CHAPTER 39
Jake slammed the man’s head into the floor. Then, wrapping his right hand around the man’s forehead, his left around the back, he twisted. The man’s neck broke and he went limp. He leapt from the body, and grabbing the gun that had been lost in the tussle, threw open the door.
“Laney!” He yelled. The hallway was empty. Where had she gone? Did she go get help?
He ran down to the end of the hall and then back. She wasn’t there. Fear enveloped him. Where was she?
A noise from the room next to theirs had him bringing his weapon up. The door next to their room opened and Jake watched in stunned disbelief as Laney stepped out, covered from the waist up in blood. He quickly lowered his gun, walking towards her. “Laney? Are you hurt?”
She didn’t say anything, just stepped back to let him in.
His gun drawn, he stepped in. The room was a wreck. He stepped closer to the body next to the bed. The man was gone. Blood soaked into the carpet around him. He leaned down anyway to check for a pulse. There wasn’t one.
He turned back to her. “Laney?”
Her eyes met his. “He’s not a superhuman.”
His head jerked back in surprise. He hadn’t even thought about that. But she was right. Neither of the attackers was a superhuman. So who were they and how did they fit in with this whole mess?
“Mine, either.”
“Is he dead, too?” she asked, her voice quiet.
He nodded and a tear rolled down her cheek. And then she began to shake and her legs gave out.
Jake grabbed her before she could hit the floor. He pulled her into his arms. She didn’t resist. “I’ve got you, honey. I’ve got you.”
He carried her out of the room, cursing whoever was putting her through this again.