She turned and spoke in a quiet voice. “You hear that?”
“What is it?”
“Sounds like some sort of engine.” Then she noticed the faint smell of gasoline.
“It’s a generator,” Derrick said. “He must be using it to light the warehouse.”
A gas generator. That explained the open windows. He needed fresh air for ventilation, otherwise he’d end up with carbon monoxide poisoning. As they neared the light, Victory’s breathing turned shallow and quick. A wave of fear ripped through her. She shut off the flashlight and put it in her pocket then two-handed her Glock.
Elongated shadows from long-forgotten wooden shelves ran high up the walls and swam across the dusty floor like ghostly figures. They rounded the corner of the first row of shelves.
Derrick pointed through the opening in one of them. “That’s the cage. That’s where I saw Jade. It’s empty now.”
She followed Derrick’s gaze to the opposite side of the warehouse, about a hundred meters away. The sight of the metal bars of the rectangular cage sent her stomach into a nosedive. Her pulse banged in her ears. Where was Jade?
Victory half-crouched past the second row of shelves. She observed a flood of light coming from the other side of the wall next to the cage. Then she smelled it: the undeniable stench of burnt flesh. Her heart stopped.
She took off running.
“Wait.” Derrick raced after her. “Shit.”
She zig-zagged by the last row of shelves and sprinted to the cage with her gun raised, aimed, ready to kill. She heard the roar of the gas generator. It was so loud, Victory didn’t hear Derrick come up behind her. She flattened her back against the wall, steeling herself for the worst-case scenario, and looked around the corner. Victory gasped in horror.
Jade was secured in a chair. Her head hung down. Four industrial-sized heaters on wheels were positioned around her. The heaters were on, their fiery red glow burning her.
She wasn’t moving.
Victory suddenly couldn’t breathe. It felt as if hands were around her neck strangling her. The horror of what she was witnessing paralyzed her for a split-second. She felt Derrick’s hand on her forearm.
She needed to save Jade.
Victory ran, her boots thudding against the floor. Her eyes darted back and forth, sweeping the area with her gun for the killer. Derrick zoomed by her with incredible speed. He stopped at the generator and cut the power. The ceiling light went out. The heaters shut down, their raging glow, vanishing into the spooky darkness.
Victory jerked the flashlight out of her pocket and clicked it on. She moved the beam of light in Jade’s direction. “Jade. I’m here.” An overwhelming feeling of doom and realization took over.
Jade tried to raise her chin, her head shaking, and made a squeaky sound.
She was alive.
Victory dropped to her knees in front of her daughter. The smell of baby oil and burnt flesh invaded her senses. “Don’t try to talk.”
Derrick was already on his phone calling 9-1-1.
She knew if the ambulance didn’t get here quickly, Jade’s throat could close from the swelling due to the severe burns. She set the flashlight on the floor and kept a firm grip on her gun.
Victory gently stroked a small bare spot on her daughter’s shoulder that wasn’t burnt. “It’s going to be okay. I love you.”
Victory’s heart shattered at what Elder had done to her child. She wanted to look away from the gory sight, but this was her daughter, her baby, disfigured, covered in burns, her skin still smoldering in spots. The revolting stench, a mix of burnt flesh, hair, baby oil, and bodily fluids was overwhelming.
“The ambulance is on its way. What can I do to help?” Derrick said softly.
Victory looked up at him and didn’t realize she was crying. “Wheel those heaters away from us and get the light back on. Then find Elder. He’s still here.” She looked around and raised her voice.” I know you’re here, you bastard. Come out and I won’t have to put a bullet in your head!”
Derrick began moving the heaters away from her and Jade.
Victory heard squeaking, hissing, and chatter. She grabbed the flashlight. Rats scrambled across the floor and shrunk into the shadows, their eyes flashing as they whizzed by.
Jade moaned. Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes.
Victory gently caressed her shoulder, trying to sooth her. “It’s okay, baby. We’re going to get you to the hospital.”
The reality of the situation bore down on Victory, relenting, vile, and unfair. Her heart clenched. Jade was clinging to life.
✽ ✽ ✽
Jeremy crouched behind the end of the second row of shelves and watched. The FBI agent had found him. Anger boiled inside him. He needed to get to his car, but it was parked on the other side of the warehouse a few hundred feet on the far side of the generator by the loading bay doors.
It would be risky.
He’d have to make a run for it in the dark. It was the only chance he had of getting away.
✽ ✽ ✽
The light flicked on.
Victory glanced at Derrick. He was standing still like a statue, staring across the warehouse. “What’s wrong?”
He didn’t answer. Her eyes darted past him.
Elder was running toward his car.
Victory jumped to her feet. Her hands shook. She fired.
The shot missed him and drilled into a shelf with a hollow thud. Wood cracked and splintered. Suddenly, a long pipe spiraled through the air like a boomerang and struck the killer on the side of the head. He went down hard and stayed down.
Victory thought she was seeing things until she realized that Derrick had used psychokinesis to move the pipe. Her attention immediately snapped back to Jade.
She squatted in front of her daughter. “We’re going to get you out of here.” Victory inspected the wire cable wrapped around Jade’s body securing her to the metal chair. The cable was embedded into her arms at the elbows.
Jade’s head bobbed to one side at Victory’s voice. Her breathing became labored. She made a gurgling sound.
She doesn’t have much time. Panic burst hot and heavy in Victory’s chest. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. She had to stay calm.
As if reading her mind, Derrick said, “I’ll get the bolt cutters.” He staggered, and then ran in the direction of the warehouse door.
She could tell by his speed and by the way he was moving, he had little energy left after using his paranormal ability to wallop Elder with the pipe. At one point she thought he’d trip and fall. “Call 9-1-1 again!” Victory touched Jade’s shoulder. “Hang in there, baby.” Her eyes shifted to Elder’s body motionless on the floor.
Moments later, thumping footsteps broke the unnerving silence. She spotted Derrick running toward her with the bolt cutters. He stopped in front her, his forehead slick with sweat. “The ambulance is two minutes out.”
She wasn’t sure if Jade had a minute, let alone two. Please make it. You have to. You’re all I have left.
Victory looked at her daughter. She wasn’t sure if she could hear her or not. “Baby, we need to cut the cable, so we can get you in the ambulance. It’s going to hurt. I’m sorry.”
The thought of hurting her daughter overwhelmed her. Her eyes misted over. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and forced herself to focus. She glanced up at Derrick standing beside Jade. “Cut it a few inches away from her arms. They can remove the wire at the hospital.”
Derrick nodded and cut the cable in two spots, leaving a small amount of wire on either side of the section burned into Jade’s skin.
Victory cringed.
Jade flinched and screamed in pain like a wounded animal with laryngitis. Her body went limp. Her head flopped forward.
“I think she’s unconscious.” Derrick moved to the other side and cut the wire.
Bile rose in Victory’s throat and she gulped it down with effort. She clutched the gun and gently placed her
finger against Jade’s neck to check if she was still alive. Relief filled her the moment she felt a pulse. It was weak. “Where the hell is the ambulance?”
Derrick dropped the bolt cutters on the floor. “It’ll be here soon.”
Out of the corner of her eye Victory caught a glimpse of movement. She turned her head.
Elder was standing. Their eyes met.
She pounced to her feet and charged at him, two-handing her gun.
A gunshot exploded.
The round slammed into his right thigh and knocked him sideways. Dark red blood blossomed and spread down his pant leg.
Sirens wailed.
Elder lifted his head and glared at her. He barreled at her again.
She fired another shot.
The second bullet ripped into the center of his abdomen. He doubled over and dropped to his knees.
Victory didn’t care if he bled out or not. She turned and walked away, more than content leaving him there to die in agony.
She heard him laugh, a callous, cackling sound from a man who knew he was going to die.
“You’re too late—your daughter is dying!”
Victory spun around and stomped back to him, the anger inside her ready to explode. She aimed the barrel of the Glock at the middle of his forehead and fired.
His head pitched forward, and then smashed back onto the floor.
Victory lowered the weapon and bolted back to her daughter. She heard two male voices followed by footsteps echoing and the squeaky wheels of a stretcher. She glanced over her shoulder to see the EMTs.
Relief that the ambulance had finally arrived was short-lived. Her daughter was unconscious, in grave condition, barely alive. She saw the horror on the EMTs’ faces at Jade’s blackened and swollen burnt skin. One of the EMT’s tried to insert an IV port but failed. The other one checked Jade’s vitals then examined her throat.
Victory’s heart pounded. “Is her airway compromised?”
“Not yet. But we need to get her out of here or she’s not going to make it.”
Derrick stood beside Victory. He slipped his arm around her shoulder as the EMT’s cautiously lifted Jade off the chair. As they did, strips of flesh peeled off the back of her body and were left on the chair, a gruesome reminder of what Jeremy Elder had done.
Victory’s stomach lurched. She stepped away from Derrick, fearing she would throw up. She fought the nausea down, barely, sour acid touching the back of her throat, determined to keep it together.
The EMTs placed Jade onto the stretcher, covered her with sheets and blankets, and then hastily pushed the stretcher toward the warehouse door.
✽ ✽ ✽
Outside, the wind had shifted, now raging from the north. A deluge of whirling snow continued to fall and had piled up in thigh-high drifts, making it difficult to walk, let alone drive. Sirens approached from the east, their high-pitched shrieks steadily growing louder. Moments later, Victory watched Sean’s vehicle pull in first, followed by Ryan’s SUV, and two other FBI vehicles, housed with blue and white flashing lightbars on their roofs.
Ryan jumped out of the SUV and hurried through a snow drift to Victory. “How is she? We caught the 9-1-1 call on the way over.”
It took all of Victory’s willpower not to turn into a blubbering mess. “It’s bad—really bad. I don’t know if she’s going to…”
He let out a heavy breath and shook his head. “Christ. I can’t believe this. Vic, I’m so sorry.”
Victory heard the sympathy in his voice. Reality sent her another hard blow.
A few beats went by before Ryan spoke again. “Where’s Elder?”
“Inside. Dead.” Derrick said and nodded toward the warehouse.
Ryan gestured to Sean and the others, directing them to Elder’s body.
While the EMTs loaded Jade into the back of the ambulance, snow exploded around them.
Victory’s legs froze, the finality of the scene too difficult for her to deal with. Icy wind and snow pelted her FBI jacket and nipped and stung her face. One of the EMTs, the older of the two, fought to shut the back doors of the ambulance.
“We’re taking her to Cincinnati Medical Center,” he said, covering the side of his face with his hand from the wintry blast.
“I’ll be right behind you. She’s my daughter.”
“Is she allergic to anything?”
She shook her head. “Do everything you can for her. Please.”
“We’ll do our best.” He opened the driver side door and disappeared inside.
Bright headlights cut through the abyss of white. Red lights spun and flashed as the siren blared.
Victory grabbed Derrick’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“I’ll follow you in,” Ryan said.
Victory trekked through the snow to Derrick’s SUV, threw open the door and got in.
Derrick opened the driver door and grabbed the snow brush beside his seat. He quickly cleared the snow from the windshield then climbed into the vehicle. He rammed the keys in the ignition and turned. The engine roared to life.
Victory watched in the side mirror, her heart thrashing, waiting for the emergency vehicle to get ahead of them. It wasn’t moving.
The rear of the ambulance slid sideways, its engine grunting and whining, the sound straining against the howling wind. Tires spun, trying to gain traction. The vehicle leapt forward as if possessed then stopped again.
Derrick turned on the windshield wipers. The blades flapped frantically across the window. He glanced over this shoulder. “Looks like they’re stuck.”
Her pulse pounded at her temples. Victory continued to watch, praying the vehicle would move soon. It slid right, then left, veering forward a few feet then stopped. Uneasiness crawled over her skin. She held her breath and felt every minute pass with anguished precision.
The engine snarled. Wheels spun with aggressive speed, burrowing into the snow, searching for the pavement below. The ambulance wasn’t going anywhere.
“Damn it!” She opened her door and jumped out.
The driver was already out of the ambulance checking the back tires.
Victory met him, shivering. Snow rushed at them horizontally. Her hair was soaked and so were her cargo pants up to her thighs.
“I called for another ambulance,” he said.
“It’ll be too late. The weather is getting worse. It will never get here in time.”
He walked to the back and opened one of the doors.
Victory followed him. She peered inside at Jade, and then to the EMT. She was afraid to ask. Her voice wavered. “How’s she doing?”
He shook his head. “I’ve stabilized her as much as possible. Her vital signs are extremely weak. Her body temp is dropping quickly. She’s unconscious but still has a gag reflex.”
Victory’s eyes shifted to the oxygen mask covering Jade’s mouth and nose.
“She needs fluids. I can’t get an IV line in because of swelling. I’ll keep trying.”
Her daughter was going to die if they didn’t do something right now.
She closed the door and spotted Ryan just inside the warehouse door yelling at someone. Minutes later, Sean and the other four FBI agents appeared.
The EMT jumped back into the driver seat. While everyone formed a line behind the ambulance and pushed, the deeper the wheels sunk into the snow, becoming almost completely buried.
Victory pulled Derrick aside. Snow beat at her face. “You can move it using—”
“Not with all these people around. You know the deal. No one can know about me, or what I can do. I’m sorry that’s not going to happen.”
“Damn you.” She shoved her shaky finger at his chest. “This is on you if my daughter dies.”
She couldn’t believe Derrick had the ability to help and refused. He could have easily used psychokinesis to help move the ambulance. Victory wanted to pull out her gun and ram it against his head and force him to help. Instead, she stomped back to the others, left to figure out another solution.
>
Derrick rushed up behind her. “Get her into the back of my SUV. It drives through anything.”
“Let’s do it. His vehicle is the closest,” Ryan said as he looked at Sean.
Sean opened one of the back doors of the ambulance.
The EMT snatched his arm to stop him. “We can’t do that. It’s not normal protocol. We wait for another ride. That’s how we do it.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass about protocol. Nothing about this situation is normal. I’m not having my daughter die in the back of your ambulance. We’re getting her to the hospital now.” She reached for her holster, pulled out her gun and released the safety.
Ryan’s eyebrows rose. “Vic, what are you doing?”
“Doing what I need to do to save Jade. We can’t wait for another ambulance. There isn’t time.” She aimed the Glock at the EMT in the back of the ambulance. “You’re coming with us. Get everything ready.” She turned to the other EMT and waved the weapon to the front of vehicle. “You. Wait inside for your ride.”
The EMTs did what they were ordered to do. They weren’t happy by the worried scowls on their faces. Victory couldn’t care less. This was about saving a young woman’s life. Her daughter. That trumped everything.
Derrick rushed to the SUV. Victory watched him open the back, then fold down the seat. While Sean and Ryan carried Jade, the EMT trucked through the snow, his arms weighted down with medical bags and equipment.
Once the EMT was inside, and the medical supplies were loaded, Victory put her hand on her daughter’s arm covered with sheets and blankets. “I love you, baby.” She shut the back of the SUV and silently screamed as tears ran down her face with each suffocating breath.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The usual five-minute drive to Cincinnati Medical Center had turned into fifteen heart-stopping tension-filled minutes. In the emergency room hallway, stretchers pushed by EMTs with incoming patients, coughing, moaning and whimpering, wheeled past Victory. As she watched through the large glass window, doctors and nurses worked feverishly to help Jade. A doctor stitched an IV line to the inside of Jade’s wrist to stop it from dislodging. When he finished, he wrapped white gauze around her wrist to keep the line in place while a nurse carefully removed the sheets and blanket that the EMT had covered Jade to keep her warm.
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