Read Between the Cracks and Burning Doors: Book 2 of The Extraction List Series for Free Online Page A

when a breeze drifted by, and the only thing more stunning were the eyes they protected. Her dark hair was pinned back in a bun, but two sections fell gently in her face. “Jack, welcome. Would you like to come in?” Her smile was bright and penetrating, and I suddenly felt ridiculous having brought two stolen knives to defend myself against the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
    Nick grabbed my hand and I felt it tremble.
     
    She ushered us inside the house and I stopped short at the entryway. The outside of the house may have looked like it had seen better days, but the inside was glowing with golden vases, rugs that looked like they had been flown straight in from Europe, and candles almost as tall as Nick. Footsteps of several people rattled against my ears, like little mice flitting in and out of the house’s many corners. Children weaved in and out of the hallway by the entry; some carried food, others crisp white linens. Some scurried upstairs, and some to the sublevel below our feet. “What is this place?”
    Maureen smiled and I swore her teeth glistened. “First, let me give you the tour.” With a wave of her hand, she motioned for us to follow her. I couldn’t help but notice when her hips swayed the sequins on her dress sparkled. “This floor is the living area, with the kitchen, laundry, and sitting room. Each child has chores they must complete during the week, along with working for my business.”
    I looked at Nick as I asked, “Would that be the business I saw Nick participating in earlier?” Nick bit his lip.
    Maureen stiffened. “Some children are responsible for cooking all the meals for everyone each week.” She marched up to a young boy washing dishes in the sink. The sink was taller than he was so he had to stand on his toes in order to get each dish into the soap and water. She draped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. “This is Colin. He’s been here longer than anyone has. Becoming quite the cook, aren’t you?”
    Colin looked up to nod briefly, and then went back to his dishes.
    He never said a word.
    Maureen guided us back toward what looked like a game room. Bookshelves lined the walls, and barely stopped before they reached the ceiling. Every single book’s cover was shredded, leather peeling off its binding. A blonde girl who looked a couple years older than Nick sat on the floor next to what looked like a Candyland board. She moved each piece quietly while another boy looked on. Each seemed to move their game pieces without any rhyme or reason, and I began to think they were just hopping around the board with no purpose. Neither smiled.
    We made our way back to the entryway where the staircase was. “Upstairs, I cleared out every single room so that each child could have their own bed. I have about twelve now that sleep here, four per room. Oh, excuse me one moment.” She climbed up two stairs and clapped her hands together twice, as loud as her small, slender hands could manage. The volume didn’t seem to matter though. “Children, study time!” She clapped her hands together two more times and suddenly there was a swarm of children lined up perfectly at the bottom of the stairs. Each one stopped at Maureen’s stair and she kissed them on the forehead as they went up the rest of the flight. I kept waiting to see at least one make some sort of eye contact, but they never did.
    Quite the production line.
    After all the children made it upstairs, I heard three doors shut in order, the one at the farthest end of the second story first, followed by the next two.
    Nick stayed by my side.
    “What’s downstairs?”
    Maureen grinned. “I’m glad you asked.”
     
    As we descended the stairs, I found myself squinting at the bright lights. But as I forced myself to open them, I realized it wasn’t just the lights, it was the colors. The basement was one big room, sectioned off into seven open sections, each decorated in a single color. All the sections