Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
“I thought you were better than this.” Huisman was a shadowy figure beyond the lights. Surgical lights.
Fun times. “I’ll try to be more focused, Doc.”
“Why are you smiling?” Huisman sounded a bit disturbed.
Was she? Maybe she was perverse. Or maybe she’d figured out something so big that the torture didn’t seem as bad as it had before. “I guess it’s because you hurt so good, Doc.”
She wasn’t giving him a damn thing.
Huisman stepped in, his dark eyes hovering over her. “I haven’t truly begun. This is all merely for fun. A warm-up. I haven’t even given you the real drugs yet. Just a new concoction that elevates the pain of basic wounds. I’ve been using a violet wand on an extremely high setting. It should feel like I’m cutting you deep. You’re covered with beautiful burns now, but I think we’ll go more old school. Bring me the torch.”
If she’d been able to move, she was sure her body would have stiffened. This was going to hurt.
And she would take it. She had a family to get back to, after all.
“Tell me where Zach Reed is,” Huisman demanded.
“Fuck right the fuck off,” she replied. If she passed out again and did the conscious dreaming thing, she was going to top Cooper in so many nasty ways. So many.
“He’s in the hallway, sir,” another voice said.
Huisman stopped and turned. “What?”
“Reed is in the hallway with some other dude. Says it’s his brother.”
Kala tried to lift her head. He wouldn’t be this stupid. Couldn’t be. Cooper wouldn’t walk in and try to exchange himself for her.
If he died, she was going to kill him.
Although he did seem to have spared her the torch. For now.
“What an interesting surprise. I suppose my network is up to date since he found his way here so quickly. Send another patrol out. Tell them to expand the radius and get those cameras focused on anyone coming near the house. Also, get the helicopter ready in case. Let’s go see what’s happening,” Huisman said. “Take her back and throw her in with the other.”
“Uhm, sir, the paralytic is still in effect. She should be monitored. We know it can cause heart trouble,” another voice said. It was good to know he had helpers.
“She’s strong. I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Huisman turned and walked away.
And Kala prayed she got to see her love one more time.
Chapter Nineteen
Cooper followed Zach down the road, adrenaline starting to pour through his system. “You know Drake’s going to try to take you in. He kind of has to.”
“I’m not going in,” Zach replied. “I’m not ready yet. I promise you when the time is right and I’ve got all my work done, I’ll turn myself in and I won’t be a problem anymore.”
“You’ll go to prison?” He didn’t like the sound of that. Even if he was still angry at Zach.
Zach shrugged as they turned the corner, and the house came into full view. “Hey, I’m carrying on the family tradition, I suppose. Stay close to me if you can. I’m hoping this asshole will monologue awhile before I need to set off the bombs. I want to give Big Tag some time to get everyone into place.”
“You didn’t tell him what places needed covering,” Coop pointed out.
“Don’t have to,” Zach replied. “That’s the great thing about Big Tag and Charlotte. They’ll know what to do. I’m going to need you to pretend you’ve been with me all along. You’ve known we’re brothers for the two years we’ve been working together.”
Subterfuge. He could handle that.
He glanced off to the side of the house and saw a chopper sitting on a launch pad. “I wonder how long that’s been there. And how long it’s going to be there.”
“I couldn’t get close enough,” Zach admitted. “I hope Big Tag knows about it because if Huisman wants to run, that’s how he’ll do it. I need you to understand that if it comes down to it, you leave me behind and get the ladies out of here. I think he’s got a thing for Kala now, and Huisman likes to break his toys, if you know what I mean.”
The words threatened to make him sick, but he was shoving down all emotion at this point. Up ahead he saw the porch light to the big house come on.
“They see us,” Coop noted.
“Don’t forget. You left the team this afternoon when I called you. He knows about your relationship with Kala. Assume he knows almost everything,” Zach said, his voice tight. “And what happens if you can’t get me out.”
That was easy. “Oh, I’ll leave your lying ass behind.” He wasn’t thrilled with Zach, but he also was already softening and would kind of like to know the story. His parents were his parents, and his brother and sister were his siblings. But there was always room for more. “Brother.”