"Then why don't you just kill us now?" Kam taunted.
Taylor yanked on both of her arms. She needed to get out of here now.
"Maybe I'll start with the federal agent." Katarina sauntered toward Taylor. "She would be a fun one to break." The blade now rested against Taylor's chin. "I'm sure there is some information in this pretty head that would be worth some money."
Taylor curled her top lip. "I'd would rather die than endanger innocent lives."
"Death only comes after you've given me what I need." The slice came quick, but this time Taylor bit down hard to keepthe moan from escaping. She would not cower in front of this woman.
"You act all tough, but you've got us tied up. It's hardly a feat to torture someone restrained. I thought someone like you would want the thrill of a hunt."
"Taylor." Kam whispered the warning. She wanted to look at him to give him reassurance that she had a plan, but she couldn't risk taking her eyes off of Katarina.
The trained assassin swung the knife in an arch. Instead of coming after Taylor, her blade found Kam's outer leg. An injury that would bring pain, but not kill him. At least not right away.
Kam only grunted slightly. "I've had worse mosquito bites."
Taylor yanked on the restraints again. This time the knot shifted. If she could just get it to loosen a bit more, she could be free.
"That's enough, Kata. I still need him." A tall blonde woman in combat boots, cargo pants and black jacket walked into the pool of light. Dasha Volkov. How did she get into the United States? A better question, were they still in the United States?
Taylor looked at Kam. Blood ran down his leg still but the wound on his chest was starting to clot. That was a good thing. The cuts on him were about as deep as the ones she had. Intended to inflict pain–not death.
Taylor didn't know what Ian's mother wanted exactly, but the fact that she said she needed Kam gave her hope that they had a bit more time to figure out how to get out of here.
"I don't go anywhere without her," Kam growled.
"Ah, yes. The American Federal Agent. Don't worry. I won't kill her. We are still in American waters. If you do as you're told then she gets to live. Unable to do what I want and Katarina will get to break her."
Dasha drug her finger nail under Taylor's chin, forcing her to look at the woman.
"What is it that you want?" Kam asked. Taylor held her gaze; she would not let her know how terrified she was at the moment.
"Gregor lost my son to the likes of your government." The slap stung but Taylor clenched her jaw against the pain and continued to stare her down.
"Ian got sloppy. He was blinded by revenge that he couldn't see the mistakes he was making." Kam's words turned Dasha's face into a contorted mix of anguish and rage.
"You will restore my son to me, then we will return to Russia and leave this forsaken country behind."
Dasha walked across the room and placed her hand on Katarina's shoulder. "Unchain them and get them some food."
"But he didn't agree to retrieve Ian."
Dasha dug her nails into Katarina's flesh. To Katarina's credit, she didn't flinch. Taylor wanted to be impressed by the show of the assassin's strength, but in reality all she felt was pity that she closed out all emotions. Katarina nodded and Dasha left the room.
"Try anything and I will enjoy hunting you down. This time I won't bother with the foreplay. I will kill you." Sidorov sliced through the restraint of only one of her arms which was fine with her. Taylor would work the other knots.
Taylor looked over to watch Sidorov unchain all but one of Kam's chains. Kam swung out connecting with Katarina's jaw. Horror swelled inside Taylor as she yelled, "Knife!"
Katarina moved with lightning reflexes and slashed Kam in the side. Kam stumbled back, falling against the wall and sliding down, leaving a smear of blood following his descent.
"Kam." Taylor's plea echoed in the chamber, but Katarina wiped the blood on her pants, then walked out of the room, drowning the space in darkness once again.
"That was a good scream there, Taylor." Kam grunted and the sound of metal falling pushed away the agony that was consuming her.
"Kam…" her reply was cut off by Kam's lips on hers. She held on to him with her one free arm. She wasn't sure if she was angry or just relieved that he was alive and free. Kam broke away and reached over her to undo the restraint, a task done by touch given how blind they both were at the moment.
Once her other hand was free, she wrapped her arms around him and let herself just be there for a moment. She needed to just hold him, to be held by him. She wasn't sure all of the things he experienced to give him his scars, but she was certain that she’d never get the image of him chained to that wall out of her mind.
