“I’ll take care of them.” Victor took out the bag and handed it to Casimir. “All of it is here. Everything you wanted.”
“And the Hartes?”
“Still alive, as ordered.” Unfortunately. “Sabrina turned into a problem. She was helping the police.”
Casimir slowly sat up with Victor’s help. “You’re sure?”
Victor nodded. He had the entire house bugged with surveillance, allowing him to see everyone in every room. He’d watched her give that federal agent a telling nod, showing that he waited upstairs.
Without that, Victor surely would have killed the little FBI girl.
“Any other problems?”
“No. I have all the data you wanted. I did have a fight with Agent Cannon. You were right. She’s strong.” And fun. He’d like to play with her a bit then take her apart limb by limb to hear her scream.
“But you didn’t kill anyone,” Casimir said again.
“Only Sabrina because she would have talked.” He sighed. “It was so hard, Casimir. I really wanted to bleed a few. Just a little.”
Casimir smiled. “Such a good job you did. You should be rewarded.”
Victor perked up. “Yes?”
“We’re done with Castle Capital. Now we play by my rules. The Collective is broken, cousin. But we’re going to fix it. You’ve already started. But you know, we’ve been taking out the wrong pawns. I have a knight waiting for you. An enemy to capture.”
“Capture?”
“Capture, question, destroy.” Casimir grinned. “Won’t that be fun?”
“Yes. Very.”
“Start with the one in the kitchen. He makes my head hurt with so many questions.”
“Questions?” Victor frowned. “He knows everything?”
“Yes. And we can’t have that. I need to get back inside soon, before they take my clearance.”
“You want me to kill him now? Right now?”
Casimir gave a gentle nod, cradling his head.
“Easy, cousin. Don’t hurt yourself.” Victor could barely keep his enthusiasm to himself. “I can do whatever I want?”
“Yes, but we have to be careful how we dispose of him.” Casimir’s expression turned icy. “This one will send a message to the others. And I need to do some damage control.” He took Victor’s hand in his own, squeezing so hard it hurt. “We bow to no one.”
“No one,” Victor said, enthralled with this side of his cousin, the side he normally kept hidden.
Victory in strength. Power in the challenge, in conquering the weak.
“Now have fun. But try not to make a mess.”
Victor smiled. “Ah, but the mess is half the fun.”
He found his victim in the kitchen, bound to a chair. At least his legs were. He’d freed his arms. Delighted, Victor stood back to watch. He wanted the man to escape, or at least think he had.
It made the chase so much more fun.
Victor laughed. “You know, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been waiting to meet you.”
