by India Kells
“Owen?” Her voice croaked when she said his name. And the soft, feminine voice laughing at her ear, forced her to open her eyelids.
“He’s still with us. Well, he’s not completely there, not yet.”
The fog before her eyes rescinded slowly, and it felt less like she was threading through cotton. Her eyes locked immediately to Owen’s form, slumped on a chair in front of her. He was tied to it, but still unconscious. His shirt had been torn open, wires coming from his chest leading to a box set on a table between them. Her eyes followed the same wires coming from her, plugged into the same strange box.
Her head whipped around, taking account of her surroundings. They were in a new location. Another warehouse. The windows were few and high and darkened with black paint; the door nowhere to be seen. The place was empty. Well, almost, she thought as their captor made her way in their direction.
“Dylan, what a great honor to have you back where you belong.”
Miranda came into view, a radiant smile on her face.
“Let him go, now!” Dylan barely recognized her voice, raw and enraged.
The delicate girl almost appeared sad. “You know I cannot. Not until you become the one my brother destined you to be, not until you finally strip yourself from what is pulling you back. Only then will you be free.”
“You’re insane.”
Miranda shook her head. “You know we’re not, we have never been. And you would see it the same way I do if you hadn’t been robbed of your destiny because of that stupid red-haired woman. That Beatrice Dante. But now, you have a second chance, one to complete your quest and become what William always envisioned you to be.”
“And what is that?”
“You will see. The only thing between you and your destiny is a final test.”
Her heart pounded hard in her chest, but she forced herself to answer. “What test?”
“Truth, of course. The truth that will shed you of your disguises and chains, once and for all.”
Owen started to moan softly. Dylan’s focus turned to him.
“Owen! Wake up!”
Miranda laughed and walked to his side, sliding her finger through his hair, rubbing his beard. Dylan pulled hard at her bonds, but they were holding on, strapping her to the chair.
Owen’s head lulled a moment, before his blue eyes opened, lost. At first, she saw incomprehension, but his body quickly tensed, taking full account of the situation. “Dylan? Are you okay?”
She nodded, swallowing hard. “And you?”
“Apart from being tied up and fondled by a psycho you mean?”
Miranda slapped him so hard, the sound echoed in the empty warehouse.
“That is one of the reasons William never wanted to invest his time and talent in men. He knew he was the only exception, and anybody else from his sex wouldn’t be able to attain his vision. And we have more proof with your bearded friend here.”
“What do you want, Miranda?”
“As I told you, you’re only one step from illumination. William was confident he could make you cross the threshold, but was brutally interrupted. Now, I will finish his work, but with a slight twist.”
“How did you know what he wanted, of any of this, Miranda?”
The young woman smiled, a smile of a deranged angel. So young, and so lost.
“When my mother died, I started sorting through her belongings. That’s where I found a box. In this box, there were letters from my brother addressed to my mother. So many of them, and all unopened. I checked the dates and they coincided to the start of his quest. I opened them, and I understood. Until now, I had no real mission in this world, like a ship at sea, lost, without a destination. Letter after letter, I learned about his quest, about what he wanted to do. His ultimate goal. That’s when I knew my purpose. In each letter, I witnessed his hopes, his dreams, his heartaches at each of the women he took care of.”
Took care of? Dylan didn’t dare react. She needed to understand, and she knew that the longer this blossoming psycho would have her attention on her, the better for Owen to find a way to get free.
“They didn’t survive.”
Knudson’s sister shook her head, sorrow in her eyes. “No, they didn’t. And if you could only see the letters, Dylan. If you could only see the roller-coaster ride he was on, you would understand his elation at finding you. You. He described how you appeared in his path, nothing like he had imagined or chosen himself. A sign. You came to him. And you survived. Everything he put you through, you survived. His last letter, he only talked of you. Of his certainty of having finally found the one. You were to pass the final test, the day he died. The one that would have made you the woman he was searching for, the mythological warrior he had hoped for so long. Dylan, he was very attached to you, and I could read between the lines that he loved you.”
Dylan had trouble swallowing. If not for being bound so tightly, she would be shaking right now. Uncontrollably. The young woman seemed oblivious to the tension, and continued to talk, lost in her insanity.
“And here we are. I didn’t think I would have the strength to continue my brother’s work, but there was no other choice for me. That’s why I exist. And you surprised me, too, Dylan. We’re together at last. For the ultimate test, I had to tweak my brother’s designs, but he will forgive me. A new factor got in the way, which will definitely help with the last phase.”
As the girl moved from her line of vision, she had hoped that Owen would have freed himself, but their bonds held strong.
Miranda walked to the table and tapped a finger to the box. “This is the box William used on the other girls. Brilliant. It took me a long time before finally stealing it from the evidence room of the police station. A special type of polygraph. If you tell the truth, if you stay on the path, there will be no pain. If you stray, the light will leave your heart and you will die. I had the chance of testing it on your friends and that whore, of course. No loss there, in my opinion.”
“An electric current you mean. That’s what happened to everybody before me, Knudson electrocuted them, stopping their hearts. It was this machine.”
“True, and for each of his protégées, he offered them the greatest of gifts. Unfortunately, with his genius, he may have made a mistake. One I’m correcting for you. Only for you, his greatest achievement.”
“What are you talking about?”
“For all before you, William would ask questions, and only the truth would make them survive. Most of them had too much fear in their heart, and preferred to let death take them. That’s where William had been wrong. You must transcend your own death, let the light flow inside, not for yourself, but for the greater good. That’s why I will ask you the same questions, I will lead you to the light, as my dear William would have done, but if you stray, you won’t be the one to die.”
Dylan’s eyes locked with Owen. “No! I’m not playing your sick game with you. Let him go. Play with me. Only with me.”
Miranda’s face softened. “I can’t, my dear. I know you’re in pain right now, but I promise you it will get better. For every painful moment of your existence, you will be rewarded. And once in the light, everything will become inconsequential.” And then she walked to the box and flicked a switch.
Panic rose when Dylan turned to Owen. His blue eyes were on hers, his jaw set, determination written all over his face. He mouthed something she didn’t understand. Her brain was scrambling, her body in overdrive.
The machine buzzed for a moment and two lights were switched on—one red, and one green—before they went off again.
“And now, we’re ready. Every word coming out of your mouth will be analyzed by the machine. Only one wrong answer, and his heart will stop beating. Do you understand, my dear Dylan?”
She didn’t answer. Old prayers came into her mind, the same she had used years ago, when she was strapped on that table, with Knudson over her, screaming in pain, on the verge of begging him to end it all. This time, she prayed to the sa
me heavens to give her strength, to find a way to save Owen, and even take her own life in exchange.
Miranda gently pushed her hair out of her face. “We will start slow, sweetie. Don’t worry.” She crouched in front of her, her hand on her knees, obviously trying to soothe when all Dylan wanted was to kill her.
“What is your first and last name, honey?”
“Dylan Harris.” She half expected the current to start, her nerves frayed.
“Good. Now, what is the name of the man in front of you?”
“Owen Sorenson.”
“Good, you’re doing well. What does he do for a living?”
Eyes locked to Owen, she saw him nod, and it took her everything not to curse under her breath.
“He’s a Navy SEAL, specialized in dark operations.”
“Wow! I see why you fell for him. Myself, I have a thing for men in uniform. So, this Owen, is he an important person in your life?”
“Yes.” Now, Dylan couldn’t look away from Owen. He was her lifeline. His body was straining against his bonds, his eyes still on her, trying to say so much in the silence between them.
Miranda moved, but Dylan didn’t. “Would you dare to say that you love him?”
Of all the questions she could ask, it was the one Dylan was grateful for, as she had the opportunity to say it to him, maybe for the last time.
“Yes, I love him.”
“And because you love him, you would do anything to keep him alive and safe, wouldn’t you?”
Now, tears gathered in her throat. “Yes, anything.”
For the first time, Owen shook his head. “No, Dylan, don’t.”
“Silence! Don’t tempt me to gag you.” Gently, Miranda turned to Dylan once again, softening her tone, as if coaxing a reluctant child. “Don’t you see that by accepting your destiny, you will keep him safe? Accept us, accept what William offered you, and you will have everything you desire, and even more. You will find that the love you have for that man pales compared to what you can obtain in return.”
There was no way out. Nobody was coming after them, and she had only two alternatives; one was to tell an untruth and have Owen killed, the other was to submit and hope Miranda would keep her word. No way she could fool the machine, it was impossible to risk it. She had to decide, she had to twist her mind and convince herself and kneel.
Her very mind rebelled was against that idea, but one look at Owen calmed her fears. For him, she would make a deal with the devil and lose, so he could live. For a long moment, she tried to memorize his face … a face that made her hope again, that made her want to live again. For that, she would love him, forever. Dylan closed her eyes one last time, before turning to Miranda.
“What do I have to do?”
The mad woman offered her a watery smile, cupping her cheeks. “My dear sister, I’m so happy that you’re coming to us. Only one last step, and all your past, all your suffering, will be forgotten and you will join us. Accomplish your destiny.”
Miranda walked on the side, retrieving something. Dylan, head bowed, breath labored, was battling her reactions. She couldn’t fail, not now.
Owen growled. “Dylan, no. Don’t do that, not for anybody, not for me.”
She lifted her head, forcing to look at him. “I love you, Owen. And for that, I’m prepared to do anything. You would do the same for me.”
Owen pulled so hard against his bonds that the chair creaked, moving against the concrete floor. “Don’t sacrifice yourself, not for me. Do you hear me?”
The smile she offered him was genuine. Her knight in shinning armor, the man whose self-control and dedication allowed her to get a glimpse at what her life could have been with him.
Returning, Miranda put a syringe on the table in front of her. “I’ll untie you from your chair, but don’t pull at the wires. If you disconnect, the current will fry Mr. Sorenson.”
Dylan nodded as Miranda cut the straps. The blood circulation made her hands and feet tingle, and she stretched a little. As she was free … well, almost, a strange sense of peace came upon her. Her decision was made, so now she only had to see where the cards would fall.
“What do I need to do?”
Miranda took a step back. “Take the syringe and aim your heart. This type of syringe will inject instantly.”
“What is in it?”
“Specially designed by my dear William, it acts on nerves and brain cells. One of the perks of working at a prestigious university. It will erase your memories. You’ll be a blank slate, Dylan. And I will be by your side the whole way. You won’t be alone anymore.”
“Why didn’t you inject it in me while I was on the chair?”
“Because it must be your choice. Only your choice. Do you understand now?”
Dylan nodded mechanically, looking at the green liquid inside the syringe and the long needle. She turned it in her hand, before aiming it at her sternum.
“Dylan, no! Don’t do this. Please!”
Owen roared on his chair, but she ignored him. She was going to save him, and that’s all that mattered.
And with one swift movement, she stabbed herself.
Chapter 38
Dylan let herself fall to the floor, her hand still grabbing the syringe, Owen’s howling scream echoing through the space. The concrete floor was so cold against her back. The hands remained tight on her chest and all she looked at was the metal beams of the ceiling until Miranda’s face filled her vision.
“I’m so proud of you, sister. Now, rest, it will take a few hours for the serum to act on your brain. But don’t worry, you will be fine. I know it, I feel it in my bones.”
“But you won’t be, Miranda. I feel it deep in my bones too.” Her voice was low, a murmur.
The brown-haired girl came closer, worry on her face. “Why are you saying that, sweetie?”
“Because of this.” And with a swift movement, Dylan planted the syringe still filled with liquid into Miranda’s neck. The instant injector acted so fast, the woman gurgled before falling back. Blood flowed from her mouth mixed with the green substance. Eyes wide, Miranda started shaking hard, her hands to her neck, but after a minute of struggling and spasms, she fell on her back, unconscious. If Dylan had her wish, the girl would be dead.
Whoa, that had been a spur of the moment thing! She was all but prepared to stab herself in the heart, but at the last possible instant, she switched tactics. And thank goodness it worked.
“Dylan!”
At Owen’s voice, she got to her feet, her heart still thundering in her ears.
“I’m alive, Owen. Careful of what you say, we’re still attached to that godforsaken machine.”
“Damn.” Dylan didn’t know if he cursed at her or at the box between them.
“Is she dead?”
Dylan looked at the girl immobile on the concrete floor. “I don’t know. But now, we need to get free, and fast, before we say something the machine will interpret as a lie.”
“I’m not going to start lying to you now, Dylan.” His voice was gruff as he was clearly insulted.
“I know, but I don’t know how the machine will interpret toned-down truths.”
Making sure the wires attached to her didn’t snag on the table, she tried to reach for Owen, but the wires were too short. Instead, she turned to the machine. She was a genius with computers, but completely stupid with electronics, and this was beyond what she knew. More a bomb than a computer.
“How comfortable are you with deadly polygraph machines?”
“You mean with my hands bound to a chair or not?”
“Point taken.” She looked around, but apart from Miranda’s body on the floor, there weren’t many tools to use. She returned to the psycho and started to search for that small knife she had used to free her. When she finally found it, she shifted toward Owen.
“Okay, I can’t reach you, how can I give you this without pulling on the wires?”
Owen pondered on it for a moment. “Even if you throw th
e knife on my lap, I won’t be able to grab it. And my hands are too numb. Dylan, try to see if it’s possible for you to push the table closer to me. Check for trip wires or anything connecting the table to the machine before you do.”
She crawled under the table, mindful of her own connections. Even with her limited access, she tried to be thorough.
“I don’t see anything.”
“Good. Now, push the table toward me. As you push, twist it so the longer end is in front of me.”
Dylan nodded and started pushing, slowly, her eyes only on Owen’s wires connected to his bare chest. It took a while, but she finally could reach Owen. The knife in her hands, she knelt before him and cut the straps trapping his ankles and wrists. For an instant, as he got up, she saw him hesitate. He scanned her to make sure she was all right, but before she could speak, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her. Dylan’s eyes flooded with tears, and she tried her best to contain them. Relief hit her hard even if she knew it wasn’t over yet. When Owen stepped back, his blue eyes seared into her. Only then did he return his full attention toward the polygraph.