Page 18 of Operation: Integrity

Her stomach knotted to the point where she couldn’t pace anymore and she sat on the sofa, then slid to the floor. Somehow, the floor felt more grounded, more stable. With deep breaths, she closed her eyes and focused on making her heart slow down. Without a little calm, she couldn’t think straight.

There was a way out of this without hurting Sam or anyone else here at Wayside. Even Edwyn, who she didn’t like that much, didn’t deserve what Nathan would do if hecame back. Would he bring ten men? Twenty? She shuddered, then tried to pray. Even thinking words to string together for the Lord was too hard.

She laid fully prone on the floor and rested her head against her arm. While the floor was cold and hard, it was also something completely solid. It wouldn’t disappear. It wouldn’t go away. She wasn’t in any danger as long as she simply laid on the floor and tried to think. Nathan had just left, meaning she was safe in this minute. As each moment passed though, she was closer to reckoning with him.

Something light hit her window and bounced off, scaring her. It tapped again, then she heard it whirring right outside her door. Kelly gingerly crawled toward the window and waited, hoping the noise would stop and that she wouldn’t have to find out what it was. That window was right near her front door. She could go out the back, but what good would that do? Something had found her.

Suddenly, she heard a faintbeepthen another. Curious, she crept along the floor and reached for the knob to open it.Would Sam open the door?The thought was like a hit over the head. Of course he would, but he was strong and capable. What was she? She refused to answer that internal question meant to pull her even deeper into stinking thinking.

She tugged the door open and a drone similar to the one Sam had shot down sat right outside her door. It had a small red light on the top that seemed to flash a light in her face. She dodged behind the door, realizing too late that the device might have been scanning her.

The beeping started up again, almost insistent, refusing to be ignored.Call Connor.Her thoughts yelled at her, but Connor had already dealt with Nathan today.Sam had already dealt with a drone. She could disable this one and then bring it to them. She wasn’t completely helpless, and it wasn’t like the device could hurt her.

She tugged the door wide, and the drone immediately shot into the air and flew into her cabin. She shrieked as it barely missed the top of her head. It landed with a few bounces on the coffee table and turned. The little machine seemed to stare at her.

The beeping seemed louder now. What could she do to stop that noise? No one else could hear it since there wasn’t anyone else around, but the noise was almost to the point of being mentally more than she could take.

“Stop!”

If anything, the thing made more noise. Kelly clamped her hands over her ears then thought better of it. She ran to the kitchen and grabbed the one frypan in the small kitchen. The drone rose slowly and hovered in the air, the four whirring blades holding it perfectly in place. It dropped a small box from the bottom and then it shot toward the door.

In a moment, the whirring drone was gone. Now she was left with the tiny beeping box. Was this how Nathan would kill her? Would he send a bomb through her front door? “Sam told you to stop asking all these questions in your head.” She clenched her fists and tried to wipe her thoughts clear of all the questions. “Asking them doesn’t do any good.” She reached for the box. “But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t ask them out loud.”

She ripped off the top, half expecting to see Jesus in the next instant. When nothing happened, she stood there paralyzed in fear until she realized the box had quit beeping and she was fine. Peering inside, she found asmall smart watch that almost looked like it was made for a child.

“What?” This couldn’t have been for her. There had to be a mistake. Maybe the box was meant as a gift for one of the wives or children there at Wayside. She cringed. The box was a mess. If this was meant to be a gift, she’d ruined it.

She took the watch out to get a better look. The front screen flashed a bright blue button that said,incoming text. Curious, she pressed it.

Tiny text print filled the one inch by one inch screen.

This is Nathan. You have betrayed me. I saved your life when you were going to starve. I gave you a job and a place to live. I made sure you had food.

A dot blinked on the screen and she knew he was typing more. Her gut clenched.

You had friends. Your bank account would’ve been full, but not now. Not after this.I’ve had to spend quite a bit of that money looking for you. Did you think that would be free? Now, you’ll need to work for me even longer to earn back what I’ve had to spend for you. You failed me.

Kelly sat down hard on the sofa. There was no way to respond to the texts. No way to tell him to leave her alone. She didn’t want to go back to him. She didn’t have to pay Nathan back. Sam wouldn’t want her to. Neither would Connor. They would protect her. Wouldn’t they?

“Stop it. You’re asking questions again.” She shook the watch and another message popped through.

Good. I see you have my gift. Put it on. Now.

Kelly ran to the window, but the drone was gone and no one was around. How could he know she had the watch? Would he know if she put it on or not?

It buzzed in her hand as another message came through.

You will listen to me, or Jasmine will die. She is right here. I just cut off some of her hair. You know how she feels about her hair. She’s crying. Put on the watch or I’ll cut more than her hair.

She fumbled with the little plastic fake wrist that the watch had been on and slapped in on. “There. Are you happy now?” she screamed. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Just having the watch on was like being imprisoned again. Maybe only a little, but it was the first shackle in a line of many.

Good. I see you put it on. Now we’re getting somewhere. I will know if you tell anyone about this watch, so don’t you dare do it.

She watched the small screen, praying Nathan was finished with her and knowing he never would be.

It can be worn in the shower and anywhere else. You will only take it off to charge it and you will charge it once a week while you sleep. Do not betray me again, Kelly.

She wished she could answer him, tell him that she would listen and do whatever he said, just don’t hurt Jasmine. She might have been the one who got Kelly mixed up in this mess the first time, but she was also her closest friend and the one she’d wanted to bring with her when she’d been rescued. If only Jasmine had agreed to come.

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