Page 27 of Rescued

But she had to.

It was worse than she thought. It must have been a crime scene photo—Adrienne was dead, and her face had been cut up like Quentin had threatened to do to her and Kimberly. With a T for Traitor.

She felt sick, and Switch put down his tools and cupped his hand around the back of her neck, rubbing gently. Just like last night in the field, she felt the nausea pass.

Over her head he said, “Fuck, Thanatos, what the hell? You didn’t have to spring that on her.”

Thanatos didn’t sound one bit sorry. “I wanted to ensure her cooperation. Quentin Moreno is someone who’s been on my radar for quite some time.”

“Well, why the fuck haven’t you stopped him, before he did something like this?”

Good question, Breanna thought.

“There are only so many hours in a day,” said Thanatos. “One must prioritize.”

Like he was talking about a business schedule. She asked, “So now you’re making Quentin a priority?”

“Possibly. It depends how much you know about him, and if there’s any way for us to get close to him without all-out war.”

Breanna took a deep breath. She did not want to end up like Adrienne. She didn’t want anyone to end up like Adrienne. “What do you need?”

Thanatos said implacably, “I need everything you know about him. Starting now.”

Chapter 12

The fucking interrogation seemed to go on for hours. Switch sat back and listened, his hands fiddling with his little robot while his mind filed away facts and suppositions.

Finally, he could see Breanna wilting like a cut flower that had sucked up all the water in its vase. “That’s enough,” he said to Thanatos. “We don’t have to do this all in one day.”

The hood fixed its gaze on him. “Time is of the essence.”

“Oh, right, he’s been on your radar for years, and now time is of the essence. You won’t get anything out of her if she faints from exhaustion. Start with what you’ve got, and if you need more, she can come back tomorrow.”

Thanatos gazed at him until Switch could see the little red pinpoints of light that were his angry eyes. Probably. Unless he was an alien, and he had twin radioactive dicks where his eyes should be.

He stared back, not caring about Big T’s radioactive dicks.

Thanatos said, “Fine. That’s all for now.” He turned the hood on Breanna. “But you will remain here at the Ridge until I ascertain whether it’s feasible to go after Moreno at this time. And you will cooperate in every way possible. If you do not, there will be no reason for me to protect you.”

“Hey,” Switch objected. “What about helping the helpless?”

Gunn muttered, “The God of Death helps those who help themselves. Or him.”

Switch snorted.

Breanna asked anxiously, “What if you decide not to go after him? Or you can’t take him down?”

Thanatos said, “In that eventuality, you will be relocated with a new identity. But until that happens, you will remain here.”

Breanna asked, “Like, here here? In this house?”

There was a long pause. Then Thanatos said, “I suppose. Azúcar, prepare a room in the east wing.”

Switch would have thought Breanna would like living in a mansion, but she looked panicked. She turned the doe eyes on him. “Can’t I stay with you?”

Switch opened his mouth to say ‘no’. But the little voice in the back of his head said, yes. And his mouth spoke to Thanatos all by itself. “Fuck that. You hate women. She can stay with me.”

Thanatos gazed at him for a moment, then said silkily, “I was under the impression you weren’t staying?”