Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mary sped through the halls of Aukrabah as fast as the stolen ATV would carry her. She kept glancing back over her shoulder, expecting to see a mass of Bracadyte warriors hot on her trail. But the halls remained empty.
She arrived at the entrance in record time, dismounted the four-wheeler, and jogged up the incline into the camp beyond.
Marines stood at attention on either side of the entrance. The one named Ted quickly stepped forward, holding a rifle sideways in front of him. “Halt.”
Mary stopped, put on her best learned prostitute face and sidled up to him. “Well, now. What is your name?”
Ted held his ground. “Where are you heading?”
“To your tent, if you have a minute.” She had no idea what she would do if he agreed to her outlandish suggestion.
The young Marine shifted uncomfortably. “Where is Rykaur? I can’t imagine he would send you out alone.”
Using her best seductive smile, Mary lifted a hand and tinkered with Ted’s collar. “I reckon he had his fill. He’s an insatiable lover.”
Ted quickly stepped aside. “Go on. And stay away from this camp. The men here don’t need the distraction.”
Nervous and more than a little relieved, Mary sashayed past him and marched up the hill toward the houses beyond.
She rounded the corner of the first house she came to and bit back a gasp as she was grabbed from behind.
A hand clamped over her mouth. “Boss is waiting for you. If you make a sound, I have orders to snap your neck. Comprehend?”
Mary nodded, indicating that she wouldn’t scream.
His hand disappeared from her mouth, only to pat her down. Finding no weapons, he jerked her back more firmly against him and covered her breasts with both palms. “Mmmm, nice.”
Gritting her teeth and fighting back nausea, Mary attempted to step away. “I doubt Jefferies would want you pawing what was his. He’s not going to be very happy about it once I tell him.”
The man stiffened before shoving her forward. “Move.”
Stumbling forward, Mary walked several yards before turning left toward home.
“He’s not there.” The stranger grabbed her by the arm and pointed north. “There’s a car up ahead. You’ll get it in, and I’ll drive you to his location.”
Mary strode along the sidewalk, taking in her surroundings with a calculated glance. The last thing she needed was for the Bracadytes to come barging out and seal the children’s fate.
“How are the kids?” she inquired, afraid of his answer yet more afraid not to ask.
He didn’t answer, only gave her back another shove. “That red car at the curb up there. Get in the driver’s side.”
Mary hurried her steps, arriving at the car in a matter of seconds. Memorizing the license plate number, she climbed behind the wheel and waited for the stranger to get in the passenger’s side.
“Drive.”
She started the engine. “Where to?”
After rattling off the address, the man switched on the air conditioning and fumbled with a phone in his hand.
Mary drove out of town to a remote house near the causeway. No lights were on when she arrived, and her stomach lurched in dread. Jefferies would be inside.
The stranger in the passenger seat jumped out, rounded the front of the car, and jerked her door open. “Out.”
As soon as Mary’s feet touched the ground, the guy jumped behind the wheel and sped off, leaving her standing in the dark outside the house.
The front door opened to reveal a manic Jefferies. “Get in here.”
Mary took a terrified breath and squeezed past him, cringing as the door shut and locked behind her.
“Where are the children?”
Jefferies slapped her hard enough she flew over the chair behind her and landed on her back in the floor.
He was on her before she could blink. “I ask the questions here. Did you do what I sent you to do?”
Mary nodded, not sure what else to say. “I poisoned their water.”
“You lie!” he roared, wrapping his hands around her throat. “I’ve been watching the news, every second of every hour. There’s been no mention of the Bracadytes’ deaths. Now try again!”
Her hands flew up to grip his where they prevented the air from passing through her throat. Her mouth opened and closed several times before he eased his grip enough for her to speak.
“I did as you asked,” she gasped. “I poured the poison in their drinking water. I’ve been hiding in a small cave near the entrance for two days. You have to believe me.”
Jumping to his feet, he jerked her up with him. “I don’t believe you.”
“But I’m telling you the truth,” Mary cried. “Where are the children?”
Jefferies shrugged, his eyes glossy with insanity. “I don’t know. The little shits wouldn’t stop crying. I got rid of them.”
Mary’s heart lurched and tears sprang to her eyes. “What do you mean you got rid of them?”
“I had them taken miles from here and dumped. Who cares. You won’t be around to see them again anyway. If they’re even alive.”
Mary watched in terror as Jefferies grabbed a coiled-up rope from the table. “Get in there.” He nodded toward the hallway.
“What are you going to do?” She hated the fear that resonated in her voice.
Grabbing her by the chin, he squeezed until she thought surely he’d break her jaw. And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
Mary gagged, biting his lower lip with everything she had. Though she wasn’t sure how to reach out to Rykaur in her terrified state, she had to try. “Rykaur!”
“Mary? I am here. Tell me where you are!”
Mary opened her mind as much as her brain would allow in its fearful state. She showed Rykaur the tag number, color of the car, and the house address.
“I am coming, Mary. Do not antagonize him. Do you hear me? You submit. Stay alive!”
Rykaur’s words swirled around inside Mary’s head, a small comfort in a time of madness.
Jefferies suddenly spun her around, secured her hands, and shoved her down the hall to the last room on the left.
As soon as the bed came into view, Mary dug in her heels. “No. Doug, please don’t do this. I’ve told you everything that I know. I’m not lying to you.”
“We’ll see if you’re telling the truth or not.” He shoved her facedown onto the bed.
Mary could hear the sound of his belt sliding through his beltloops. “I don’t know what else you expect me to say. I did as you asked. Why are you doing this?”
“I spent twenty something years in the military, Mary. Twenty years of pursuing the enemy. Twenty years of perfecting ways of torture that you can never imagine in your worst nightmares. I have ways of pulling the truth from a person.”
The sting of the belt arcing across her back wrenched a cry from Mary. She bit into her lip to keep from giving him the satisfaction of hearing it again.
“Did that hurt?” He swung the belt again. The sting of it leaving fire in its wake.
Mary lost count of how many times he hit her with the belt before he tossed it onto the bed beside her. “You’re a tough one, I’ll give you that.”
He suddenly wrapped a hand in her hair and yanked her head back. His tongue slid along her jaw with sickening precision. “You like that? Hmmm?”
Keeping her mouth locked tightly closed, Mary stared at the wall in front of her. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing her humiliation.
“Turn over.”
Mary stilled, tensing in anticipation of another blow.
He grabbed hold of her arm and flipped her onto her back.
Her shoulders screamed in pain, and her wrists burned from being bound under her body weight. She stared up into Jefferies manic eyes. “Don’t.”
An insane Doug reached down, gripped the hem of her shirt, and ripped it up the front.
Mary went wild.