by A. M. Wilson
When I wake, the only thing that’s changed is my sense of peace. I’m back to where I was before calming my mind. No sounds of Dani scraping tally marks on my box or naming favorite old movies. Only a heart beating far too fast and cramped walls surrounding me.
There’s no way to tell the passage of time. I could have slept mere minutes or an entire day. If I’m not careful, I’ll spend the next who knows how long conjuring up images of what’s being done to Dani right this minute.
Fuck.
With nothing better to do, I bang against the walls again. Hopelessness claws its way up my throat and surrounds each syllable of her hollered name.
“Dani!”
Something rattles from my banging and thunks into the box beside me. I search blindly in the dark around my hip until my fingers brush against something small and hard. A nail probably loosened.
I pick it up, thinking I can pocket it to use for later. I wouldn’t mind driving a spike right into the center of Bolt’s fucking eye. As I wrap my fingers around it, I realize it’s too wide to be a spike. The object is short, though pointed on one end.
Realization slams into me like a semi-truck. It’s the handcuff key Dani used to scrape a tally in the lid.
My fingers curl protectively around it, and I shove it into my front jeans pocket. A fire within me renews.
This bitch wants to break me, but I won’t give her the satisfaction. Thirty-some fucking days in this prison, and she almost got me. I puff out a harsh breath as rivulets of sweat course into my hair from my temples. She almost won.
Many times I wished for the alternative. For a peaceful transition out of this life. Giving up seemed so close. So easy. Bolt certainly has down the art of hopelessness, but I won’t let her claim victory. Not just yet.
Rather than hopelessness, I inject myself with hatred. Lord knows I’m not the same man I was when I entered this place, and I never will be again. The old me washed away the moment I was forced to touch Dani’s body. There’s no going back from that.
Rather than take a trip down nostalgia lane, I fill my mind with visions of my kidnapper. Of wrapping my thick hands around her slender throat and squeezing until cartilage crackles and sinew snaps. I want to watch her face turn purple, and her eyes fill with blood.
I am done.
I played my part in her game. I participated. I feared for those around me, starting with the moment she threatened Dani’s well-being up until Niko's and Aislin’s names left her lips. The realization hits hard that I can’t do a damn thing to stop her from touching them. So I won’t try. The last thread of her control snaps and withers away like a brittle plant after days in the scorching sun.
There’s no way to predict if this key will come in handy. She might have left it on purpose. Or it’s possibly a flaw in her plan. One little mistake might be the fissure we’ve been waiting for to crack her scheme wide open.
I know for certain I can smell an infection coming from my back. Locked in this crate with open wounds, old and new, sweat, tears, and blood pooling beneath me, I’ve created my own personal Petri dish.
I smell fucking putrid. A laugh rises in my throat, but I choke it down. I haven’t showered in a month. Of course, I smell like the inside of one of my crew member's work boots.
For hours, I’ve remained silent, hoping Bolt will think she finally won. No more banging or screaming. Though internally, I’ve prayed that Dani is faring better than me, I refuse to let her name leave the seal of my lips. My body aches from the still position it’s forced into, and my ass is numb. The pins and needles spread down my hips.
I swear I hear something. After what feels like a decade in solitude, it could be the scrape of a shoe. My ears strain to pick up additional noises. A muffled word. A quiet thud.
Has Bolt finally returned with Dani?
Opening my mouth could be the trigger to her keeping me locked tight, so I wait. I coil my muscles in preparation for a fight. Maybe she thinks I’m dead and will open the box to check.
The snick of the lock sends my heart galloping. A shadow moves over the air holes above my face. I stare at that space as if I can make out the figure in the limited darkness.
The lid lifts suddenly, flipping over and crashing against the side of the box. A light clicks on, blinding me after days in total darkness. My eyes burn with the sudden intrusion. I can’t stop myself from moving a protective hand to cover them. The other swings wildly into the void.
“Can’t say I’m happy to see you, pretty boy. I thought you’d be dead.”
I don’t bother responding. Not that I’m even sure I can.
“You’re free to get out now. Though maybe you like being locked up like an animal. You sure smell like one.” She cackles, and I hear her step back.
That hatred I felt earlier slickens my veins. I’m surprised they don’t appear black beneath my sun-deprived skin. The mere effort it takes to rise to a seated position should scare me, but it doesn’t. The weakness fuels my rage. Still blind from the light, I turn in her general direction and spit dryly.
“See? Filthy fucking animal. I ought to take you out back and shoot you. You’re losing your worth by the second.”
I raise my chin in defiance, just in time for her to slam the butt of the gun across my jaw. Pain explodes, and I’m sent sprawling onto my back in the box. Stars dance behind my eyelids. I grin up at her with a bloody smile. I can’t see her, but I know she can see me in high definition with that fucking light shining.
“You disgust me,” she sneers. “Enjoy it. Because the grand finale is about to begin.”
The sound of her shoes gives away her movements as she leaves, followed by the slam of the door and the key.
My swelling jaw and swimming head keep me on my back. At least the lid is off.
Somewhere through the fog and pain, a whimper reaches my ears. Dani…
I lean forward onto my knees. My hand slips off the edge of the box, and I stumble. I try again to rise onto all fours, and my hand slides again. Her whimpers increase, and I manage to get one leg over the side, followed by the other.
“Dani,” I call out, but it sounds garbled by the blood still leaking into my mouth. I trip onto the floor and half crawl as I fight to get my legs beneath me. My head continues to swim. A concussion won’t stop me from getting to her. Once out of the spotlight, my vision returns, though blurry, and I can make out her form on the mattress across the room.
“Are you okay?”
She nods frantically and holds out her hands. She’s bound at both her wrists and ankles by a cloth rope of some kind.
“I got you.” Relief sends a spike of adrenaline through my system. I finally make it to her side and get straight to work on the ties. Once her hands are free, she works on removing the tape from her mouth as I untie her feet. My vision clears with each second that passes. When I finally look at her face, I’m startled to see it tracked with tears.
I cup her cheek. The skin remains soft, though sunken. My thumb brushes the hollow beneath the bone. “Did she hurt you badly?”
Her hand slides on top of mine, and the other dabs at my lips with the cloth. It stings slightly.“No. She only took me to hurt you as much as possible. I’m fine.”
As I squeeze my eyes shut, I fall forward and rest my forehead against her collarbone. “You aren’t fine,” I huff.
“I’m as fine as I can be in this place.” She runs her fingers through my dirty hair.
“Are you sure she didn’t hurt you?” I pull back suddenly and begin a search for injuries. She appears untouched.
“She didn’t lay a finger on me. Actually, she fed me and let me take a shower.”
My brow furrows. “Why?”
Dani places her thumb in the middle of my forehead and softens a crease there. “I don’t know. But I think something bad is coming.”
I can’t respond to that. Bad lives here, built into the very foundation. No words will bring comfort. We both know they’d be a lie. I palm the back of her
head and drag her into my chest, placing my lips on her forehead. Without words, I coax her to lie down. Her back feels warm against my chest. For a moment, I feel bad that I’m tainting her once again. My dirty body tarnishes her clean one.
Then I allow the thought that this may be the last time and grip her tighter.
Whatever finale Bolt has planned, I won’t give up without one last fight.
24
Niko
“Yo, Niko!” I turn at hearing Tavers call my name. “We’ve got something you need to see.”
“Give me a minute. I told Aislin I’d meet her out front.”
I take two steps before I’m stopped again.
“I sent Simmons to meet Aislin outside. This can’t wait.”
Dread drops like a lead weight in my gut at the intense look Tavers gives me. It’s been years since I’ve felt the all-too-familiar feeling. It’s the same one I felt any time we got a lead on Aislin’s case, worried it was one that would lead to her cold body.
It’s been a month since Reece and Dani disappeared. A month of living in the same hell I went through for over a decade. The person who took them is damn good because we haven’t come across one fucking clue. Not a single shred of evidence of where they were taken, who took them, why, or if they were even taken alive. I’ve talked to every person in the neighborhood, and no one saw a fucking thing.
I refuse to believe my brother is dead, although statistics prove that the longer a person is missing, the chances of them surviving go down significantly. There’s no fucking way Reece isn’t alive. God wouldn’t put me through what I went through in my search for Aislin, only to take my brother away in a similar way.
Despite my beliefs, hopelessness creeps its way in each day that passes with no word.
With a tight nod, I change my direction and follow Tavers down the hallway and into one of the tech rooms. One of the IT guys is sitting in front of a computer with Cap standing behind him. Cap turns when he hears the door open, blocking my view of the screen.
“Niko,” he begins cautiously. Just from his tone, I know I’m not going to like what he’s got to say. “We found something, but I need you to take a calming breath before I show you.”
I take a step forward and to the side, trying to see the screen. “Move.”
He steps in my way again. “Not before you promise me you won’t go off half-cocked. You’ll be doing your brother and Dani no favors if you do.” Cap’s voice is stern. “Remember, you’re not here in any official capacity. This is a favor from me to you. Don’t fuck it up.”
I close my eyes and will my heart rate to slow down. I can already feel the heat running through my veins. My nails dig into my palms, and the muscles in my arms tighten.
Taking several deep breaths, I manage to quell the anger coursing through me enough to open my eyes and meet Cap’s.
“I’m fine. Just tell me what you found out.”
He doesn’t move immediately. I’m seconds away from decking him to get him out of my way when he jerks his head up and steps to the side.
I slowly approach the desk, and the IT guy rolls his chair to another computer, giving me room. At first, I think the video is so grimy that it’s hard to make out what I’m seeing. Looking closer, I realize it’s not the video itself, but the state of the room. It’s so filthy it looks like no one has stepped foot in there in twenty or more years.
Something unsettling fills my stomach, but I’m not sure what it is.
“What in the hell am I looking at?” I ask gruffly, that pit in my stomach growing bigger at what I fear I might see.
“Look closer.” Tavers’s voice comes from behind me.
I lean over, my eyes taking in every bit of dingy space in the room. Something moves on the screen, and my knees buckle, barely catching myself on the desk before my ass hits the floor.
“Fuck,” I whisper hoarsely.
Feeling Tavers approach my side, I keep my eyes on the monitor, afraid if I look away, the two people I see on the screen will disappear, while at the same time fighting back the urge to vomit.
Lying on a dirty mattress is my brother and who I assume is Dani. Reece is shirtless, with a pair of jeans on. Even with his arms wrapped around her waist and chest, it’s not difficult to see that Dani is only in a pair of panties. Both are so still that if it wasn’t for the slight movement of Dani’s legs, I’d think they were both dead.
The tech presses something on the keyboard, and the camera zooms in. Fear steals my breath because, despite the movement, I know in my gut they aren’t far off from death. I’ve only seen recent pictures of Dani, so I don’t know what she looks like in person, but it’s easy to see the weight Reece has lost. Just above the waistband of his jeans, his hip bones protrude, and the bones in his shoulder stick out way too fucking much. The full beard on his face is dirty and doesn’t hide the fact that his cheeks are slim and hollow. Blood covers his arms, from what I’m guessing, are several cuts.
“Show him,” Cap says quietly.
The tech presses another button, and a new window pops up on the side. It’s a chat box. Every few seconds, a new message pops up. Reading them has bile rising in my throat. I know exactly what I’m looking at, and the thought that my brother has been part of something so vile has the muscles in my neck tensing.
“Where is this feed coming from?” I grit out, jerking my head around to look at Cap. “Is it live?”
“Yes, it’s live. Williams is working on the location, but whoever’s running the website is good because he’s having a hard time finding the location. They’re constantly changing IP addresses, so it’s hard to get a lock on them. As soon as we get a ping, it changes.”
“Goddammit,” I growl, looking back at the screen.
“How long has—”
I cut myself off when Reece suddenly jerks to a sitting position, his head swinging around to look at something out of view of the camera. Dani slowly rises too. If I wasn’t seeing the condition they were in, the look on their faces would show just how much danger they are in.
Growing up in the neighborhood we did, Reece isn’t someone who scares easily. Being a detective, I’m sure that applies to Dani as well. But from their expression, both know they are looking death in the face.
Underneath the fear, though, is determination and a hatred I’ve never seen on my brother’s face before.
“I don’t care what has to be done. I want that location ASAP.”
All eyes stay pinned on the camera as I make my statement. Williams clicks away at the computer next to us. Seconds tick by as we watch Reece slowly get to his feet, then reach down to help Dani. My heart hammers against my sternum, and bile rises in my throat when part of Reece’s back faces the camera. It’s caked in blood, from his shoulders all the way down to the waistband of his jeans. I can’t make out what they are, but it looks like there are letters or numbers gouged into his flesh. He keeps Dani behind him in a defensive stance as he faces whoever just entered the room. His mouth moves, but no sound comes across the speakers.
“Why in the hell can’t we hear anything?” I growl without looking away.
“It’s only a video feed, not audio,” Williams answers stoically.
On the screen, a figure slowly appears. The person’s back is toward the camera, so their face isn’t in view. I prop my hands back on the desk and bring my face closer, examining the slim body.
“It’s a woman,” I observe.
Female abductors are uncommon, but not so much that it comes as a surprise.
“Turn the fuck around and show me your face,” I mutter darkly.
Reece, Dani, and the mysterious woman speak for a few minutes. Each second that slides by, whatever the woman is saying has Reece’s shoulders tensing. Not one time does she turn toward the camera. It’s like she’s purposely keeping her face out of view.
A low squeak and a sharp inhale of breath coming behind me has all of us in the room spinning in place. Seeing Aislin inside the doorway, her h
and to her mouth, her face pale, and a look of horror in her eyes has me striding over to her. Something as horrible as that video feed is the last thing she needs to see.
Blocking her view of the computer, I come to a stop in front of her, gently gripping her shoulders to turn her around. She leans to the side, trying to see past me.
“An officer was supposed to meet you out front. Let me take you to the break room so you can wait for me there. I won’t be long.”
Her tearful and frightened gaze lifts to mine, and her hand grips my arm tightly. “Why are you watching a video of the room Clem Stewart kept me in?”
All at once, that unsettling feeling I felt when I first saw the feed expands and something clicks into place.
“Shit!” I spin around to face the captain. “Beeker Street! It’s the same fucking house Aislin was kept in!”
“Fucking hell!” Captain growls, already pulling out his cell phone and pressing buttons as he stalks toward the door.
“Niko, what’s going on?”
Aislin’s terrified tone pulls my attention back to her. Placing my hands on both cheeks, I pull her forward and give her a quick kiss.
“It’s Reece. I think we found him and Dani,” I tell her quickly, then move her out of the room. The station is a blur of activity as Cap barks orders. “I’m calling Dad to come get you. I want you to wait for him in the break room.”
Aislin looks around the station, her eyes following the movements of officers preparing to head out. When she looks back at me, true fear hides in the depths of her eyes.
“It’s at the same house?”
“We think so.”
“But I thought Clem Stewart was still locked up?” she asks shakily, unable to hide her fear.
I take a calming breath and try to stop the pounding in my head. I cup one of her pale cheeks again, forcing her eyes to stay on mine. “He is. We would have been notified if he weren’t. This is someone else. We saw a woman enter the room.”
