He leaned closer. “I still know how to make you cry, little brother.”
Arnie glared back in silence and my heart pounded into overdrive. He’d already taken so much punishment. Rage and nausea climbed the back of my throat at the thought of having to watch James beat him more.
“Leave him alone!” My voice came out harshly between clenched teeth.
James turned a beatific smile on me. “Oh, I will. You see, I already knew little Arnie had grown up. He was the toughest kid in the whole school. It didn’t matter how much of a beating he took, he’d never show pain or back down. Then he hit puberty and started to pump iron, and nobody ever messed with him again.”
He sneered at Arnie. “Isn’t it ironic. You got bigger and stronger than your big brother. But I found out how to really hurt you.” He paused, his eyes measuring me. “Didn’t I, little brother?”
“Don’t.” Arnie’s rasp held immeasurable pain.
James chuckled. “Oh, don’t worry, I won’t kill her. She’s much too valuable. Not like that little slut you knocked up in high school.”
He frowned down at Arnie. “You never did thank me for solving that little problem for you. If not for me, you’d have been saddled with a wife and kid at eighteen. I really don’t know why I keep trying to help you when you’re so ungrateful.”
He shrugged philosophically. “At least she provided hours of entertainment before I finally killed her.” He made his voice high and squeaky. “Don’t hurt the baby, oh, don’t hurt the baby.”
His fine diction slipped as he pushed his face close to Arnie and snarled. “By the time me an’ the boys were done fuckin’ her, she was beggin’ to die.”
Arnie roared and dove at him, and James dodged sideways, lashing out with a kick that dropped Arnie to the floor.
“Watch carefully, little brother. Maybe you’ll learn some new techniques.” James turned his feral smile on me. “It’ll be a treat for you to get fucked by a real man for a change.”
Adrenaline hit my bloodstream in a burning rush. As he stooped over me, I lunged out of my kneeling position and head-butted him in the face. He rocked backward and I stumbled for the door, jerking at the handcuffs behind my back.
I spun to grapple behind me for the doorknob and saw Arnie and James both struggling to their feet. Arnie bellowed, “Run!” and dove clumsily to strike James with his shoulder, already falling when his bound ankles left him hopelessly off-balance. James staggered, but returned a sweeping punch to Arnie’s face.
Arnie crashed to the floor again and the knob finally turned under my slick, shaking hands. I caught a glimpse of James turning in my direction as I wheeled to run out the door.
I hadn’t even managed a full step before I slammed into Mark Richardson.
Recognition and relief made me light-headed and my knees threatened to give way as I collapsed against him.
Richardson gave me a hard shove that sent me staggering. He shot a look around as he followed me into the room, gun in hand. “What the hell is this?” he demanded.
James straightened, holding his shoulder. “You’re early.”
“Looks like I’m right on time,” Richardson countered. “What the hell’s going on?”
“A family dispute. It’s been resolved. Nothing to concern you.”
“It concerns me if my merchandise is disappearing out the door,” Richardson snapped.
James drew himself up. “My merchandise. It’s not yours until it’s paid for.”
“It’s paid for.” Richardson’s face was impassive. “I just finished the transfer to your offshore account.”
“Check it with Nichele.” James glanced past us to the gunman who had followed Richardson in. I’d only gotten a confused glimpse of him earlier, but I was pretty sure it was the same guy who’d gotten me out of the car. I didn’t recognize his face, but the brass buttons on the cuffs of his jacket were burned into my brain.
Brass-buttons nodded and withdrew, and faint relief penetrated my brain. Nichele was still alive. Thank God. I stood trembling in the middle of the room, trying to grasp what was happening. My mind crawled at the pace of a crippled snail.
As I gaped around me, Arnie rolled over slowly and struggled back onto his knees.
Richardson’s gun jerked up and he sidestepped to place his back against the wall beside the door.
James shot Richardson a scornful glance. “Don’t worry, he can’t hurt you.”
Arnie dragged his drooping head up to glare at Richardson with the one eye he was still capable of opening. He shook his head like a wounded bear, crimson droplets pattering onto the floor.
“What the hell?” he mumbled thickly.
“Howdy, Hellhound,” Richardson said breezily. “You’re looking worse than usual.”
Arnie spat blood. “An’ you’re lookin’ more like a traitor than usual.”
Richardson shrugged. “Loyalty isn’t very profitable. Fuzzy Bunny pays better.”
My knees gave way and I hit the floor hard.
Richardson eyed me coldly, his gun held unwaveringly between Arnie and me. “What are you looking at?”
“I…” My voice shrivelled to a whisper inside my dry mouth. “Mark, you’re not…”
“Sorry,” he said. “Nothing personal.”
Brass-buttons returned to mutter into James’s ear. James turned an expansive smile on Richardson. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. The merchandise is yours to do with as you please. I do hope you’ll keep me in mind if you have any further needs.”
Richardson’s mouth quirked up in a grim smile. “I certainly will.”
His gun jerked up, and he fired two rapid shots. James and Brass-buttons both crumpled to the floor.
Hellhound’s teeth gleamed fiercely through the blood as he regarded James’s body. “Asshole,” he grated. “Burn in-”
Richardson fired again. Arnie’s body jerked, his face slackening into shock. “…hell?” he finished faintly, and toppled to lie motionless on the floor.
Chapter 35
Time stopped. I couldn’t draw a breath. The empty shell casing spiralled slowly through the air. It struck the floor and arced gracefully up again, turning end over end. The bell-like clink came to my ears long seconds later. I watched, transfixed, while the casing bounced and pirouetted across the concrete. Its silvery tinkle sounded like fairy bells.
At last, it settled into the deafening silence.
My heart beat once, a sledgehammer blow that rocked my entire body.
Then again.
Thud.
Richardson was already beside me.
I tried to move, to speak, before realizing my mouth was already open and a high-pitched, wordless keening was filling the room.
Richardson grabbed my arm, his lips moving.
The syringe in his hand looked enormous. A crystal-clear droplet clung to the tip of the gleaming needle.
Still paralyzed, I could only watch it slide into my arm.
The room faded, and Richardson’s voice spoke from a great distance, deep and slow like a record played at the wrong speed.
“N-o-t-h-i-n-g p-e-r-r-s-s-s-o-n-n-a-a-l-l-l…”
Chapter 36
I groaned and tried to raise my pounding head. Pain pulsed through my skull in resonant waves that matched my heartbeat. I managed a brief glimpse of spinning whiteness before the whirlpool sucked me under again.
Several attempts later, I managed to pry both eyes open and lift my head simultaneously. My stiffened neck and shoulders protested fiercely, and I groaned again. A hand slapped my cheek firmly.
With an effort, I focused on the face hovering in front of me. The handsome features with the dimpled chin and the thin scar slicing across the cheekbone.
I recoiled with a cry and began to struggle in earnest when I realized neither my hands nor my feet would move.
Richardson slapped my cheek again, just hard enough to sting. “Settle down. You’re not going anywhere.”
I gasped a c
ouple of panicky breaths while I continued to jerk at my bonds.
“I said, settle down.” Another brisk slap.
I held still and panted, heart hammering while I snapped my head around, taking in the details of my prison.
A featureless white room. Small table with a laptop on it in the corner. My chair in the middle. The chair Richardson had recently vacated was a few feet away, with a small black canvas satchel beside it. His was a standard rolling desk chair. Mine, not so much.
It looked and felt like a dentist’s chair, but the sturdy leather restraints at the arms and feet would have sent any dental patient screaming in terror.
It was definitely doing it for me.
I bit down hysteria and regarded my white face and enormous eyes in the reflective panel on the wall. One-way glass, obviously. Nothing like an audience.
I hadn’t realized I was crying until I saw my tears in the mirror.
“You didn’t have to kill him.” My quavering voice barely broke the silence of the room.
Richardson shrugged. “I like a tidy site. No loose ends.”
I was pretty sure it was hopeless, but I had to try. “Mark, why are you doing this? I know there’s money in it for you, but think about the good people you’re betraying.”
His lips curved in a sardonic smile, activating the cute, elusive dimple in his cheek. I’d thought it was adorable the first time I met him. Now it wasn’t doing much for me. I fought down terror and rage.
“Good people like you?” he asked. “How modest.”
I held my voice steady with more success this time, the anger strengthening me. “Hell, no, they were going to kill me anyway. People like Webb, Germain…” I paused. Yes, he was a good person. “…Kane.”
“Whatever.” He leaned close. “I’m doing you a favour. You know they’ll kill you if they catch you. I’m offering you a new life. Working for Fuzzy Bunny has its perks. You’ll get a luxurious place to live, piles of money, anything you want. And all for a few hours of work a day.”
I shrugged. “Sounds great, but I’m no use to you. I can’t access any networks without…” I paused, not wanting to give away any classified information just in case. “…help,” I finished.
“You mean this kind of help?” He lifted the satchel onto the chair and extracted a small object.
I tried to hide my horror when he dangled the amethyst crystal in front of my eyes.
They had another network key.
He appraised my face, smiling. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He placed the thin chain around my neck and patted the amethyst into place between my breasts. “There you go.”
I said nothing, and he frowned. “You’re not going to go all goody-two-shoes on me now, are you?”
My thoughts stampeded, driven by panic. I had no hope of escape or rescue. I’d hidden my tracks from Kane’s team too well, and there was nobody left to contact them. Dave and Arnie both dead, my worst nightmare come true…
I jerked my mind away from the memory of Arnie’s slack, blood-covered face, all his humour and keen intellect wiped away by the indifferent hand of death.
“What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?” Richardson asked. “Come on, Aydan, wise up. Kane’s team will kill you at the drop of a hat. There’s nothing there for you except an early grave. Work with me, and you can live happily ever after.”
I managed to pry my tongue loose from the roof of my mouth. “Except you’ve killed most of my friends.” My voice was so hoarse I barely recognized it as my own. “And except if I work with you, I’ll be helping you kill the rest of them.”
Richardson snorted. “Friends. Hardly. Stemp ordered your husband killed, Webb ratted you out to the team, and Kane’s been ready to put a bullet in your head ever since you ran. Hell, he was ready to shoot you last summer. With friends like those, who needs enemies?”
He leaned close again and gave me his attractive smile. “I’m the best friend you’ve got. I saved your life.”
I blew out a long, unsteady breath. This was where it was going to get ugly.
“Fuck you.” I trembled in the chair, fighting to hide my fear.
He stepped back. “Think this through, Aydan. You and I both know how this will end if you don’t cooperate. You and I both know that nobody’s going to miraculously rescue you this time.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned a shoulder against the wall, flashing his dimple again. “You’re very resourceful. You caused no end of consternation to a team of highly professional agents. Left everybody standing there looking stupid. It would be terribly disappointing to have to waste your talents.”
My heart hammered, attempting to escape my body before it was too late. I swallowed once, twice, trying to summon up enough saliva to speak. Deep breath.
“Life’s full of disappointments,” I growled. “Fuck you, and fuck Fuzzy Bunny up the ass with a dead chicken. Twice.”
He sighed and heaved himself away from the wall. “I was afraid you’d say that.” He paused. “Well, not that, exactly. I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting the dead chicken.” He dimpled again. “Come on, Aydan, be a sport. Don’t make me get my hands dirty.”
I couldn’t trust my voice to speak again, so I summoned up my best glare and sat as still as I could. The entire chair vibrated with my tremors.
“All right.” He reached into the satchel again. My heart stuttered to a halt at the sight of the small butane torch in his hand. I had one just like it in my kitchen. I used it to melt the sugar on my crème brulée. I was afraid dessert wasn’t on his mind.
He clicked the button and the clear blue flame whistled evilly. He eyed me seriously, no sign of the dimple. “Aydan, the fun’s over. Let me make this really clear. Just access the virtual network. It’s all set up. You have the key. All you have to do is go in and decrypt a few files. You can agree to do that now, and be amply rewarded.”
He leaned in, the torch hissing spitefully in his hand. I couldn’t help straining away from him despite my best attempt at bravado. I clenched my teeth to stifle the whimpers that wanted to come out on each shallow breath.
“Or,” he said softly, “You can end up doing what I want anyway, after hours or days of excruciating pain.” The torch moved a little closer. “Frankly, I expect you’ll break in less than an hour. I’m very good at what I do. But you may surprise me. Sometimes women are much tougher than men.”
The flame approached my arm slowly, and I froze in sheer terror. Heat mounted. I knew the tip of the flame was invisible. It would burn me before I ever saw it touch my skin.
“Stop!” My voice came out in a shriek. “I’ll do it. I’ll go into the network now.”
Richardson patted my cheek. “That’s my girl. I’ll monitor from here.” He rolled his chair over to the small table while I gulped down hysterical sobs.
He pressed a few keys and eyed me levelly. “Oh, and I hope you’re not trying to bluff.” He placed the laptop on his knees and rolled back over beside my chair. The torch whispered its threat as he brought it within inches of my arm again.
He smiled, his dimple peeking out coyly before vanishing again. “Whenever you’re ready.”
I bowed my head in defeat. “What do you want me to do?” I quavered.
“Visualize the virtual corridor. The files are in the first room on the left.”
I stepped into the white void of virtual reality and put my hands to my head. “My head hurts.”
Hold onto control now. I concentrated with all my might. Don’t give them any warning. My hands shook.
“Get on with it,” Richardson snapped.
“Okay.” In the instant between one heartbeat and the next, I materialized a gun, pressed it against my temple, and pulled the trigger.
Chapter 37
I’d thought a bullet to the brain would be relatively painless.
I’d been wrong.
Agony tore through my head. My body convulsed, jerking frantically in a useless attempt to escape. The cool
blue flame of the butane torch would have been a welcome relief from the roiling white-hot lava that seared my veins. My throat ripped under the lash of screams I felt rather than heard. A nauseating vortex of colour sucked me down and I tumbled like a rag doll, blind and sick, suffering unspeakable, unending torment.
At last, the spinning slowed and the colours faded.
The gut-churning smell of burned flesh filled the air.
Comprehension arrived with a hammer-blow of despair. He’d pulled me out of the network before I died.
I’d failed.
“No.” My voice came out a raw whimper.
I couldn’t open my eyes, but I didn’t want to anyway. I could feel the burn sizzling on my arm. I didn’t want to see the flame approaching. I didn’t want to watch my skin bubble and blacken under its heat.
“No,” I repeated. My body trembled helplessly, soaked in sweat.
I clenched my fists and dove for the network again. They wouldn’t be able to stop me every time.
I barely glimpsed the void before hell’s volcano erupted inside my head and the agony began anew.
Consciousness returned abruptly, but I kept my eyes closed. Waves of pain coursed through my body, and I held myself still and silent, trying to stifle despair.
“I thought you said she’d be awake by now.” A vaguely familiar male voice almost made me betray myself with a start. I concentrated hard on my breathing, trying to calm the sudden pounding of my pulse. Who had spoken? Richardson? I wasn’t sure.
“I said she might be awake by now.” The second male voice was definitely not anyone I knew. “When you drag in an unconscious body, you can’t expect me to predict things down to the minute.”
“Why isn’t she restrained in the chair?”
“We need her to believe she’s safe, from the first instant she wakes up. If she wakes up tied to the chair, she’ll never believe us.”
A pause.
“Very well. But this is against my better judgement. Be on your guard. Don’t underestimate her. If she feels threatened, she won’t hesitate to kill.”
Tell Me No Spies Page 29