Page 66 of It Destroys Me

“Well, if you knew your history like I do, you would know that’s not the case. What do you think?”

“You want me to crawl underground…like a rat?”

“You’re the one who said you’ll do whatever it is.”

“Sure, but this is the last thing I expected you to say.” I didn’t expect to crawl in the dark and get covered in mud…and whatever else was down there. “But I’ll do it. I think my tetanus shot is up to date.”

“There are worse things than tetanus down there.”

“You mean rabies?”

“No.” He released a slight chuckle. “Don’t worry. I’m going to come with you. I’ve mapped out the tunnels and the exits. Theo’s going to have his guys pick you up on the surface. Then I’ll make my way back alone.”

I felt bad that he would have to walk back alone in the dark…with the rats. But this seemed to be the only way. “When do we leave?”

“Tonight.”

“Okay.” Instead of thinking about the horror of the sewers, I tried to think of what would be at the end of it. “Do you have a flyswatter or something?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “What are you going to do with a flyswatter?”

“I hate rats.”

He chuckled. “I don’t think a flyswatter is going to do much, but I think we have one around here.”

I said goodbye to Scarlett and followed Axel onto the side of their property. Stones had been dug up, and the dirt had been removed, showing a drainage system used to capture the rain and deliver it to the sewers below.

I stared at the hole and felt a tremor of terror.

He handed me a flashlight. “Don’t turn it on until we get down there.”

I couldn’t believe I was about to do this. About to descend into the fucking sewers.

Axel watched the unease on my face. “I appreciate the fact that you’re willing to do this. If Bolton doesn’t figure out the connection between us, that means my family is safe.”

He guilt-tripped me big-time, reminding me what was at stake if I chickened out. “Let’s do this.”

He grabbed on to the ladder and climbed down, disappearing into the darkness within just a couple feet.

I squatted down and waited for him to tell me to follow.

“Alright, it’s clear.”

I took a deep breath before I climbed down and became swallowed by the darkness. Running water that sounded like a waterfall was audible a moment later. The stench came next. I knew where the ladder ended because Axel had his flashlight on.

I stepped onto the concrete bank beside him.

He handed me his flashlight then turned on another. “You good?”

“Yeah.”

He took the lead, a rifle slung across his shoulder, a handgun stuffed into the back of his jeans.

My flashlight scanned the ground, making sure there were no rats in the corners. The water in the center rushed by, full of waste from the city. The smell was so bad I had to breathe through my mouth instead of my nose.

“How far is the walk?”

“About two miles.”