The computer systems should still be failing to run anything but a few specific operations. Unless their IT department is really good, according to Rasmus.
“Fuck.” Guard One says. He fondles the grip of his pistol. “That ain’t suspicious at all. Andy, do it.”
Guard Two steps up to me and waits for me to adopt the spread-out position.
Are they enjoying this? I cannot help but wonder as they pat down my body. “I’d have to be a magician to be carrying, sirs. Want to use a metal detector on me? A sniffer dog? An expelliarmus weaponus spell?”
“One never knows.” Guard Two steps away with my phone in his hand. No sense of humor, this guy. “Nothing else on her.”
“Follow.” Guard One marches down the corridor to the left.
I’m led to Clay’s office door, surrounded by these three, and only let loose when I’m before the inner door that I recall from previous time. Behind me, the secretary’s desk and reception room are deserted. I drag open the door.
The walk down the short corridor is lonely and loaded with fear and my thoughts spin off into all the what-ifs. This could end up a total clusterfuck, yet I cannot let fear dictate my actions.
When I raise my hand to knock on the black steel door,with the fancy logo and Clay’s name written in gold, it slides open.
“And there he is, Mr. Clay Skinner, asshole in charge.” I advance into his office, smiling as if I have everything under control, which I do, to some extent.
To the left of Clay and his arrogant ass, which he has wedged onto his desk, a dark-suited man stands. The left wall holds a long wall-screen showing a scrolling sign:Stay here, Clay. Hailey is coming to visit you.
It was possible he would not obey the sign, sophew, this first hurdle has a checkmark.
The second man looks like he’s also security. He’s heavily built, with short, brown, soldier-style hair and a stern jaw. Under that suit is probably a shoulder holster, but he remains passive while Clay has sprung upright and is grinning.
“Well, nice to see you again, too, Hailey. Your handiwork is impressive. What can we do for you today?”
I halt mid floor and try to look assertive.Want something? Imagine that goal is yours.
“You mean the lights and alarms? That’s nothing. I want you to release Kail and Esau. Do that and all the evidence I have will remain out of the public eye. If not, it gets sent to fifty different agencies. Think of me as a god sent to punish you and reveal your evil to the world.”
Unobtrusively, I do a small drumroll with my fingers on the cat bracelet.
“My evil?” Clay bellows a laugh. “You are a meddling, whiny, fucking fool.”
As the light in the room changes, he swings around. The wall behind him fades from a solid dark blue to translucent blue and then becomes completely transparent glass. The vistabeyond is of Revenant and the far mountains where Kail and I trekked days ago. That seems ancient history, at a time when he was hiding bodies, and I was wondering if I could trust him.
“Pretty view, isn’t it. So, you can control my wall. Wow.” He returns his attention to me. “If only Icouldrelease them.” Mouth downturned, Clay pretends sadness for all of one second, then regards me as if I am a child or maybe a lab specimen. “It’s a pity but one of them was killed when they invaded the institute.”
Fuck, fuck.My throat bobs as I swallow. The bastard wants me to ask which one died. Does he know that I’m in love with Kail? How could he?
“Who?” The squeak in my voice is barely discernable, I hope.
“Who died? Let me think… Can you recall, Cannon?”
“No, sir.”
Clay stretches the pause, while I fight the urge to stride forward and punch him. “Esau Wrath died. Don’t worry, we kept his body on ice.”
Another reason for Clay to be cast into Hell, injected with wasabi, and skinned alive while he watches every knife cut.
Esau has died. Poor Esau. Sometimes I…I don’t even know who we need to tell once I get out of here.
If we do get out.
Think positive. I am still alive. Imagine that damn goal. What time is it?
It’s not going to be exact. “Bring Kail up here, so we can start the exchange.”
