by Laken Cane
“John, for God’s sake,” Eugene said. He strode to the microphone. “What he’s trying to say is, as of right now, we don’t have to worry about the creator of the kill switch snatching normal Others off the street or populating our world with kill-switched Others. They wouldn’t survive it. So that’s a relief.”
He glanced at Rune, then away. “The kill switch had functions other than…well, killing. Dr. Stimmer and his people believe it also…” He took a deep breath. “It manipulated his mind—and the pain center of his brain. The handler not only made Ramsey hallucinate, but forced him to feel agony few of us will ever imagine.”
The audience fell into a complete, breathless silence.
“Also,” the doctor said, eagerly, grabbing the microphone, “there was evidence of other things—sexual desire, for one. His…er…member was torn into shreds. He was missing several toes, there were deep furrows scratched into his legs. His eardrums had burst. His rectum was so badly perforated that—”
“Dude,” Levi yelled. “Shut the fuck up.”
“Yeah,” someone from the audience said. “We don’t need those sorts of particulars.”
Eugene nodded. “The truth is, we don’t know everything that poor man went through, but it’s obvious the kill switch manipulated him and controlled him completely. He definitely was forced to kill. Dr. Stimmer learned from other implants he found that the griev was in constant communication with his handler. The kill switch creator could talk to Ramsey, and, we believe, hear Ramsey, as well.”
Rune tried to stop her body from trembling, but he didn’t succeed. “Fuck me,” she whispered.
There was something worse than being a brain in a jar.
Being implanted with fucking kill switch. That was worse.
Eugene looked at her. “We have to find this doctor. We have to destroy him and his technology with him.”
She shuddered. “I will find him,” she swore. “And I will destroy the fuck out of him.”
And if her voice trembled, no one there was stupid enough to point it out.
Chapter Thirty-One
Rune kicked open the door and stomped into the silent house.
“Hello?” Roma called, as they strode into the living room. “We’re with the Annex. Anyone here?”
“It’s abandoned.” Rune ripped the old drapes from the picture window, then tossed them to the stained carpet. Light, dull and full of sparkles and dust, lit the gloomy room.
“I’ll check the basement,” Roma said.
“I’ll check the backyard for a cellar.”
They—along with the rest of the crew—had been searching Killing Land homes for the last hour.
Jett Ramsey had been in Killing Land for a reason.
His handler was there. Somewhere.
At least, that was the belief. The hope.
Killing Land was big, and the doctor could have hidden his “lab” anywhere. Not in the caves, though. He wouldn’t have been able to get a cell phone or internet connection there. He wouldn’t have been able to remotely control his monster.
Would he?
The Annex had people all over the kill switch device. Eventually, they’d know it better than its creator knew it.
Eugene had sent Shiv Crew to Killing Land to search for the doctor, but he wouldn’t let them go without backup.
Rune wasn’t going to argue, but he acted as though he thought she might. He held up a hand when she started to speak, his stare flinty. “I’m sending them, Rune. These are dangerous times, and I’m not losing you and the crew to the enemy.”
“Tell them not to antagonize the Landers. Those people have been through enough.”
“They’ll camp on the outskirts,” he’d said, tossing her a surprised look. “They won’t enter the town unless you call to tell me you need them.”
“Clear,” Roma yelled, coming to the backdoor. “No lab in the basement.”
Rune climbed back up the stone cellar steps. “Nothing in the cellar either.”
They checked the upstairs rooms and the attic. They found nothing, just as they’d found nothing in the other houses they’d checked.
When they stepped back out into the front porch, three Landers were waiting.
Rune and Roma stood silent, waiting. Some of the Landers were friendly. Some of them…not so much.
“We want to help,” one of the men said. “Tell us what to do.” He gestured at the two others with him. “All three of us lost someone. We want that bastard.”
Rune descended the porch steps. The Landers needed to do something. They wanted to do something. She nodded. “We could use your help searching for his makeshift lab. We believe he was operating out of Killing Land.”
The three men nodded eagerly. “You just tell us where to look. Want we should take North Street? I didn’t see anybody searching there, yet.”
“You know, we haven’t had the manpower to search the caves, yet. Could you do that?”
“Take the caves?” he asked. “Sure, sure. We can take the caves. Shoot, I have a dozen more buddies who’d like to help.”
“We’d appreciate that, sir,” Rune told him. She dug into her pocket for a card. “My cell number is on the card. Share it with your friends. If you find anything at all, call me.”
His friends gathered around him and stared down at the card as though it were a big stack of money. “We sure will,” he said. He gave her a nod. “We sure will. Thanks, Alexander.”
Then the Landers jogged away. The caves would be full of searchers before the hour was out. She had no doubt.
Roma stared at her as they walked to the next house. “That’s a nice thing you did. What’s wrong with you?”
When they came out of the last house on the street, a couple more Landers were waiting. “They’re everywhere,” Roma muttered.
“I’m Kellie, and this is my friend Jerry,” the female Lander said. She was a rather tall redhead with sad eyes and a broken arm, and Jerry was a short, broad guy with a smile that kept appearing and disappearing and appearing again for no apparent reason.
“We have food,” Jerry told them. “Chili, burgers, and hotdogs. Lots of ‘em. You all are welcome to join us.”
“It’s real good food,” Kellie added.
“Thanks,” Rune said.
“We got enough for anyone that wants to come,” Jerry said. “We’re set up on Larson Street, house 1145. Biggest house on the block.” He seemed proud of that, as though he’d been the one to build the house. “Tell your friends.”
“I’ll do that,” Rune said. She looked sideways at Roma, who was twitching with excitement and rubbing her belly. “But you might regret the offer when this one here starts in on your food.”
Jerry snorted. “That little thing? Why, I could out-eat her in my sleep.”
“That’s true,” Kellie said. “Jerry won a hotdog eating contest three times.”
“And the pies,” he said. “Don’t forget the pies.”
“There are pies?” Roma asked.
“No, no,” Jerry said. “I was saying that I won a few pie eating contests, too. Weren’t just hotdogs.”
“So you’re saying you’ve got no pies,” Roma said.
Jerry looked at Kellie. “Well,” he said, doubtfully, “I think Mary might have some of that apple pie left…”
“Yes.” Kellie nodded. “I’m sure there’s at least half a pie. And didn’t…Ooh, yes, Silas had a banana cream in his freezer, remember?”
Rune took a step toward them. “The doctor? Is that the Silas you’re talking about?”
“That’s him,” Jerry said. “Real nice guy. Real nice.”
“I haven’t seen him or Luciana since we arrived this morning,” Rune told them.
“Well you’ll see them if you come to eat,” Jerry promised. “Twelve o’clock noon on the dot.”
Roma dug her phone out of her pocket. “That’s two hours from now.”
Rune grinned at the perpetually hungry girl’s consternation. “You�
�ll survive for two more hours, Roma. You ate breakfast this morning.”
“Yeah,” Roma said. “Breakfast. This morning.”
Rune clapped her on the back. “Come on. Let’s get another street in.”
Some of the homes were occupied, but those who lived in them were surprisingly cooperative. Everyone wanted the kill switch creator found. And everyone wanted a piece of him.
“I don’t think he’s here,” Roma said, an hour later. “And if he is, he’s out in the boonies. Not in town where people would notice. Remember when we first entered Killing Land? Maybe he’s out there.”
She had a point. “Okay,” Rune agreed. “I’ll have one of the other teams take over for us here, and we’ll head out of town after lunch.”
Luckily for Roma, lunch was moved up forty-five minutes. When Rune drove up to the house, the girl barely waited for her to stop the car before she jumped out and hurried to the long tables that were groaning under the weight of pounds of food.
People chatted and milled about, spilling over into the adjacent yards and into the street, and the heavy scents of different foods mingled in the air and made Rune’s stomach clench with expectation.
Kellie rushed toward Rune as soon as she caught sight of her. “Hey, Rune.” Then she frowned. “Can I call you Rune?”
“That’s my name.”
Kellie beamed. “We’ve been working on this food since five this morning.”
Rune nodded at her cast. “What happened to your arm?”
“Oh.” Kellie frowned. “I broke it when Jett Ramsey visited.” She didn’t meet Rune’s stare. “I was lucky.”
Rune agreed.
“Rune,” Jack called. When she glanced toward him he hefted his full plate and then saluted her with a bottle half full of an amber colored liquid.
She sighed.
“Come on,” Kellie said. “Let’s get you something to eat.”
Rune was finishing up a bowl of chili when her phone rang and Luciana’s number showed in the display. “Where are you, Luc?”
“I’m just leaving Bussey Road. I was searching houses and found a…” She hesitated. “I found a girl in a closet. I’m bringing her with me, so stay put.”
Rune stiffened. “Girl in a closet? The fuck?”
“Yeah. She’s not talking, just staring into space like she’s got brain damage or something.”
“But?”
“She had a wallet in her pocket. ID says she’s Tasha Ramsey. She’s the dead killer’s kid, Rune.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Luciana is on her way,” Rune told Jack. “And she’s bringing Tasha Ramsey with her.”
“Tasha? Didn’t she—?”
Rune shrugged. “So we thought. I guess she didn’t get far.”
“Why’d she come to Killing Land?”
“No idea. Luc said Tasha is out of it. Not speaking, staring into space.”
“Drugs, maybe.”
“Don’t know.” But she had a very bad feeling that whatever was wrong with Tasha was related in some way to the portal she’d been shoved inside.
She called Ellis to check on Kader while she waited for Luciana to arrive.
“She’s perfect,” he said. “I bought her a video game console and Aly is busy getting it all hooked up for us.”
“Ellie, that’s crazy. A one-year-old can’t play that shit.”
“Seriously? You bought her a bulletproof vest and Jack bought her a knife. A knife, Rune.”
“Well, when you say it like that…”
He snorted.
“Gotta go. Kiss the kid for me.”
“Wait!”
“What?”
“She’s up from her nap, and she wants to say hi to her mama. Don’t you, sweetest of hearts? Yes you do! Yes you—”
“For God’s sake, Ellie. Give her the phone.” But she grinned.
“Hi, Mama.”
“Hey, kiddo. You okay?”
“Okay, yes.”
“Did you eat lunch?”
“Yup, carbs.”
Rune laughed. “You’re a funny girl, Kader.”
“Okay, ‘bye.”
“I love you.”
“She’s gone,” Ellis said. “She put the phone down and now she’s trying to crawl into the box the game system came in.”
“Go tend her. I’ll be home soon.” She hung up, still smiling. Her kid had that effect on her.
Z would have been so crazy about her.
A few minutes later, Luc sped down the street a little too fast. She stopped the car in the middle of the street, then jumped out and jogged to the passenger side to open the door.
Rune, with Jack beside her, reached the car just as Luciana pulled Tasha out. The girl swayed on her feet. Her eyes jerked, and she never actually focused on anything.
“She looks exhausted,” Jack said.
Rune nodded, noting the girl’s haggard appearance. “Luc, what the hell happened to her?”
“I found her like this,” Luciana said. “She seems a little calmer. When I dragged her out of that closet, she was shaking and muttering.”
Rune took the girl’s shoulders. “Tasha, you’re safe now. Tell me what happened.”
Nothing. The girl’s eyes remained blank and unfocused.
Rune turned to the Landers crowding the lawn. “Where’s Silas? Somebody find Silas for me.”
Kellie walked toward them. “Do you want to bring her inside while we wait for him?”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea. Come on, Tasha.”
But Tasha didn’t move.
“Grab her arm,” Luc said. “She’ll follow wherever you lead her. Rune. I need to talk to you.”
Jack put his arm around the girl and urged her toward the house. She didn’t resist.
“What is it, Luc?” Rune asked, watching Jack walk away with the damaged girl. Her brains were scrambled. Why, though? That was the question.
Someone had fucked with the girl.
“Something’s going on,” Luc said, her voice low. She shot a look at the crowd, her eyes full of suspicion.
Rune frowned. “Like what?”
“These people…” Luc shook her head. “I’ve been out in the countryside looking at the places there. If someone was going to stash a lab—”
“Luc.”
“Yeah. Anyway, I met people out there who don’t belong in Killing Land. Strangers. They said they’d just been released from prison and had heard we’d put them up. And these people…” She pointed her chin at the Landers in the yards. “Something’s off, Rune. I know them. Something isn’t right.”
“Hell,” Rune muttered. “Come with me. Let’s find out what the fucking problem is.”
She took a couple of steps after Jack and Tasha, but suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. Coldness washed over her, and she knew.
She knew.
She’d talked about the bad stuff coming. Had talked about it with the River County vampire master Simon Kelic. Had talked about it with Nikolai and Gunnar. And Will.
Will.
I’m sorry.
It hadn’t really hit her, not truly.
That very second, she felt it, and she knew.
The bad stuff had arrived as suddenly as the slight wind that wafted over them, carrying the scent of rain and thunder and fucking blood.
Always blood.
No. It hadn’t just arrived.
It’d already been there.
Waiting for Rune and her crew.
“Crew,” she screamed.
And her crew answered.
Jack turned, pulling the shotgun from its strap on his back as he shoved Tasha toward a Lander.
Roma ran toward her and Rune watched her flying across the lawn as though in slow motion, and in her mind she saw Roma lying on red ground, unmoving and…finished.
Just…finished.
Whatever magic was left inside Rune was full of portent and doom and it dazed her. Hurt her.
And scared the fuck out of her.
“So fast,” she whispered. “How did it happen so fast?”
Devious horrible bastards.
Bad guys were always devious.
And she had let down her guard.
Raze and the twins joined her, eyes cold and hands full of silver, watching her watch for danger.
Waiting.
“It’s here,” she told them. Calm, so calm.
Jack nodded. “We’re ready.”
She missed Will. She should not have been so careless with such a valuable ally.
Because she and her little crew…
They were not going to be enough.
The Landers threw down their plates and stood waiting, still as statues with hair waving in the breeze, their faces pale and eyes wide.
There was fear in those eyes.
No, not fear. Terror.
Some of the faces held shock.
Some of the faces did not.
There was always going to be betrayal.
And some of the Landers…well, they’d betrayed Killing Land.
Roma squeezed herself in beside Rune, and Rune could taste her worry.
And she knew she wasn’t the only one whose gut was screaming.
The bad guys came.
They rushed down the streets like tons of deadly water, and over yards, and out of homes.
The enemy.
Rune looked at her crew, at each one of them, just glances because there was no time for anything else. “Do not forget who we are,” she whispered.
But they were only six.
And the enemy…
The enemy was many.
The enemy was there to slaughter everyone, and the Landers didn’t even realize it.
She yanked her phone from her pocket. “Eugene,” she said. “Send them in. Send them to me. And send the gargoyles.”
“Rune,” he murmured. “It’s the fucking Next. I’m just getting the first reports from my scouts. Don’t get taken. Just don’t get taken.”
Then he was gone, and the enemy arrived.
Chapter Thirty-Three
The enemy surrounded them, but didn’t make a move to fight. Not then.
They simply stood still and waited, waited with blank faces and empty eyes.