Page 6 of Victorious: Part 3
Tilting my pain-filled head, I purse my bloodied lips. “Clever,” I admit, nodding appreciatively. “Evil, but clever. I can respect that.”
“This serum is making herloco,” Mustache Guy mutters.
But there’s something else happening now. Underneath the artificial euphoria of whatever drug they pumped into me, a warmth spreads through my body that has nothing to do with amusement and everything to do with the fact that I’m nakedexcept for a jacket. I am surrounded by men, and whatever they gave me is affecting more than just my ability to lie.
I shift uncomfortably in the chair, suddenly extremely aware of how the cool air is hitting my skin, how the rough fabric of the jacket is rubbing against my nipples. The truth serum has apparently decided to ramp up every sensation, including ones Idefinitelydon’t want to be feeling right now.
“Oh, this is just fucking perfect,” I mutter, another laugh escaping. “Not only am I going to die, but I’m going to die horny. Phoenix is going to be so disappointed he missed this.” The guards exchange more confused looks. “I need to get back to him,” I continue, the words tumbling out without any filter. “Because this stupid drug is making me want to climb him like a tree, and if I’m going to die, I at least want to have really great sex first. And Phoenix and I are really great at sex.”
“Jesús Cristo,” Scar Face swears.
“Right?” I agree enthusiastically. “My husband has magic hands, and I amveryfrustrated right now that I’m here instead of letting him use them,” I say, shifting uncomfortably in the seat, trying to ease the tension building between my legs.
Javier’s laughter crackles through the laptop speakers. “Well, thishasbeen entertaining, but I think we’ve gotten all we’re going to get from our guest.”
“So, what now,jefe?” the big guard asks.
There’s another pause, longer this time, and I can see Javier considering his options. The dim part of my brain that isn’t swimming in chemical euphoria recognizes that this is the moment.
This is where he decides whether I live or die.
“If she’s of no use for information…” he says finally, “… then we will have to make her useful in other ways.”
“How do you want us to handle it?” Scar Face asks.
Javier’s smile turns ice-cold. “Kill her.Slowly. Make surethere’s enough left for her lover to find, but not enough to give him comfort. Grief-stricken men make poor tactical decisions.” His eyes light up before he says, “In fact, call him. Tell him we have her. If we can’t get information from her, then we get it from him.”
The words should hit me like a physical blow. It should snap me out of this drug-induced haze and into pure terror. But as if on cue, I burst into fucking hysterical laughter. “Oh my God, you’re actually going to villain monologue my death, use me as bait for Phoenix?” I wheeze, almost into a full-on asthma attack. “That’s socliché! What’s next? A drawn-out death trap that moves at a snail’s pace just so I have time to escape dramatically? Are you going to explain your entireevil planwhile I’m helplessly tied up? Give Phoenix enough time to find me and ruin this whole evil plan of yours while he kicks your asses when he gets here?”
The three guards slowly stalk toward me, and somewhere in the back of my mind, alarm bells are finally starting to ring. But they’re muffled by the chemical fog in my brain, distant and unimportant compared to how absolutely hilarious this whole situation has become.
“This is it!” I giggle as they close in. “This is how I die. Naked in a warehouse, high as a kite, being killed by three guys who look like they failed straight out ofVillain Academy for Dummies.”
One of them has a length of rope in his hands. Another is testing the edge of his knife again. The third is cracking his knuckles like he’s warming up for a workout.
“Phoenix is going to beso pissedhe missed this.” I laugh, even as my heart starts hammering against my ribs with the firstreal fearI’ve felt since waking up. “He’s gonna want to kill me himself for getting kidnapped on his watch.”
The rope goes around my neck, not tight enough to cut off air,but it’s a clear promise of what’s coming. My eyes widen as they land on Scar Face.
“Any last words,princesa?”Scar Face asks with mock courtesy.
I look up at him through my laughter-induced tears, and for just a moment, the absurdity of it all hits me afresh. Here I am, about to die, and I can’t stop fucking laughing. It’s the most ridiculous thing that’s ever happened to anyone,ever.
“Yeah!” I gasp between giggles. “Tell Phoenix when he gets here I said his coffee was terrible… but his dick game was legendary.”
The rope starts to tighten, and even through the chemical haze, real panic begins to claw its way up my throat.
But my laughter doesn’t stop.
Even as the world starts to fade around the edges.
Even when my fear kicks in, and everything starts to turn black.
Chapter Three
PHOENIX
The further we venture into the warehouse district, the heavier everything feels. The air clings thick and stale, soured with oil, something that smells foul, like urine, and the kind of rot that settles in when no one’s cared for a place in years. The buildings are husks, steel skeletons with flaking paint and busted windows, slumped like they’ve given up on being anything more than cover for crime.
