Page 49 of Scar

They. They will rape the girl. There was a total of five men in the cave. Julian had lost count of how many there actually were, their faces all blurring together after a while. This was not from racism but from an inability to concentrate in current conditions.

Tyke continued, his voice weak and low. “He says if you do not choose, they will do both.”

Julian’s eyes met Cajun’s. His brother was not doing well. The bullet wound in his shoulder looked infected and painful. Cajun’s dark skin was clammy and had a sickly hue to it.

But what choice was there?

Code, no code, they were all going to die in these fucking caves. Julian had no way of knowing if any protocols had been changed because he didn’t know what was in the package to know if that was even possible. The code was so jumbled in his mind that he didn’t know which was real and which was fake.

I will not talk…

Could he, even if he wanted to? His throat burned so badly from the rope and struggling to reach the edge of the crate.

The girl was maybe twelve or thirteen. He couldn’tchooseto allow her to be gang raped. That was a fate worse than death. But how could he choose to have his brother, his teammate, killed?

They were dead anyway, but could he make thatchoice? He was so starved and dehydrated that his mind was not making much sense. Like the ramblings of a lunatic.

One thing was clear to him, though, and that was the code. His Commander’s warning of the dire consequences if the package fell into enemy hands.

I will not talk…

Julian met Cajun’s pleading eyes and knew what his brother’s choice was. He would notwantto live if it meant the teenager was violated by these depraved men.

The leader shouted something, but Julian did not need Tyke’s translation to know he was demanding Julian choose.

It took all of his willpower to raise a shaky, unsteady hand so Julian could point a finger at Cajun, knowing the moment his brother stopped breathing was the moment his own soul would turn black.

CHAPTER13

PRESENT DAY

Tally called Simone as she rushed out of her apartment. Since it was the middle of the night, they understandably didn’t have a babysitter available. As much as Simone wanted to come to help and support Tally, Tom was not about to let his wife go gallivanting off into an unknown situation while he stayed home with their baby. He was going to meet Tally at the restaurant.

Tally was still on the phone with Simone when she stepped outside her apartment building. As soon as she was in the night air, she knew.

“My restaurant’s on fire!” Panic and devastation at the reality of that statement made her voice crack.

“You’re there already?” Simone asked. Then louder like she was shouting across her bedroom, said, “Tom, Tally says it’s a fire! Take the truck. There are still water bottles in the back from the church picnic!”

Tally didn’t know if Simone meant the water bottles were for her and Tom or if she thought whatever water was in the truck would be enough to put the fire out.

It wouldn’t be.

From where she was standing blocks away outside her apartment building, Tally could smell the intensity of the smoke in the air.A lotof smoke. Distinctive fire truck sirens and horns blared in the distance.

“I can hear the fire trucks,” Tally answered quickly. “I need to go, Si! I have to know what’s going on!”

“Tally!” Simone called out hastily.

“What?” Tally demanded,needingto put her phone away so she could run. She couldn’t risk holding it and dropping it.

“Do you think it was him? Your stalker? I mean, do you think he?—”

“No!” Tally shouted without needing Simone to finish her thought. “He would never. Plus, he’s been with me all night and he was with me when the alarm woke me up.”

“Wait, do you meanwithyou-with you orwith you-with you?”

Tally had no idea what the difference was and did not have time to figure it out. “I have to go, Si! Tell Tom to be careful.”

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