Page 49 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

They passed by several metal doors that seemed more suitable for a bank safe than a holding facility, and there were security cameras mounted at regular intervals along the ceiling. "How many prisoners do you have down here?"

"Currently?" Max's expression darkened slightly. "Too many. A couple of Doomers and the rest are humans—members oftrafficking rings, pedophiles, the worst kind of scum." He smiled. "I started to tell you about all the wonderful things that the clan does to save victims of trafficking and clean the world one dirtbag at a time, but I got distracted." He gave her a loaded look.

Thinking of the cameras that were no doubt also recording sound, Kyra felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Perhaps we shouldn't bring up things of this nature down here. Doesn't seem fitting."

Max nodded, but a sly smile danced on the corners of his lips. "You are right. My bad."

They reached an open door at the end of the corridor, and Max walked right in.

A handsome man with longish curly hair that didn't go well with the uniform he was wearing rose to his feet.

"This is Alfie," Max introduced him. "He took over for me when I was gone and is now my second-in-command." Max turned to her. "And this is Kyra."

Alfie offered her a warm smile and extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Kyra."

Nodding, she shook his hand. "Same here."

"Is everyone there already?" Max asked.

Alfie nodded and then offered Kyra an apologetic smile. "Kian has decided to use the interrogation cell, which is connected to an observation room with a one-way mirror. He doesn't want the prisoner to see you during the interrogation."

Kyra suspected that Kian just wasn't comfortable with her being there, but he was the boss here, and he made the rules. She had no choice but to comply.

31

MAX

The split interrogation room hadn't been used in years, and Max wondered what had prompted Kian to change plans and move the prisoner there. Toven's compulsion was going to force him to talk no matter who else was present, and since they weren't going to beat up the vermin, there wouldn't be any blood and gore, so that wasn't a reason to keep Kyra out of the room.

The only thing he could think of was that Kian wanted to shield Kyra at least partially from what was about to be revealed, and there was some logic to that. She would still hear it, she would still see the monster who had abused her, but there would be a wall between them, which should give her a sense of security.

As Alfie aimed his phone at the scanner on the door to the interrogation room proper, Max aimed his at the door to the observation room, and after a brief moment, both slid open with twin soft hydraulic hisses. Alfie entered the other room while Max motioned for Kyra to enter the observation room ahead of him.

Two chairs had been placed in front of the large mirror that looked like a window from their side and allowed a clear view of the interrogation room beyond.

Kyra froze in place, looking through the glass at her tormenter.

Strapped to a chair, his wrists and ankles secured with thick metal restraints, the Doomer sat blank-faced, his eyes half-lidded—partially sedated as per Kian's instructions.

"Please, take a seat," Max motioned toward one of the chairs.

Her head whipped toward him with a shocked expression as if she'd been startled by him being there with her.

He pulled the chair back a little, thinking that some distance from the glass would make her feel more comfortable.

"Can they hear us on the other side?" Kyra asked in a whisper.

"No. It's completely soundproof." He took a pair of headphones off a hook and handed them to her. "You can hear what's going on through these, and if you want to make a suggestion or ask a question, you can use the attached microphone. Keep it off until you want them to hear you."

She took the set from him but hesitated before placing it over her ears. "Do I put them over the compulsion-filtering earpieces or instead?"

"Over." He dipped his head to look into her eyes. "Are you okay? You don't have to be here."

"I need to." She waved a hand at the observation window. "Who are the three men with Kian?"

"The redhead and the blond are Anandur and Brundar, Kian's bodyguards. They are brothers. The dark-haired guy is Toven."

"The god," she murmured in awe. "How many gods are there on Earth?"

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