Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 71444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71444 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“That’s cute.” Paul laughs as he walks back through the door with something in his hand.
It looks like a white pole about two feet long with a gripped handle and a rectangular box about a quarter of the way down. He’d said hitting me with his hands was too hard on him, so he clearly got something to assist. Tears prick my eyes as I wonder just how strong I can be once he starts.
“Now,” Paul drawls as he stands before me, holding the pole loosely in one hand. “I’m going to ask you nicely to tell me all your secrets just one more time.”
I don’t reply, forcing myself to look him in the eye as a means of clear but silent defiance.
Sighing, Paul gives a careless shrug. “Oh, well.”
He raises the pole, and I can’t help but brace against what I’m assuming is going to be a bone-jarring blow somewhere on my body. To my surprise, though, he merely places the end of it against my thigh.
I have only a moment of confusion, wondering what in the hell he’s doing, when a sizzling pain shoots up and down my leg, then into my lower back and stomach. Shrieking from surprise and because it’s the worst thing I’ve ever felt in my life, I try to jerk my body away from it.
It lasts only a second or two before Paul pulls the rod away. He grins, holding it up before his face, and I can now see the end is forked with metal probes on the bottom.
“Genius little contraption,” he murmurs, almost proudly. “It’s a cattle prod, but this one has been upgraded a bit. In fact, you’re getting almost four times the usual juice by virtue of this little booster here.”
He taps the rectangular box and I’ll admit, the energy scientist part of me is curious. I’d like to know just how many volts I just took because that hurt more than I can even describe.
“Now,” he says ominously. “I only touched you with that for a few seconds, but I’m going to hold it to you a lot longer each time you don’t talk. If we’re not careful, your flesh is going to start cooking. So why don’t you just do yourself a favor and tell me what I want to know.”
He’s fucking sadistic to the core, clearly enjoying this new form of torture. He could probably break a few bones of mine to make me start spilling everything, but he wants this to go on for no other reason than he enjoys it.
Paul stares, one eyebrow rising just a tad. “Are you scared? Want to talk?”
I give a tiny shake of my head, knowing I’m getting ready to be tested like very few are ever tested in their lifetime. I hope to God I’m strong enough to take it.
CHAPTER 22
Cruce
“You had better not fuck this up,” I warn Carnes as he sits in a chair with his hands cuffed in front of him. Although he’s as far away from a flight risk as I can imagine, the FBI are not taking any chances and are running things by the book.
For the past hour, Kynan has been working with Carnes on what to say to Scavino. It’s taken this long because Carnes is a nervous wreck.
It’s why Kynan shoots me an exasperated look for threatening the man when he’s trying to get him to calm down.
“We’re ready to wire him,” one of the FBI agents says.
We’re in a private conference room in the West Wing that’s been commandeered as a base of operations. The president has gone back to the Oval Office to attend to his duties, but we’re under strict orders to notify him before Carnes goes into Scavino’s office so he can be present to listen in on the wire.
Probably the best thing he did before he left was sit down and talk with Carnes. He spoke to him like a father to a son, like he was disappointed in some stupid stunt Carnes had pulled. He even put his hand on his shoulder, imploringly telling Carnes the best way he could fix everything was to do whatever it took to help save Barrett’s life. I could tell Alexander wasn’t sincere in this exaggerated, fatherly type concern just as I could tell Carnes really had no clue Barrett’s life was in danger. He’d admitted he knew she’d be kidnapped, but Scavino had assured him it was only to get her formula and she’d be released safely afterward.
The guy is a fucking moron for believing that, but I do trust he’s been honest with us so far. Which is good because it’s probably our best chance to locate Barrett as quickly as possible.
Within this room, there are several FBI agents, a federal prosecutor, and some of the Jameson crew who has assembled for a rescue operation. Cage and Saint are here from the Pittsburgh office. Kynan ordered Benji Darden and Tank Richardson to put a crew together to stay on standby in Vegas in case Barrett wasn’t on the East Coast. The FBI has a unit standing by in Los Angeles as well.