“You betrayed them,” I accuse him. “You’ve had the nanochip from the beginning. You convinced them I had it. You… you’ve been working with Angel. And the FBI.”
He claps his hands slowly in a mocking gesture.
“Good job,pet.” He speaks my nickname derisively. “Stellar deduction skills. Too bad you’ll be dead before you can share your discovery with anyone else.”
He grabs me by the collar and drags me through a thicket of trees. Behind it is his own car, carefully concealed from view.
“Get in,” he grunts, pushing me into the passenger seat.
He slams the car door shut behind me and I hear the lock click. Vaguely, I hear him moving something heavy into the trunk of the car, grunting with effort. I’m too exhausted to try to escape, and besides, it’s no use. I’m stuck in a locked car.
Then he slides into the driver’s seat. He slips the ignition key in and turns on the engine before reversing onto the main road. He presses down on the gas pedal, sending the car barreling down the street, so fast that I lose my breath. He sure is giving Logan a run for his money.
I grimace in pain, leaning back on the seat. I’m aware he hasn’t tied me up, probably because he figures I’m too injured to go far. But now that I know, all I can think of is Damien.
Maybe I can reach him yet. Maybe I can convince him. Beg him to listen.
I choke down a sob as I remember his arms around me, the feel of his lips against mine. I’m not ready to die anymore. I need him so bad. Even after everything that’s happened, the idea of leaving this Earth without seeing him again is unbearable.
Distantly, I hear Vale chuckling. The asshole probably finds my distress amusing.
I find myself sinking into a fitful, unnatural sleep as he drives on, past both Oakley and Astley, down a highway I don’t recognize.
After some time, I’m shaken roughly awake.
“Thank God,” he mutters. “Thought you were dead.”
I blink up at him in confusion, my eyes focusing first on his bloody hands then on him.
Bloody hands... bloody hands... what has he done? What have I done?
“I want to have my fun with you before you die,” he smirks, and I see something of Igor’s hunger in his eyes as he yanks me out by the arm.
The cold night air forces me out of my hazy state of mind. He’s driven off the highway into a tiny path. We’re in the middle of a great forest, and it’s so dark I can’t see a thing.
“I like games,” he says. “Do you?”
I don’t answer, but he’s not expecting me to.
“I really enjoyed that poker game where Damien lost you to Logan,” he chortles. “So, I figured we would play another game. This one is called,Run as fast as you can, bitch.” He takes a gun from the breast pocket of his coat, and I cringe as he raises it in the air.
“Don’t worry,” he soothes me mockingly. “No one can hear us out here. They won’t hear you scream in pain and beg for mercy. You’ll be doing both, by the time I’m done with you. Now start running.”
He aims the gun at the sky and pulls the trigger. The moment I hear the explosive detonation, my survival instinct kicks in. I hit the ground running.
I know he’s just behind me, and I run as fast as I can, panic overwhelming me. My arms and legs are scratched by the brambles hanging low, my dress is caught in the thorns, I can barely breathe. I run blindly, faster than I ever have, through shrubbery, between trees, their branches whipping at me, my dress soon reduced to rags, my body covered in scratches and oozing welts.
I force myself onward, adrenaline helping me to overcome the pain in my stomach that still stabs at me, the haphazard stitches coming undone from my effort.
I’m bleeding everywhere, and still, I keep running.
Just die already,I think to myself, but I can’t do it. I just can’t.
It’s not fair.
The old childish refrain makes my body spasm with anger and bittersweet regret. Why, God, why? Why did you give me such a shitty life? Why can’t I be like one of those happy people I see on TV, interviewed about the weather?
Yes, it’s very hot out today, but we’re keeping cool, my dog and I. Just out for a jog in the early morning and then we’ll stay inside and drink a lot of water.
