Rick narrowed his eyes.
“Yes, Mr. Thompson, I know who you are and about your relationship with Lydia Stevens. I’m sure you’ve guessed that she’s the reason you’re in this predicament.”
Rick let his head fall back against the metal bed. “What do you want with her?”
The older man moved toward the table pressed against the wall. “She’s fascinating, isn’t she? My sources tell me that her gifts are very strong, even if she can’t control them yet.” The man picked up a needle and walked over to Rick.
“You’re Floyd, aren’t you? The psychopath they’re looking for.”
“How very astute of you, Mr. Thompson. If her visions are to be believed, she’ll be coming for you soon.” The old man squirted some of the liquid from the plunger in the air before he plunged the needle into Rick’s arm.
Rick didn’t flinch. He wouldn’t give this asshole any satisfaction. “What did you just give me?”
The asshole patted Rick’s chest. “Just a special concoction of mine. I haven’t tested its side effects yet, but if it works like the rest of them, you’ll be a wonderful addition to my army.”
Rick pulled at the chains to no avail. He was going to strangle the guy if he could get free.
The old man walked back over to the table and dropped the used needle on top of it. “I’m sorry I can’t stay to watch what it does to you. I believe they’ll be coming for you shortly, and I can’t take the chance of them capturing me. I do have an army to run after all.”
“Fuck.”
The old man laughed. “Yes, I heard that you and Ms. Stevens did just that last night.” The old man walked to the door and put his hand on the knob. “I think I might just have to see how good she is, when I get my hands on her.”
“You sick fuck, you’ll never touch her.”
The old man turned. “Trust me that I will. I always get what I want.” The old man sniffed the air. “It’s almost time. I’m afraid I must take my leave. But don’t worry Mr. Thompson, I’ll take very good care of her.”
The old man pulled the door open.
“Over my dead body, asshole,” Rick screamed.
Floyd grinned, and said, “so be it,” as he closed the door.
****
Lydia jumped from her bed. She’d decided she needed a bit more rest after Rick left. She shook her head, trying to remember what had startled her. She closed her eyes. Rick needs me. “Shit, they’re in trouble.”
Lydia ran out of her room and into the control room. “Where is he? Where is Brody?” she demanded.
Jonah glanced up from his computer. The screens on the wall started to flash. Jonah held up his hands. “Calm down, Lydia, you’re going to blow everything again.”
Lydia closed her eyes, and took a breath, pulling back the energy she didn’t know had escaped. “Sorry, where is Brody?”
“Give me a second and I’ll see if he’s made it back from the airport.” Jonah punched some buttons on the computer. “He hasn’t made it back.”
“Shit.” She spun on her heel and threw open the general’s door. “They’re in trouble.”
The general rounded the desk and shut his door. “Why don’t you have a seat and calm down. Then you can tell me what is going on.”
Lydia paced in the small office. “I had another vision.” She stopped and put her hands on the back of the chair. “They’re both in trouble.”
The general sat on the edge of his desk. One foot firmly planted on the floor. “Lydia, why don’t you tell me everything you remember. I promise we’ll do everything we can to bring them back, but I need to know what you saw.”
Lydia slid into the chair and took a deep breath. She needed to keep it together. She looked up. “In my dream, they had been run off the road. Brody was hurt and bleeding, and Rick was being taken away by two big men.”
The general put his hand on her shoulder. “I want you to close your eyes and remember your dream. Do you see the vehicle that ran them off the road? Any road markers? Anyone talking? Anything at all?”
Lydia closed her eyes and tried to recall the vision. “It was a big truck that ran them off the road. You know, the kind with the really big tires.”
“Go on. What else?”
“They shot Rick with something, but there was no blood. They pulled him from the SUV and took him.” Lydia’s eyes shot open, and her hand went to her mouth. “Oh god.”
“What? What did you remember?”
“One of them made the comment that I would come for him.”
The general pulled her up and into a hug. “We’re going to find them.” He lightly shook the hold he had on her arms as he looked down at her. “You just have to trust me.”