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“I knew you'd come for me, Alex,” Naomi said. She staggered into my arms and held me tightly.

“Oh, sweet, sweet Naomi,” I whispered. I felt as if thousands of pounds had been lifted off me. “This makes it worth everything. Well, almost.” I had to look at her up close. I held her precious face in both my hands. She seemed so fragile and tiny in the room. But she was alive! I had finally found her.

I called out for Sampson. “I found Naomi! We found her, John! In here! We're in here!” Scootchie and I folded into each other's arms, just like old times. If I'd regretted becoming a detective at any other time, this made up for it. I realized now that I'd thought she was dead I just couldn't give up the fight. Never give up.

“I knew you'd be here, just like this. I dreamed it. I lived for this instant. I prayed every day, and here you are.” Naomi managed the most wonderful smile I have ever seen. “I love you.” “I love you, too. I missed you like crazy. Everybody did.” After a moment I gently pulled away from Naomi.

I remembered about the monsters, and the way they had to be thinking now. Still plotting everything. Leopold and Loeb all grown up, committing perfect crimes.

“Are you sure you're okay?” I smiled finally, the beginning of a smile, anyway.

I could see some of the old intensity returning to Naomi's eyes. “Alex, go. Get the others out,” she urged me. “Please let the others out of these cages he kept us in.” Just then a strange, terrible sound echoed in the passageway. A scream of pain. I ran from Naomi's room and saw the one thing I could never imagine happening, not in my worst nightmares.

Alex Cross 2 - Kiss the Girls

CHAPTER 109.

THE LOUD, DEEP-VOICED CALL for help had come from Sampson. My partner was in trouble. Two men, both wearing ghoulish masks, were struggling over him. Casanova and Rudolph? Who else could it be?

Sampson was down in the hallway. His mouth was open in shock and pain.

A knife, or ice pick, protruded from the center of his back.

It was a situation I had faced twice before, riding patrol on Washington's streets. A partner in trouble. I had no choice and probably only one chance. I didn't hesitate. I raised my Clock and fired.

I surprised them with the quick shot. They hadn't expected me to shoot while they were holding Sampson. The taller of the monsters grabbed his shoulder and fell back. The other looked down the hallway at me.

The cold glare of the fierce death mask was a warning. Still, I'd taken away their edge.

I fired the pistol a second time, aiming at the second death mask. All the lights went out suddenly in the underground house. At the same time, rock '' roll music erupted from speakers hidden somewhere in the walls. Axl Rose howled “Welcome to the Jungle.” Pitch-blackness fell over the hallway. The rock music shook the foundations of the building. I clung to the walls, and moved steadily toward where Sampson had gone down.

My eyes pressed into the darkness, and a terrible fear swept over me.

They had jumped Sampson and that was no easy task. The two of them seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Was there another way in or out?

I heard a familiar low growl. Sampson was up ahead. “I'm here. Guess I didn't watch my back,” he gasped out the words.

“Don't talk.” I moved closer to where his voice had come from. I knew approximately where he was now. I was afraid that maybe they hadn't left. They had just improved their odds, and I was sure they were waiting to jump me.

They liked to work two on one. They needed to twin. They needed each other. Together they were unbeatable. So far.

I inched my way along the wall, pressing against it with my back. I moved toward shapes and shifting shadows at the end of the passageway.

There was a faint glimmer of amber light ahead. I could see Sampson curled up on the floor. My heart was pounding so fast there was barely a space between the beats. My partner was badly hurt. This had never happened before, not even when we were kids on the streets of D.C.

“I'm here,” I said to Sampson, kneeling beside him. I touched his arm.

“You bleed to death, I'll be pissed off,” I told him. “Just be real still.” “Don't sweat it. I'm not going into shock, either. Nothing shocks me anymore,” he groaned.

“Don't be a hero.” I held his head lightly against my side. “You've got a knife stuck in the middle of your back.” “I am a hero ... go on! ... You can't let them get away now. You already hit one. They headed toward the stairs. The same way we came in.” “Go, Alex. You have to get them!” I turned at the sound of Naomi's voice. She knelt over Sampson. “I'll take care of him.” “I'll be back,” I said. Then I was gone.

I turned a dark corner of the long passageway in a low shooting crouch.

I found myself entering the first corridor we'd come to. They headed toward the stairs, Sampson had said.

Light at the end of the tunnel? Monsters hiding along the way? I moved faster in the semidarkness. Nothing would stop me now. Well, maybe Casanova and Rudolph could. Two against one weren't the odds I wanted on their home field.

I found the doorway out at last. There was no lock, no doorknob. I'd blown it away.

The stairway was clear, at least it looked that way. The trapdoor was open, and I could see dark pine trees and patches of blue sky overhead.

Were they waiting up there for me? The two clever monsters! I climbed the wooden steps as quickly as I could. My finger was light on the Clock's trigger. Everything was surging out of control again.

I exploded up the final stairs like an all-pro fullback through a small hole in the line of scrimmage. I burst from the rectangular opening in the ground. Did a semi acrobatic roll. Came up firing the Glock. At the least, my combat routine might ruin somebody's aim.

No one was there to shoot me, or applaud my performance, either. The deep woods were silent and appeared absolutely empty.

The monsters had disappeared ... and so had the house.

Alex Cross 2 - Kiss the Girls

CHAPTER 110.

I CHOSE the same general direction that Sampson and I had come in. It was definitely one way out of the woods, and it might be the route Casanova and Will Rudolph would take. I hated leaving Sampson and the women, but there was no other choice, no other way.

I stuck the Clock into my shoulder holster and I started to run. Faster and faster as my legs began to work again, remembered how to run fast.

A trail of fresh blood on leaves led a few yards into the thick undergrowth. One of them was bleeding heavily. I hoped he would die soon. I was on the right trail, anyway.

Vines and thorny bushes tore at my arms and legs as I moved through the densely overgrown thicket. The leafy branches whipped across my face.

I didn't care about being whipped.

I ran for what must have been a mile, or seemed like it. I was perspiring, and searing pains ripped through my chest. My head felt as hot as the engine of an overheated car. Every footstep seemed heavier than the last.

For all I knew, I was putting distance between myself and the two of them. Or maybe they were right behind me? Maybe they had watched me come out? Trailed me? Circled around behind me? Two on one wasn't how I wanted this to go down.

I looked for more signs of blood or torn clothing. Some sign that they had been through here. My lungs were on fire now, and I was soaked with perspiration. My legs ached and were tightening up.

I had a flashback, a rush of images. I was running with Marcus Daniels in my arms, in Washington, D.C. I saw the poor little boy's face again now. I remembered hearing Sampson scream in shock and pain back at the house. I saw Naomi's face.

Something was up ahead two men were running. One of them was holding his shoulder. Was it Casanova? Or the Gentleman? Didn't really matter I wanted both of them. Wouldn't settle for less.