Page 116 of Snow

She stopped pacing and took a deep breath. “Fine. I’m panicking a little.”

Snow immediately crossed to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me.”

She did, mostly because something about his voice made it impossible not to.

“We’re getting out.”

Nova nodded.

“Say it.”

“We’re getting out.”

“Good.”

His certainty helped. Not enough to make the situation any less terrifying, but enough that she could pull in a breath without feeling like her lungs had suddenly forgotten how to work.

Then she smelled it. For a second, she thought it was something inside the room. Oil or whatever chemicals Brett had been using.

Her gaze snapped to Snow. “Do you smell that?”

“Smoke.”

Nova’s heart started pounding all over again. “Please tell me there is a completely good reason we’re smelling smoke right after somebody locked us inside a secret room.”

Snow was already reaching for his phone. “Can’t do that, sweetheart.”

He called Bear and turned away slightly. “We’ve got a situation. Somebody locked us inside the room with the prototype.”

Nova listened to the silence while Bear responded.

“And we’re smelling smoke now,” Snow continued. “I can’t confirm it yet, but if Brett knows we’re here, I'm betting the bastard is trying to destroy the platform and make a run for it.”

Nova closed her eyes briefly. Of course he was, because being locked in a room with a potential weapon apparently wasn’t enough.

Snow ended the call a moment later.

“Well?” she asked.

“Bear and the others are moving as fast as they can.”

“That doesn’t sound like they’re outside the door with a crowbar.”

“They aren’t.”

“Okay.” Nova nodded, more to herself than him. “So we’re getting ourselves out.”

“Exactly.”

That was apparently all Snow needed. He immediately began searching the room, checking behind worktables and looking along the walls while Nova forced herself to do the same. Standing there imagining what might be burning outside wasn’t going to help anything.

The smell of smoke grew stronger.

“There’s got to be another way out,” she said.

“Most rooms like this should have more than one point of egress.”

“English, Navy boy.”