Page 34 of Reset

Sarah watched as he slowly, he worked his fingertips into a tiny crack at the right of the stone and began to work it out.

There was an ominous creaking sound from overhead, and they only started breathing again when it faded and everything remained in place.

“I don’t like this.” Sarah eyed the dust as it fell from the ceiling above onto her head. “Maybe you should leave that little stone alone.”

“It doesn’t support anything, far as I can see. Removing it shouldn’t cause another cave-in. I’m sure we’re fine.”

She wished she had his confidence.

Carefully, he began to inch the stone out from the crevice it was wedged into. “I feel air behind it.” His grin was contagious, and she couldn’t help smiling back, although hers was more nervous than excited.

With slow pressure, he pulled the rock toward them until it suddenly popped free. Quickly, Ryan tossed it beside the others while they waited a beat to see if there would be any movement in the blockade.

When nothing happened, Ryan reached for the phone. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with now.”

As he shone the light into the hole, Sarah gasped. Through the tiny space where the stone had been, a rat’s head appeared. Its nose twitched. Its black eyes stared straight at them. And then its body contorted, flattening to squeeze through the hole. They stared, in horrified fascination, as it popped out and ran toward them.

Suddenly, Ryan shot to his feet. Sarah, meanwhile, watched another rat’s head appear in the same small gap. Faster than she could suck in a breath, it was through the hole. Followed by another. Then another. And another…

That’s when they noticed the noise coming from the other side of the blockade.

Skittering.

Scraping.

Squeaking.

A million tiny claws on stone.

“Run,” Ryan barked, grabbing her hand.

Sarah didn’t have much choice in the matter because Ryan was already dragging her up the tunnel. Behind them, the squeaking and scratching grew louder as more and more rats poured through the dam that’d kept them at bay.

As they reached the curve where the gate sat, Sarah glanced behind them. In the split second before the tunnel fell into darkness, she could just make out the floor.

It was a carpet of rats.

CHAPTER TEN

Benson Security Office

London

* * *

When Joe and David returned from the hospital with the security footage from that morning, they headed straight to Callum’s office. Only to be stopped by Julia.

“The police are in with him.” Her complexion was even paler than usual, and Joe didn’t like it one bit. “A woman Ryan knew went missing this morning too. Elle’s busy digging up everything she can on her and will fill us in once she’s done.”

“Was she abducted?” David asked.

Joe’s wife zeroed straight in on the implication behind the former spy’s question. “Yes, the police think Ryan might be behind it. He wasn’t, was he? He was abducted too.” She covered her mouth with her hand.

Joe stepped up beside her, slung an arm around her shoulders, and tucked her into his side. “Yeah, baby, somebody took him.”

Anxious eyes looked up at him as she took a deep breath. “The police will want to know what you’ve found. Let me get my iPad, and we’ll interrupt the meeting. Do we need to do this in the conference room?”

David shook his head. “No, but we’ll need Elle. Meet you back here in a few.” He jogged up the main stairs as Joe followed Julia into her office.