20 Questions

Chapter 135

If my calculations are correct, we are approximately thirty minutes from go time. The kidnappers are still watching TV at an obnoxious volume so I use this time to work on making the hole bigger in front of me. I work the underwire against the wood, scraping and scooping and fighting to survive. Griffin is using this time to caress my body and I'm not disappointed about it. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: the man has great hands.

When I hear movement in the room, I slide the underwire back under the rolled towel in case the dipshits decide to open the lid. The nerves set in and my stomach churns. My heart is racing as I sense them draw closer. The TV is off so I can hear their conversations more clearly. From what I can gather, they are collecting their belongings. The footsteps get heavier so I assume they have put on their shoes. Good. It means they are getting ready to leave. I hear the shorter one first.

"I'll grab the sedative from the room. After we've put those two to sleep, we can set the alarm."

Shit.

I can't disengage the alarm without the code. Even though these two are dumb as a brick, they're smart enough to not say the code out loud. I'm gonna have to figure out another way. I hear a door open and close and there's no outside noises, so I assume it is the door to the room that resembles the lab.

"Griffin, they are getting ready to spray it in here. Are you ready?"

"On it," he says.

He takes several deep breaths in and out and his body shifts so his hand can move to the hole. I get myself ready and take a couple deep breaths myself.

"Jenna," Griffin whispers.

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happens, I just want you to know that I love you."

My heart soars hearing him say those words to me. I know he loves me but hearing him say it out loud gives me the tingles all over. Like I told him earlier, he and I have been to Hell and back together. We have suffered through more trauma and tragedy in our short time together than most people deal with in their entire lifetime. Griffin has been good to me, a little frisky sometimes, but good nonetheless. However this goes down, I'm thankful for this time we've had together.

"I love you too, Griffie Poo. Now get your head in the game, soldier. We got work to do."

"Copy that, little girl."

A shadow casts over the box and the footsteps stop in front of us. This is it. This is the moment where I see if my plan is successful or if it fails and I suffer a horrific death. I bring my hand to my face and wait for the cue.

"Be back shortly, kids. You all be good boys and girls while we are gone. It's nighty-night time."

I pinch my nose, close my eyes and wrap my lips around the hole I have been carving out all day. I feel Griffin's chest move and hear him pull in a long, deep breath and hold it. I breath in as much outside air as I can manage as the sound of the aerosol can sprays. The sedative fills the box and I pray it doesn't pull me under.

Minutes pass and my head isn't foggy yet. I want to check on Griffin, but I can't unplug my nose or remove my lips from around the hole. I don't know if I'm safe yet. It's unclear if the sedative has settled. I listen closely to the outside noises. The footsteps get further away until I can't hear them anymore. The alarm chimes as the buttons are pushed until it eventually concludes with a long beep. The door opens, closes and locks behind itself.

The kidnappers are gone. I wait another couple minutes to ensure they don't come back. Griffin isn't moving, but I'll worry about that in a minute. I pull the underwire from under the towel and get to work on unlatching the lock. Being careful not to push out the small fragment I placed in there earlier, I move the underwire back and forth, getting a feel for the lock and how I can disassemble it. From what I gathered earlier, the latch pops up. I push the wire forward, pressing it against the metal. It slips and the tip of the underwire slides to the right.