Basement Level 5: Never Scared Read Free

rearview mirror. “Pop shouldn’t worry. He knows Alexa can take care of herself. She’s fine.”
    Veronica’s dark eyes welled with tears as she sputtered, “But—the children—she hasn’t—”
    “ Ma, don’t. She’s fine.”
     
    ***
     
    Dro’s death-grip on the steering wheel had turned his knuckles white. What was happening at the safe house? If any harm had come to Alexa and the children...
    He couldn’t stop thinking about his family. He was farther away from the safe house than anyone else. What if he didn ’ t get there in time?
    Ari had been watching him without comment. Now she placed a hand on Dro’s arm. “ Hermano, todo estara bien. ”
    “ You don’t know it’s going to be all right,” Dro growled. He kept his eyes on the road, and willed himself not to think of worse-case scenarios.
    “ B5 is secure,” Ari said. “And we’ll figure the rest out when we get there.”
    “ I hope so, Ari. Because if she’s not okay...” He couldn’t finish the thought. Alexa had to be all right. If she wasn ’ t, there would be hell to pay.

CHAPTER 3
     
     
    Her heart thundering in her ears, Alexa herded everyone down the dusty, narrow staircase. Who could have known where they were? Only a handful of people knew the location of this safe house, which meant someone close to them had betrayed them.
    The children were silent. Sounds from above told her the men were still in the house. They were obviously searching—probably destroying everything of value—and wouldn’t stop until they got what they came for. Fortunately, Chase had thought of all that when he designed the elaborate tunnel system and hidden stairways.
    Once they reached the landing at the bottom of the stairwell, she peered down the long, narrow hallway on her left then turned and headed that way. “Are you okay?” she asked, glancing back at the kids.
    They answered her with nods but didn’t speak.
    When she came to a dead end, Alexa pulled a brass key out of her pocket. Smoothing her hand across the wall, she hunted for the ridge Chase had told her about. Once she found it, she lifted it, revealing a keyhole. She inserted the key and turned it.
    The wall slid open.
    Alexa walked through the opening then looked for another key hole. Once everyone was on this side, she used the key again and the wall closed.
    What a difference from the dungeon-like hallway! The freshly painted walls and the plush carpet seemed strangely out of place, considering they were in an underground bunker.
    Alex tugged on her shirt. “Mama, where are we going?”
    “ We’re going on an adventure and we’re almost there.” She picked him up and headed down another corridor then down two more short flights of stairs. A steel door blocked their way. Using the same key, she unlocked this door and heard a short beep. The lights flickered on and fresh cool air flowed from an overhead vent.
    They stepped inside. Nicholas pushed the door closed. It locked automatically with a loud clang.
    Turning around, Alexa sighed deeply. The foyer was decorated like their house—ceramic tile, coat hanger, and a half bath off to the side.
    “ Wow,” Ky whispered as she took in her surroundings.
    “ It’s nice, huh? Uncle Chase did well, didn’t he?” Alexa shifted her weight because Alex was squirming in her arms, wide-eyed and eager to explore. She lowered him to the floor.
    Chase had thought of everything when he designed this place. Alexa wasn’t surprised, though. He’d always been a calm and dependable friend. Over to the left, there was a hallway leading to a great room. The huge sectional in the middle and the big screen TV were just her style.
    She toured the rest of the bunker. Connected to the great room, the full kitchen boasted dark cherry wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances. He had even put in a breakfast bar. No wonder Chase had been busy on this project for so long. He’d spared no expense to make this place feel just like home.
    B5 was