“1.”
“Please!”
“2.”
“HE TOOK HIM TO THE FAMILY CABIN! They had to move him when they called the police.”
I crouch before him again. “Where is it?”
“I don’t know,” he sobs. “They didn’t tell me.”
“Torren, give me your phone. I’ll call Lars.”
I toss Tobias my phone, then turn back to Doctor Franklin. “What does he want to do to Felix?”
Doctor Franklin lowers his head in shame. “They’re going to wait for the drugs to take effect fully. Hargrove wants Felix to kill himself.”
Hot blood surges through my veins as I pick up Doctor Franklin and the chair he’s tied to and throw them against the wall. The chair shatters, and he lands on the floor, screaming in pain. “Don’t let him leave,” I order Mac.
“I don’t think he’s getting up any time soon, boss man.”
Tobias whistles. “I’ve got the coordinates.” He tosses me the phone, and I look down to see the red dot on the map.
I’m moving before Tobias can say another word. “Mac, I’m sending you the coordinates by text. Send all Hellcats there, now!”
“On it!”
I run down the stairs and hear Tobias say, “We’ll get him, Torren. We will.”
We have to.
Felix
The sky is gorgeous. One half is a beautiful shade of purple, and the other is a bright orange. Navy blue clouds soar above me, and I’d give anything to be riding on one and not in the hands of the two monsters who carry me into our cabin.
I don’t know who they are—their faces look pale, red at theeyes, and blood pours from their mouths. Their claws dig into my legs and arms as they carry me, making the bugs under my skin scurry away. I hate when they all crawl at once.
The monster at my feet looks down on me. He resembles my father, but it’s not him. I’d recognize my father’s voice, but this creature who carries me has a voice so deep it hurts my ears.
“Drop him on the floor.”
I land with a thud, squashing thousands of bugs. The sounds I made as I hit the floor echo around me, their wavelengths in shades of red and black. The colors look mean. Haunting.
The other monster approaches. This one’s voice is high—like fingernails scratching a chalkboard. “It’s been over 7 hours.”
“Let’s unstrap him.”
The monster with the screechy voice approaches. “No! No, stay away! Don’t hurt the bugs!” I hate the way their carcasses collect in piles when they die inside me.
He grabs the straps on my jacket and unsnaps them. My arms fall to the sides, and I breathe a sigh of relief. He helps me out of the straitjacket, and I sit on the ground staring at the floor. The grains of wood wriggle toward me like worms.
I crawl back, screaming and crying because their little heads flash tiny fangs as they chase me. My back hits the wall, and I cover my eyes with my hands.
One of the creatures pulls my hands down, and I look up to see my father. It’s him! Is he here to help me?
“Felix, it’s your father. Do you see me?”
I do! I see him, and I nod. My eyes well up because I’m so happy to see someone I recognize. A peek to my left reveals Robert. He’s still an ass, but it’s nice to see a humannonetheless.
