Ball & Chain(100)

“I should be down there helping look for Amelia,” Zane insisted.

“You should be right here,” Kelly said. “When Nick gets answers, we’ll need you here. Ty’s a big boy, he can handle himself.”

Zane glanced at him, trying to convince himself Kelly was right. If Fraser gave them information, Zane was the only one who had enough pieces of the puzzle to do anything with it.

He cleared his throat. “When Nick gets answers. You really think he’ll be able to?”

“Nick has extensive experience with, uh . . . enhanced interrogation techniques,” Kelly said, his voice flat.

“What?”

“The alternative set of procedures?” Kelly said, turning his head to meet Zane’s eyes. He wasn’t smiling.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Torture. Nick was trained to torture.” Kelly returned his gaze to the door, his expression unchanging.

Zane stared at his profile for several seconds before turning his attention back to the door.

Darkness had fully set in, but they’d lit every fireplace, candle, hurricane lamp, and lantern they could gather. It made the mansion feel truly gothic, with flames flickering everywhere, shadows being cast in all directions, and the fireplaces crackling and giving off enough warmth to make walking into a room feel like coming in out of the cold.

Zane would have really enjoyed a blackout like this, in a place like this, if it weren’t for all the dead bodies piling up in the freezer.

There was a bang and crash from the kitchen, and voices began to echo up the steps. Zane and Kelly both stood and started toward the stairwell, shining flashlights down and holding their guns at the ready.

The first person to come into sight was John English, a frightened child in each of his massive arms, clinging to his neck. He raised his head when the lights hit him.

“You found them, they’re all safe?” Zane blurted, lowering his weapon.

English nodded and continued up the steps. Frost and Park followed behind him, the two older boys between them. The kids were all smudged with dirt and spiderwebs, their clothes dusty and covered in some sort of white rock dust. But they were all safe.

English and his Snake Eaters headed for the dining hall, where they could reunite the children with their parents. Deuce and Ty were having a harder time mounting the stairs, mostly because Deuce was clinging to Amelia and refusing to use the hand railing to help him up the steps, and Zane instantly recognized Ty in the throes of a very real panic attack.

He and Kelly darted down the stairs to assist.

Deuce refused to let his little girl out of his arms, so Kelly helped him up the steps, taking his weight.

Once Deuce and Amelia were in safe hands, Ty slid down the stairwell wall and refused to move. Zane knelt in front of him, setting his light on the step above them.

“You’re okay, doll,” he whispered. He gently touched Ty’s cheek.

Ty gasped in breath after breath, shaking his head. He wouldn’t open his eyes, so Zane simply leaned in and kissed him. Ty wrapped his arms around Zane’s neck, clinging to him, unable to even speak.

Zane didn’t know how he’d made it out of those walls without breaking down completely. He slipped his arm around Ty’s waist and hefted him to his feet. “Come on. Big and open upstairs.”

Ty’s fingers dug into Zane’s shoulder as Zane helped him up the steps. As soon as they made it out of the stairwell, Ty let go of him and awkwardly lowered himself to the ground with one hand, flattening out on the cool marble. He pressed his cheek to the floor and stroked his fingers over the tile. “I thought I’d never see you again,” he cooed to it.

Zane barked a laugh before he could stop himself. “Nice to see I was missed.” He bent and put a hand on Ty’s head. “Are you okay?”

Ty nodded jerkily, finally opening his eyes. “We found her.”

“I noticed. Come on.” Zane helped him off the ground and headed for the bench where Kelly was once again sitting. Ty’s steps were wobbly, but he seemed to be shaking the panic off. He always did.

Zane sat next to Kelly, and Ty stood for a second, his brow knitted in confusion. “What are we doing?” he asked.

“Waiting for Nick,” Kelly answered. He pointed at the door.

“Is he okay?”

Kelly shrugged. “He is. I wouldn’t put bets on Jockie Fraser, though.”

Ty looked from him to the door again. “Nick’s in there with him?”

“Getting information,” Kelly provided.

“Oh no. No, no,” Ty murmured. He started for the door.

“Ty, we gave the man a chance to talk,” Zane called after him.

“It’s not Fraser I’m worried about!” Ty shot over his shoulder.