This threat could be parlayed by sending it as an email. We all know this. Yet no one is saying don’t.
It feelsright.An email would get waved away, same as my appointment requests, and…
And I’ve reached the point where I don’t care about nuking Clay and the institute as much as I do about getting Kail and Esau back alive. Especially Kail.
I close my eyes for a moment to absorb the shock of this. That isn’t bad. He’s alive, and my dad is gone.
“This is madness, Hailey,” Molly says, all matter-of-factly. Ron sneaks his hand over hers as if to reassure her that all will be right. She places her other hand over his.
I envy them their love.
“Yep. It is madness, but it’s the good and right and moral kind. I need to do this.”
It’s funny, but everyone is smiling. There is a twinkle in Molly’s eye and a slight smile in the curve of her mouth. I bet she would’ve come with me if she were younger. With guns blazing too.
I smirk at the image that evokes.
There is hope.
Assuming I don’t get murderated. Clay has a habit of doing this. Murderated…it’s an invented word I have a liking for.
Can I do it to him instead, please, mister and missus gods of alternate worlds? Squeeze in some killing for me, please.
Just when I think I have it all sorted, Ron and Molly stand up, a little shakily on Ron’s part, but with no wheelchairs, no canes, and I can see a deathly stillness to them that I’m sure is not good.
“No,” Molly says.
“Not on our watch,” Ron agrees. “There is something we can do to help. If you go in alone, it is suicide. Let me tell you how this will go down. It might take an extra few days to organize.”
“Do we have that much time?” I say softly.
No one answers but Squiggle Cat reaches up to treadle his forepaws on my chest, his claws mostly sheathed, his big shiny cat eyes on mine, as if to say,you’ll be okay.
I draw a tremulous breath and pat him. “Thank you.”
45
THREATS & BAIT
“Sir?” Cannon holds the phone up before me.
“She still threatens me? The balls on that woman. I told her we’d release that vid from the house party if she dares to do anything.” I look past him at where they have the frankenstruct on his knees with the thick steel handcuffs locked onto his wrists at his back and being pulled higher and higher, with a chain that’s attached to the ceiling. “He’s still sedated?”
I point as he leaves the ground and his face contorts with pain. The chain jerks violently, his legs kick, and there is an audible crack. The gasp he makes seems pitifully quiet considering what that crack must mean.
“Yes, sir. That would break the shoulders of most men. I gather it’s dislocated his, at least.”
“Yes. Now to see what he can heal. However! Back to this woman. She seems in love with this thing. Those threats of hers. Do you think she would carry out those? The backlash to being exposed having kinky sex before multiple people would horrify most women.”
“I think she might. It’s possible.” Cannon turns to observe the frankenstruct. “If she did, even if it’s not enough to result in an inquiry, or similar, it does open a can of worms. Others will come sniffing.”
“Chasing after the research, you mean?” I stroll nearer, past the cryo coffins.
“Yes. I advise you to escalate this up the chain before she does anything.”
“She’s coming here, she says. Tomorrow. Again, I almost admire her balls.” I circle this Kail, wondering how a woman could love this. Sex, sure. But love? “Let her come. I welcome the challenge. Enough with the advice about escalating, Cannon. Enough. I said, no lectures.” Do I need to actually demote him? “Capturing this.” I nod at our victim. “Requires a glass of something. Order it for me. Please.”
“Certainly, sir.” Disgust radiates from Cannon as he moves to obey.
