Part 22 (1/2)

CHAPTER 28.

”UP!” THE SHOUT came from down the hall. ”Up, up, up!”

Every word was emphasized by a loud bang of something knocking against the wall.

Nate opened his eyes, suddenly alert. The lights in the hallway had come on, and seeped through his door vent, creating a rectangle of illumination on his floor.

”Up! Everyone. Wake now!”

As Nate pushed himself to his feet, the overhead bulb came on. He blinked several times, shuffled over to the toilet, and relieved himself. As he was zipping up his pants, the door behind him opened.

Ja.n.u.s took a step into the room, with one of the fatigues-clad soldiers following.

”I said up. I not say play with self,” Ja.n.u.s said.

A thousand comebacks played through Nate's head, but he kept his mouth shut.

”Put this on.”

Ja.n.u.s tossed something at him. As Nate caught it, he realized it was a black bag similar to the one put over his head when he'd been captured.

”Put it on,” Ja.n.u.s repeated.

As much as Nate wanted to just throw it right back, doing so would only result in him being used as a punching bag. He pulled it over his head.

”Tie string,” Ja.n.u.s said.

Nate started to tie off the cord that encircled the opening.

”Pull tighter first, so cannot take off your head.”

Nate decreased the size of the opening and then tied it off.

”Good. Now hands out front.”

Nate held his hands out. Instead of the plastic ties that had been used to this point, his hands were locked together in a much heavier set of cuffs that were wide, almost like wristbands.

”Bring him.” This time the words weren't for Nate.

A hand he a.s.sumed belonged to the soldier grabbed his arm and yanked him into the hallway.

”No move.” A different voice, the soldier's.

Nate stood in the middle of the hall and listened as Ja.n.u.s repeated the bag-and-cuffs routine from room to room. Soon, though he couldn't see them, he knew his four fellow prisoners were standing in the corridor with him.

”Everyone. Turn to my voice,” Ja.n.u.s ordered.

As soon as Nate turned, the soldier grabbed him again and started pus.h.i.+ng him forward.

It must have been an odd sight, the five black-bagged men walking down the stone hallway with at least one fatigue-wearing escort and probably more And Ja.n.u.s-can't forget him, Nate thought-the big dumb blond man leading the way.

If Lanier was right, and he and the others had been pretty much left alone since they'd arrived, then this little exercise was something new. Of course, the bald guy-Harris-had intimated they were waiting for only one more person to arrive. That had happened the day before, meaning the period of just sitting around was apparently over.

They were moved through several doors, and the echo of the hallway disappeared. A breeze pushed the side of the bag against Nate's cheek. They were outside. The courtyard again, Nate suspected, given the stone beneath his feet.

”Stop!”

The soldier clamped down on Nate's arm, halting him.

”Put them in their places.” Harris's voice.

The soldier turned Nate forty-five degrees, then pulled him backward until Nate's heel b.u.mped into a solid surface.

”Step up,” the soldier said.

Reluctantly, Nate raised his foot, sliding his heel against the surface until he pa.s.sed above it. He moved his foot back, set it down, and pulled up his other foot.

”Back again,” the soldier said.

Nate moved his foot backward and hit another rising surface. Stairs?

”Up!” the soldier said impatiently.

Nate did as he was told.

”Stay,” the soldier said.

Okay, maybe not stairs. Whatever it was, he was now a good two and a half feet above the level of the courtyard. He tried to remember if he'd seen anything the night he had dinner with Harris that might match what he was standing on, but he couldn't recall anything.

He stood where he was for what seemed like forever, with only the sound of the breeze blowing against his hood as company. The others must be nearby, but no one was talking. After a while, he could feel the air warming, and knew the sun had risen.

”Hey!” It was Lanier. ”Hey, what's going on? You can't just let us-” His words were capped by a thud, followed by a grunt of pain.

Then silence again.

More heat as the sun continued to climb into the sky.

Finally, there was a noise, at first nearly unnoticeable, a distant whine that could have easily been just a trick of his mind. But as it grew louder, it became impossible to ignore.

A motor. Electric, if Nate wasn't mistaken.

It entered the area they were in, moved along behind them, then circled in front and stopped.