“Meg and Evan Winter, Cole Andrews, Creed Young, Sloan Mor, and that wild dog of yours have all been captured by my Monarchs and brought to my asylum where they have been injected with one of the nanoweapons. Three of them are exploders, three are triggers. You will not know which until it’s too late. The three exploders could all stand side by side and nothing would happen. Same with the three triggers. Even a trigger and an explosive could stand by one another if they are not a match. But how will you know without killing someone? Not exactly the best odds for trial and error.” The Senator smirked at his sick humor.
“The devices are activated when they are in a range of approximately seven feet, just as you saw happened to the rats a moment ago. So, you see, I have put a lot of thought and effort in making sure the Winter Clan is no more. You cannot be together without killing three of your family members.” The Senator was looking directly into the camera as he spoke. His eyes glinted with pure evil and for a split second, the pupils seemed to change into black diamond shaped slits—like the reptile Alik saw in him.
“Ripping your family apart, literally, has truly been a delight. You have always been your strongest when you’re together. Now, togetherness will rip you to shreds.
“Know I’ve thought of every contingency; don’t even try to remove the devices as they are too embedded and manipulating them would cause the person irreparable damage.” Arkdone burst into an all-out-laughter. “On second thought, you go right ahead and work on removing the devices. You’ll end up with six vegetables or dead bodies. I’ll be watching to see what you decide to do, but either way, I will have won.” He tipped his head to the side, and licked his bottom lip with a two-pronged tongue that darted out of his mouth faster than a blink. “You never should have tried to steal from Williams, Margo. Don’t you know there are some people in this world whose radar you want to stay far, far below? You chose poorly, and now the children you fought all these years to protect will pay the price for your arrogance.” He raised one brow before adding, “Enjoy your first night home from the hospital, Dr. Winter. I’ll be in touch.” Arkdone raised one gloved hand in a surreal wave and the screen went black.
No one said anything, as they stared at the blank screen.
“Dear Lord, please help us,” Margo murmured through the tears that slipped silently down her ashen face.
Chapter 39 Cell #1—Meg Winter
Meg felt her willowy white wings unfurl and was unafraid of the strength she felt emanate from them. She stretched them wide and looked over either shoulder to see them burst with iridescence even in the dim glow of light. Feeling the joy of self-acceptance she leaped into the sky and beat her wings down with one powerful push against the air. So enamored of her prowess, she wasn’t paying attention to her space and paid the price.
Smack!
The top of her head cracked into a stone ceiling hard enough for her to forget to pump her wings. She came crashing down to the packed dirt floor. Thankfully her instincts weren’t completely dead. She had curled her wings in tightly to her body so at least she was laying on her much bruised side and not a broken appendage.
Meg tentatively touched the crown of her head where she found it hurt terribly. Her hand came away bloody. Two warm, wet streams slipped down her forehead, and into her eyes. All she saw was red now, the blood stinging as it veiled her dark eyes.
Panic slipped up into her throat in the form of bile. Meg pushed off the ground and stood on shaky legs. She ran with her arms outstretched, searching for a wall in the darkness. She didn’t have to run too far before her fingers felt rough brick. She positioned her right palm against it and began walking forward—fingers desperately feeling for a door. The darkness choked her with two clawed hands yanking at the corners of her blood-filled eyes. Just as she was beginning to worry she must have already walked past this point, she felt the rough brick morph into the cold scales of a huge reptile. Stilling, she touched the spot with both hands and felt it move under her fingers. Terror scraped its nails on a chalkboard and screamed in her ears. Meg screamed back.
It spoke.
“Be calm. I am here to make right the wrongs. Choose to walk beside me and I’ll give you real wings.”
Meg shook her head, confused as she backed away from the scales and voice.
“I’m dreaming, or…I’ve been drugged.” She mumbled through dry, cracking lips.
“Feel them for yourself.”
Meg concentrated on the muscles in her back and imagined stretching wings wide. She reached out with her left hand to touch over her right shoulder. There they were. Real wings.
“Is it just a dream, Meg?” the voice seemed to linger on the “s” sounds as it spoke.
“What are you?” Meg asked, curiosity winning over terror.
“I am Senator Donovan Arkdone. Please allow me to turn some lights on for us.”
Without even the sound of a click, the lights rose as though a dimmer switch slid up slowly, giving her eyes time to adjust.
“My goodness, you did hurt yourself quite badly.”
Meg blinked painfully as her eyes tried to adjust to what she was seeing. An attractive middle-aged man stood in the brick room with her. He was dressed as though he was heading to a business casual meeting. He had on blue jeans, dress shoes and a button up, long-sleeved, black shirt.
She scanned the room and saw no door, no windows and no furniture.