by Ciana Stone
Then they turned to the debate about Ryan wanting to see her and neither of them had been very willing to give in to the other. As far as she could see there was no need for him to accompany her to meet with Ryan. It might be a completely stupid thing to do with so many people trying to kill or abduct her, but she felt she had to do it. With all things considered, there was no need to put both of them in danger.
He had disagreed, loudly, insisting there was every need and reminded her time and again that she was in very real and serious danger. She had pointed out that since no one knew where she was, she was not in immediate peril and besides that she could not believe that anyone would make a move against her while she was in the company of a police office. Konnor had laughed at her and called her naïve.
“Lock the door,” he said as he pulled on his jacket.
“Yes, sir,” she replied hatefully, still angry that he had won the argument.
He gave her a hard look then walked over and sat down beside her. “Senna, I’m doing what I think’s best to protect you. Try to understand that. I know that you’re brilliant in your field but you’re not experienced in this sort of thing and that puts you at higher risk. I’m asking you to trust me. Can you do that?”
She looked down, not wanting to meet his eyes. Part of her did trust him, the part of her that was in love with him. And that was the largest part. But there was still a portion she had held back and she couldn’t help it. Konnor frightened her at times and that made her unsure of him. “I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I guess I can be pretty stubborn at times.”
“To say the least,” he teased.
She looked up at him and saw the smile on his face. “That’s pretty good coming from you,” she teased in return.
He gave her a lingering kiss that served to make her temperature rise. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She nodded and watched him get up and leave the room. As soon as she flipped the security lock she ran across the room and took the cellular Marcus had given her from her purse.
“Senna?” His voice sounded anxious.
“Hi,” she said as soon as he answered. “Listen, I can’t talk long. I just wanted you to know everything’s okay so far. I have to see someone this evening and after that I’ll get in touch.”
“I still think this is unwise,” he protested.
“But necessary,” she argued in a tone of finality. “Don’t worry. I’m safe and no one knows where I am so I’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.”
“I’ll call you later tonight.”
“I’ll be waiting. Be careful, please.”
“I’ll try. Bye.”
Replacing the phone in her purse she looked around the room and sighed. There was nothing much to look at. She flopped down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. After ten minutes she felt like she was going stir crazy. She couldn’t just sit around and do nothing.
Finally she decided to kill some time by taking a shower. By the time she finished only half an hour had passed. She turned on the television and flipped through the channels for a few minutes then turned the set off in disgust.
“This is ridiculous!” she complained to herself as she stretched out on the bed. Having nothing else to do she started going over all the things she had remembered. When she came to the cloudy image in her mind of the man who had saved her when Lucas destroyed the prototype, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on seeing his features.
The minutes stretched out and before she realized it she had fallen asleep, reliving the event in her dreams.
Hornet’s Nest Park, Charlotte, NC
“None of your usual havens will be safe,” Shen said quietly. “By now Slater will have men watching all of them. “
“What makes you think he knows all the locations?” Konnor asked in an argumentative tone.
Shen gave him a look out of the corner of his eyes. “Do not underestimate his capabilities or determination.”
“You’re right,” Konnor said in exasperation. “And I suppose you have a better idea.”
“Indeed.” Shen didn’t smile but his tone lightened. “Accompany her where she wishes to go.”
“What?”
“Have you lost the ability to understand the English language?”
“I understood what you said, just not why.”
This time a smile did appear on Shen’s face. But only for a moment. “She now possesses knowledge that she didn’t have before, knowledge that none of us possess. It is that knowledge that will lead her to the place we must find.”
Konnor thought about it for a second. “What kind of knowledge? She didn’t mention anything to me.”
“Perhaps she trusts you less than you believe,” Shen remarked. “Whatever the case, she now holds the key to unlocking the final gate.”
“How can you know that?”
“There can be no other explanation for her disappearance and sudden reappearance. If our adversary had taken her she would not now be waiting for you. Likewise, if Slater or his men had found her, she would not be where she is. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is that whoever she was with provided her with a way to access the memories.”
“Then why would she have returned?” Konnor didn’t follow Shen’s logic. In his mind, if Senna had remembered her past, she would not come back to the place where she knew there were people after her, people like Slater.
“You must try and place yourself in her position. If you had learned about the missing time in your life, a time in which you lost your family, what would be your first reaction? To see the only living relative you had left, to make sure that she was safe. Which is exactly what she did. She went to her aunt and tried to persuade her to leave the city.”
“I see your point,” Konnor surrendered. “But what makes you think she’ll take me to this place you seek?”
“She loves you.” Shen looked away from him. “And will follow her heart over her head.”
Konnor stood up and looked down at Shen. “I hope you’re right. In any case, I have to go home and collect some things. I have to be prepared for Slater or anyone else who comes after us.”
“I would advise against taking a sword.” A glint appeared in Shen’s eye.
Konnor frowned in confusion and Shen stood. “Contact me when you know your destination. I will find you.”
There was no need to say any more. Konnor knew that the conversation was at an end. What he didn’t know anymore was why he continued to follow Shen’s orders.
Perhaps it was because if it had not been for Shen he would have died in that Iraqi prison. It was Shen who had rescued him. Even now Konnor had no idea how Shen had accomplished it. All he knew was that one night Shen had simply appeared in his cell and led him quietly from the prison and to safety. Then again, maybe it was all that Shen had taught him in the time he had known the mysterious Asian. He had made more of a difference in Konnor’s life than anyone else ever had. If not for Shen and his guidance, he would not have been able to deal with the grief of losing the woman he loved.
He watched as Shen turned and walked away then headed in the opposite direction. He still had several things to do and time was running short.
North Charlotte
When Konnor hadn’t returned by a quarter-past seven, Senna decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She dressed and called for a cab then jotted down a note for Konnor and propped it against the phone on the nightstand.
When the cab arrived she gave the driver the address Ryan had given her earlier. “You sure ‘bout that, lady?” the man asked with a concerned expression on his face.
“Quite,” she replied after glancing at the written address in her hand.
“Okay.” He shrugged and pulled off.
She realized why he had asked when they arrived at the location. On the northwest side of the city, the building was located in the middle of a line of run-down buildings. It looked as if it might have been some type of factory at one
time.
For a moment she was unsure about getting out of the cab. She didn’t see any cars parked alongside the street and there wasn’t any traffic. But Ryan had said that the place was not officially open for business. She also considered that the lack of cars on the street might be nothing more than an indication that there was parking in the rear of the building.
Paying the driver, she went to the door with the correct address painted above it. Just as she reached for the knob she heard a voice behind her. “Dr. Laserian?”
Senna turned and looked at the man who had walked up to her. “Excuse me?”
“You are Senna Laserian, aren’t you? Ryan’s girlfriend?”
Immediately she relaxed. The man must be a friend of Ryan’s. “Yes, and you are?”
“Your escort.” He suddenly grabbed her arm.
Senna reacted without thinking. Turning to one side, she twisted her arm around so that it was no longer beneath his. At the same time she grabbed his wrist and twisted. Stepping around, she shoved the palm of her other hand into the man’s elbow.
It wasn’t enough to break his arm but it was enough to make him let go of her. She leaped for the door, jerking it open and bounding inside, expecting to see a restaurant full of policemen who could help her. Instead she was met by a dim, cavernous space with only stacks of dusty crates to break up the vast expanse.
She didn’t have time to consider her next move before the man attacked her again. This time he was much rougher. The blow he delivered to her back sent her to her knees on the cold concrete floor. Before she could recover, he had a handful of her hair, wrenching her head back.
“Now, listen closely because I’m only going to say this once. I want the data and I want it now.”
“I don’t know what you’re…” Her sentence ended in a grunt of pain from the kick to her back.
“Don’t play games with me, Doctor. I’m not a good sport.”
“Please.” She tried to stall for time so that she could try and think of a way to escape. “I’ll do whatever you say, just don’t hurt me.”
“That’s better.” He jerked her to her feet and shoved her toward the door. “Now, why don’t we take this conversation somewhere more private? We wouldn’t want to be interrupted, would we?”
She pretended to have trouble walking but he didn’t go along with the ruse. A vicious shove sent her stumbling and she cried out as he jerked hard on her hair, making her body bend backward from the waist as her feet were still trying to move forward.
“Please.” She reached up and tried to relieve some of the tension on her hair. “That really hurts.”
“This is nothing compared to what I’ll do if you give me any trouble,” he warned and slammed her face first into the wall beside the door.
She didn’t move as he opened the door with his free hand, keeping the other tightly wound in her hair. As he jerked her toward him she added to the momentum with her own power. It was enough to pull him off balance and send them both crashing into the door. For a moment his grip on her hair released. As it did, she wrenched around and hit him as hard as she could in the groin.
An explosion of air mixed with a curse came from his mouth and he instinctively reached for his testicles to protect them from another attack. Senna took the opportunity to dive away from him.
“You fucking bitch!” he wheezed. “I’m gonna…”
“Let me see them!” A shout came from the interior of the building. “Now!”
The man hesitated for a split second. “Let’s see ‘em!” The command was followed by the noise of a hammer being pulled back on a gun.
This time the man didn’t hesitate. He raised both hands up and out to his sides then turned to face the darkness. Senna bolted up from the floor. She had recognized the voice.
“Ryan!” she yelled as she started forward.
A spilt second later someone grabbed her around the waist from behind and jerked her up off her feet. At the same time she screamed, Ryan shouted. “Not another move!”
The first man dropped his hands and turned to look at Senna and the man who held her. She was frozen in place with a gun pointed at her head.
“Why don’t we rethink that,” the first man smirked at Ryan. “Or would you rather see your sweetie’s brains splattered all over the floor?”
Senna could see the play of emotions on Ryan’s face. He didn’t want to surrender, but she knew he would not endanger her life.
“Okay, why don’t we all just calm down,” he said and made a show of lowering his gun. “Tell your man to lower the gun, Southgate.”
Surprise made her start in her captor’s grip. Southgate was the name Ryan had used for the man who was supposed to be working for the FBI. The man Konnor claimed was an imposter.
Southgate swaggered confidently and the man holding Senna kicked the door closed behind him and marched her forward. Southgate pointed deeper into the darkness and Ryan started backing up. The man holding Senna released her but kept the gun pressed against her head as he felt along the wall. A moment later yellowish light lit the cavernous space of the building from old ceiling fixtures covered with wire.
“Make the doctor comfortable,” Southgate directed.
Senna’s captor shoved her forward. She stumbled over close to Ryan and he took her in his arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “Just stay close and do like I tell you.”
She didn’t respond but moved out of his embrace. Ryan turned to look at Southgate. “It’s over. We know all about your deception. I’m not here alone so give it up. You’ll never leave this building alive.”
Southgate laughed as if very amused. “I suppose you’re referring to the stalwart agent Sanders of the FBI and the policemen you have posted around the building? Well, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, Detective, but they’ve been taken care of.”
Before Ryan could open his mouth to reply a shout came from behind a stack of crates. “FBI, drop your weapons!”
“Kill them!” Southgate shouted.
His accomplice raised his weapon as Southgate dived for cover. “Down!” Ryan shouted and pushed Senna. She was on her way down when the first shot rang out. She hit the floor on her back and almost immediately Ryan fell on top of her. His weight drove her breath out and she felt like she was being crushed. But the pain was nothing compared to the fear. Gunfire was being exchanged and the sound was terrifying. Putting her arms over her head, she clenched her eyes closed and prayed for it to stop.
When the silence came it was almost deafening. Senna moved her arms and raised her head to look around. She could not see Southgate anywhere but the body of his accomplice was crumpled on the floor in a rapidly swelling puddle of blood.
“Ryan, get off me,” she wheezed and pushed at him. “Ryan… Ryan? Ryan!”
It took several seconds for it to dawn on her that her chest was wet and that he wasn’t moving. With a scream she began pushing at him and trying to squirm out from beneath him. Her hands were quickly covered with blood from her efforts.
“Oh, god,” she gasped. “Ryan, Ryan please, can you hear me? Oh, god, don’t be dead. Ryan?”
“Sen…”A raspy bubbling sound accompanied his whisper.
“Ryan! We have to get out of here. We have to get you to a…”
“No…time.” His voice failed and two burbling breaths came from him. “I’m…sorry. I love…I…love you.”
“Ryan, please!” She couldn’t stop the tears. “Please, you can’t do this. We have to get out of here.”
His body jerked once then a strange stillness came over him. She pushed at him, trying to lift his face up. “Ryan! Ryan, please. Don’t die. Ryan?”
“I don’t think your boyfriend can help you anymore.” Southgate stepped out from behind a brick column with a gun aimed at her.
Senna had no doubt that he was going to kill her. She pushed at Ryan’s body, trying to dislodge it. Her hand moved against something hard and it dawned on her that he had another gun, this one st
uck in the waistband of his pants. Trembling with fear and exertion she wrapped her hand around it and pulled. It slipped free and she let her hand fall to the side, where Southgate could not see it.
“Now…” He walked over and put his foot against the side of Ryan’s body. “Where were we, Dr. Laserian?”
Much needed oxygen flooded her lungs as Southgate kicked Ryan’s body off her. Knowing that she would get only one chance, she raised the gun and fired.
A look of surprise came over Southgate’s face as his blood splattered the floor behind him from the exit wound of the bullet. He staggered a couple of steps then collapsed.
For a moment Senna was shocked into motionlessness by what she had done. Then she thought of Ryan. Climbing to her knees with the gun still in her hand she knelt over him. “Ryan?” She felt his neck, trying to find a pulse. “No, please,” she begged to the silence when she didn’t feel a heartbeat. “Please, please no.”
“Hold it right there!”
Senna jumped at the sound of the voice. “Drop the weapon!” Paige shouted as she moved from the doorway.
Without hesitation Senna put the gun down on the floor and stood up. “Paige, you have to call an ambulance. Ryan’s…”
“Don’t move!” Paige leveled her weapon.
Senna didn’t understand why Paige was pointing the gun at her. “We have to get help. Don’t you…”
“Shut up! You’re under arrest. Turn around and put your hands on top of your head.”
For a moment Senna just stared at her. She couldn’t believe what Paige was saying. “Do it!” Paige shouted.
Turning, Senna put her hands on top of her head. Her mind was reeling with what had happened. She barely heard what Paige was saying. Not until she felt the handcuff snap around her right wrist did it sink in. Paige was reading her her rights, charging her with Ryan’s murder, along with Southgate and the other man.
