Almost

Chapter Eleven

"Turn it off!" Tam hissed, her heart jumping unto her throat. "Turn it off! Turn it off!"

"I'm trying!"

Kaz was desperately fiddling with the company link, it's annoying blipping slightly muffled.

When he got it to stop, they looked at each other and froze.

Footsteps.

"Who's there?"

Yep. That was definitely Jace Rucklin.

Now that Tam had a better look at him, she saw that his limp was due to his leg twisted at an awkward angle. He had multiple cuts and bruises on his face, and his nose was also crooked- probably from when Tam had punched him. His uniform was in pretty good shape, with little wear and tear.

"I have a gun." Rucklin rotated in a full circle, then slowly turned back to the wreckage.

Tam could've sworn in that moment that he saw her. He began to slowly trudge toward the small space her and Kaz were stuck in. She couldn't breath. And Kaz wasn't either.

"Run."

As soon as Jace was a couple feet in front of the ruin Kaz grabbed her wrist and pulled her. Tam's muscles were stiff but she obeyed, stumbling slightly and almost dropping 5L.

"Hey! Stop!" Rucklin barked trying to follow them through the broken parts. But they were faster.

Kaz led her through the wreckage, wires fizzled and sparked, edges of metal cut at her neck, and broken parts littered the floor.

Tam could see the faint glimmer of light from up ahead. They were almost out!

"No!" Kaz pounded his fist on the slab of metal that was blocking their path.

"The blaster!" Tam blurted. "On the sides! Blast the sides!"

"You're a genius!"

The metal gave away easily, and they both shot through to the other side.

But he was waiting.

"You really think I'm that stupid." Jace has his blaster aimed at them, a smirk across his face. "Drop the weapon Kaz."

Slowly, Kaz lowered the still- smoking blaster and placed it on the ground.

Jace's smile was bigger now, emphasising his crooked nose. "Good."

"What do you want Rucklin."

"I want my place back in the First Order." He didn't move. "And I'll do whatever it takes."

The com link blipped again, and Rucklin jumped. He re-aimed his blaster and said, "Answer it."

Kaz looked at him. "What if I tell them where we are?"

Jace smirked again, and aimed the blaster at Tam. "Because if you say one word that I don't like, she dies."

Tam felt her breath stop for the third time that day.

Kaz swallowed. "Yes?" He said into the com.

"Oh Kaz! Nena is rather- er, worried is not how I would put it, but why haven't you checked in?"

"Neeku! Buddy! It's just- well, we uh-"

Rucklin took a step close to Tam.

"We forgot."

"Oh, well don't forget again!" The nikto said cheerfully.

"Neeku?"

"Yes Kaz?"