by L. P. Dover
Warren held up a hand. “Soon.” Then he turned to the camera. “First, I think the president needs to hear my side of the story, to see how his administration fucked so many people in this country.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I shouted, disgust dripping like acid from my lips. If I wasn’t restrained to a chair, I’d have already beaten him to death.
His head snapped in my direction and he charged toward me, slamming his hands down on the arms of my chair. “Because of your father’s approval of the new healthcare policies, my mother wasn’t able to get the help she needed. She died because she couldn’t afford the medicine.”
That wasn’t true. My father was all about helping those in need. The new healthcare system did that.
“Maybe she spent all her money on drugs. Isn’t that how she died?” Trinity spat.
Warren seethed, his eyes turning as black as night. “How did you know that?” he hissed, glaring at her over his shoulder.
Her head lifted defiantly. “Josh told me.”
He scoffed. “Of course, he did. Maybe that’s why it felt so damn good when I killed him.”
Lips trembling, I could see the fire welling inside of her. If she lashed out, he’d show no mercy. “The truth comes out now,” I said, catching his attention. “Looks like instability runs in the family.”
Grip tightening on the chair, he pulled me closer. “I was fourteen years old when my mother died. Left on the streets for two years because I had no other family. That’s when Keith found me, eating out of trash cans. He gave me a home and a new purpose in life.”
My blood boiled. He’d just told me everything I needed to know. “So, that’s why you hate us? Your mother is just an excuse, so people will feel sorry for you. Sanders used your vulnerabilities and brainwashed you with his psychotic babble of how my father was going to destroy the country. He mind-fucked you.”
It was the wrong thing to say. The slap across my cheek stung. “You haven’t seen fucked up yet, you stupid cunt. I will get my revenge on your family. Just like Dane wants revenge for his brother’s death.” He leaned in closer, his hot breath on my ear. “There are more of us out there. And we’re not going to stop until we take you all out, including your bitch of a mother.”
Rage coursed through my veins and I reacted, not even thinking about the consequences. Rearing my head back, I headbutted him in the nose, his blood splattering across the front of my shirt. Growling, he punched me so hard I fell onto the floor, unable to break my fall. The landing winded me and I sucked in a breath. Every inch of my body hurt.
“Brina!” Trinity cried.
“I’m okay,” I assured her.
Warren stormed up the stairs, leaving Dane alone with us. He righted my chair, licking his lips as he brushed the blood off mine. “Keep it up and no one will be able to recognize you when they find your body.”
“Does that mean you’ll be keeping us chained up when you kill us? Where’s the fun in that?”
Dane’s eyes narrowed, there was no denying the lust oozing from his body. I could smell the stench of it and feel his arousal against my leg. Groaning deep in his chest, he licked the rest of the blood off my lips. The smell of his stagnant breath made me want to gag. He leaned in and sucked on my earlobe, sending shivers down my spine. I was going to throw up.
Whispering in my ear, he said, “Don’t worry, darling. I want you to fight. It’ll make the show much more enjoyable.” His hand snaked over my breast and he squeezed it so achingly hard, I cringed. “We’ll be back.” He kissed my cheek and stood up.
“You won’t get away with this. I can promise you that.”
He shrugged as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “That’s the best part. We want to get caught. By the end of tomorrow, we’ll be celebrities.”
That information changed everything. I had to think of an escape plan, and quick. If they wanted to get caught, there was no limit to what they’d do. Dane laughed the whole way up the stairs.
Trinity’s body shook, her eyes swollen and red. “Brina, I’m so sorry.”
“Shh, it’s okay. You didn’t know your ex was a fucked-up lunatic.”
She dropped her head, shaking it vehemently. “I’m worried about Josh. I can still see him on the ground, covered in blood. He can’t be dead, Brina. I can’t lose him.”
I didn’t know what to say. If Josh wasn’t found in time, there was no way he’d be alive. The thought of losing him ripped me to pieces. I loved Josh, as if he was a part of my family. “Think positive, Trinity. You’ll see him when we get out of here.”
Her head lifted and I could already see the bruising on her cheek from where Warren hit her. “Why do you think no one is looking for us? Surely, Wade knows we’re missing by now, right?”
I nodded. “He knows.” Or at least I hoped he did. “I have no clue how he’s going to find us though.” He was a smart man. The watch wasn’t updated to allow him to find me, but I had to believe he’d find another way.
“What are they going to do to us?”
Closing my eyes, I concentrated on my breathing. “I don’t know,” I whispered. “But I don’t want you to worry about it.” The question wasn’t what they were going to do to us. It was what I was going to do to them.
Wade
“Have they moved at all?” Preston asked.
I glanced down at the flashing red light on Josh’s screen. “No.” The trees zipped by and I kept going, not even caring if the police tried to pull me over. We were so close. I looked over at Preston, who was dressed for combat like I was. “When all of this is over, I want you to take my car and go. I don’t mind being outed as an FBI agent, but for your sake, you need to keep your anonymity. Understand?”
“Does this mean you’re giving it all up?”
With a heavy sigh, I nodded. “It’s for the best. I can’t run Chandler Enterprises, and hunt for people too.”
“And have time for the sexy former first daughter,” he added.
The flashing light still hadn’t moved. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her.” Heart racing, we only had five miles to go. The sun had already gone down, and night was upon us. The darkness would help our cause.
Preston grabbed the phone and undid his seat belt. “Almost there. What are we going to do?”
My 1911 was already in my lap, ready to go. “We go in guns blazing. I want them dead.” There were trees as far as I could see in the darkness. We only had an eighth of a mile left, so I pulled over on the side of the road to arm up.
“Doesn’t look like there’s much out here,” Preston stated, scanning the woods.
I couldn’t argue with him there. It didn’t even look like there were any houses around. Rifle in hand, I was ready to go. We took off through the woods. Branches snapped under our feet and the crickets chirped all around us. The air was sticky and hot, the smell of a rotting animal blowing in the breeze.
A car appeared in the distance, surrounded by trees. “The signal’s coming from that car,” Preston whispered. There was no one in sight.
Gun drawn, we approached the car and Preston opened the doors, shining his light inside. The car reeked of cigarette smoke, but there was nothing in it, except for a piece of paper tucked underneath the driver’s seat. I picked it up and shut the door. That left the trunk . . .
I’d found bodies in trunks before, but nothing was worse than possibly finding the woman you loved in one. Preston reached into the car and pulled the latch to pop the trunk. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the door and it was empty, except for a silver necklace with a diamond pendant in the shape of a tree.
I reached for it and held it up. “It’s Trinity’s. She never took it off,” I said, remembering it always being around her neck. Josh must’ve gotten it for her.
“What do we do now? We’re out of leads.” The thought terrified and enraged me at the same time. “Do you think Yuli will have some answers for us soon?” Preston asked.
I clasped Trinity�
��s necklace. “I sure as hell hope so.” Pushing the necklace in my pocket, I realized I was clenching something else in my hands. “Hey, shine your light over here.”
He flashed his light over my way. “What do ya got?”
I looked down at the paper and smiled. “It might just be what we needed.” Sliding my phone out of my pocket, I called Jason’s number.
There was another set of tire tracks on the ground where the car was found. The tracks led out of the woods and to the left, so I followed them, deeper into South Carolina. Of course, the mud only showed on the road for a few feet, but I continued in the same direction for miles.
We drove upon a residential area, then onto a major highway where a fast food restaurant sat on every corner, including the one typed out on the receipt in my hand. Whoever took Brina and Trinity had been there just two days prior. With the exact date and time stamp on the receipt, hopefully Jason could find out who it was.
I pulled into a grocery store parking lot and shut the car off. It’d been three hours since I talked to Jason last. The more I drove around, the more desperate I became.
“Didn’t you say this Avery guy is going to join the Circle of Justice?” Preston asked.
I closed my eyes, trying my best not to envision the things that could possibly be happening to Brina. “He might. If he does, he’ll be helping out the tech crew. He’s insanely smart when it comes to hacking. Reed is the same way.”
My youngest brother was on his way to being the best hacker around. That was his contribution to the Circle of Justice, at least until he was ready to go out on his own missions. For now, Jason Avery was still the best.
We waited in the parking lot for another hour when my phone rang. It was Jason.
“Hey, man. Anything yet?” I asked.
He snorted. “Tons, as a matter of fact. I hope you’re ready for this.” I could hear him typing away on his computer. “So, I hacked into the McDonald’s cameras. When the car pulled up to the window, there wasn’t just one guy, but two. I got a good look at them both and ran a search for them in the database.”
“Keep going,” I said, cranking up my car. My patience grew thinner by the second.
“The driver’s name is Warren Bentley.”
The second he said the name, I recognized it. I’d overheard Trinity say it to Brina on numerous occasions. “Motherfucker,” I growled. “I know who he is.”
Preston’s eyes widened. “You do?” he asked at the same time as Jason.
I ran a hand through my hair. “It’s Trinity’s ex-boyfriend. She must’ve told him where she was.”
“That’s not the only thing fucked up here,” Jason added. “Do you want to know who the other man is?”
Pulse racing, I clenched the steering wheel tight. “Who?”
“Dane Williamson, formerly Dane Sanders . . . or Keith Sanders’ brother. After everything that happened, his parents had his name changed to protect him. Apparently, both Warren and Dane are members of a group based in Boston. Something doesn’t seem right, so I’m looking into it. I’ll let you know what I find.”
“Can you trace either one of their cell phones?” I asked.
“Working on it now.” More typing on the computer, accompanied by frustrated breaths. “All right, I have the address for Warren’s whereabouts. Let me see if Dane’s is the same.” It felt like everything around me moved in slow motion, my pulse being the only thing I could hear. “Fuck yeah!” Jason called out. “They’re in the same place. Write this address down.”
Once we had it, I was on the road. “Thanks, Avery. I’m in your debt.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll collect. Be safe.”
We hung up and my phone rang again. It was Yuli. Perfect timing. “Hello,” I answered.
“Wade, it’s me. I got the software updated. It should be downloading to your watch in about three minutes. All tracking will be turned on and ready to go, but that’s it. It’s barebones, but it should get you where you need to be.”
“Thanks, Yuli. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”
“You’re welcome. I hope everything works out.”
My watch beeped and the face lit up, revealing the tracking application along with other updates. I pressed the button and a small map appeared.
“Do you see her?” Preston asked, trying to get a glimpse of my watch.
I zoomed in on the blue flashing light. “Got her. She’s with them.” We just had to get there in time.
Brina
Time was at a standstill. I dozed in and out of consciousness for what had to be several hours. All I knew was that it felt like an eternity. If Wade couldn’t find us, I honestly didn’t know if we’d make it out alive. Against one man, I might have a chance, but I couldn’t fight them both and live.
“Please tell me we’re going to get out of here,” Trinity whispered.
Luckily, I didn’t have to answer. The door at the top of the stairs opened and both men strolled down. “Hello, ladies,” Warren announced happily.
“What time is it?” I asked, my throat dry and scratchy.
Both men appeared in front of us, dressed in T-shirts and jeans. However, Warren had a gun holstered at his belt, while Dane had a knife. I could possibly deal with a knife, but the gun had to go. Dane walked over to me and unchained me from the chair. I didn’t realize my hands had gone numb. They tingled as the blood flowed back through them.
“It’s time for fun,” he responded, jerking me to my feet. Only I didn’t stay on my feet; I fell to my knees. The room spun and I closed my eyes as he grabbed my arm, lifting me up again. Sure, I was a little dizzy, but I was also good at pretending to be helpless.
“I need to use the bathroom,” I said, my voice shaking. As much as I didn’t want to use the pot, I had no choice. It was either that or piss on myself.
Warren agreed with a nod and Dane dragged me over to the corner. When he didn’t move away, I glared at him. “You’re seriously going to watch me pee?” I growled.
His grin widened as he angled the camera toward me. “Now the whole world will get to see a classy woman piss in a pot.”
I looked over at Trinity who was about to break down. Warren stood behind her, whispering things in her ear. If she only knew how strong I really was. Turning my back, I lowered my shorts and squatted over the pot. It was the fastest I’d ever gone to the bathroom. I’d never felt so degraded in my life. They were going to pay for what they’d done.
Fingers digging into my arm, Dane dragged me back to the chair and pushed me into it. I needed Warren to get close so I could grab his gun. “Let the fun begin,” Dane said, slithering up behind my chair. He grabbed my wrists and jerked my arms behind the chair.
With an evil gleam in his eyes, Warren peered down at Trinity. “I think I’m going to start with this one.” He jerked her head back and she shrieked.
My feet weren’t restrained, so I tried to stand, only for Dane to knock me back down.
Warren leaned toward her ear, but his eyes were on me – goading me – as he spoke to her. “Since you’re a filthy whore, I’m going to let my friend fuck you in the ass. He likes ‘em nasty. I wish I could see the look on your daddy’s face when he hears you scream.”
She burst out crying, and the look of sheer panic on her face fueled my body with rage. I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Dane strolled over to untie her, licking his lips. He worked on the chains at Trinity’s ankles, then moved to her hands.
The room seemed to close in on me and I panicked. Time was running out.
The pig roughly yanked her up and pulled down her skirt, leaving her in just her bikini bottoms, then pushed her over the back of the chair. Trinity had given up trying to fight, and just laid there, sobbing. But then something I wasn’t expecting happened. My watch vibrated.
I held my breath, waiting for more. Did I just imagine it? Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the watch. If Wade was close, it’d vibrate again.
It did! He was near
.
Trinity’s screams jerked me back to reality. Dane had already undone his zipper.
I needed to do something. “Don’t you want to punish her first?” I snapped at Warren.
His brows lifted curiously, while Trinity looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. I glared at her, hoping like hell she took it as a sign to keep her mouth shut. Warren stepped toward me, his arms crossed over his chest. “Go on.”
I met his predatory gaze. “What better way than for you to fuck me right in front of her? Think of what that’ll do. Hurting me, will hurt her. You can damage her mind, before you use her body.” I shifted in my chair. “Now untie me and do what you have to do.”
Dane paused and looked at Warren. “If you do this, I want in.”
Warren held up his hand. “When I’m done, you can have a go at her. Just help me hold her down.”
“Brina, no!” Trinity cried, thrashing around as Dane pushed her down in the chair and tied her hands behind her back.
Happy with the reaction, Warren unchained me and pushed me toward the blankets on the floor. “If you try anything stupid, I’ll put a bullet in her head.”
Dane turned the video camera toward the pile of blankets. I had to act fast. If they both held me down, I wouldn’t have the strength to fight them off.
“Take your clothes off,” Warren commanded.
Trinity yelled in the background, her fear turning to anger. If we got out of this alive, I was going to train her to fight. She needed to be able to protect herself, and not depend on others to do it for her.
I wasn’t wearing much to begin with, just a tank top and shorts, along with my underwear and bra. Slowly, I lifted my tank top and dropped it to the floor.
“Faster,” Warren snapped.
Huffing, I fumbled with the button on my denim shorts, only I wasn’t moving fast enough. Warren pushed me to the ground and I fell to my knees. At that point, everything happened in slow motion. Dane appeared in front of me, fly open, and his knife on his belt—there for the taking.
I grabbed the hilt and sliced it deep across his thigh. He fell to the floor, growling in pain.