Page 17 of Power Term

What in the hell am I supposed to do?

Live or die.

At least there’s a 50/50 chance of making the right choice.

* * *

A loud noise somewhere nearby snaps me from the heat exhaustion state I slipped into after Shawn left. Jerking my head up, I blink to ease what feels like dirt coating my eyes and survey the still empty cell. The quick tug to both hands and feet signals I’m still restrained and what might be worse, I can’t really feel my fingers anymore.

“If I lose my fingers, I’ll be pissed,” I hiss. Focusing on my fingers first, I urge them to wiggle, getting some blood flowing to them even though it hurts almost as bad as the bitch slap Shawn delivered earlier.

Time has stood still since I woke in this enclosed room. There’s no way to tell how much time has passed without the sun as a somewhat guide. Hell, at this point it could’ve been days ago that I was abducted, but that doesn't feel right. No, days would be too long. I’m the president. There’s half an army out there looking for me, as well as my guys. And probably Sarah at this point.

I smirk at the thought of what she’ll do to Shawn if she gets her hands on him. It will be a glorious sight to see him cower to her. Just the image of her kicking his pompous ass has my heart beating faster and a wide smile emerging.

The fantasy vanishes at a squeaking creak as the only door swings open. I squint to ward off the bright sunlight that shines behind the man, dousing his face in a dark shadow preventing me from seeing his features. No, wait. I squint further. It’s not just the shadowing but something covering his face, everything but his eyes hidden behind a black wrap of some kind. It reminds me of the covering the man who broke into my suite in Saudi Arabia wore to keep his identity hidden.

The man steps deeper into my little cinder block cell, slamming the door behind him. My eyes narrow the closer he gets. There’s something familiar in his stance, something that suggests I’ve seen him before.

“Do I know you?” I ask as he checks the dark corners of the room.

Silence stretches as he sidesteps to move out of my line of vision. My sides ache as I twist to gain another look, but he’s stopped directly at my back, preventing me from seeing him.

“Who are you?”

Silence.

I huff, letting out the frustration, exhaustion, and discomfort in one tight breath.

“Fine. I’ll tell you something. They will find me. He will find me. And when he does, you’ll have the full force of Trey’s wrath on your head. Not to mention I have a button that could launch a nuke up your ass. Or hell, I could just call in a favor to the SEALs. We’re friends.” I roll my eyes at my own embellishment. “Okay, fine, maybe ‘friends’ is a little exaggerative, but they know me. I’m kind of a big deal.”

I don’t hide my snort.

“You did drag me out of a bulletproof town car among a caravan of dark SUVs, so I’m guessing you already know who I am.”

“More than you know” comes a muffled voice behind me.

Stretching my neck from one side to the other, I steel my spine, readying to ask the hard questions. “Tell me, were you behind the attacks in Egypt and Saudi Arabia?”

“Yes and no.”

“Okay,” I say on a pushed breath. “Was it you who said I was responsible for your two friends? One of which you shot because he was assaulting me, I’d like to add.” No one will miss that fucker. Who humps a scalp? I shiver in revulsion. “You did the world a favor with that one.”

I scream as my head is yanked back by a fist gripping my hair.

“I’m worse.” Immediately he drops his hold, and I sense rather than see him retreat a step.

“Your fingers aren’t fucking my throat, and your tiny penis isn’t dry humping my head, so I have to disagree with you on that one.” Maybe I can get to him, make him see I’m a human being, not just a hostage and Shawn’s plaything. That’s what they always say on those crime shows, right? “Do you like unicorns?”

Direct tactic to building a connection. I like it.

“That fucking unicorn obsession of yours is strange.”

My ears perk up at that. So he knows I’m oddly fascinated by the mystical, beautiful creatures. Interesting. Only my inner circle and friends know that. Well, them and my….

Realization washes over me like a bucket of ice water.

My agents, the ones by me every day and night. They’d all know about my unicorn-loving heart.

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