by Mary Abshire
Kurt stopped yanking on the chains. “Anna, what do we do? Will the DS find us?”
She closed her eyes and tried to think. “Did you have a microphone or tracking device on you?”
“No, I thought you did.”
“I had a microphone, but it was on my jacket, which is now gone.” She couldn’t be certain if a tracking mechanism had been on the microphone or not. They had separate tracking equipment at the office, but she hadn’t thought to use any of it.
Anna tried to recall the last minutes before she’d blacked out. The demons had created a smoke screen. The team had made it through. Zale had too. He couldn’t have passed through the gas to help her, but her team could have. And if they had, they would’ve met the same fate as her and Kurt. She was glad they had stayed back, but now she and Kurt were left to fend for themselves. She held no hope of anyone finding them in an empty unfinished building.
“The sun won’t kill us,” she said. “You know this, right?”
“I heard it won’t.”
“I’m not going to sugar coat this, it will be very painful. It might keep us awake for a while, but I have a feeling it will be so intense we’ll black out.”
“What do you think they’ll do to us tonight?”
She didn’t want to think about the plans Reggie and Rodney had for them. Zale had told her he’d seen remains of vamps who’d been tortured. She could only imagine the worst for her and Kurt.
“Anything and everything,” she said in a grim tone.
“What information do you think they’ll want?”
“My guess, they’ll want to know about people in the DS, especially Aziel. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ask for the location of headquarters. We can’t let them know or everyone will be in danger.”
“I won’t say anything.”
Anna hoped he would stay true to his word. She had faith she would keep silent regardless of what horrible acts they’d take to break her. She valued mankind and all life too much to put anyone at risk.
The rise of the sun compelled her to sleep. Her lids became too heavy to keep up in the lingering silence.
Her thoughts returned to Zale. The realization she wouldn’t get to know him better saddened her. She hoped he would continue to work with the DS and encourage his peers to do the same. He had a good heart and soul. One day, he’d find the right woman and be happy. She wished for him to have a long and prosperous life full of love and happiness.
The chains held Anna as she rested with her head tilted back. But she didn’t get to sleep for long. A sharp piercing pain shot through her kneecap. She shoved her lids up and was blinded by the bright light flooding the room. She straightened and backed away from the sunlight. Beside her, Kurt had done the same thing.
The line of the sun crept closer to her toes. She stayed away as much as she could, but the restraints only allowed her to move so far. Sunlight reached her feet first. Heat scorched her skin and she bit down hard on her lip to keep from screaming. Kurt yelled from the pain. He started pulling on his chains like a wild animal.
The intense pain grew stronger as the rays slinked over her. Acid crawled over her skin, or so it felt like it. When the light touched the entire front of her body, agony devoured her and she screamed. All the shots she’d taken ached fiercer. The throb in her head now felt as if someone were hammering at her skull. Kurt’s screams matched the level of Anna’s. Her throat dried out as she cried loudly for the longest time. Eventually, the suffering swallowed her into darkness and silence filled her ears.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Zale, wake up,” a familiar voice said.
He felt someone nudging his shoulder.
“Wake up,” the masculine voice said again.
He inhaled a deep breath and opened his eyes. Cool air brushed over his head and shoulders. Realizing he was laying on his side, he pushed himself up. When he surveyed his surroundings, he remembered what had happened.
“About damn time,” Trevor said, standing outside the truck, near the door. “We were about to return to headquarters to have you checked out.”
Zale rubbed his eyes. The pain in his head had disappeared. He felt better now. “How long was I out?”
“A half hour.”
“What? You were supposed to wake me when you got here.” He scooted out from the backseat, pulling his jeans with him.
“You didn’t look well and you said you’d inhaled the gas. You needed rest.”
“He’s up?” the short stocky man asked as he approached with a cup in each hand.
“Yeah, finally,” Trevor said.
Zale donned his jeans on the sidewalk. The truck sat across the street from the Capitol. Although the lights illuminated the grand building and the nearby streets, there weren’t any cars or pedestrians in the early morning hour.
“I need to get to my car,” Zale said as he reached in his pocket for the keys.
“Did we come to the right place?” Trevor asked. “I don’t see any open businesses.”
“The headquarters is one street down, but I can run from here.” He snatched the radio from the backseat.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, you’re not wearing a shirt or any shoes.” Trevor took one of the cups from the stocky man. “Thanks.”
“I’ve got clothes in my car. Thanks for the ride,” Zale said.
“Wait. Do you need any help?” Trevor asked.
Zale started walking away. “Not right now, but stand by in case I need you. I’ll contact Gordon soon and tell him what’s going on.”
“Hey, your phone was ringing a lot while you were sleeping,” Trevor said.
“I’ll check it soon. Thanks guys,” Zale said before he turned around.
He jogged down the sidewalk with his keys in one hand and radio in the other. The cool morning air soothed his heated damp body. He chastised himself for sleeping so long, but he felt much better. He’d have to check the time at his car. Regardless if the sun would rise in a half hour or an hour, his plans remained the same. He had to find Anna.
After crossing the street, he turned and ran along the bricked sidewalk. The hard surface hurt his bare feet, but the little bit of pain felt like nothing compared to the headache he’d endured earlier. As he approached the keypad to the DS garage, he slowed his pace.
The phone in his pocket buzzed. Ignoring it, he entered the pass code Anna had provided to him. The light on the device turned green. Within seconds, the steel door started to rise. When it had lifted half way, he crouched underneath it.
Inside the garage, he took off running. Aside from the smack of his feet on the concrete, he couldn’t hear any heartbeats, footsteps, or engines running. He assumed the vans had made it back, but he wasn’t going to go down to check. Anna was his chief priority.
He stopped at the tailgate of his SUV. Hurrying, he lifted the door and then grabbed his bag of clothes. He always kept extra for emergency shifts. After digging out a shirt and shoes, he dressed within seconds. The sneakers were old and worn, but at least he’d have something to protect his feet.
Clothed, he settled behind the steering wheel. He set the radio on the passenger seat and then opened the glove compartment. The shelf dropped with a thud. The bag of clothes and file Anna had given him sat on top. He took them from the drawer before slamming it shut.
Leaving the bag on the seat, he scanned over the documents in the file. The apartment he’d been to the night before had belonged to Rodney. He remembered how to get there, so he would check out his place first. Anna noted Reggie AKA Reginald was another master. Anna’s writing also said Finton gathered people for the masters. The clothes in the bag belonged to Finton. The three men were her top suspects. She had a few other names listed, but he recalled her talking about those three the most.
Zale shut the file and then set it under the bag on the seat next to him. He started the engine and then backed out of the parking spot. Rodney’s apartment would be his first stop. If he
found Rodney, he’d fight the master to get Anna back, assuming she still existed. If he admitted destroying her, Zale would end the master’s days on Earth.
He sped from the garage and onto the city street. Fearing for Anna’s well-being, his anxiety remained high. He’d seen evidence of tortured vampires. What if the masters did the same to her?
He’d tried to warn her the demons had been using different tactics and the gathering could’ve been a trap. She should’ve heeded his advice and taken extra precautions.
The demons wanted to rid the Earth of vampires. The best way to achieve their goal would be to destroy as many DS agents as they could at one time. Although they’d failed, they’d captured two. The demons could try to get information such as names and the location of the DS headquarters. Anna was strong, but could she withstand torture? He believed she could, which frightened him. They could do anything to get her to talk. He had to locate her before they ripped her to shreds.
The Bluetooth on his dashboard came alive. The number looked familiar, so he pressed the button on his wheel. “Hello?”
“Zale, it’s Aziel. Where are you?”
“I just left the garage and I’m heading to Rodney’s apartment. The demons captured Anna and another agent.”
“His name is Kurt. And where have you been?”
Zale glanced at the clock. The hour showed 4:35 in the morning. Damn it, he’d lost too much time.
“A couple of UoJ agents had picked me up. I’d breathed too much of the gas and it knocked me out for a while.”
“But you’re safe now?”
“Yes. Were you able to see where the demons took her from the satellite images or drones?”
“They took the agents into a building a block from the location of the gathering. No one has come out yet. Either they are still there, or they snuck out through a tunnel.”
“Are you sending a team to go in?”
“No. We’re outnumbered.”
Fear squeezed his heart. If the DS agents wouldn’t try to help Anna and Kurt, then the two had little chance of surviving to see the next night.
“Honestly, I don’t think they’re in the building. I think they’ve moved to a different location,” Aziel said. “But I need time to confirm this. I have technicians reviewing images as we speak. Once I have enough evidence to support it’s safe for a team to go in, I can send a group. Until then, I won’t send agents to their destruction.”
Zale understood his logic. If he knew he could walk in without getting harmed, Zale would. Like Aziel, Zale suspected the demons had found a way to get out of the perimeter without being seen.
“Did you see the demons heading for the gathering?” Zale asked.
“We don’t have infrared surveillance and cameras don’t see things as well as we do. By the time we noticed and sent word, the team had already started to evacuate. It’s my belief the demons were in the perimeter before we arrived and they had been waiting to make their move.”
The tires on Zale’s car screeched as he turned the corner too sharp.
“I’m almost at Rodney’s. I’ll call you in a little bit,” Zale said.
“You shouldn’t be out on your own. I made it clear to agents not to go out alone.”
“Technically, I’m not one of your agents. I’ll call you back soon.”
Zale ended the call before the DS director gave him any orders. He wasn’t the kind of person to disobey leaders, but in this case, time was of the essence to find Anna. He had maybe an hour before dawn. Once the sun rose, none of the DS agents would be able to do anything.
Reaching the apartment complex, he slowed the speed of his Explorer. The lack of lights from windows indicated residents were likely sleeping. He took the first vacant spot he saw near Rodney’s apartment building.
From his car, he strode at a quick pace toward the entrance. Heartbeats thumped behind the walls. If Rodney were cozy in his bed, he was about to get a rude awakening.
The stench of the hall greeted Zale as soon as he opened the door. Holding his breath, he climbed the steps two at a time until he reached the top floor. Hearts held a steady rhythm from the units on both sides. He couldn’t hear any voices.
He stopped in front of Rodney’s door and attempted to turn the handle. Of course, the knob refused to move. He suspected the deadbolt had been locked too. Closing his eyes, he listened for any sounds in the apartment. A drop of water hit the sink. Electricity buzzed softly. He searched for a heartbeat and found none.
Zale strode toward the stairs. He chided himself for thinking he’d find a master at home. The demon was probably with the group who’d taken Anna.
After returning to his car, he reviewed the documents from the file again. Flipping through the pages, he searched for Finton’s address. Once he found it, he plugged it into the GPS on his dashboard. He didn’t have high hopes of finding the demon, but he had to try.
During the drive to Finton’s house, the Bluetooth alerted him to another incoming call. He recognized Gordon’s number immediately.
“Have you heard two DS agents have been captured?” Zale asked.
“Yes, Aziel called me earlier. And I just spoke to him again. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine now. I breathed in too much gas and it wiped me out. Trevor and his partner had found me.”
“And where are you now?”
“I’m on my way to check out one of the suspects Anna had on her list.”
“Zale—“
“They have Anna and another agent. Someone has to find them. The sun will be up soon, and once it is, no one in the DS can do anything to save them.”
“He told me you were going to check out the homes of masters.”
“I just left Rodney’s apartment. He wasn’t there. I’m on my way to Finton’s house now. Did Aziel mention any plan to get the agents? I didn’t speak to him for long.”
“He said he doubts they can do anything more this morning. Even if they can confirm through surveillance that the demons never left the building they went into, the DS doesn’t have enough time to send agents to check and return before sunrise.”
Zale gripped his steering wheel while he ground his teeth. The DS weren’t going to do anything out of fear of losing other agents.
“You need to return to the office,” Gordon said.
“I’m going to check the homes. Maybe I’ll get lucky and find one of the suspects she had listed.”
“Zale, if the agents aren’t destroyed, you know they will be. Come back to the office so we can figure out our next steps.”
He refused to believe Anna had been destroyed. The masters would’ve considered her a great catch. They’d taken other vampires such as Bethany and had tortured them for information. No, the demons would not chop off her head yet.
“The demons want information from the vampires. Anna is the syndicate’s top agent. I’m not restricted to the night like the vamps are. Let me try to find the agents,” Zale said.
“No agent, DS or UoJ, should be alone on the streets. It’s not safe. Return to the office, Zale.”
He hadn’t heard Gordon’s commanding tone often, but he knew it well. Zale disliked going against his boss’s orders, but the only way to locate Anna was to find a master or one of the suspects from her research. If Gordon wanted to demote or suspend him for disobeying commands, then so be it.
“I can’t Gordon. Do what you have to do, but I’m not going back to the office while Anna and another agent are being held captive,” Zale said. “I’m sorry, but I have to find them.”
“And what are you going to do if you bump into a master? Do you realize how strong they are? Do you really think you can capture one and bring it in for questioning?”
“They’re not any stronger than a vampire.”
“No, but they’re strength is comparable and you’re not with an agent to help you.”
“I have a Taser with me. If it can render a vampire motionle
ss for a while, it should work on a master.”
“Zale, get back to the office,” he said in a calmer, yet flat tone. “We can work on a plan to search during the day while the vamps are sleeping. Then you can go out with another agent and look for the masters.”
“The corpses I found days ago were mostly in warehouses. I bet they took her to one too.”
“Hold on Zale. Aziel just sent me a message.”
Zale followed the directions on his GPS and turned down a side street with houses on both sides. Unlike the modern cookie-cutter neighborhoods, the houses had been built on hills with little space between properties. The style of brick homes led him to believe they’d been built in the early twentieth century. Similar to the apartment complex, all the homes sat in darkness. He drove slow as he read the numbers near the doors. Finding a space to park near the sidewalk, he pulled into it.
“I’m sending pictures to your phone. Aziel wants us to study them and see if we can determine where the agents are,” Gordon said.
“Pictures?” Hope surged within him as he stretched his leg and fished out his cell.
“I’ll warn you, the outlook doesn’t look good for the two.”
Zale tapped his screen. When his message application opened, his eyes widened. His heartbeat accelerated as he gazed at Anna in her underwear. Her wrists had been chained above her head, keeping her upright. Blood covered the majority of her thin dehydrated body. Her heated glare and slight curl of her upper lip led Zale to believe she’d been angry at the time the shot had been taken.
The next photo showed Kurt. He looked worse with his soiled skin clinging tighter to his muscles and bones. Unlike Anna who appeared fearless, Kurt had his head tilted down and his gaze lowered.
“Are you looking at them?” Gordon asked.
“Yeah.” He zoomed in on the photo of Kurt. “Did you look at these closer?”
“They just arrived. I haven’t had a chance to study them.”
“They’re in a building that’s under construction. Carpentry tools are behind Kurt and there are a couple of sawhorses and tarps. Look at the windows too. There aren’t any. I can barely see lights past the opening for the windows. I think they’re several stories high.” He studied the background. Because the outside was dark, he couldn’t make out much from the windowless openings. “What buildings are under construction within an hour of the city?”
