Page 16 of Defending Van

Still, there were lots of lovely tech goodies buried in the box, some of them supplied by Griffin and Azure, and the others were some of his own that he’d slipped in. Always thankful that the others here were completely disinterested in their surveillance set up, trusting that he had it under control and they could just check in on the live streams to get themselves off to the sights and sounds of one of the other men torturing one of these women.

The last couple of days, he’d had to focus on getting some of the main cameras for public use up and running, since that’s what everyone was expecting. But this morning, he was the only one here, there was no one to interrupt him, no one to get in his way, no one to watch what he was doing, so he was free.

Gathering up a couple of cameras and the tools he’d need to get them installed, Van went to work. He put two up in the guards’ room. The training rooms had cameras in them already, both the ones everyone would have access to and his own, so he didn't need to worry about those. The room with the women in it needed to be done, because he was pretty sure that, despite his lesson, Makayla wasn't going to give up trying to escape.

As he started adding cameras to the main corridor, he wondered how long it would be before Griffin decided she could go up for sale. Chances were, she really wasn't going to be trainable, that she wouldn't stop fighting, which meant she wouldn't be to the tastes of the men who purchased from Azure. They were after someone highly trained who would follow all their orders without complaint.

But there were other places to sell product like Makayla. Auctions where men who wanted someone they could destroy and who would fight them every step of the way went to make their sick and twisted purchases. That was no doubt where Makayla was going to find herself sometime in the coming days, once the others clued in to what he had become sure of.

She might think strength and determination were going to get her out of this hell, but she was wrong. Maybe she’d get herself out of this particular space, but that only meant she’d go somewhere worse. The facts were, she wouldn't be able to escape. Foster care always had an expiry date because you aged out of the system, which meant all you had to do to survive was make it to the finish line. But there was no expiry date to this, no finish line. It would just go on and on until the end was her death.

That was the difference Makayla didn't understand yet.

Still, as far as he was concerned, the quicker she was sold off, the quicker she was out of his hair and became Prey’s problem instead. Because even though she affected him in a way he didn't like, he wanted all the women here rescued. He was empty inside, but he wasn't cruel. They were innocents, and he was here to destroy Azure so they could stop destroying lives.

“Don’t move a muscle,” a calm voice demanded from behind him as something cool and sharp pressed against his neck.

Focused as he’d been on his task and lost in thoughts of a woman who thought she had what it took to survive this ordeal, he hadn't heard her coming.

Maybe Makayla Adair really did have what it took to survive this. Because she was no longer locked inside the room he’d just put her in, she was standing behind him, naked as the day she was born, but a fierce warrior, holding a knife to his neck.

Van had no idea how she’d gotten out of the room, no idea where she’d gotten the knife, but he was grudgingly proud of her for figuring out the impossible.

Chapter

Seven

August 27th

6:09 A.M.

Was she really prepared to do this?

To slit this man’s neck in order to escape?

Makayla prayed she was capable of it, because if she wasn't, she wouldn't be the only one to pay the price. The five women in the room behind her were counting on her. Debra, Tammy, Crystal, and Bethany had been too scared to try to escape. They were convinced it wouldn't work, just like it hadn't when they’d tried running from the room that first time, and they were too afraid of being punished to try. Cecilia wanted to come, too, but they’d decided one person sneaking out had a better chance of making it, so she was waiting in the room. But she had the code to the door, she could get out any time she wanted.

“Don’t move,” she ordered again, although Van hadn't moved a muscle.

When she’d seen him working at the end of the corridor, her heart had initially dropped. Behind him was the door, there was no way to get out of here without getting past him. Maybe she could try to hide in a different room, but as soon as they noticed she was gone, they’d be looking for her.

At least there seemed to only be Van about.

One man, she could get past him, especially with her weapon, which she was still clutching in a clammy hand. Killing him was the last thing she wanted to do. Justified or not, she knew it would be something she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

But if she had to do it, she would.

This was life and death, and she wanted to live.

“You going to kill me, Makayla?” Van’s voice drawled softly. There was no fear in it, and it reinforced her ideas that he had grown up in a place where living in constant fear was something you had no choice but to get used to.

It was hard to explain to someone who hadn't lived through something like that. The facts were, they just couldn’t understand it. Didn't mean they couldn’t empathize or be compassionate about it. But they didn't know what it was like to be eight years old, have zero control over your life, no way to make your surroundings safe, and to know that there was every chance you wouldn't make it to your next birthday.

It gave you a very different perspective on life.

“I don’t want to,” she answered honestly. “But I will if I have to. You had no right to bring me here, and no right to keep me here. I'm going to get out of here and go to the cops. I'm going to tell them what you're doing, and they’re going to throw all of you in prison.”

“That’s what you want, Makayla? Me in a prison cell? The other men behind bars?”