Page 66 of Operation: Discovery

The door slammed open, and she jumped then blinked at the bright light behind whoever had come in. “Time to try again.” He laughed as he headed for her.

“No …” Not again. She couldn’t go through another round.

“All you have to do is tell her where Adam is, and the pain will all be over.” He thrust a key in the metal shackle around her wrists and it opened, falling to the floor with a loud clatter. He yanked her to her feet and shoved her in front of him toward the door.

“Just tell them what they want to know. They won’t stop until you’re dead,” her cellmate called.

Answering him would only waste words. She didn’t have many to spare. In fact, she doubted her tongue would work for much even if she chose to tell them. That would mean she’d have to deal with her failure her entire life through. If someone at Wayside was hurt because she’d been too afraid to stand up to evil, then she’d have to live with the consequences.

“The chair.” Ramona pointed to it once again.

There were no needles on the tray like before, but why would they try something again that didn’t work last time? Ramona bent at the waist until she was eye-to-eye with Dee as her thug locked her into the torture chair.

She smirked, with her nose just inches away. “I don’t have much time. I was nice to you before, letting you be sedated while I did my convincing, but your pea-sized brain just can’t seem to comprehend the importance of what I need when you can’t feel what I’m doing. So, now you’ll feel it. All of it.”

Dee closed her eyes and clenched her fists. She would not say a word.Lord, close my lips and give me strength.Ramona went behind Dee’s chair and in the next instant, Ramona sliced her across the back of her head. Immediately, warmth spread over the area. Only then did she feel the pain. Ramona touched the back of Dee’s head, then came around in front of her, holding up her bloody fingers.

“I’ve dealt with this a lot in the last few months. I’m always surprised at just how much I can get out of someone. How many nicks does it take for you to give me the information I need? Shall we find out?”

Ramona laughed as she went behind her once more. A few seconds went by before she felt another slice, this time so painful Dee screamed.

“Scream all you want. We’re miles away from anyone. No one will hear you. No one is coming for you. One little address and this can end. Just tell me where he is.”

“Never.” Dee heard the weakness in her voice, the lack of conviction. How long could she hold out to this abuse? She’d been tortured earlier and now again. How much more could she take before her mind just took over and spoke to stop the pain? She needed treatment.

Her head reeled. Could she already be suffering from low blood pressure? Surely not so quickly?Be strong, you can do this.She had to for Adam. Who else would stick up for him? He was a poor kid from the wrong side of town. Other than his mother, no one cared.

“I care,” Dee said, and then realized she’d said it out loud.

“You care about what?” Ramona sneered.

“About Adam. You don’t. You want him dead. I want to see him live, to succeed.”

Ramona gripped the front of Dee’s tee and bunched the fabric in her fist. “He’s nothing. Just a walking incubator for the organs my son needs. You can care about him all you want, but he will die.” She shoved Dee back into the chair, the metal seat back ramming into Dee’s shoulder blades and spine.

“I won’t tell you anything.”

“Nothing, huh? That’s what I wanted to hear.” She turned to her guard standing by the door. “I think it’s time you make another bread run. This time, the bomb goes in the truck. Make it big enough to take out enough of Wayside that people will call it ‘the crater’ from now on.”

If she said nothing, Adam would die anyway. How could she save him? If she told them where he was, then they’d go and get him. If she didn’t, they’d blow up Wayside.

“Don’t do it.”

Ramona turned back to her and picked up an empty syringe from the desk, then opened the desk drawer and took out an amber bottle. “Why is that?”

She closed her eyes. “Because he’s there.”

She cackled. “I knew it. I don’t have any need for you now.” She filled the needle slowly. “Any idea what you weigh? I don’t want to give you too little and have you laying on the floor, braindead. Of course, if that happened you couldn’t tell what happened to you. I’d rather have you good and dead, not just brain dead. Aren’t I kind?” She laughed. “Nighty night.” She stuck the needle in Dee’s neck and depressed the plunger.

ChapterTwenty-Seven

Connor stared at Brendon as they sat in his office. He’d barely set the phone down after talking with Nixon and was now waiting for Brendon to answer. Trouble was, he wasn’t sure what he should do.

“I can’t believe you’re even considering staying behind.” Connor grabbed his hat. “You know that you want to be there. This is what men were literally created for; protecting the women they love.”

Brendon flinched. Why was he doubting himself now? Why was he so sure that if he went, things would go wrong? If he went along with Connor and slowed them down at all, and Dee was hurt because of it, he would never forgive himself. On the other hand, the need to protect Dee had been coursing through him since he’d first gotten wind that she was missing.

“What if I slow you down?”

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