by Jenika Snow
As the medication kicked in, Neeka couldn’t hold her head up any longer and had no desire to fight.
“You’d think you’d know by now to just take it and not fight us,” Kal said, but his voice sounded distorted because of the drug in her system.
She relaxed against the table, her whole body feeling numb. She was still awake for the time being, and Neeka knew she would probably never be found, or escape.
****
Gage headed back to base to grab his supplies before he got on the road in search for Neeka. He already had a few feelers out, men that were shady, worked the streets, and knew some really fucked up people. If she were taken for sex work he’d find that out, and if not, he was a hell of a tracker and wouldn’t stop until he got a lead. This was what he was good at, what he was trained for.
The facility where the men that worked for the organization was located in the Swallow High Mountains. The base itself had been built underground, with a concrete main house atop that. It was impenetrable, and a place where the men could go to gather supplies, find intel, and crash.
He stopped in front of the gate that was attached to the twenty-foot-high stone wall. The security wall surrounded the perimeter of the entire compound, and if anyone did find this place it would seem like an estate and not what it truly was.
Once he entered in the code and the gates opened, he drove down the unpaved driveway and into the underground garage.
He got out of his car and made his way inside, striding swiftly through the compound. There was also a training facility that was attached to the main tech house, one that allowed them men to work out and train with a number of weapons. He headed into the room he’d been using for the last few weeks, grabbed a large duffle, and started stuffing his supplies in it. Black thermals, fatigues, boots, and of course a few handguns he kept in his bunk were among the gear he’d bring. He didn’t know how long he’d be on the road, tracking Neeka and following leads, but he wouldn’t stop until he knew where she was.
Gage slung the duffle over his shoulder and left the room, moving down the hall and into the weapons supply room. He grabbed several handguns, a rifle, night vision goggles, knives, a few semiautomatics, a Beretta, and several other miscellaneous weapons. He walked back to the garage, passing Terrick, Ruick, and Caleb on his way out. The three men were SEALs, men were no longer on active duty, but needing that adrenaline rush, the same as Gage.
He set his duffle on the passenger seat and made his way around to the driver’s side, getting in and starting the car. He grabbed the file he had on Neeka, the background check he’d done, the information he’d collected thus far from people that knew her … everything. Even though he’d just been hired by Edward McCarthy, as soon as he’d been given the job he’d started the check on her to find out what he could.
The last people to see Neeka were the employees at her job two weeks ago. He scanned the police report, reading how her coworkers said she stayed late, as usual, and that she’d been the last one to leave. The police had nothing to go on, no motive, nothing. It was a missing person case with no leads. There was mention of Edward McCarthy having an enemy, or someone that wanted to get back at him, maybe even ransom Neeka off, but there hadn’t been any calls demanding money for her safe return.
Neeka worked in the city, and he was willing to bet there was someone who had seen something. It was the twenty-first century, and no one in America vanished without a trace. Maybe someone wasn’t talking, scared of what might happen to them? Well, Gage would find answers.
He tossed the folder onto the passenger seat and pulled out of the garage. Once he was down the mountain and on the main road, he headed to the last known place Neeka had been seen.
It took an hour, but he finally arrived at the Franklin Beldon Tower. After parking and cutting the engine, he scanned the lot, trying to see that night she’d gone missing.
The sun had already set, and the parking lot and building were deserted. Gage got out of the car and moved toward the side of the building. He wore all black, so he blended into the shadows. Gage checked for any security cameras, and noticed a small one rotating from left to right. If he kept to the darkness and the side of the building, the camera wouldn’t pick him up.
When Gage got to the side door, he pulled out a small bag, got on his haunches, and started on the lock. It wasn’t a difficult one to pick. He pulled out a small leather case that held various devices that would aid in disarming it. He kept a watchful eye on the camera, the shadows still concealing him as the machine scanned the perimeter. He worked the tool inside the lock until he heard a click and it finally gave way.
Once the door was open he slipped inside and shut it silently behind him. A set of stairs led to the upper floors and another led toward the bottom levels. When he’d studied the layout of the building earlier, he knew the security room was in the basement of the building. He needed to get a look at the camera’s hard drive, see if anything had been caught, maybe even overlooked. The tapes were still in police custody, and it would have taken too much time to either retrieve them through their channels or break in and take them. No, the computers should still have a hard drive, one that might be difficult to retrieve, but a task he could still do.
He descended the stairs and stopped at the landing, listening for any movement. Satisfied when silence greeted him, he reached in his bag and pulled out a set of earbuds and an otoamplisizer. The otoamplisizer was one of many devices the company he worked for had created. They had their own engineers, ones that worked on new weapons, devices that could immobilize someone without so much as breaking a sweat.
This device was an amplifier that would let him hear conversations through the thick cement wall as if he were standing on the other side. He put the small box against the cement and adjusted the dial, instantly able to hear the buzz of the monitors and the low beat of a song. He put the equipment away and drew out his knife, preferring the weight of the blade to the coldness of a gun.
The door was closed, but Gage opened it soundlessly, seeing the security officer leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed and his earbuds in. Video monitors covered one wall, each flickering to a different view of the outer and inner perimeter of the building. He walked up to him and stopped when he was standing right behind him. The security officer, whose name appeared on his badge as Herbie, was pleasantly unaware.
Gage could hear the song Herbie was listening to fade out as it ended, and he idly thought how easy it would be to run the blade over the man’s exposed throat. It was these emotions that had the darkness in him festering, these feelings that fed the beast.
Herbie opened his eyes and cursed as he saw Gage looming over him. Gage smiled and cold cocked him in the side of his head with the butt of the blade. Herbie groaned momentarily before he slid down the chair, passed out.
Gage went over to the control panel and started hacking into the system, bringing up the images from two weeks ago and scanning through the time frames. This particular system automatically discarded the videos after a week’s time—but the information was sill encoded in the hard drive.
It also made sense that the cops hadn’t been able to pick anything up from the videotapes, since the information was erased automatically to clear the drive and make room for memory. This set-up was low budget, for sure.
It had been tricky to hack into the computer’s database and access the dates he needed, and if it weren’t for his extensive IT training with the government as well as the current company he was employed with, he wouldn’t have been able to find anything.
He stared at the screen once he pulled up the date he needed, and saw Neeka McCarthy walking to her car. She looked scared. That was clear by the way she stopped in the middle of the parking lot and looked around. He could also see the worry on her face. Gage froze the image when she stopped at the vehicle. He stared at her. Her gaze was off to the side, her dark hair a halo around her head as if the wind teased it. She was a beautiful woman, not somethin
g he should even be noticing, but an observation that couldn’t be ignored.
He let himself admire her for a second longer before he ran the video clip in slow motion. She got into her car, and that was when he noticed the dark figure behind her seat and the bright white swatch of cloth in his hand.
He watched the rest of the video, taking in every minute detail until finally her small body fell forward, clearly drugged, and an unmarked van pulled up. The shadows obscured most of the features of her kidnappers, and they wore masks, too, hiding any distinguishing features.
Someone drove her car away as the van sped off. Before the van could disappear off the screen Gage froze the frame, leaning forward and seeing a piece of information that would get him one step closer to finding Neeka.
“Got you, motherfucker.” Gage was able to make out the plate number. He wrote down the information he needed, made a copy of the information and video he’d acquired, and packed up his gear. He needed to get back to the compound and on the database and see if the plate number matched with anything in their system.
He gave one last look at the passed out security officer. Herbie would survive with nothing more than a headache when he woke up. Gage sheathed his knife and exited the same way he had entered, having a feeling this wasn’t some random kidnapping. Neeka had been targeted, and he’d find out who the fuckers were.
Chapter Three
Neeka took another bite of food, not hungry, but the gun pointed to her temple was a pretty good motivator for her appetite. Although she wanted to cry, she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her break down. She could have her walls fall when she was alone. They’d started making her eat at gunpoint when she refused to consume what they brought her.
She took one more bite, chewing as she kept her eyes shut tight, and swallowed, hoping that was sufficient so they would just leave. One guard picked up the tray at the same time the other removed the gun from her head. She breathed out and opened her eyes, watching them exit. Once they were gone and the door was shut, Neeka lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
The days were starting to mesh together, and although she didn’t know how long she’d been here, she knew it was too long for comfort. Wouldn’t her father have found her by now? Wouldn’t he have hired someone trained in searching for missing people? Was she even in the country anymore?
Her body, as well as her mind, was exhausted. It was always the same men who came by to either force her to eat or take her away for the blood draws. Sometimes they would give her a reprieve and wait a few days—or at least she thought they were days—before they came for her. Her time here was one long and endless cycle.
Her arms were riddled with track marks from their continuous injections and blood draws, and she didn’t even recognize herself anymore. The wounds weren’t even having time to heal because they drew her blood daily. The flimsy plastic mirror they’d provided over the sink showcased her ashen skin and the large, dark circles under her eyes. She wasn’t any closer to finding out why she’d been taken than when she first arrived.
She heard her door unlocking again and pulled herself up on the bed.
Why are they back so soon?
The steel door opened, and her heart pounded wildly behind her ribs. But the person who walked in had everything inside of her freezing, had her hope rising, and joy that she’d finally get out of here coming to the surface.
Dr. Rye Vincent, one of her father’s dearest friends and her physician since she was a child, smiled at her.
She got off the bed, stumbled once, and ran toward him. I’m saved. Neeka couldn’t stop the tears that slid down her cheeks, couldn’t help the sobs consuming her. She wrapped her sore arms around Dr. Vincent, breathing out when he held her in a familiar embrace. He just held her for several seconds, but then she pulled away, a steady stream of tears falling down her cheeks as she looked into his face.
He was an older man, with graying short hair and deep amber-colored eyes. She smiled weakly at him and laid her head on his chest once more, so thankful he was here. He’d finally take her home to her father. Neeka didn’t know how he’d found her, but she wasn’t going to think too hard on it. He was here, and she was rescued. That’s all that mattered.
I’ll finally be able to go home.
“Shhh, everything’s all right, Neeka. You have nothing to be afraid of.” He smiled at her again and wiped a tear off her cheek. “I’ve been out of the state while I gathered documents for my research, and if I’d known how they were treating you, I would have put a stop to it right away. They will be punished, don’t worry.” His voice was calm as he smiled down at her.
Dread, fear, and a torrent of other emotions slammed into her. She pulled away and knitted her brows in confusion. His words didn’t make sense. He spoke as if he knew that she’d been here all along. “I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “You knew I was here? I’m here because of you?”
“Yes, Neeka. I was the one who made plans to get you here.” He lowered his gaze up and down her body. “Look at you.” He clicked his tongue. “They will be severely punished for your state. There is absolutely no need for you to be running around barefoot and in a ratty hospital gown.” He took a step forward, and she took one back.
“What are you doing, Rye? Why are you doing this to me?”
He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?” he asked as if he were truly confused as to what she was talking about.
Her confusion rose, and she took another step back. He mimicked her move by coming forward a step. The back of her legs hit the edge of her bed, and she looked around again, knowing there wasn’t an escape because he was blocking her only way out.
He chuckled. “Neeka, dear, you act as though you are terribly surprised. You honestly don’t understand why you’re here?” He shook his head. “You know, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” He placed his hand in his overcoat pockets, taking on a relaxed stance.
“Of course I’m surprised. You were like family.”
“You truly don’t realize why you’re here?”
She didn’t move or respond.
“No worries. All will come to light soon enough.”
“What are you talking about? Can’t you just explain what’s going on right now?” She finally found her voice.
“In due time, darling.” He narrowed his eyes and moved his gaze along her body again. “First we need to get you cleaned and dressed properly. I’ve just come to the facility, so I wasn’t aware of your state or these horrid conditions they have you in,” he said softly, looking around the cell. “I’ll have one of my men bring your things to a more accommodating room. We can discuss everything within the hour.” He turned and strode to the door, opened it, and left without another word or a backward glance.
Her knees buckled, and she sat on the bed, her eyes wide as she looked around the room again. Dr. Vincent had been like a second father to her, and the events that had just taken place rocked her to the very core. She wiped away her tears. It was maybe twenty minutes later before the door opened again. Neeka was so numb she didn’t even cower when a man in military-type gear walked in with a large box in hand. He set it on the ground without speaking or looking at her, and strode back toward the door, shutting it and engaging the lock.
Even though she was numb, she found the strength to rise off the bed and move toward the box. She could have been defiant, but she wanted answers. She’d been locked away for so long that staying one more minute in this hellhole was too much to bear. She’d find a way out. She had to, because giving up hope, even with the revelations she’d just been presented with, was not an option.
****
“Enough time has passed, Rye.”
Rye looked at the man that paced his office. “Calm yourself. You’ll have her when I’m finished. Patience is a virtue.”
“Fuck patience.” The man stopped, looking angry and annoyed, but Rye didn’t care.
“My
work is more important than your perverse need to own Neeka. But a deal is a deal, and you’ll have her once I’m finished gathering all the details and data I need to make my research solid.” Rye stared at the man hard, not about to back down. “Now leave my office, and don’t come here again making demands.”
The man breathed out, his hands at his side, clenching, his face red, his annoyance and impatience tangible.
“I’m on a thin wire here, Rye. I’ve waited years to have her, and I want this deal settled.” Without another look he turned and left Rye’s office.
Rye had known Neeka since she was an infant, and although he had a fondness for her, his research and work were of far more importance than anything else. That was the way life worked, and she’d have no choice on either matter.
****
Neeka was led down a long, white hallway as two big men stood on either side of her. The held semi-automatic rifles, and their expressions were emotionless. She swallowed roughly, the shoes she’d been given making minimal sound against the white tile beneath her feet. They took several more turns, and soon the all-white hallway turned less sterile and hospital-like. One of the men placed his hand on a glass, black plate on the wall, and the door slid open. She felt her mouth open slightly at the hallway that was revealed.
Oriental rugs graced the granite flooring, and oil paintings covered the walls. There were actually windows, and she could see the bright sun and clouds outside. Wincing from the brightness and from being locked away for so long, she blinked past the pain. Although she saw outside, she was high enough up that all she could see were the tops of a few scattered trees. Everything else was dead land, sand, and nothingness.
They kept moving down the hallway, took several more turns, and then stopped in front of a set of wide double doors. One of the goons knocked on the wood, the sound loud as it echoed off of the walls. Her heart was beating so damn fast, her nerves, and the betrayal she felt having her muscles tighten and lock up.
