“Think about it, Rico. Just think about it.”
Rico turned and climbed the stairs, shutting the door behind him, and Felix blew out a breath. That man was his way out of here; he just had to find enough somethings to push his buttons. He wandered back to the bed and climbed back into his usual position, grabbing the plate with food and chewing it slowly. He didn’t want to rush it in case he got nothing else. Each meal he received confused him even more as to why they were keeping him alive. How long were they going to keep him alive? What did they need him for? Maybe Rico knew, but if he was the newbie like he said he was, he probably didn’t have all the information.
He’d lost count of the times he’d gone over everything that had happened so far, trying to find something that would help him figure out what the hell was going on. This was where he and Brett always did well together. Their minds worked differently, and where one of them couldn’t see a route, the other could, and vice versa.
Thinking of Brett did a number of things to him. One, he went hard as a rock every time he thought about what they’d done in the chapel. Two, his chest constricted as if someone had squeezed his heart. And three, he felt himself relax because he knew Brett would be looking for him. It was a blessing and a curse because Brett wouldn’t give up, even if there was a slight chance that Felix was alive to him, he would never give up. In all honesty, he probably wouldn’t give up if he thought Felix was dead. Nothing would stop him from retrieving any of the bodyguards under his role. Despite what Brett might have said, they were his family, and he would never leave his family behind.
He wasn’t sure how long it had been before Rico came back again, with some vegetable soup this time, but it was darker again. That meant he’d been there for over a day.
Rico said nothing to begin with, just put the soup inside his cell and locked it back up again. But he didn’t leave. Felixdidn’t move a muscle, letting the man gather his thoughts, and eventually, Rico said, “How can you guarantee we will be safe?”
Felix didn’t let his elation show. “We would change your identities and move you somewhere else, somewhere of your choosing. You’d lose everything from your current life, but you’dbealive. If we felt the need, we might suggest some facial reconstruction to make it so you can’t be found on cameras. There are plenty of things we can do.”
“I don’t know if I can make this decision without talking to my wife,” he said, putting his hands on his hips. “She has family whom she adores. It would destroy her not to be able to see them.”
“But at least they would be alive, too. What are the chances of their becoming collateral damage if you stay as you are?” Rico closed his eyes and shook his head, swearing under his breath. “Are you able to talk with your wife during this…event?”
Rico shook his head again. “I can’t speak to her until this is over.”
“Then, only you can decide.” He refused to push further and stood, picked up his soup and retook his seat. He started eating as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“What would I have to do?” Rico mumbled.
“Help me get out of this cell. If possible, I could do with a weapon of some sort so I can fight my way out of here.”
“I can’t leave the cell unlocked. They’ll know it was me. I can get you something to use when you get out, though. I can stash a gun behind the stairs there.” He nodded towards the stairs heading up to the ground floor. “If you have the gun in the cell, you will never get out of it. The minute they see you, they will shoot and ask questions later. I’d be dead before I took my next inhale.”
Felix could see his point. There was nothing in the cell behind which to hide the weapon except for the mattress, and it wasn’t deep enough to hide anything at all.
“Okay. That will help. Can you tell me anything about the lock?” He nodded towards the cell door.
“Just a basic key. It should be easy enough to pick if you have the knowledge and tools. Might be easier if you wait until one of the others brings something for you to eat, then when they open the cell to put it in…”
It was probably the best plan he could come up with. If he asked for anything to help with the lock and they found it, they would look at Rico as the one who had provided it. And despite Felix being pissed that the man had been part of his kidnapping, he was also a good guy in a dangerous situation. He didn’t want him to die. Felix swallowed. Hewouldsacrifice him if he had no choice, but he didn’t want to.
“I have to go now because I can’t stay down here too long, but tomorrow morning, we can talk more.”
Felix nodded. “Thanks.”
He spent another night tossing and turning and was awake before the sun rose. Rico returned with breakfast.
“Okay. Give me some details about who I’m up against.”
Rico gave him a detailed list of the people who came and went upstairs, who stayed, who left and came back, who were most alert, and who slacked off. Every piece of information helped him to understand what he would need to do to survive. And when Rico mentioned one name in particular, Felix’s insides went ballistic. Instead of reacting, though, he pushed it aside. They would get what was coming to them.
“I need you not to be here when I do this,” Felix said to Rico. “Get away from here and take your wife to Windsor Castle. Ask for Brett Cage. Tell him everything. I’ll either join you there or I won’t.”
Rico nodded. “I won’t be able to leave for at least a few hours.” He squinted. “When they bring you the next lot of food, I’ll be gone.”
“What about the gun?”
Rico sighed and removed the gun from his hip, placing it behind the bottom step. “They won’t notice.”
Felix frowned. “Are you sure about that?”
He nodded. “I’ll grab another one when I get up there. They’ll be none the wiser.” He didn’t seem so sure, but Felix had to believe he knew what he was doing. Though, to be honest, he didn’t think either of them had any idea what they were doing. Felix was making it up as he went along.
“Thanks.”