chapter THREE
“Son of a--” His words were cut off by the high-pitched whine of a car’s engine. He threw the cell he’d been talking on against the wall, ignoring the splintering sound of metal hitting wood and stormed to the window. He pulled the curtains back a fraction of an inch, just enough to see through and grunted when his gaze settled on the two men climbing out the front of a truck.
Swinging the door open, he allowed his anger to fracture the air and crackle the heat surrounding him. He didn’t have to say a word. Each man slid past him with his head hung low.
“One man. One f*cking man who just so happened to be in a damn coma and you couldn’t take him out.”
“Brian--” the man opened his mouth to object and was silenced by Brian’s fist connecting with his face. He toppled to the floor and brought his hand up to cup his nose and capture the blood pouring from his nostrils.
“Damn it, Brian, you broke my f*cking nose!”
Brian took a step toward the man and paused, knowing the man he’d just punched was his best man and if there was a good enough reason, he’d have it. Turning toward the other man, he asked, his voice calmer than the expression on his face. “Any reason you failed in doing this simple task?”
“He had help.” The man they called Steve slammed the door shut, walked over to Jake, who was still sitting on the floor and held out his hand for him to grab. He tugged Jake up to stand and then walked over to the sofa and flopped down. “One of the nurses and before you ask, we don’t know who she is.”
Brian ran his hand across the back of his head. The muscles in his neck ticked to the point of pain. It was suppose to be easy, but this one man had eluded them on more than one occasion. He should have been cleansed from this earth a long time ago.
They had already ridded the earth of numerous men and women like him. He shouldn’t have been so difficult. He wasn’t even as strong as the others. He was probably a throw back, a reject from their species, but nonetheless, he should be dead.
Brian paced back and forth across the room. His anger was palpable. His head pounded with renewed dread and hatred. It was supposed to be done by now. They had mapped out their plan, laid it out, and when they went to work, it happened like clockwork. The first ten they’d cleansed were easy. What was it about this man that made it so difficult?
“Brian.” The man took a step back when his gaze locked with his. “I think we can find out who the woman was. We got the plates.”
He blew out a breath and sucked in another in a frivolous attempt to stave the anger pulsing through his body. “Steve, I need you to find her and find her quick. I will not tolerate any more incompetence. Understood?”
“Not a problem. “ He moved over to the desk in the corner of the room and booted up the computer. He typed in the plates from memory, never glancing up at the other men.
It only took a minute or two before the plates, the owner and local address popped up on the screen.
“Got it.” He held up the piece of paper he’d jotted the info on.
“Let’s go,” Brian said.
The three men pulled weapons from their belts, checked the ammo and slid it back in place. Without uttering a word they filed into the truck and pulled out, leaving a trail of dust behind them. Long moments passed before Brian spoke.
“I want this clean. We find out who this woman is and what ties she has with the intended. One slip up and I will leave you dead on the floor beside her.” He glared at each man. “Understood?”
“Yeah, we hear you.” Steve didn’t take his gaze from the road.
“You’re a piece of work.” Jake said from the back seat. “The last time I checked we were on the same team.” He pulled the tissue he’d stuffed up his nose, stared at it for a second then tossed it out the window. “If you ever hit me again, you had better make sure you finish it.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Did I hurt your feelings?”
“Did I hurt yours?” Jake leaned over the seat so Brian could see him face to face. “Believe me when I say this. You had better remember your team.” His voice drawled out each syllable, deep, dark. Jake leaned back in the chair, crossed his arms tightly across his chest and heaved out a breath. He then turned and stared out the window. His expression void of emotion, however, anger dripped off him.
“Shouldn’t be much longer,” Steve said then pointed to a house on his right.
He slammed the brakes, dragging the car to a drastic halt. The three men climbed out without a word and walked up to the house as if nothing was going on.
“I don’t see the car,” Steve said, his voice low.
“Might not be home,” Jake added.
“She’s home.” Brian pointed to the window where the light flickered on. “The question is, is she alone or is he here as well.”
They stepped up on the front porch and Brian took the lead and knocked on the door. They stood in silence and waited. He knocked again, harder.
The door slid open a crack. “’Bout time.” The woman on the other side said, “I ordered--”
The door slammed back so hard she toppled to the floor. They had her up, mouth duct taped and tied to the kitchen chair before she even had time to scream. While Jake and Steve searched the house, Brian searched the kitchen. He pulled several knives from the drawer and sat them in her line of view.
Brian stepped over to her and leaned close to her face, chuckling when her eyes grew wide and tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
“Why are you crying? I haven’t even started yet.” He laughed when her eyes grew even bigger and she bucked her body up and down in the chair. Brian backhanded her so hard he had to jump to catch the chair when it toppled back. Ignoring the whimpers coming from her throat, he placed his hands on the back of the chair beside her head; he leaned in and whispered in her ear.
“I’m going to remove this from your mouth and you are going to tell me what I want. If not--” he cut his gaze toward the knives on the counter “—it won’t be pleasant. Also, if you so much as scream--” he pulled his gun from his pants and tapped her head with the barrel “—it will be the last sound you make. Understood?”
She nodded her head, forcibly and whimpered.
“Good.” In one swift move he snatched the tape from her mouth and slapped her. He then leaned back against the counter and stared at her.
“You gonna tell me what I want to know?”
She nodded and more tears streamed from her eyes.
“What’s your name?”
When she didn’t answer fast enough… another slap.
“La—La--” She coughed and whimpered before she could answer. “Laura.”
“Good, now where’s the man you helped escape from the hospital?”
Laura shook her head. “I didn’t--” He slapped her before she could finish.
“I won’t ask you twice.”
“There’s no one else here.” Steve interrupted as he entered the kitchen. “She’s not the one.”
Brian didn’t turn to look at Steve. “But I bet she knows where we can find her.”
He slapped another piece of tape across her mouth, picked up one of the kitchen knives and stepped over to Laura. Her muffled, tortured screams fractured every inch of silence cloaking her home.