Page 68 of His Reluctant Savior

“Wakey, wakey,” said a man.

My eyes rolled up into my head, and the dizziness made me feel like I was floating and spinning. I shook my head and blinked my eyes open to find a blurry man standing in front of me.

“It’s about fucking time we found you,” he said. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put us through?”

“Wh-what’d you do with… my son?”

“You don’t get to make demands, asshole. I’m sick of chasing your fucking ass. You’re lucky my employer wants answers. Otherwise, you would all be dead right now.”

“My. Son,” I gritted, demanding.

“He’s fine… for now.”

Even through my hazed mind, I took the threat for what it was.

I blinked my eyes open again, and my vision started clearing up. The man in front of me didn’t look like a killer at all, but I knew looks could be deceiving. He wore black tactical gear, but his hair was a mousy brown and cropped short, and he wore thick, black glasses. He wasn’t too tall or too short. He was the type who blended perfectly into a crowd.

“I need to know how many copies of the video you made and where they all are, along with any other evidence you’ve gathered.”

I licked the blood dripping from my bottom lip and then scoffed. “As if you’ll let me live if I tell you.”

He squatted in front of me, appearing outwardly calm and collected. “Do I need to bring your son out here? Do you need proof of what we’re capable of if you don’t answer my questions?”

“As if you’ll lethimlive if I tell you.”

His smile was small, but it sent chills down my spine. “There are worse things than death, Agent Dalton Reed.”

When I didn’t answer, he looked over at another man standing next to a stall and nodded. The man opened the stall door, and the panic threatened to tear me apart at seeing Owen lying on a pile of hay, unmoving.

“Is he… Is he?” I couldn’t finish my words.

“He’s alive. We just gave him something to… relax.”

I struggled and thrashed in my bonds, growling. “I’ll kill you! You fucking monsters! You all put me in this position by murdering that girl!”

The man in front of me spread his arms. “It wasn’t me who killed her.”

“No, but you’re just as much of a murderer. Spare me your fucking ‘innocence.’ All of you are monsters.”

I almost told him that someone more dangerous than him was on his way, but I didn’t know that. Even if Sid would be here soon, I didn’t want them to be aware of his presence. Sid needed the element of surprise to succeed and get us out of there alive.

Like a viper, he lashed out at me, grabbed my finger, and snapped it. I held back my scream, groaning loudly. I couldn’t do fucking anything with my wrists bound to the armrests of the wooden chair.

“That’s only a sample, Agent Reed. Usmonstershave done far, far worse.”

“If I’m going to die, there’s no point in giving you the satisfaction of knowing where the videos are. And if I die, all this comes out, live.”

“So there’s more than one?”

“Of course, there are, and others know about it—people far more dangerous than you.”

The man scoffed. “Killers don’t help the feds. I don’t believe you.”

Maybe, but one killer did, I thought to myself, wishing and hoping Sid would be here soon. Even if I died, he needed to get here before they hurt Owen.

I choked back my fear and grinned. “You all aresodead. Harming me means you’ve signed your death warrants.”

He blinked for a second before he burst out laughing, and his minions joined in. I was more than happy to let them underestimate Sid.

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