The Escape Read Online Free PDF Page A

policies, he seemed to be innocent—or at least innocent of Emporium conspiracy.
    “Thank you,” I said to the vice president after the flash.
    “No, thank you for coming.” Vice President Mann patted my hand, already turning to greet the next people in line.
    Patrick spoke as we left the lights and the backdrop together, heading for the exit. “You’re not staying?”
    “Not this time,” I said.
    His eyes met mine. “That’s too bad.”
    “Yes, isn’t it?”
    A few more strides and we were through the door, leaving Patrick behind.
    “That was close,” Keene said.
    “We’re not in the clear yet. From what I saw in his mind, he’ll be talking to his Emporium cronies. We need to get out of here.”
    “Not the front,” Ritter said in my earbud. “They’re out here already. Have been for some time. Though they don’t seem to know—wait, scratch that. They’re heading inside.”
    I walked faster, swaying ridiculously in the high heels. “Heading to the parking garage.”
    “No!” Ritter barked. “They’ll be there already. Too easy to trap you.”
    “Try the exit on the opposite side of the hotel,” Cort said. “If you go through the courtyard, it’s almost as close as the side exit we discussed earlier, and it might throw them off. You may have to get through them, but at least you’ll have an avenue of escape. With Secret Service watching every entrance, they may wait until you clear the hotel to attack.”
    “Heading there now.” Ritter again. “Marco, Jace, you copy?”
    Brief static, and then Marco’s voice. “On our way.”
    “Save some for me,” Jace added.
    I smiled. “We’ll see.”
    Welcome excitement thrummed through my veins as I anticipated the coming battle, blotting out my earlier unease. While we had hoped to get in and out without attracting undue attention from the Emporium or Hunters, I was itching for a fight. After the frustrating weeks of watching the Emporium compound, unable to do anything to help our captive people, I finally had a chance to strike back.
    Slipping off my heels, I discarded them in a garbage container. Next, I unfastened the long skirt under the first ruffle at mid-thigh, throwing it into a planter.
    Keene smirked. “Nice.”
    “Stella’s design.” I retrieved my knives, one in each hand.
    “So you were able to get into his mind,” Keene mused as we entered the courtyard. “I’d think he’d be trained enough to keep up a shield. They know you have at least two sensing Unbounded.”
    The icy cold of the pavement stung my bare feet, but I ignored the discomfort and hurried forward. “They know we have Ava,” I corrected. “Don’t talk like you aren’t a part of us.”
    He shrugged. “Delia knows about you, too.”
    As far as we could figure, Delia still hadn’t told anyone at the Emporium about my real ability. I believed she planned to take control of my mind and use me to tighten her reign over the Emporium and control her partners, so it made sense on some level, but not knowing also weakened them as a group.
    I grabbed his hand and held it next to my earring so the others couldn’t hear. “He did have a shield. I got through it.”
    Keene’s step faltered. “You got through it?” Mixed feelings of horror and admiration came from him as I dropped his hand. Since I wasn’t making an effort to probe his mind, I knew he’d purposely allowed his own barrier to fade. Or had he? I reached out, but his shield was solid. Only his surface emotions seeped through. I didn’t push further. I didn’t want to know what kind of a monster he thought I was becoming. Being mortal, he could never understand. I picked up the pace, sprinting to the far side of the courtyard and yanking open the door to the hotel. Keene kept up.
    “You’re close,” Cort said in my ear, and I knew he was following the tracking chip embedded in my arm. “Turn left at the next hallway and then right at the end of the corridor. There’ll be an emergency exit