Gripp

8

“What evidence? What are you talking about?”

“My notes, my pictures. I can’t write my article without it. I have to have evidence to back up my article, or I’m just another hack.”

“But we have to get out of here,” he protested. It was as if she didn’t understand the danger. “Do you have any idea what these guys will do to you if they catch you?”

“Yeah,” she said, glaring at him. “They’ll cut off my head. If I don’t get out of here with that evidence, imagine how many more heads they could chop off.”

“I only care about yours,” he protested stubbornly.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Of course. I’m your mission. I actually have a sense of duty to my fellow man, so I’m not running to save my own skin. I need that evidence.”

She crossed her arms over her breasts and glared at him. Gripp glared back. After a few seconds, he realized she really wasn’t going to back down.

“If I have to carry you, we’re getting out of here,” he tried one last time.

“Try it. You can’t carry me 24/7. I will come back here until I get my proof of the abuse of these children.”

Damn, she had a point. “Where is it?” he asked, his voice muffled by a sigh of defeat.

“In the main office,” she said.

“You mean the main building where the tough guys are constantly coming and going?” Gripp asked a bit sarcastically.

“That’s the place.”

Gripp groaned, covering his face with his palm. It didn’t get much worse than this.

GRIPP

"I'm coming with you," April said, glaring at him. Gripp frowned, feeling he was talking to a child. He'd already told her no seven times. It seemed to be going in one ear and out the other.

He glared back, trying to contain his frustration, but it was growing hard to do. No matter what he said, she refused to obey. "No, you're not. You're staying behind and out of the situation. I can't have you going with me."

She crossed her arms, looking annoyed. "You don't even know what you're looking for. I have to go. You'll probably stand there like an i***t and forget something that I need. I have to have everything back. You can't miss anything."

He growled, feeling like she had just called him a dumbass. "I'm not arguing with you about this. You're staying here, and I will get everything you need."

"I'm coming with you," she snapped back. "Besides, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. I got myself free, didn't I? Nearly put you on your ass just a few minutes ago."

He understood where she thought she had this handled, but she didn't. She had no idea what she was up against. He did. He'd been here before, and he saw how ruthless they could be.

"Yes, you are to a certain extent, but there will be more than one guy. These people are murderers, April. They will not go easy on you because you're a girl. Your face says you should know that by now. You need to trust me and just stay back."

"That's not happening," she grumbled. "I'm not standing here waiting when I could be helping. You need me to come with you."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "My job is to protect you, and you going willy-nilly into this isn't exactly making my job easier. I can't return you to your father with no arms, so f*****g stay here." He pointed his finger down. "This exact spot."

April growled, actually growled, at him. "Quit being so f*****g misogynistic and pull the stick out of your ass. I am coming with you, whether you approve or not."

Gripp laughed, throwing his arms up. He should have known she was going to be a pain in the ass. All of them were the same. "You're exactly as I figured. A spoiled government kid that doesn't f*****g listen even if it’s for your own good."

She clenched her jaw, looking at him with pure rage. "f**k you. You don't know anything about me. I'm not going to stand here while you leave important notes behind. I need everything in that office. So, you can keep talking, but I'm going in with you. That's final."

He wanted to argue, but there was no point. She clearly was set in her ways, and they were just going in circles.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "We will move out after dark. Until then, we will just have to stay quiet and wait." He narrowed his eyes at her. "Can you do that? Be quiet?"

She narrowed her eyes back at him with equal anger.

They waited in silence. Several men in camo had passed underneath them as he and April hid high in the tree she had fallen from. He had to give her kudos for finding a safe place within enemy territory.

And after night fell, they crept back into the compound, which had fewer guards than earlier. They must’ve all been searching for the escapee. He scanned the area until he found the room they were looking for.

He jimmied the window and surveyed the room. When he saw it was clear, he pulled the window up. "Go in. Be careful where you step. You never know where they might hide a tripwire."

He gave her a hand up before he crawled in after her, leaving the window open for their escape.

She rifled through file cabinets and drawers, and he kept a lookout. She wasn't wrong when she said he wouldn't know what he was looking for. She had a list of things she needed, and the room was a disaster.

Whoever's office this was didn't give a crap where they put anything. He'd have been looking forever if he'd been here alone.