Page 109 of Wicked Little Nightmare

He pressed a hidden panel, and a portion of the wall slid open with a soft hiss. My eyes widened as I took in the arsenal concealed within.

"Holy shit," I breathed, running my fingers over the gleaming metal of an assault rifle. "You weren't kidding about being prepared."

Lakey's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Ooh, dibs on the sniper rifle!"

I chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You don’t even like guns.” I poked her in the ribs. “Let's hope we don't need to use any of this. If this place is as good as you say, we shouldn’t need to."

Kyle nodded, his lips thin, his jaw clenched. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. There are more hidden compartments throughout the house. I'll show you the rest later."

As he continued his tutorial on the safehouse's defenses, I found my attention drifting. Sarah and Rose's muffled voices floated down from upstairs, and I noticed Lakey's gaze flicking towards the sound.

"You happy, babe?" I murmured, giving her hip a gentle squeeze.

Lakey's smile was brittle. "Just peachy. Why wouldn't I be?"

I studied her face, seeing the conflict in those beautiful, deadly eyes. The battle between her softer impulses and the darkness she wanted to unleash.

"You know," I said softly, "it's okay to care about the kid. Doesn't make you weak."

Lakey's laugh was sharp and humorless. "Says the emotionally stunted nut.”

I shrugged. "Takes one to know one, sweetheart."

An hour later, the stove crackled, casting flickering shadows across our little band of misfits. I lounged on the threadbare couch, Lakey curled against my side like a black cat. The smell of Sarah's beef stew filled the air, a homey scent at odds with the tension thrumming beneath the surface.

"This is nice," I broke the silence. "Real cozy. Like an episode of some soap opera. Just a few friends, hanging out."

Kyle snorted, ladling out bowls of stew. "Yeah, if your show involves guns and death."

"You've clearly never met my foster families," I quipped, fists and broken bottles flashed through my mind. I pushed them away, not wanting to go to that place right now, focusing on the warmth of Lakey against me.

Sarah shot me a look that was equal parts exasperation and concern. "Can we be serious for a moment? We need to discuss our next move."

I raised an eyebrow. "By all means, enlighten us, oh wise one."

Kyle cleared his throat, setting down his bowl as he fixed me with a hard stare.Can’t make jokes about his woman, I guess. Weak ass. Lakey and I rib each other all the time. It’s called love."Right. So, Chimera. They're not your average evil corporation. These guys are relentless. Once they've marked you as an asset, they don't stop until they've got you — or until you're dead."

"Charming," Lakey muttered, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my thigh. “You know we already know quite a bit, right? We stole some fat dude and made him sing like a tweety bird.”

I leaned forward, squeezing her thigh so she didn’t say anything else, wanting to hear what they had to offer, curiosity piqued. "What exactly makes us so special? I mean, besides our obvious charm and good looks."

Kyle's expression darkened. "They're obsessed with enhancing human potential. And from what I know, you two... you're already operating on a different level. Chimera wants to understand how and replicate it. You were their most successful projects. Aside from one other."

A chill ran down my spine, flashes of needles and cold metal tables surfacing. I plastered on a cocky grin. "Well, can't blame them for recognizing talent when they see it."

Kyle snorted, shoving a spoonful of food in his mouth, his jaw working it hard before he swallowed a moment later.

"Anyway, thanks for the new home, but what are we doing now? We’ve been over the places, people and things, but what are we doing first? I say we should storm headquarters and leave them in pieces.” I said, wrapping an arm around Lakey's shoulders. "We can't hide in this cabin forever."

Sarah sighed, rubbing her temples. "We need some information. Things have shifted in recent weeks, thanks to your murder spree, so almost everything we’d collected has now changed. We need to rebuild our database. Contacts, hideouts, anything we can use against them. For now, we lay low and gather intel. We have old plans, plans from when Kyle got out, but things are always changing and will keep changing as they try figure out what to do. Believe it or not, you killing their foster providers has caused quite the commotion. Kyle noticed enhanced guards on his stake-out rounds."

I nodded, half-listening. Playing defense wasn't my style, but I'd bide my time. After all, the hunt was half the fun.

Lakey's chest heaved as her lips twisted in a pout. I could practically feel the bloodlust radiating off her. "Fuck that," she spat. "We should hit them hard and fast. Cut the head off the snake before it can strike."

I squeezed her shoulder, trying to rein in her impulses before they got out of hand. Not that I didn't share them, but we only knew snippets. "Easy there, sugar. We’ve done good, but we can do more if we see what Kyle’s got." I hated to admit it, but if his intel was better than mine, I’d like to see it. I brought Skeet’s laptop, and I’d share that with him once he’d earned the right to see mine. He’s gotta show me his first.

She pouted, looking for all the world like a disappointed kid who'd been told she couldn't have ice cream for dinner. It was almost cute, if you ignored the fact that her idea of 'dessert' involved significantly more stabbing.

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