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“Oh my God, Falcon…”
“No, it never happened. Because at that point, I had figured out how to determine someone’s intentions at just a glance. The tenseness in their bodies, the coldness in their eyes. They didn’t have to say a word to make it clear what their intentions were. I figured out what they were after, and then I made it clear that any such advances would not be tolerated. You see, Vannah, when you’re in prison, you feel like you have nothing left to lose. So I would’ve let them kill me before I let them fuck me.”
“And the guards knew that?”
“They knew. In their way. They stayed away from me because they knew I would fight back. Even in the end, if they’d gotten what they wanted from me, they’d have paid dearly for it. They all knew that.” He saddens then, his eyes going somewhere else.
“Falcon?”
“But I couldn’t always protect my men.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I did what I could. If any other inmate messed with one of mine, he paid for it. But not everyone else in the prison had my gift for reading other people. I think it’s something you’re born with, something that can’t be taught. So I never made any effort to teach any of the other inmates on my cellblock how to detect danger before it gets to you. I didn’t think I would have to, anyway. If some sinister-looking fucker made his way into the prison, I made sure to put him in his place as quickly as I could.” He casts his gaze to the ground. “The guards were another story. There wasn’t any way I could make them pay. So I taught my men as best as I could to deal with it the way I did. To make sure the guards knew, in no uncertain terms, that they wouldn’t go quietly.”
“But they weren’t all you.”
“No, they weren’t. They didn’t all have my strength and determination, and they sure as hell didn’t have my instinct.”
“What exactly are you getting to, Falcon?”
“I’m getting to this.” He looks deep into my eyes. “You and I both agree that there’s something larger at work with your family and the McAllisters, and you need to be able to protect yourself. I don’t know if you can learn how to detect danger on instinct alone, but I’m going to teach you what I taught those men. When danger does rear its ugly head, you’re going to know how to not get fucked with, Savannah.”
9
FALCON
I haven’t shown Savannah the basement of this place yet.
It’s an underground bunker—part of it, that is.
The other part is a gym. Weights, cardio equipment, everything anyone would need to stay in the best shape ever. If disaster strikes and anyone is forced to stay here for five years, they’d better stay in shape.
That’s what I will teach Savannah.
I’m ready to tell her this when my satellite phone jingles.
I take a look at it. It’s ten a.m. Not that we could tell, since the lightproof shades are drawn.
My brother Hawk is calling.
“Hawk,” I say.
“Leif got in touch with me.”
“Good. You’re the only one I trust, brother, other than him.”
“I hear you. But I’ve got some good news for you.”
“I could use a little good news right now.”
“Raven’s bloodwork came back. She’s still in remission. She just has a virus.”
I can’t say all the weight has been lifted from my shoulders, but a tiny bit of it has. “Thank God.”
“I know. They’re taking her home this afternoon. What am I supposed to tell Mom and Dad about why you’re not there?”
“I don’t fucking know, Hawk. I wish I knew.”
