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“My price?” I gawk. “The number has not been invented yet.”
“Reese is a price, isn’t she?”
I punch him hard in the jaw, jarring his head back and forth. “You do not get to say her name!”
“She is a price.” He heaves. “How do you think I kept so many people in check or could make them do what I want? Kevin’s platoon held that bitch in high regard. Greg fell head over heels for that woman who wouldn’t give him the time of day.” He laughs. Like this is all a joke. “She must have a golden pussy, and from what I can see, she has her claws in you too.” He tilts his head back and forth. “Someone is keeping secrets.”
His teasing tone infuriates me. He nods to the desk drawer. I look and point. “Secrets, you say?”
“Look in the top drawer. I may have answers to questions you didn’t think about.”
I pull open the drawer, as he instructed, and tug out a folder. Opening it, there are pictures… pictures of…
“What the fuck is this shit?” I scream.
His bloody laugh is dipped in venom. His words are fangs dipped in the venom, ready to sink into the skin of his prey. I carefully lay the pictures on the desk and take in each one. Kevin at the cabin. Me and Kevin around town. Reese at work and home. So many pictures of not just Kevin but the senator, Greg, Chase… everyone from my list. One picture is so recent I can see the tears falling down her fair cheeks. My insides twist with rage and fear. I caused her tears and Kevin and I put her in danger. I had hoped breaking things off would help secure her safety. The last picture I drop on the desk, my breath stopping at the sight. I need to get back to the cabin. now!
“Reese… yes. She’s so pretty,” he pants. “Oh yeah, and look… isn’t that your cabin? From today? Wonder what Kevin is up to?” He giggles. “You should probably let me go. If you know what’s good for you. One call and the people you care for are safe. I’ll tell my CIA agent to leave everyone alone. I might not have known exactly who you were until now, but I’ve got your number.” He nods to the security camera on the wall.
Threats are his easy out. He’s had me from the beginning. How? What did I miss?
I smile at him. “That’s cute. You think you have the upper hand. CIA doesn’t show their agents. Do you even know what they look like?”
“No, but they’ve been helping me make moves for the last couple of years… since that botched shit Greg did. You remember, right? Looks like you are missing the holes in your plan.”
“Nope. Not like your leg.”
He spits blood and grumbles under his breath. Watching him struggle is exactly what I need to see. These new images burning into my mind will hopefully offset the horrid screams of the past.
I’m trying to keep my panic in check. I need to find out who the CIA agent is to make sure they do not include Reese on this path of destruction. CIA can wipe you out without a trace.
He continues his deep laugh as if he’s caught me with my pants down.
No, fuck this. I pull my gun out and shoot him in his other leg. His kneecap to be more accurate. He wails in pain as he drops to the floor, cursing my name while trying to grab his cell phone that is across the room.
I watch for a moment before I decide I can’t let anything happen to Kevin. And the danger for Reese is still there. I had planned to go down with this ship, never expecting to walk away, but now those pictures change everything.
Gathering up my things, I turn and walk back down the dim hallway. Throwing my bag over my back, I pull the straps to my backpack tighter and buckle the strap across my chest. I gently place my hand over the pull cord as plan A is flushed down the toilet. I stop in the middle of the room at the end of the hallway, looking at the runway that leads to the open window. DuPont’s screaming in the background fades as my focus is altered.
“You’re dead, Verlice!” echoes in the back.
No, Mitchell. You are ya, fat bastard.
I take off running and fling my body out of the broken window. Free-falling with no ropes, no chains, no safety. The need to get to Reese is overwhelming. I grab the pull cord and yank it with all my might as the parachute deploys behind me. Jerking the handles and directing the parachute around the building, I fish my detonator out of my pocket, flipping the safety cover off and click the red button.
The explosion breaks the rest of the glass windows on the thirty-fifth floor, and the second explosion causes the structure to implode. The building collapses from the inside and I smile, knowing there is no escape for that monster. I look over my shoulder back at the building as I see floor by floor disappear.
“Goodbye!” I shriek as I wave my middle finger.
I gingerly glide to the open area of the park. As I approach, I unhook from the parachute and drop a few feet down as the chute itself gets taken away by a gust of wind. As soon as my feet hit the ground, I run. The last picture from his stack was of the cabin. The contents fuel me to sprint as fast as I can to my car.
Jumping in, I speed home. White-knuckling the steering wheel as I drive to my former safe place. Driving up, I see one light on in the living room. Everywhere where else is dark. Racing inside, everything looks to be normal. Nothing seems out of place.
I take my gun out of its holster and hold it up as I go room by room, clearing the house. My gut is telling me something isn’t right. I get to the basement door, where I hear faint talking. Slowly, with stealth, I descend step by step to Kevin’s space. The talking continues and I cannot make out what is being said. It is hushed whispers. My foot hits the bottom step and the voices stop. I still can’t see anyone initially. The lights are dimmed so low. The light switch is on the opposite wall from me and I curse my handiwork. I look right and left as my gun holds its position.
A wooden board comes out of nowhere and hits me on the head, causing me to drop my gun.
“Fuck!” Expels from my lips while my hands attempt to cover my face.
