Page 67 of Point Proven
“O’Neill,” I snarled in warning, continuing to move down the hallway as Lev began ushering children from the rooms toward the exit.
Either neglecting my tone or not finding it important to respond, he continued. “Green color is… is Liam.”
Coming to the door, my agitation built from his mounting disrespect. “Yeah? I’m fully fucking aware!”
Not spotting a keypad and instead an ordinary lock, I ground my teeth together before lifting my foot and driving it into the door. Ignoring the spike of pain that followed from the abrupt movement, I focused on the hinges squealing in protest before I kicked it again.
And again.
Andagain.
It slammed open beneath my wrath; I raised my gun immediately. With a quick sweep of the room, I turned to look at Matt, who mirrored my solemn expression, neither of us muttering our discovery down the line.
Liam is gone.
“Is… Is he alright?” Simon managed to speak, timbre riddled with anxiety and desperation.
I couldn’t bring myself to answer, not with the settling realization that we may have arrived too late. And that delay in our execution? It fucking fell on me.
I hadn’t woken up fast enough.
I hadn’t gotten out of that goddamn hospital bed quick enough.
I hadn’t?—
“Thorne!” Lev’s voice tore me from my internalized spiral, his voice erupting through the line while also still audibly echoing down the hall. “One of the kids said there’s an underground cell block. End of the hall, take a left, you’ll find a stairwell!”
“What’s going on?”
Simon.
Matt twisted his gaze to mine, nodded, and repositioned his gun with a quick flick toward the location Lev stated. “My gun’s still pretty loaded, and I think I’ll enjoy a few more rounds.”
I swallowed once, gesturing for him to move before I responded to Simon. “Stefan moved him.”
Making light work of the distance, Matt’s boots slapped against the stairs, each one echoing with the finality of this location as we descended beneath this hellhole. Light fractured to nothing, a pit of despair as the sound of our breathing heightened. Foot touching solid ground, it was Matt who found the light source first, flicking it on with haste.
“M-Moved him? Is he?—”
“Fuck. I got eyes on him!” Matt shouted, gaze narrowing on the prison bars as he closed the distance with the speed and precision I’d trained him with. “Liam, buddy, hey.”
A soft, barely audible rasped whimper came from the distance. “No… please… please…”
“Fuck…” I breathed out, rushing to follow Matt. “Simon. Simon. We found him.”
A shattered sob. “T-Thank you.”
“Thorne, I need to get in.”
Pressing a finger to his lips, Matt shook his head, and I knew instantly he didn’t want to freak Simon out. Liam was in rough condition, but it was the continued pleading from him that suggested Liam didn’t even know we were there. Matt took out his earpiece, tossing it to me.
My brows furrowed. “What?”
“Simon doesn’t need to hear what’s about to happen. You… You know how he’s going to respond.”
Without waiting for a reply, Matt picked the lock, the door swinging open as he stepped inside. Careful to approach Liam with caution, he halted a few inches from him.
His pause sent a wave of concern through me. “Matt. I need an update.”
