“We know,” Steel replied. “And he hasn’t left. We have the perimeter monitored, so if he makes a run for it, we’ll know.”
“Perfect,” Thunder said, his anxiety receding a little. Dr. Gardner was trapped there, and this time, he wouldn't escape. The scientist’s luck had run out, and now he was about to face the consequences of his choices. “Ready to go hunting?”
March 11th
6:50 A.M.
To stop herself from calling out to Thunder, begging him to stay with her, not to leave her alone again, Maya curled her fingers into fists, relishing the way the key dug into her palm. That small bite of pain was enough to keep her grounded, to make sure she didn't do something stupid.
And calling Thunder back would be stupid.
Even though she was afraid to be alone, she understood that she didn't have any meaningful skills to help right now. Thunder had training and experience, plus his enhanced speed. He could get to his team much easier on his own, and she didn't want to be responsible for anything happening to him.
Delta Team was there now. It wasn't just her and Thunder against Master and his guards, everything was going to be okay.
All she had to do was be brave just a little longer, and it would all be over.
If nothing went wrong.
No. Don’t think that way.
Nothing is going to go wrong.
Still, even though she forced herself to think that, she couldn’t really believe it. There were a hundred things that could go wrong. Like Thunder had tried to remind her when she said she wanted to do this, every other time they’d tried to lure Master into a trap, something had gone spectacularly wrong, and they’d wound up losing their grip on the crazed scientist.
Now that she was there, naked, with dried semen still on her skin, and locked inside a cage, it seemed ridiculous to think that she of all people could help bring this to an end. She was nothing. Less than nothing. Thunder had said it himself, of everyone involved in this mess, she was the one who had nothing to bring to the table, no skills, no experience, no enhanced ability, no high intellect, no anything.
She was just … her.
It had been silly to believe, even for a second, that she was capable of anything of this magnitude. Capable of anything.
Before her thoughts could fully spiral, Maya’s gaze snapped toward the door when a figure slunk through it. For a second, she let herself relax. Thunder was back, that meant he’d met up with his team. Maybe even that Dr. Gardner was dead already.
But it wasn't Thunder in the doorway.
It was Master.
“You're alone,” he said, surprise covering his features, and she realized too late that she was looking right at him.
Master didn't like that.
Always keep your gaze on the floor unless told otherwise. How many times had that been drilled into her as a teen?
Enough that she should know better.
Enough that when the surprise turned to anger, she should have averted her gaze. But she didn't. She just stared in fear at the man who had been her personal bogeyman for years.
Eyes narrowing, he took a step toward the cage where nothing but several metal poles hastily concreted into place protected her from his fury. “You didn't present,” he snapped.
Although her body urged her to comply, to do as she was told, do what she’d learned, take the path of least resistance and accept her fate, Maya didn't move. It was almost like her body had frozen into place, because despite her fear, she knew this wasn't her fate anymore.
Thunder had saved her.
Not just by getting her out of that cage and off that island, but by showing her gentleness and tenderness, care and affection, teaching her body how it should feel, and allowing her to seek the comfort she needed from his. He’d given her hope and a future, and nothing Master could do would snatch that away from her.
No.
Not Master.
