements casual as she straightened a display of postcards. Brooke and Hailey huddled together near a rack of t-shirts, their faces pale with fear.

Dottie's hands moved deftly behind the counter, her motions appearing natural to anyone not looking closely. But Rhiannon saw the tension in the older woman's shoulders, the slight tremor in her hands as she knelt to punch the code into the safe.

Across the room, Gareth and Pierce lifted a large chunk of concrete from the hallway and threw it aside. It landed on the floor with a thunderous crash. Heads whipped around, and shouts of alarm rang out as dust billowed up from the impact.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Alan bellowed, storming towards them.

Pierce signed a response, his movements sharp with irritation, and Rhiannon translated it loudly, drawing even more eyes their way.

"We're trying to clear a path out of here. Unless you'd rather stay trapped here forever?"

Alan's face reddened. "You're going to bring the whole ceiling down on our heads!"

As the argument escalated, Rhiannon darted a glance at Dottie. The older woman had taken advantage of the distraction, her fingers flying over the keypad of a small safe beneath the counter. With a soft click, the door swung open.

Suddenly, Will's voice cut through the air. "Hey, what are you doing back there?"

Dottie froze, her hand still inside the safe. Rhiannon's gaze snapped to Will, who was striding purposefully toward the counter, his eyes narrowed with suspicion.

Shit.

She had to do something.

She darted forward, positioning herself between Will and the counter. She turned to Dottie. "Did you find the Children's Tylenol?"

If Dottie was surprised, she did a remarkable job of not showing it. She withdrew her hand from under the counter, and a set of keys dangled from between her fingers, then she turned to the locked case of medicine behind the counter and opened it. She took out several packages and tossed one to Rhiannon. "Will that work?"

"Perfect. Thanks." She turned to Will, purposely moving in the same direction he did so that they bumped into each other. She fumbled the medicine and dropped it. "Oh, shit. Sorry!"

As Will bent to pick it up, Rhiannon motioned for Dottie to get the gun. The older woman quickly withdrew a sleek black handgun, tucking it into the waistband of her pants and pulling her polo shirt down to conceal it. The safe door closed with a muted thud.

Will studied the Tylenol package as he straightened. "Why do you need this?"

"Michael's running a fever," Rhiannon explained, her heart pounding so hard she was surprised he couldn't hear it. "I asked Dottie to get him something to bring it down. I'm worried about him being dehydrated in this heat."

Will's expression softened. "The kid? Yeah, it's brutal in here." He handed her the medicine. "I can get him a bottle of water if he needs it."

Rhiannon nodded, relief flooding through her as Dottie edged by them. "Thanks. I'd really appreciate it."

Rhiannon watched Will walk away, her heart still thundering. She turned to Dottie, who gave a subtle nod.

The gun was secure.

For now.

She made her way back to Michael and Raszta, her steps heavy with the weight of what they'd just done. As she rounded the toppled shelves, she found Michael curled up against the dog, his small body shaking with silent sobs.

"Oh, sweetheart," she whispered, kneeling beside him. She gently touched his forehead, wincing at the heat radiating from his skin. The fever was definitely climbing.

Michael's tear-filled eyes met hers, and he signed with trembling hands, "I want to go home."

"I know, love. I know. We're going to get out of here soon, I promise." She pulled him into her arms, rocking him gently, and hoped like hell she wasn't lying to him.

She felt a presence behind her and turned to see Pierce standing there, his expression grim. He knelt beside them, his movements careful and deliberate. "How is he?"

Rhiannon shook her head. "Not good. He's spiked a fever. We need to get him out of here, Pierce. Soon."

His jaw clenched as he nodded. He reached out, gently brushing Michael's sweat-dampened hair from his forehead. The boy stirred, blinking up at Pierce with glassy eyes.

"Hey, buddy," Pierce signed, his movements slow and exaggerated for Michael's benefit. "How are you feeling?"

Michael's lip trembled as he signed back weakly, "Hot."

"It is very hot in here."

Will appeared then with a couple of bottles of water. "Sorry, I wanted to get more, but Alan stopped me."

Pierce gave him a grateful nod. He took the bottles, opened one, and offered it to Michael. "Small sips. It'll help."

Will hovered there, seemingly unsure what to do. He stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting between them and the rest of the group.

She caught his eye, offering a small smile. "Thank you for the water, Will. It means a lot."

He nodded, his expression conflicted. "Look, I... I don't agree with everything Alan's saying, but he's right that we need to be careful."

Pierce's eyes narrowed, his hands moving in sharp, precise gestures.

Rhiannon translated, keeping her voice low. "What exactly do you think is going on, Will?"

Will ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. "I don't know, man. The earthquake, the story about you causing it. It's all freaking me out."

Rhiannon felt a chill run down her spine. She hugged Michael closer, feeling his small body trembling against hers. "Will, we're all scared and confused. But turning on each other isn't going to help anyone."

"I know that," Will snapped, then immediately looked contrite. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. It's just... this whole situation is insane. I don't know what to believe anymore. It's just... Alan's been saying some pretty convincing stuff."

Rhiannon felt a surge of anger. "Convincing? He's trying to turn everyone against Pierce based on nothing but speculation and fear."

"Is it really nothing, though?" Will's voice dropped to a whisper.

Pierce growled and signed rapidly, and Rhiannon hesitated before translating. He stared at her, silently telling her to repeat what he said.

She sighed. "He says, ‘If I wanted to hurt anyone, I've had plenty of opportunities. Think about it, Will. Use your head, not your fear.'"

Will flinched.

"We do understand," she added to soften Pierce's bluntness. "We're all under a lot of pressure. But we need to stand together, and our priority is only to get everyone out of here safely. Especially the most vulnerable, like Michael."

Will's gaze dropped to the sick boy, and his face flushed with something that looked a lot like shame.

"Yeah, of course. The kid doesn't look good."

"He's not," Rhiannon said, pressing her lips to Michael's forehead. "His fever's getting worse. We need to get him to a hospital."

Will nodded slowly, his shoulders sagging as he glanced toward the others. "Listen, maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but even if you find a way out, Alan's not going to let you leave without a fight. He's planning something."

Pierce met her gaze, and in his eyes, she saw worry. She looked at Will. "We have to try."