“You won’t need that. I am not aggressive by nature. Provoke me, and I guarantee one of us will die.” The man said.
“I’m looking for Ray.” Dragon said. He wasn’t fearful but rather expectant.
The man moved toward the fire, letting his rifle rest to his side. His features becoming visible as the whites of his eyes flashed the first hints of life. “I was almost one of them. So disappointed in life. So tired of what it had become.”
“It’s a matter of choice.” Dragon said looking out into the faces. They were stoic.
“They’re making new choices now. They aren’t taking the candy anymore.” The man said. “Together we’re safe.”
“Until they step out that door.” Dragon replied. “Watch.”
Dragon glanced down at the bags of powder. He lifted them into the air. There was a sudden sense of static in the air. Shadows, many of them, danced in the firelight. He felt the hair rise on the back of his neck.
“Put it away.” The man said. “Please.”
Dragon lowered his hand and slid the bags into the inside his jacket. He’d chosen a rehab center, good job.
“What do you want with Ray?” The man asked stepping closer to Dragon. He could see the man was clean not a speck of dirt or rip on his clothing. There was no smell permeating off him. The man felt his gaze, “I prefer to be clean. They don’t.”
“I need to put in my resignation.”
“You’re going to kill him?” The man cocked his head to the side. He laughed loud enough to make the others screech. Dragon held his gaze firm to the man. He fought not to flinch from the high-pitched sounds that sliced through his eardrums. “You’d be doing me a favor if you did.”
“How are you helping these people?” Dragon snapped. “Look at them.”
“They are better than they were. If they leave, they don’t get to come back in. It’s simple.” He glanced around. “This isn’t you’re doing?”
“Not mine, man. Not mine. That’s all Ray and whoever he’s working for. The devil, I guess.” Dragon looked at the people who’d already begun to go about their own business but by no means appeared normal. “The damage, what about the damage they’ve already suffered?”
“Do their brains return to normal?” He asked. “Yes and no. It depends on how long they’ve been taking the drug before coming to me and to what extent. Some used heavily while others used in moderation.”
“Her.” Dragon said pointing at the woman.
“Three weeks. She may never talk or look the same again, but she’s making progress.”
Dragon sucked in a deep breath of air. He could see she’d once been pretty, barely a woman. “I got to go.” He said suddenly feeling Closter phobic.
“Go towards the tallest buildings son. He stays at the Hyatt where he can watch over his flock. Make sure he’s dead before you leave because he’s got more than nine lives.”
Dragon didn’t say anything as he turned. Once outside he made a charge toward the truck. Inside, he felt little relief. Nothing could wash away what he’d seen. The only help he could provide meant ending the easy access to the drug. For a split second, he thought of Candy.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Riley was getting restless. The morning had gone by without a word from the team, and she still hadn’t had a chance to speak to Axel. Confronted by a tiger and learning that someone she wished was dead was alive was making her more anxious. The demons of her past were screaming down on her, and a new fear had formed over the last few hours. Knowing Mark was recently in Sacramento raked at her inner core. Why had he survived the Shift? It made no sense at all. More than anything, she needed to tell Jack. She was working her way back to the dispatch room when she heard Axel’s voice.
“Riley.” He said. He reached forward and gave her a gentle hug. “Are you alright?”
“Good.” She said. “Just a little scratch.”
“A little scratch huh?” He raised an eyebrow. “I heard it was a tiger.”
“Not changing the subject or anything but Jack has been out there for some time and …”
“And no,” Axel interjected. “Jack reminds me on every occasion how much energy you have. I’m not sending out another team just yet. When I do, I’ll let you know.”
“But…” She started to argue.
“They had Summer this morning.” He said changing the subject.
"I know. Have you heard from her?" Riley asked allowing the change of subject.
"She ran off. Jack's has his eye open for her." Axel said. "Now come with me and have a cup of coffee. I want you to meet someone." He said.
Riley wasn't in the mood to meet any more people, but she did as he asked. She followed him into the dining area of the compound already on limited sleep and several gallons of caffeine.
Axel stepped towards a dark haired woman whose skin was as porcelain as her daughters. She knew the face immediately to be that of Jaden’s mom because they were near identical. Before introduced formally, she rose from her chair and took Riley’s hand. Her hold was gentle and yet firm.
“It’s nice to meet you, Riley.” She said. “Axel has spoken highly of you and Jack.”
“Thank you,” Riley said glancing over at Axel. “I met Jaden just a little while ago. She’s a special young lady.”
“Tenacious and stubborn,” Lisa said.
Riley grinned. “That may not be such a bad trait in my line of work.”
“Kids these days are much more creative. They have to be. Jaden, for instance, taught herself to shoot a bow, taught me to shoot a gun." Axel said bringing back several cups of coffee. "Their faces are no longer face down on the phone or playing video games."
“I thought everyone knew how to do those things,” Riley said grinning.
Axel leaned back in his chair and smiled. "That's what sets Riley apart from other women."
“I am sure Lisa can handle herself as well.” She said. It was obvious to Riley there was more between the two than just friendship.
“Yes.” She replied turning a soft shade of red. “It’s important to be elegant while being efficient at the same time. I can see Riley understands that.”
“Oh, boy do I!” Riley said.
“Why aren’t you out with your team?” Lisa asked.
"She had a little run in with a Bengal Tiger." Conman said from behind them. "Sorry for the interruption. Riley you are needed in the communications room."
“Will you excuse me?” Riley asked. They both shook their heads.
“We’ll talk some more,” Lisa said.
“I’d like that,” Riley said looking at the two of them. Axel was glowing.
She followed Conman toward the door. “Did you just save me?”
“You owe me, one sister. We heard from Jack about an hour ago. He requested a van to do a live pickup.” Conman said. “Cobra thought you might like to sit in for a few hours.”
“Yes and that’s one-piece of good news.”
Riley stepped up her pace to keep with Conman. With evening approaching the safety lamps in the corridor began to click on producing long strands of yellow light, which guided them to the communications room. They stepped through the door and into the quietness save the buzzing of computers and screens. Chandler had his head resting on his fist and Cobra was thumbing through an old magazine. They both looked up when she and Conman walked through the door. Both of them looked worn out.
"I need a shower, food and a nap. All in that order." Chandler said dressed in a two-day shadow on his face, and the skin under his eyes was beginning to turn dark. He pointed down at a headset on the desk behind him. "You're up next Cobra."
“Hurry up.” He grumbled picking his magazine back up.
“Okay,” Riley said sitting down in his seat that squawked loud enough to wake the dead. She put the earpiece in place and looked at Chandler who thought it was funny the chair was complaining under her weight.
“It doesn’t do that when I sit down.” He said.
> “Ha ha!” She teased. “Must’ve been that breakfast Conman brought me.”
“He lies,” Cobra said. “It makes plenty of noise. Why don’t you just replace it?”
“It’s grown on me,” Chandler said stepping towards the door. “I’ll be back.”
Riley sat back trying to get the earpiece comfortably in place. She settled in switching out her seat and finding a new tablet for some serious doodling. A good hour passed, and Conman was snoring in the corner, Cobra was working on Sunset Magazine 2013 number three and Riley had several pages of mind trash drawn out. She still hadn't told anyone about what she learned about Mark, but her mind felt frayed from trying to solve the issue. That's when she got a little static coming through her earpiece.
“Did you hear that?” Riley asked Cobra.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “Try switching your channels.”
“Is someone there?” Riley pulled her mic in closer getting a weird sensation. Something she no longer taken lightly. Silence…A humming silence. She switched channels until she got clarity. “Hello,” she said glancing over at Cobra who must’ve found an article worth reading.
“It’s been a long time, Riley.” The voice whispered. A voice she’d tried so hard to forget.
Every muscle in her body suddenly constricted and the breath in her chest failed her. She froze and then looked over at Cobra who focused his attention on reading.
“I thought you were dead.” The voice spoke so softly intentionally intimidating.
Nothing came from her lips, but she stared at Cobra. When he finally turned to face her, he leaned forward setting the magazine down. Riley stared at him. He got it. Get it together Collins, she told herself. Riley picked up a pen and paper and wrote “channel 42/location” on it and held it up for Cobra to see. He nodded.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" He said. He was keeping his tone unusually calm and eerily low. A cold chill raced down her spine, and she knew he had grown in his evil, demented mind.
Cobra was at work now and listening in on the conversation. Riley had to trust someone and that someone was Cobra.
“I’m at a loss for words.” She said forcing herself to be in control while wanting to say, I hoped you were dead.
He always made her feel stupid while not even trying, not anymore and not for a long time. The location was her only thought now. Where are you asshole? She played along pulling out her pistol and setting it in front of her. The gun was a gift from Jack, one he’d given her shortly after they met. The gun was symbolic of who she was now not what she had been then. Riley knew she must remain constant. There was no room for panic or fear, but anxiety wedged within her.
“I thought you might be. Glad to see you made it back to town.”
“You are no longer known to me,” Riley said.
“What you’re saying is you want a divorce but you know that’s impossible. I know you, Riley. The guilt of sleeping with another man while still married to me is killing you. It was a little better when you thought, thought me dead.” He said. His voice was cold. The pitch was freezing the tiny hairs inside her ear.
“You are dead to me,” she said. “This means we don’t need to talk anymore.”
“We have unfinished business.”
Cobra was standing now with his gaze on her. He shook his head saying he couldn’t get a location on him.
“What possibly could that be?” Riley asked.
“The people you’ve gotten involved with are fucking with my world.” He said. There was a harsh calm tone in his voice meaning he was trying in vain to stay in control.
Chandler held up a piece of paper that said, “Keep him talking. Fish for location.” It was the last thing she wanted to do. She had nothing to say to him. He was right though. He couldn’t give her a divorce even if he agreed but she’d asked. In her mind, she’d just gotten it. For her, it was over.
"Your world! Wow! I knew you were a psychopath when I left your sorry ass, now I know it for certain you're a lunatic." With every word she spoke, she felt her life taking a 180-degree turn for the better. She was free.
“I know you, Riley. You married me, and that's gotta just be eating you up now that you know I'm alive." There was a pause, and then his tone lowered even more. "Like you."
“You’re nothing like me, Mark. You made that clear every time you hurt me. I'm not who you remember me to be." She said.
"I know." He said, and she knew he was smiling.
Riley clicked him off. Shut him down whatever you want to call it. His voice was out of her ear, and his presence was out of her mind. So why didn't she feel peaceful?
Cobra leaned slowly against the counter and rubbed his chin. “I didn’t get it.”
“I’m done talking to him.” She said. “No sense in knowing where he is.”
“Your ex-husband is an asshole,” Cobra said.
“So is my ex-wife,” Chandler said walking back in. He was clean-shaven and not so pale. “What’s happening?” He asked putting his earpiece in place.
Riley started to step out of the room when Chandler stopped me. “Riley.”
"Tell him I just slipped and fell, hit my head on a corner table. I'm dead," Riley said. “He’ll believe that.”
“Who?” Chandler asked.
“Her ex,” Cobra replied. “Listen Relay. Sorry about the… ”
Riley stopped him. "Don't apologize Cobra. That's behind me. I do not want to play his games because I choose not to anymore. He has no right to rattle my cage, and I won’t allow it."
"Then pick up the mic. Mark knows your location. You're now in danger." He said. "Which in turn puts us all in jeopardy?"
Cobra was right. “Okay.” She said. “Okay” setting the earpiece back into her ear.
“Bitch!” It was the first thing he yelled into her ear. Some things never change she thought. “Now listen to me.”
“No Mark, you listen to me,” Riley said. “You…”
Mark cut her off before she could say anything else. “I have the girl.”
“What girl?” Riley snapped. It was a good he couldn’t see her. With a flushed face and white knuckles, Riley held her breath.
“Summer.” He said. “You don’t get it do you?”
"I don't believe you." She said watching Cobra's expression. Conman had woken up joining the listening pool. Her personal life pre-Shift was on display, and she didn't appreciate it, not one little bit.
“This one’s special. She’s a wild one. So young and full of fight.” He said. “Don’t believe me. Come see for yourself.”
“Put her on Mark,” Riley demanded. Her dislike for him had grown out of control over the years, and now she knew he was alive, Riley liked him even less.
She heard shuffling in the background. She listened to the agitation in his voice. Mark barked out orders to her. When the voice came on the line, it was tense and strained. Riley knew if Summer was as much of a fighter as Axel said she was; Mark would feed on her energy.
"Who is this?" she asked. Riley's teeth clenched. Hatred mixed with fear trickled from her voice.
Be scared, Riley thought silent.
“Summer?” Riley said in an even tone.
"Yes. Tell this son of a bitch that Axel will have his head if he doesn't let me go." There was a moment of silence, and Riley felt it coming. There was a crash and then the sound of glass breaking. A scream, a struggle. Riley strained to hear what was happening.
“Summer.” She said. Wanting to tell Summer the more she fought, the more aggressive he’d become. When Mark became angry, he also turned reckless. Silence traveled through the mic, static, and then Marks' voice seeped into Riley’s ear.
“Are you afraid?”
Yes, she said to herself.
“That’s not the best part.” He said with an excited tone. “Do you know where your brother is?”
Just as Riley started to speak, another voice came on the line.
“Riley, don’t. He’s going to kill all of us no
matter what.” Eric said as quickly as he could.
"I know where you are. If you leave, I'll know." Mark said.
Riley felt her entire body tremble. Her legs were about to give way to her. She grabbed the edge of the closest chair and hung on for dear life. "Eric." She said, and then the lights flickered. The room went black.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
With no reservations counter left at the Hyatt, Jack assumed vacancy wouldn’t be a problem. He’d recover his team, skipped graduation and as Pink Floyd might say “No sarcasm in the classroom.” He was happy to accommodate anyone who tried to stop them. The team parked a few miles away from the motel and then started out on foot from there. Now the entire city reflected a flat tone as black clouds gathered on the edge of the northern skyline. Though the fresh aroma of rain filtered the air, it couldn’t hide the disease that littered the streets. As the storm started to pick up, turning to gusts of wind, they lost communication with the Arco.
In the Shadow of the Tiger (The Fighter Series Book 2) Page 26
