by Cole Gibsen
“I’m—” The words died on Q’s tongue. “Rileigh, behind you!”
Before I could turn around, a jolt of electricity slammed into my back and coursed through my body like razor blades. I opened my mouth and a scream tore from my throat.
Q’s fingers were a brush away when another arc of lightning smashed into his chest, sending him flying across the room. As soon as he hit the floor, the electric current stopped tearing through my body. I fell to my knees, swaying for a moment before falling forward. I tried to stand, but my body refused to listen as my muscles continued to spasm.
A hand grabbed my shoulder and roughly flipped me over. Sumi kneeled beside me and snickered. “That looked like it hurt.”
I glared at her, forcing words through my chattering teeth. “If—you—kill—me—Kim—will—kill—you.”
She laughed. “Like I said before, I’m not going to kill you. You are more useful to me alive.” She lifted my trembling arm and pressed her dagger against my palm.
Pain burned white-hot where the dagger ripped through my skin. I pressed my teeth together to keep from crying out—I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.
Sumi took my bloody hand and placed her own bleeding palm against it. I tried to wrench my arm from her grip, but my body continued to spasm.
With a grin, Sumi set aside the knife and pulled out a long leather cord woven with bits of rock and what appeared to be bone. It was identical to the one Whitley had used moments ago. She proceeded to wrap our wrists together. “Say goodbye to your life, Rileigh Martin.”
My mind raced to make sense of the situation. What the heck was going on? Sumi could have easily killed me with her electricity. Instead she kept me alive for—well, I wasn’t exactly sure what this was. My best guess was a demented friendship bracelet ceremony.
After she’d finished wrapping our hands together, a tingling sensation pushed through the numbness inside me. Finally! I pressed my teeth together and growled, “Get off me.” I brought my shaking legs against my chest and kicked out, striking her in the gut. She flew into a plastic trash can, denting its side.
She struggled to climb to her feet. “You’re too late.” She raised her hands as sparks danced along her fingertips.
Son of hibachi. There was no way I was getting fried again—especially without Q nearby to deflect the blow.
I slid across the concrete until my hands grasped the handle of my sword. My pulse thundered loudly in my ears as I pushed my ki into the blade and held it in front of me as a bolt of electricity streaked toward me. My sword intercepted the blow and, with a scream, I used my ki to push the lightning back the way it had come.
Sumi’s eyes widened just before the lightening struck her chest. The electricity sent her spinning backward. Her head hit the floor with a crack, and her eyes blinked lazily before rolling back into her head. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw the faintest smile cross her lips.
I pulled my ki back inside of me and closed it off with a shiver.
Q stepped over Whitley’s unconscious body and moved beside me. “So, is that it?”
I nodded—with both Whitley and Sumi knocked out cold, it certainly appeared that way. So why did I feel a gnawing sensation within my gut?
A battle cry rang out from the other side of the locker room door. I raised my sword and whirled around in time to see the door kick open.
The showers must have run out of hot water during the course of our fight, because the steam had dissipated enough for me to watch as Kim and Drew burst inside the locker room with their swords extended. Kim’s eyes swept over Whitley’s and Sumi’s bodies and the angry lines on his face melted into confusion. Gradually, he lowered his sword and studied me. “You did this?”
I smirked and sheathed my katana. “You say that as if you’re surprised.”
“I am. And not because you defeated Sumi and”—he glanced at Whitley’s body in disgust—“that traitor. I am only surprised at how quickly you were able to do it.”
Drew nodded, his eyes wide. “It is impressive.”
Quentin draped and arm over my shoulder. “It’s easy when you know how.”
I laughed. “Q is pretty badass. And I think I’m really starting to get the hang of this ki thing.” I shrugged. “Still, thanks for getting here so quickly.”
Kim shrugged and nudged Whitley’s thigh with his toe. “Not sure how helpful we were.”
“It helps to know I can count on you to come if I’m in trouble.”
Drew grinned and elbowed Kim in the side. “You’re moral support, dude.”
Kim smiled at me. “Keep it up, and maybe I can put in for early retirement.”
“Dork.” I laughed. Still, his words stirred a flutter of hope inside me—hope that maybe Kim would someday give up his work with the Network. Hope that we could have a life together of our own, and not one dictated by others.
“Is she really out cold?” Drew pointed at Sumi’s unmoving body.
Q walked over to her and bent down, placing his hands on her head. “She’s a healer like me. She won’t stay down for long. But I can give her a little boost to ensure she stays asleep—at least until the transport gets here.” A flash of light burst from his fingers, flickered along Sumi’s temples, and disappeared as quickly as it came. “There. That should hold her.”
“And what about him?” Kim motioned to Whitley.
“Oh, he’s out cold.” I laughed. “It’s one of Q’s specialties. He can alter brain serotonin levels. When Whitley wakes, he’ll feel almost drunk. You won’t have to worry about him getting very far.”
Kim’s eyes widened as if impressed. “That’s handy.”
Now that I was no longer moving, the blood from my hand trailed like ribbons from between my clenched fingers and fell onto the floor in fat, crimson drops.
“You’re hurt.” Kim’s gaze narrowed, and he strode across the room.
“It’s nothing.” I hid my hand behind my back only to have Q grab it.
“I’ll take care of that,” he said. A second later, a tingling warmth flooded my hand. “Good as ne—” But his words trailed off. “Huh.”
“What’s wrong?” I pulled my hand out of his grasp and glanced at my palm. Just like before when Q had healed me, the gash had closed and was no longer bleeding. Unlike before, a faint shining scar remained in its wake. “It scarred … ”
“I don’t understand.” Q scratched his head and looked at his own cut palm. “The same thing happened when I tried to heal my cut.” He held up his hand, revealing the jagged pink line across his palm. “I usually don’t leave scars.”
The knot of uncertainty inside me pulled tighter. “It was a deep cut,” I offered.
He frowned and traced the line with his finger. “I guess.”
I tried to push the worry from my mind. After all, I’d just survived a pretty epic battle with my arch enemy—it only made sense that I would still be on edge.
Kim placed his hands on the side of my face, electrifying my skin beneath his fingers. “Are you okay?”
I forced a smile to my lips. “Of course. We stopped Whitley and Sumi from whatever crazy plan they’d concocted. And better still, you have your memory back. I’ve never been better.”
He nodded, his eyes locked on mine, and giving me the uneasy feeling he was trying to read the truth in them. “You would tell me if there was something bothering you, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.” And because I could think of no reason why something should be bothering me, I added, “I think I’m just tired.”
“Of course you are.” Kim wrapped an arm around my shoulder, tucking me against him. “I’ll take you home so you can get some sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake.”
“You’re probably right.” I rested my head against his shoulder so he wouldn’t see the uncertainty in my eyes. For just a mome
nt, I wanted to pretend that the worst was over. I didn’t want him to know about the tangles of worry twisting across my body, pulling so tight I had to strain against them just to breathe.
It was a feeling I knew all too well—a feeling that danger lurked just around the corner.
13
Together, Kim, Drew, Quentin, and I dragged Sumi and Whitley out of the locker room just in time to see Dr. Wendell pull up in his black Audi sedan.
We watched from inside the gym as he climbed out of his car with a roll of police tape in hand. Within minutes he’d taped off the front entrance. He tucked the roll back inside his pocket and joined us inside. “That should keep people away long enough to get the truck here.” He glanced at Whitley and Sumi. “Good job taking care of this so quickly. Everything go okay?”
“For the most part.” I rubbed my freshly healed hand against my leg. A strange tingling sensation tickled along the pink edges of the scar—probably the result of having it healed so quickly. I made a note to ask Quentin about it later.
“Rileigh? Are you okay?”
I glanced up to find Kim frowning at me.
I quickly shoved my hand inside my pocket. “Yeah. Why?”
“Because I said your name two times and you didn’t respond.”
Oh. “Sorry about that.” My vision blurred at the edges, and I blinked several times until my sight refocused. What was wrong with me?
“You look exhausted,” Kim said.
Dr. Wendell shook his head. “Not only has she been awake for twenty-four hours, but she also executed a surveillance mission as well as fought and captured our targets.” He looked at me with lines of concern etched across his brow. “I honestly can’t believe you’re still standing.”
“Well now that you mention it … ” My knees wobbled together, and I grabbed onto Kim’s arm to keep myself upright.
“Whoa there.” Kim slid an arm around my waist to steady me. “I think it’s time we got you home to bed.”
“No!” I shook my head. “I’m not going anywhere until these two are loaded onto the truck.”
“Rileigh.” Dr. Wendell folded his arms. “You can barely stand. Kim’s right. You need to get home and get to bed. Besides, thanks to Quentin, Sumi and Whitley aren’t going anywhere.”
“But—”
He shook his head. “If you’re still concerned, I’ll have Drew stay with me, and Michelle and Braden are on their way. We’ve got this covered.”
“But—”
“Maybe they’re right.” Q rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “All of a sudden I’m feeling pretty exhausted too.”
Kim nodded. “Adrenaline crash.”
Q yawned. “Has to be. I wouldn’t mind going home and going to bed myself.”
“But—”
Kim squeezed my shoulder and steered me toward the door. “Come on, sleepyhead. Let’s get you home before you collapse. We wouldn’t want the Network to accidentally take you too.”
“No, we wouldn’t,” Dr. Wendell agreed. “Their technology is quite impressive. Their cells and transport trucks are inescapable.”
A faint chill whispered along my spine, raising the hair on my neck. I was scared, but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why I should be. “All right, you win.” I sighed. “I guess a little sleep couldn’t hurt.”
“I’m glad you’ve come to your senses,” Kim said. He motioned Q to follow us. “Come on. I can drop you off before I take Rileigh home.”
I felt myself being pushed forward as my eyelids grew heavier by the second. It was all I could do not to fall into the depth of unconsciousness as Kim led me out of the gym. He must have realized I wasn’t going to make it much farther because the next thing I knew, I was swept off my feet and carried by a muscular pair of arms.
My head rolled lazily against his chest. “Don’t let me fall,” I teased, my voice barely a whisper.
“Never.” His breath was warm against my neck. “It’s like I said before, now that I have you back, I’m never letting go.”
I wanted to tell him it wasn’t him I was worried about. Second by second the darkness behind my eyes pulled me deeper into unconsciousness. But instead of guiding me gently along, this darkness ripped into me, tearing at me with claws, wanting to devour me whole and leave nothing behind.
I tried to weave my fingers into Kim’s shirt, to keep from being pulled away. But my tired fingers fell from his chest and dangled limply as I fell deeper inside myself. Instead of feeling my heart racing inside my chest, I heard it echo around me, ringing inside my ears. I tried to scream but no sound came forth.
This wasn’t right. Sleep, no matter how exhausted I was, should never feel like this. I fought against the darkness, digging my nails into the side of it, trying to claw my way out of the pit, but all I managed for my efforts was a single word.
“Kim.”
“Yes?” His voice sounded miles away.
“Don’t,” I muttered before succumbing to a wave of unconsciousness barreling over my head. I tried to scream the rest before it was too late. Even then, I wasn’t sure if I actually spoke the words or if they merely circled through my mind.
“Don’t let me fall.”
14
Japan, 1492
He wasn’t coming. It’d been a year since her capture and her samurai had yet to show.
Chiyo sat on the ground whimpering as she pulled the arrow from her shoulder. It was bad enough being Ryuu’s canvas, but even worse when he loaned her out to his men for their amusement. Today she’d been the target in archery practice.
She breathed deeply as pain washed over her in hot waves. Just two more. She cried out as she pried another arrow from her stomach, and a final one from her upper thigh. She threw the arrows over her shoulder and fell onto her back, panting as the ache dulled to a throb—a sign her wounds were healing.
She blinked back tears as she stared at the blue, cloudless sky above her. She was supposed to be married to a handsome samurai and living within the village walls. If things had gone according to plan, maybe she’d even be a mother. She never imagined she’d end up the play thing for a camp of violent bandits.
But maybe, just maybe, that could change.
Someone tsked and Chiyo sat up to find Ryuu standing before her. He folded his arms across his chest. “We are going to have to get you new robes again. Look at you. You are a mess.”
Chiyo glanced down at her bloody and tattered robes. They could be washed and mended, but she knew Ryuu wouldn’t allow that. He kept all her blood-stained clothing in a chest, collecting them the way her father had collected calligraphy when he was still alive.
“No matter.” Ryuu waved a hand dismissively. “Am I to understand you were looking for me?”
Chiyo inhaled, hoping to slow her rapid breathing. Since her previous attempts at escape had ended in severe beatings, she normally spent her days hiding from him. Today was the first she’d gone looking for him. The spark of an idea had come to her when the first arrow pierced her shoulder, an idea she had no choice but to implement if she hoped to survive. “I noticed—” Her voice broke and she was forced to swallow before continuing. “I noticed you have not taken a wife. I thought, given the situation, I might make a suitable match.”
Ryuu’s eyes flew wide and he laughed. “What is this? You wish to marry me?”
Actually, Ryuu was the last person Chiyo wanted to marry. But couldn’t bear to continue on as she was—with every day bringing more torture than the day before. And hadn’t her father always told Chiyo that a husband’s duty was to care for and protect his family? Surely if Chiyo were to become Ryuu’s wife, he would end his daily “art” sessions and no longer allow his men to abuse her.
Chiyo nodded. “I do.”
Ryuu scratched his chin. “What an entertaining idea.” He looked at her, rea
lly looked at her, as if seeing her in a new light.
Could her plan actually be working? A shiver of delight traveled through her body.
He held out a hand for her, the first gentle touch he’d offered in the year she’d been with him, and helped her to her feet. “I must say, Chiyo,” he said as he escorted her through the camp, “your proposition is an intriguing one. We must discuss this more in depth.” He stopped in front of his tent and brushed the flap aside, ushering her inside.
Waves of nausea rolled through her stomach as she stood in the middle of the room where most of her torture took place. She swallowed the bile burning up the back of her throat and squared her shoulders. If she had any hopes of convincing Ryuu, she must appear sincere. “It makes perfect sense. Surely you want children to carry on your legacy. And I have proved myself to be more than obedient and loyal to you.” Her eyes drifted to a patch of dried blood on the grass below her feet. Perhaps too obedient …
“I rather like this idea.” He smiled and walked a slow circle around her. “But I do have one concern. How do I know this is not a trick? How do I know you would pledge your love and loyalty to me forever?”
A tremor danced down her spine. She’d been prepared for this, and she knew she had no choice but to offer. “M-my body.” With trembling hands, she began to untie the sash at her hips. “I offer it to you.” For as much as the men loved to hurt her, none of them had ever touched her in that way. And the thought of allowing Ryuu to do so made her gut clench. But still, if it kept her alive and safe, she would gladly give herself away.
“Wait.” Ryuu grabbed Chiyo’s wrist, stopping her from pulling open her robe. He licked his lips and Chiyo fought the urge to shrink away from him. “I have a better idea.” He released her hand and pulled his dagger free from his obi.
No. A pit of ice formed inside her gut. This was not how her plan was supposed to play out.
“If your body truly belongs to me, then I should be permitted to place my name on it?” He grinned. “Would you not agree?”
Tears burned Chiyo’s eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. After all she’d endured, she could be brave one last time, if that’s what it took to make him happy. “Of course. Where would you like to put it?”
