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“This place gives me the creeps,” Grayson muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
I took in a sharp inhale. I couldn’t help but agree. The walls were covered in a thick layer of moss and mildew, their sickly green hue adding to the overall sense of decay. It felt as though we were descending deeper into some forgotten underworld, a place where nightmares and secrets were left to fester.
I glanced at Victor, who wore a grim expression on his face. He had seen his fair share of horrifying sights, but this seemed to unnerve even him. It was a reminder that whatever awaited us in this viper’s den was not to be taken lightly. We needed to stay vigilant.
As we finally reached the bottom of the staircase, we found ourselves in a vast chamber, illuminated only by the faint glow of our flashlights.
“Guys,” Grayson said, his voice surprisingly shaky. “Is it my imagination...or are those cameras?”
I followed his gaze and my heart sank. He was right. Mounted on the walls were dozens of surveillance cameras, their unblinking lenses staring back at us. The realization sent shivers down my spine. We were being watched.
“Who the hell is watching us?” I whispered, my voice barely audible amidst the silence of the chamber. I didn’t need an answer, though. I knew exactly who it was. There was only one person who could be watching us like this, who could be waiting for us like this.
My father.
I swallowed hard, the realization hitting me like a punch to the gut. How had my father managed to set up such an elaboratesurveillance system in this hidden chamber? The thought sent a wave of anger coursing through my veins. He had always been manipulative, always playing games with people’s lives, and now he was doing it to us.
“You think he’s here?” Teo asked.
“No chance,” Grayson replied. “Still in the Everglades. Watching us. Because he’s a fucking coward. No offense, Sof.”
“I’m not offended,” I said, flipping the bird at the cameras. “He wants to see us suffer. He wants us to dance to his tune. Fuck you, Dad!”
Victor stepped forward, his expression hardened. “Well, he’s about to learn that we’re not puppets,” he declared. “We’re going to find him and put an end to this.”
Teo nodded, but I could tell he wasn’t so certain.
“If you have Sam,” I said into the cameras. “You should know I’m going to find him. I’m going to set him free from your clutches forever.”
“Come on, sunshine,” Teo said, his hand on my lower back. “You can tell your father what’s what when we find him, right before we kill him. Deal?”
We pressed forward through the eerie chamber, our footsteps echoing ominously against the walls. The further we ventured, the more I could sense the presence of my father lingering in the air, as if his twisted mind had infused every inch of this place. I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of traps and dangers awaited us as we moved deeper into his lair.
This had my father written all over it. The walls were bare except for moss, but the scent of decay and humidity made me feel like I was going to choke. As we ventured deeper into the chamber, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. The cameras watched us with a cold, unblinking gaze, their lenses still and unflinching. I could feel my father’s presence, a shadowy presence that hung in the air like a shroud.
“How the hell did he even manage to build this place and set up all these cameras without us knowing?” Victor asked.
“I don’t think he built this,” I said. “When I was growing up, my dad was really into like, flipping houses and stuff. That’s why they had that old building Sam was being kept in. Mom let him handle all of it because it was mostly something he did for fun and a little money. I guess I didn’t expect him to also buy a top secret government vault.”
Grayson sighed. “This was probably decommissioned years ago,” he said. “And since it’s hard to get here, anyway...”
I nodded, my face grim. “Yep, this is probably an old military base or something. My dad was in the military for a bit and he did have some badass connections. If I had to guess, this place was decommissioned a while ago, and he must’ve gotten a hold of the blueprints and bought this shit. He always was good at manipulating people, even to the point of getting them killed. Maybe he did work at that water company for a bit. I know they had some government contracts.”
“So what do you think he keeps here?” Victor asked.
“Weapons,” Teo replied quickly, then squeezed my hand. “The remains of his victims, maybe.”
I shuddered at the thought, but nodded. The idea that my father could be capable of such horrors still sent chills down my spine. As we moved further into the chamber, the cameras continued to follow us, their unwavering gaze a constant reminder of the extent of my father’s control.
“So you think he’s watching us right now?” Teo asked.
I sighed, my heart beating fast in my chest. “Maybe,” I replied. “But if he is, Teo, I don’t think we’re getting out of this alive.”
Chapter Sixteen: Jace
Iperched on the edge of a leather seat that had seen better days, my fingers dancing over the keyboard with a furious precision.
“This is it,” I muttered under my breath, the screen’s glow the only light in the shrouded cabin of Teo’s party boat. I wasn’t just any guest indulging in the excesses. I was here on a mission, and this floating palace of sin was about to cough up its secrets. Normally, places like this made me nauseous, but right then, I couldn’t think about that.
