Sweet Justice

by Christy Reece

  A soft female sigh stopped his forward progress. He turned and gasped at the sight before him. Tabitha stood several feet away. Earlier, she’d been dressed in a flowing white dress, one of his favorites. From what he could tell, it was the same dress, only it was no longer white. Bright, vivid splotches of red covered her from head to toe. Blood.

  “What happened, daughter?”

  “John has left. He won’t be back.”

  “What did you do?” Alden didn’t think he’d ever been so shocked in his life. “Is this your idea of taking care of the matter quietly?”

  “No one saw me. I drove from the garage at the house to the underground garage here.” She shrugged. “My brother was more resistant to leaving than I’d anticipated. He was also more healed than I’d thought he was. He fought hard; however, he was no match for my determination.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “In garbage bags in the trunk. Since he was so large, I had to drain the carcass in the bathtub and then take him apart there.”

  “But why?”

  Her eyes still as innocent and sweet as always, she said, “He was too heavy for me to carry out in one piece.”

  Alden felt a strange sadness. It had been inevitable, but still, he hadn’t expected to face it this soon. His little girl had grown up. Though only twenty, Tabitha had achieved a maturity it had taken him many more years to attain.

  Not wanting to give away his emotions—after all, she was still being punished for her insubordination—he asked, “What do you intend to tell my people?”

  “That he left us.”

  He stiffened in anger. Had he been mistaken about her maturity? “Absolutely not. That could give others the impression that leaving Tranquillity is an option. You know there’s only one way anyone can ever leave here.”

  “My apologies, Father, for not being clear. We will tell them you forced him to leave.”

  Once again, Alden was stunned—this time, by his daughter’s brilliance. If his followers thought he might expel them from Tranquillity, their efforts to obey would only be heightened. Fear of rejection was a powerful motivator. That’s why many of them had come to him so easily—castoffs from a cruel society. If they worried that he might kick them out, his control over them would be even greater. His mind exploded as he considered all the additional benefits he could enjoy.

  A rush of love flooded through him as he gazed at his daughter. What a treasure she was. Alden knew he was being much too lenient, but how could he continue to punish her when she had done something so extraordinarily useful?

  “Let’s go back up to the house.”

  Tilting her head hopefully, she said, “But what about the training?”

  “That can wait a little while longer.” He held out his hand. “Your reward can’t.”

  Her face took on a glowing happiness as she rushed into his arms.

  Alden held her tight, the dampness of her gown in no way deterring his passion. “Come, let’s celebrate your brother’s life in the best way possible. Tomorrow, I’ll call a town meeting and announce John’s departure.”

  Turning away from the monitor, he ignored the woman in the corner, rocking back and forth and mumbling his words. Another few hours of his manifesto would only reinforce his will. When he returned, she would be even more pliable.

  But for now, it was time to reestablish his bond with his angel.

  * * *

  The first nursery rhyme came around midnight. Seth and the others had been staring at the radio and listening intently, assuming Honor’s mumblings of the manifesto had been her attempt to get Pike to think she was completely under his spell. Since she’d done that for over two hours without any sign that the bastard was even watching, it apparently hadn’t worked.

  When she began to recite “Humpty Dumpty,” he and McCall met each other’s eyes. The second time, Seth got to his feet and went for his supplies. He didn’t give a damn whether she had given the signal or not. He was going in.

  He heard a sound behind him. Figuring it was the LCR leader ready to stop him, Seth whirled around. What he found was McCall, Livingston, and Thorne gearing up, too.

  “I can go in alone,” Seth said. “If it doesn’t work out, then you—”

  McCall’s head shot up. “We’re a team, Cavanaugh. Get used to it.”

  With a brief nod of thanks, Seth shrugged into a Kevlar vest he’d previously packed with weapons and medical supplies. Zipping it closed, he glanced down at a sheet of canvas on the ground. Working from Honor’s descriptions and instructions, along with their own observations, they’d drawn a map of Tranquillity.

  Using a stick, McCall pointed to each platform where a guard stood. “Livingston, you take these two up front. Thorne, you take the east corner; I’ll take the west.” He looked up at Seth. “Cavanaugh, go down the back alley Stone mentioned. The instant you identify the building she’s in, radio its location to us, but hold your position until your backup arrives.”

  Seth nodded and took off, barely hearing the three men behind him. Running alongside the brick wall, he located the weakest area they’d been able to find—a patch of darkness where the distance between two lights was too great. Thorne and Livingston had tested the area and assured him that the wall was bare—no barbed wire at the top or electrical current running through it.

  He withdrew a rope attached to his utility belt, then threw it up and over, pulling sharply till the grappling hook caught the edge. Climbing with sure, even strokes, Seth was up, over, and on the ground in less than two minutes.

  After he unhooked himself, he left the rope in place for the other three, then turned to assess his location. A dark structure loomed high in the distance. Was that Pike’s house? If so, he was going to have to hike upward and then go down into the valley to where the community lay. He spared a glance back to see that two of the three men were now on the ground and Thorne was coming down the wall. He gave a quick nod to McCall. Then, knowing that the other men were set to their tasks, Seth turned and pulled his Glock from the holster in his jacket. Focused on the tall structure ahead of him, he began his climb.

  To take his mind off yet another nursery rhyme Honor was reciting in his ear, Seth concentrated on picturing the town the way Honor had described it.

  Once he reached the main road, the school, dining hall, and hospital would be on one side, the communal living quarters, a small store, and the library on the other. The smaller road held eighteen homes, nine on each side. On the other side of that road was what Pike had referred to as the stable. Up on a hill, separate from his followers, was the bastard’s home.

  Right now, Seth was interested in only one location. About a hundred yards past the “stable” was where he believed Honor was being held.

  Eight minutes later, he caught his first clear glimpse of the community in the valley below him. He took off downhill at a run, dodging bushes and rocks and trying like hell to avoid falling. Dressed in camouflage, he wasn’t worried about stealth until he got closer to town. The nearer he got, the more likely it was that there would be people on watch. Evading the moonlight, staying in the shadows as much as possible, Seth ran down the hill toward a grouping of buildings.

  Finally on more level ground, he stayed low and chased shadows as he headed toward the main road. At the side of one building, he stooped and peered around the corner. Everything looked exactly as Honor had described it. Lights lined the street, but they were dimmed. The buildings were dark. Since the time was well past midnight, Seth saw no one. He had a feeling that wasn’t an unusual occurrence at any time. These people might have believed they’d achieved tranquillity, but it was pretty damn clear that their lifestyle didn’t include downtime for enjoyment. Alden Pike seemed to be the only one who had that luxury.

  Even though there were no people milling about, he had no way of knowing whether the armed guards at the walls were the only lookouts. Trying to determine his best course of action to get to the next street, he went to the back of a bu
ilding and ran through the darkness. Once he got to the end of the street he’d veer right to go toward the building where Honor was most likely being held.

  A sound in his ear caught him in mid-stride. Seth stopped abruptly and listened.

  Pike’s slimy voice said, “Time for the next phase, my dear.”

  Seth heard heavy panting, as if Honor was scrambling, trying to get away. Then a small, gasping cry.

  “Now, now … don’t fight it. Everything will be much easier once this is all over.”

  Seth took off running again. No way in hell was he waiting until the bastard did something else to her.

  In the midst of his flat-out dash, he heard the most chilling sound of all: Honor’s scream of agony.

  To hell with stealth. Seth shifted direction and darted between two buildings. Running as fast as he could, determination and fear giving him speed, he zoomed out onto the main street and raced through the middle of town. Honor’s scream echoed in his head, a chilling reminder of another woman he’d failed to save.

  Not this time. And not Honor. Dammit, this time he would not be too late.

  thirty

  Helpless in the grip of horrendous pain, Honor felt her muscles spasm out of control and then lock. The bastard had held out his hand to her and she, acting like the brainless twit he wanted her to be, had thought he was helping her up from the floor. Instead, he’d stunned her with that fucking Taser again.

  Breathlessly, she glared up at him through eyes glazed with tears. Hiding the pain would get her nowhere. Working to recover, she didn’t have to fake the quiver in her voice. “Why are you doing this to me?”

  “For purification purposes, of course.” That slimy smile came back as he held out his hand again. “Come. No zapping, I promise.”

  She had some choices … all of them sucked. If she ignored his hand, he’d see it as defiance and might keep her locked up even longer. If she tried to fight him now, as tired as she was, she stood a good chance of losing. Her last option sucked the most, but it was the one she had to take. Releasing a long, silent breath, Honor took the giant hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

  Embarrassment because of her nudity never occurred to her. The slime of his smile extended to his eyes as, like a lascivious lecher, he allowed his gaze to roam over her. Let the bastard look his fill, maybe he’d drop the damn Taser. She’d be more than happy to show him how it felt.

  “I hoped you would have freckles all over your body.” He reached toward her breast and Honor jumped back, out of his way.

  His laughter sounded the way it should—evil and filthy. “You’re shy. I like that. I had planned on allowing you a shower and some water, but that spark of defiance needs some quick taming.”

  When she stared mutely up at him, he gave her another sick, twisted smile. “And though you don’t deserve it, I have a special gift for you. Several other girls will be joining you for training. You’ll finally have some friends.”

  Other girls? Now, that was music to her ears. Offering him a trembling smile, Honor took a half step. Once more, agony zoomed. Screaming, her body jerking uncontrollably, she fell forward. Strong arms caught her. A burlap sack was shoved over her head and then tightened around her neck. With effortless ease, Pike picked her up and threw her over his shoulder like a bag of flour.

  Dammit, she should have tried fighting him before. Struggling, she pounded on his back, screaming. He stopped in mid-stride and dropped her to her feet. Though blinded with the bag over her head, Honor tried for a quick punch and kick. The punch hit what felt like a shoulder and the kick made a nice thudding noise as it slammed into a fleshly part of his leg.

  Pike grunted and then pain slammed into her jaw. Stunned, her ears ringing, she was once more picked up and slung over his shoulder, where she hung limply. Seconds, minutes later, he released her … and her back was slammed down onto something hard and long. She felt her hands and feet being tied to it. The sack kept her from seeing anything, and the blow to her face had frozen her into an almost numbing submission. Just what the bastard wanted.

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Honor pushed past her anger at allowing herself to get caught like this. Analyzing her stupidity in believing she had control of the situation would have to be dealt with at another time. For now, she had to figure out how to get out of this mess.

  After hearing her screams, Seth wouldn’t wait any longer. He and the others would be here soon. Had they heard Pike’s comment about the other girls? She needed to make sure. Turning her face toward her arm, she whispered harshly, “He’s bringing the other girls out. I have a sack over my head and can’t see.” And then, because she knew Seth would be worried sick, she added, “And I’m okay. Honest.”

  How long would it take them to get to this building? Would they encounter more resistance than the men at the towers? She couldn’t say. Right now, her priorities were to stay healthy and delay whatever kind of group torture Pike had planned.

  Squinting with all her might, Honor tried to make out, through the thin fabric, what kind of room she was in and what was going on. She saw movement to her left and two blurred images.

  His voice filled with approval, Pike said, “Very good, my dear. Lie down, just like that.”

  The blurred movements stopped momentarily, and then he said, “I’ll be right back.”

  As soon as she heard him retreat, Honor whispered, “Who’s there?”

  A trembling female voice said, “My name is Anna.”

  Gratitude flooded her. Thank you, God. “Anna, do you know if there are others?”

  “Two more, I think.”

  “Do you have a bag over your head, too?”

  “No, I can see.”

  “Can you describe what you see?”

  Honor heard the young woman swallow and then she started giving a litany of terrifying descriptions. “We’re tied to long boards that kind of look like seesaws. There are four of them. Each board has a bucket of water, one in front and one behind.” Anna paused for a breath and then continued: “There are hooks and tethers hanging all over the room. I see several kinds of machines behind you … I don’t know what they’re for …” She swallowed hard and added, “They look hideous.”

  “Okay, what about doors or windows? Any kind of exit?”

  Seconds later, Anna said, “From where I am, I see only one door. It’s the one he brought me through. I don’t see any windows.”

  “You’re doing great, Anna. What about—” Honor broke off and then said, “Shh, he’s coming back.”

  Silently, Honor listened as Pike returned and apparently tied another girl to a board. Saying the same words—“I’ll be right back”—he left the room again.

  “Who’s there?” Honor asked.

  “Who … who are you?” The voice sounded young and female, and it quivered with terror.

  Concerned that Pike could hear, she maintained her role and answered, “My name is Maggie. What’s yours?”

  “Kelli … Kelli Cavanaugh.”

  Emotions soared so high inside her, she almost started crying. Knowing that Seth could hear his niece’s voice made up for every pain and indignity she’d suffered. Soon … very soon, he and LCR would arrive, giving Alden Pike exactly what he deserved.

  Footsteps grew closer, letting her know Pike was returning, hopefully this time with Missy. She lay still and listened as he tied the third girl down.

  Seconds passed without movement in the room. Other than the sniffling and soft crying of the girls, Honor heard nothing. And then a new sound hit her ears: Pike’s breathing. Not normal breaths either—heavy, excited, rough rasps of air. The sounds grew harsher, escalating in speed. Grating grunts echoed around the room, followed by rapid pants like those of a gasping, wild animal. The perverted freak was getting turned on.

  Fury beat down the bile surging up her throat. Determined to ruin the sadistic bastard’s good time, Honor said, “Hey, mister, are you some kind of a pervert or something?”
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br />   The silence was deafening, and then the bag was ripped from her head. Ignoring Pike’s furious face in front of her, Honor took a quick glance around. Just as Anna had said, she was in a semicircle with three other boards, a girl tied to each board—Kelli, Missy, and Anna.

  A thrill of happiness surged through her, followed by a scream of agony as Pike zapped her with the Taser again. Her body twitching in pain, he put his nose against hers and snarled, “You’ll pay dearly for that insult.”

  Seth stood at a closed door at the back of the building. The description Honor had given was right on target. Honor, Kelli, and the other girls were inside. He’d heard her reassurance that she was fine, and he’d heard Kelli’s sweet voice. His adrenaline surged, urging him to go inside.

  He spoke into the mic on his shoulder: “I’m at the building. Things are heating up … I can’t wait much longer. Anyone close?”

  “Livingston and I are headed your way. Thorne ran into a problem … he’s a couple of minutes behind us.”

  “Hey, mister, are you some kind of a pervert or something?”

  Seth almost smiled at Honor’s cutting question. Seconds later, she screamed in pain. Fuck waiting. Whispering harshly, “I’m going in,” Seth pushed open the door.

  One of the men issued a soft curse, but no one protested. Seth paused inside a small, dark hallway, his ears alert for sounds … muffled voices came from the other end of the hallway. Gun at the ready, he ran toward a closed door. Turning the knob, he eased it open a slight crack. He peered in, his breath suspended as he took in what could only be called a modern-day torture chamber.

  The room was a giant cavernous space. Hooks, ropes, chains, and leather halters hung from the ceiling. Narrow tables that resembled doctor’s examining tables were interspersed with some of the oddest and most horrific-looking equipment and machinery Seth had ever seen. He recognized one contraption that resembled a pillory; in a corner, he spotted what looked like a modified electric chair.