Page 98 of Irreversible

My muscles are seized up in one big Charley horse. A stun gun. Damn thing dropped me like a rock, allowing them to drag my useless body away.

“Well,” I mumble, “I was right. I regret that decision with every fiber of my being.”

“Yes, well, I like to call thatreaping the consequences of your actions.” A smug face appears in front of me. The Timekeeper.

Fuck, I really need to find out this asshole’s name.

“Or, as our late friend Roger Oxley might say, ‘stupid should hurt.’ And unfortunately for you, I’m afraid we haven’t even gotten started.”

Late friend…I killed Roger?

Could have sworn he was alive when I left him.

“You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not in the mood for comedy hour just yet.”

“Oh, you’ll be fine in a minute.” He waves me off like I’ve been stung by a bee. “Say, don’t they hit you with a taser in police training? I thought you’d be used to it.”

And there it is.

He’s probably been champing at the bit to spill everything he knows about me.

“You don’t exactly develop an immunity to electricity surging through your body, dumbass.”

“Good to know.”

At the snap of his fingers, I catch movement to my side. Someone stands just outside my line of vision. A long metal rod comes into view, aimed at the exposed skin of my upper arm?—

Zzzzt.

“Ahh. Fuck!” I jolt in place. A cramp in my shoulder, then burning.

A guttural sound wrenches from between my teeth. I writhe in my bonds, sputtering curses. Panting.

A cattle prod.

My teeth bare in a predator’s smile. “That tickles.”

With a cock of his head, he grins right back. “Would you believe they left this here? Comes in handy.”

“Thoughtful of them. Where ishere, exactly?”

He smacks his hands together. “Well, I suppose that’s all for now.”

“Hey, douche nozzle.” I prepare myself for another zap from the cattle prod.

It doesn’t come.

Freezing in place, he looks at me over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised.

“Since you’re here, I’ve been meaning to ask. What thefuckdid you do with my sister?”

“I’m sorry, who?” He cups a hand around his ear.

“Don’t play games with me, you miserable piece of shit. You know what I’m?—”

“Dear lord.” He grimaces, waving a hand in front of his nose. “Your aroma is offensive. What have you been crawling in?”

“Why don’t we take a walk out back, and I’ll show you?” Menace oozes through every word.

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