"I think you'll be interested in this part of my collection, Danny."
I cried out and ran over to the cell Atkins pointed to. It was the only one on the ground floor with a human in it. I pressed my hands against the glass and stared at the man standing on the other side of the glass.
"Abe."
Abe's lips moved, but I didn't hear a sound. I frowned as I banged on the glass.
"The cells are soundproof, Danny," Atkins said from behind me.
I turned to glare at the man. "Open it," I demanded. "Let him out."
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Danny."
I growled.
Atkins just smirked before pulling a small black box out of his pocket. He pushed a button on it and I knew. I just knew.
I swung back around then screamed, "No!" when I saw Abe writhing on the ground, his hands clutching a black collar latched around his neck. "Stop!"
Abe stopped jerking and just lay there on the floor panting.
Tears flooded my eyes then spilled down my cheeks as I stared down at him. I pressed my hands flat to the glass then rested my forehead against it. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I can," Atkins replied.
I turned to glare at the man. "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Don't you have a shred of decency?"
"No, not really."
I squinted at the guy. "Have you ever been diagnosed as a narcissist?"
"Not on paper."
I officially hated Robert Atkins.
"You obviously want something, Mr. Atkins. What is it?"
"I told you, my boy. I want you."
Atkins walked over to the cell next to Abe's. He pressed another button on his little black box, and a part of the glass wall swung open. I quickly glanced back to Abe's cell, but I couldn't see a single seam that could open into a door.
Atkins walked into the empty cell, but he was back out a moment later, holding a collar in his hand. It was identical to the one Abe wore except that it was gold colored instead of black. He held it out to me.
"I had this specially made for you right after that night at the university, Danny." He grinned as if he was giving me the greatest gift in the world. "If you would be so kind to transform into your cat creature, I can fit it on you."
"I'm not some cat creature."
I'm an ocelot.
Atkins sighed deeply then hit the button on his black box.
I snapped around to look into Abe's cell, crying out when I saw him jerking on the floor again. "Stop!" I screamed as I slapped the glass wall. "Stop. You're hurting him."
"That is the point, Danny."
I glared at the man. "You're a monster."
Atkins' eyes narrowed, and he hit the button again. Instead of turning to look at Abe, I jumped at the guy, hitting at him with one hand while trying to grab the remote to Abe's collar with the other.
