He pulled at the door-it appeared to be locked, but after some serious straining the door sort of burst open. And I managed not to scream. But only just.

CHAPTER 59.

"JERRY!"

Jerry was tied up and gagged and lying on the floor. But the room was so small that even though he, like the rest of the flyboys, wasn't tall, his shoulders and head were against the wall. He was positioned in such a way within this room that moving would be close to impossible. He'd done the only thing he could-lifted his legs and banged his heels on the floor-to make the noise we'd heard.

Dropped Lizzie's hand, shoved the flashlight at White, and ran into the room as fast as someone walking hunched over could. I pulled the gag out of his mouth and helped him move into a normal sitting position.

Jerry worked to talk and I realized his mouth was too dry to speak. Looked into my purse. The BT was flashing green. Nice to know it worked. "Hang on, let me see if I have any water in here." My hand hit something that sure felt like a water bottle. Pulled out a bottle of Dasani, got it opened, and got some into Jerry's mouth.

He swallowed, nodded, I gave him another drink, he swallowed that, then he heaved a sigh. "It's really good to see you, Commander."

The flyboys still called me Commander in part because they knew I missed that job so much and also in part because they still considered themselves my team, even though they were loyal to and loved Tim just like I did. They also called me Commander when we were in active or danger situations, and this was both.

"Let's get you untied."

Lizzie was on the walkie-talkie while White and I got Jerry untied, which only happened because I audibly searched for my Swiss Army knife in my purse and Algar again delivered. "We've found someone Kitty called Jerry, over."

The walkie crackled. "Excellent," Adriana replied. "We have six P.T.C.U. here, over."

"We still have totes more places to look, over."

"Us too. All prisoners are suffering from exposure and dehydration, over."

"Totes same here, over."

"Still no phone coverage, over."

Looked at my phone and shook my head. "We don't have any either, over," Lizzie shared.

"Continue looking, we'll determine what to do once we have everyone found. Out."

"How long since anyone gave you water or fed you?" I asked.

"Days," Jerry said. "When Drax had us we were fine. I mean we were prisoners and pissed as hell, but we weren't mistreated. In fact, we were treated really well. But he kept us captive in the helicarrier, and when that got taken we were turned into real prisoners." His eyes flashed. "Thomas Kendrick-"

"Isn't the guy who took you guys. It's an android version. There were a dozen of him, and twenty more, but we've destroyed all of them. Well, other than the one that took you guys."

"Let's get you out of here," White said, helping Jerry up as much as we could under the low roof circumstances. "We can discuss things outside."

Realized that the Chili Peppers were still on repeat. "I think we need to check down the other paths here."

Jerry nodded. "They split us up so no one could work together."

"Listen," Lizzie said. "Do you hear more thumping? It's really faint, but I think I hear it."

"Yeah, I do." We were back at the intersection. Pulled the BT out of my purse. It was still bright green. Of course, Jerry was with us. Realized that Kendrick wasn't wrong-this thing still needed refinements. Dropped it back into my purse. "Let's go right first. Jerry you want to wait here or come with us?"

"I'm sticking with you, Commander."

"Can't blame you." We hunched our way down this way and came to another door. White had Lizzie help keep Jerry upright, then he pulled the door open.

"Chip!" Walker was in there, in the same trapped position that Jerry had been in. Whoever had put them in here had been both methodical and very clear about what to do to keep them basically immobile without actually harming them.

We raced in and did the same thing-I got the gag out of his mouth, gave him a couple sips of water, then White and I got him untied.

"Commander, it was Thomas-"

"No, it was his android. Long story, will catch you up when we've found everyone."

Walker managed a weak grin. "Gotcha."

Lizzie kept Jerry and White took Walker. The flashlight and I led the Hunchback Way and headed for the other side of this path. Did my best to ignore the scrabbling-getting the flyboys and the others was worth wading through God alone knew what and being watched by rats and/or worse.

Last door, and this time I held Walker while White pulled the door open. "Matt!" Hughes was in the same position the other two had been, not that this was a surprise by now.

White took Walker so I could go in first and get Hughes ungagged and give him water. Had to untie Hughes on my own, but was getting good at it by now.

"Commander, Kendrick is-"

"At the White House with Jeff. He's not who took you, his android did and he wasn't aware that he had one."

"Why isn't Jeff with you?" Hughes asked, sounding worried.

"Long story. Which we'll go over once we're out of here. Are the three of you injured in any way?"

They all shook their heads. "Just our pride," Jerry said.

"Yeah, we all feel that, trust me. Okay, let's get going."

Helped Hughes up and we made what now felt like a long, hunched trek to the stairs. Getting the flyboys down was a little dicey, but they hadn't really been roughed up, just tied up, so while they were having some difficulties, they didn't seem injured.

Standing upright felt awesome, but we needed to get them out of here and into fresh air. Which we did, and at a faster speed since we could walk like humans now.

Once outside, we got them to a reasonably uncluttered spot and got them sitting down normally. Well, after White and I both hugged each of them tightly. The flyboys were wincing against the sunlight. My rage was building again, which was good, since we still had a long way to go to find everyone else.

"Guys, did you happen to see Camilla, Rahmi, or Rhee at all since you've been captured?"

They nodded. "Camilla found us at Drax's," Jerry said. "She didn't think we were in danger and she was gathering intel, so she and the princesses were staying on the helicarrier with us, only they were hidden. She was working for Drax already, apparently, but she didn't let him know she was there."

"Yeah, she's our Cinderella Undercover." Sadly, Algar didn't give me a tune change.

"Everyone was okay with that," Walker said. "At that point, we just figured that we'd all get whatever information we could and report back if we were traded for other prisoners."

"Or we'd just take the helicarrier when Camilla gave the okay," Hughes added. "But when the android of Kendrick took us, he found them. I don't know what happened to them after that, but I know they were captured, too."

My stomach clenched. "Do you know if they're hurt or . . . worse?"

"I think they're still alive," Walker said. "No idea if they're in bad shape or not, though. But I don't think they were able to put up a fight."

"There was some sort of stasis thing I guess Drax had created," Hughes said. "I think it was like what was used on us when we were captured by the Rapacians, only more sophisticated."

"I'm officially sick and tired of being captured, by the way," Jerry added.

"I'm sure the others agree." Wanted to ask Lizzie to contact Adriana but "Look Around" was still on repeat. "Mister White, we need to go back in there and search the lower floor."

"We can't leave these guys here alone," Lizzie said.

"Good point. Guys this is Lizzie, aka Quick Girl. She's Siler's adopted daughter. Lizzie, Jerry Tucker, Matt Hughes, and Chip Walker. They're Navy pilots assigned to Airborne for Centaurion Division, so they report to Tim, who I'd love to be able to reach, but we still have no cellular service around here."

"I think the helicarrier does," Jerry said.

"And if we could figure out how to get into it, that might be viable. I can see the suggestions and questions forming, please save them. I think everyone who was taken will have the same questions, and I'd just love to tell you all the answers at one time, versus over and over again. Plus, I want to find everyone or confirm that we can't find them before we worry about the helicarrier. Just know that Lizzie's fourteen, on our side, quite the little butt-kicker, and is on the other side of the walkie from Adriana, Abigail, and Mahin."

"I could totes catch them up while you two go do your thing."

"Or there's also that option. But, Lizzie, remember that they and the others don't know about anything that's happened since before we got on the Murder Train, so save the big reveals for me and when we're all together."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

She shot me a dirty look. "You're not my mom."

"Yeah? Just think of your other code name as Robin and take any issues up with Vance."

With that White and I headed back into the cafeteria.

CHAPTER 60.

WE DID ANOTHER fast but more intensive search of the main floor and still found nothing and nowhere someone could be stashed. Then we headed downstairs, with me hoping that the Romanians used the extra-long-lasting batteries in their flashlights.

The lower level didn't match the upper ones, so there was only one long corridor. Naturally the stairs going down were in the exact middle of this corridor and also of course it was pitch-black, smelled of death and decay and other horrible things, and was the creepiest place we'd visited yet. On the plus side, it was a normal-sized floor, so we could walk upright like we were all evolved and everything. On the not plus side, the BT was back to its yellow-green, meaning it was unlikely the other flyboys were in the building.

"I feel so lucky," I muttered to White as I played the flashlight around to make sure we weren't about to walk into the Creepy Bat Cave or the Viper's Nest. Thankfully, saw no slitheries of any kind, for which I was profoundly grateful.

"Truly." White had a firm hold on my hand, which was nicer than the death grip I had on his. "I believe I'll hold off on shouting down here, unless you think it prudent."

"No, let's just go to each end and see if there are small rooms or whatever."

We went at human normal speeds. Slow human normal. Not to extend our stay in the lovely Basement of Doom, but because it was so dark that the light from the flashlight just seemed to be swallowed up, and tripping around here was not something either one of us was looking forward to.

"What's with the shoes, do you think?" I asked as we went past yet more pairs. The ones down here were workboots, ballet slippers, and ice skates. "I mean, none of this is normal, but the shoes thing is beyond weird."

"No guess," White said. "I'm trying not to focus on them, and I suggest you do the same."

"Do I even want to know what you've noticed about them and haven't shared?"

"No," he said firmly, "you do not."

"Okey dokey. On a different but still not cheery note, any guess as to what's happened to the Peregrines or Poofs?"

"I have no idea. That's your area of expertise. However, I don't believe this is the place where you want to try to have them gather to rejoin you."

"No, not at all."

We didn't talk for the rest of the way, in part because it was suffocating down here. Was hoping we wouldn't find anyone here because I was even more worried about how they'd be doing than how Jerry, Hughes, and Walker were doing.

Reached the end of the corridor. No special room, but there were four metal cabinets that looked heavy and also like they were blocking something. There was just a little space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling, meaning there was some air coming in. So to speak, in this particular atmosphere.

White and I moved them-tons of fun since I had to put the flashlight into my purse because the cabinets were heavier than they looked, so the light was moving around and not shining anywhere we needed it-but we were rewarded.

There were two men here, gagged of course, and tied back-to-back, sitting with their legs out straight and also tied at the ankles and knees. This was reminiscent of how the Dingo and Surly Vic had tied up Amy and Caroline during Operation Sherlock. However, these people were jammed into the walls in such a way that they couldn't move.

Mr. Flashlight shared that one was white and one was black, but both were in black Armani suits. Hard to tell with gags in their mouths, but I was willing to bet that they were both really great looking.

This meant either of them could have based out of half of the Centaurion bases around the world. However, since I knew we'd lost four Field agents during Operation Epidemic, that they were assigned to D.C.-and therefore that I should know who they were-was a given.

Didn't recognize either one of them. This meant nothing, of course. They could have been working with me for years and I probably wouldn't have been able to pick them up out of a lineup.

"Their necks are tied, too," White said quietly.

"It's because they're A-Cs. They needed more control than the humans." Which truly boded for the princesses.

Pulled out the Swiss Army knife I hadn't owned until we'd found Jerry, and White and I went to work. Carefully took the gags out of their mouths while White started to cut the bonds around their necks.

"Don't try to talk. I'll give you water as soon as it's safe for you to drink it."

"These aren't rope," White said tensely. "The knife has dulled already. They seem to be a metallic alloy of some kind."

Looked into my purse. "I wonder if I have some kind of metal cutters just stashed away in here for a rainy day." Dug around and, sure enough, a pair of sturdy metal cutters came up.