Page 35 of Nuclear Option (Owens Protective Services)

“All over.”

I huffed in exasperation. “Wow, that’s clear as mud. Johnny said something about grapes? What were you doing?”

“Shouldn’t you know that?”

“I’m pretty sure Eli hired you on.”

“Wow, I don’t even get the full attention of the boss,” he laughed. “That makes me feel great about risking my neck for you guys.”

“You’ve got my attention now. You know, you’re kind of crazy.”

“In what way?” he asked.

I laid back on the bench and stared up at the ceiling. “You have a fucking death wish.”

“Not true. I just can’t be killed.”

Rae and I both snorted. “Okay.”

“No, it’s true. I’ve tested it.”

“So, what? You just go out and tempt fate?”

“Nah, I don’t believe in that shit. But I can test it out for you.”

I sat up and shook my head. “Don’t bother. We need all the help we can get to grab Eva and haul ass out of here.”

He stood and walked over to the jail doors. He studied them for a moment, then turned to me with a grin. “These are electrified, did you know that?”

“Hey,” I sat up quickly, knowing what he was about to do. “Don’t even think about it.”

“I’m not gonna lie, it’ll hurt like a son of a bitch, but you’ll see.”

“New Guy!” I shouted, but I was too late.

He took a deep breath and then reached out to grab the bars. He screamed as the electric current thrummed through him. His body shook and then he collapsed on the ground.

“Oh shit.”

“What a fucking idiot,” Rae muttered, still lying on her bench.

“Rae, the guy is fucking dead.”

“No, he’s not. It’s just a little electricity.”

I stared at him, waiting to see him take a breath or something, but nothing happened. “No, I think he’s really dead.” I looked around for something to stick through the bars and poke him with, but I had nothing. I didn’t dare stick my arm through, in case the inner bars had the same current running through them.

“Then it’s his own fault. Who grabs bars that are electrified? Seriously, his death is on his own head.”

“Wow, you’re all full of sympathy and shit. Do you think you could be at least a little sad about the death of a man that you worked with for the last few days?”

She swung her legs over the bench and sat up. “I would, boss, but he took his life in his own hands. He knew we had no way to help him. What the fuck do you want me to say?”

I glanced back at New Guy and shook my head. “What a wasted life,” I muttered. “Well, that takes our plan down a peg.”

“What do you want to do now?”

“I guess we continue as planned. It won’t be as easy with Eva being injured.”

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