Judy parked the car, still pondering her conversation with Jericho.In truth, her mind was on Benjamin.Yes, they argued all the time but it always turned into amazingly hot sex.The anger and feistiness came through in their lovemaking, making it brutal and aggressive.She loved it.
Now, he was gone and she was needing a fix.Maybe she’d find someone in a bar near the hotel and have a hot night with a stranger.She and Jericho were fuck buddies when they both needed a release but truth be told, he was boring and lacked any sort of creativity in the bedroom.
Opening the door, she stared at the messy desk that Jericho always hid behind.She was about to take a seat and review the communications with their next victim when her eyes caught the open safe.
“What the hell?” she muttered.She counted the envelopes of cash and realized he’d taken more than his fair share.“That bastard!”
Gathering the remaining items, she shoved them in her bag and then walked behind the desk.The notes were gone.
“No.No.”She dialed his number but he refused to pick up or was unable to pick up.Knowing she needed help, she called Benjamin.
“What?”
“Benjamin, I need you,” she said.
“You don’t need me.Right about now, you need a prayer.”
The phone went dead and she stared at the blank screen.Gathering anything she thought was valuable, she started to come around the desk and then stopped, gasping in shock.
“Who are you?We’re closed,” she said staring at the dark face.
His hair was laced with fine strands of silver, tucked neatly into a top-knot on his head.He was clearly indigenous and it appeared there were several others who looked just like him.Even in her state of surprise, she could imagine all these big hunky men taking her one at a time or all together.
“I said we’re closed,” she said moving toward the door.
With a force she didn’t know existed, she felt someone behind her, gripping the back of her neck.How had someone gotten behind her?
“Good to see you have clothes this time, Juan,” smirked Hawk.
“It’s new,” he smiled.
“Wh-what do you want?” she said through the strangled voice.
The dark face moved closer to her own, the blackness of his eyes reflecting his heart and soul.For a woman who was rarely frightened of anything, Judy was terrified in this moment.She knew her life was about to end.
“Easy.Redemption.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Jericho packed everything he owned and switch hotels, this time treating himself to something a little nicer than the motel they’d been staying at.In fact, he felt so confident about being on his own, he treated himself to a massive seafood dinner, a couple of cocktails and a new suit.
He wasn’t sure why he bought the new suit.It wasn’t like he was a public figure, although he’d be giving presentations soon enough about their experiments.
With Judy nowhere to be found, he never thought for a moment that anything was wrong.In his head, he’d already worked out that she and Madsen were off to some island together and arguing over who was going to fuck whom.
He needed the child that she was supposed to have met earlier.Finding his way into the chat room, he found the old communication from the man she’d met and reached out to.
“I’m Dr. Jericho.My colleague is not feeling well and I’ll be meeting you tomorrow afternoon if you’re still available.”
He sent the message and stared out the window at the neon lights of New Orleans and Bourbon Street below.Bourbon Street wasn’t worth the hype in his opinion.It was strip clubs and streets that smelled like piss and stale beer.
He preferred Royal and the antique shops. More refined, more attuned to his tastes.
He casually took a few sips of his wine, smiling at his good fortune and genius and how it had all developed as planned.As a young student he’d read about the experiments of Colonel Weston Moore and his sycophants.The idea of creating super soldiers was intriguing but it all had a horrible end in Jericho’s mind.
If one country could create them, others would as well and where would that leave everyone?Dead most likely.No.What was more fascinating was the idea of manipulating the brain to make something that would provide riches.Those somethings just happened to be deaf children.
But first he needed Moore’s formulations.He’d spent years searching for them, asking about his diaries and notebooks, as well as those scientists that worked for him.Everything led to a dead end.
