LOGINVINCENT'S POV"There it is," he said. "The real Vincent. Not the calculated businessman. Just a thug with anger issues.""Shut up," I said."Why should I?" Daniel asked. "What are you going to do? Hit me again? Stab me? Go ahead. Show the camera what kind of person you really are. Let everyone see that you're no better than me."I grabbed him by the throat. My fingers dug into his windpipe cutting off his air. His eyes went wide and he started choking but that stubborn look never left his face."Confess," I growled. "Confess or I swear I will make your death last for days."Daniel couldn't speak with my hand around his throat but he shook his head. Even without air. Even facing death. He still refused.I let go and stepped back. He gasped and coughed trying to get air back into his lungs. Red marks were already forming on his neck where my fingers had been."You're insane," I said. "You'd rather die than tell the truth?""The truth?" Daniel wheezed. "You want the truth Vincent? Fine.
Vincent's POVI set the knife back down on the table. Daniel's eyes followed the movement with the kind of focus only fear could produce. His whole body was tense against the chains waiting for pain that hadn't come yet.But I wasn't going to start with physical torture. That would be too easy. Too quick. Daniel needed to destroy himself first before I destroyed what was left."Fidel," I said without taking my eyes off Daniel. "Bring the equipment."Fidel nodded and left the room. I could hear his footsteps echoing down the hallway. Daniel watched me with confusion mixing in with the fear on his face."What are you doing?" he asked. His voice was getting stronger as the drugs wore off but it still had a tremor in it. "What equipment?""You'll see," I said.I walked over to where Mia was sitting. She looked terrible. Her skin was gray and she was breathing too hard. The poison was still working its way through her system. I would need to get her proper medical care soon or she might ac
MIA'S POV"Try," he said. It wasn't a request.I tried to stand but my legs wouldn't hold me. I made it halfway up before collapsing back down. Farok made an annoyed sound and grabbed my arm. He hauled me out of the van without any gentleness. My feet hit the ground and I would have fallen if he wasn't holding me up."Fidel," Farok called out. "We need help with the woman."Another man appeared from somewhere deeper in the factory. He was shorter than Farok but just as muscular. He had a scar running down the left side of his face from his eye to his jaw."What's wrong with her?" Fidel asked while looking me over."Poison," Farok said. "Daniel poisoned her days ago and she's still recovering. Vincent wants her alive so we need to get her stabilized."Fidel nodded and took my other arm. Together they half carried half dragged me toward a door at the back of the factory. I tried to help by moving my feet but mostly I just stumbled along between them.Behind us I could hear the other men
MIA'S POVFarok and the other men grabbed Daniel's unconscious body before he could hit the ground. His head lolled to the side and his arms hung limp. The syringe was still sticking out of his arm until Farok pulled it free and tossed it aside."Get him in the van," Farok ordered. "Now."Two of the men in dark clothes lifted Daniel by his shoulders while a third grabbed his legs. They moved quickly carrying him across the cracked parking lot toward the waiting van. I stood there watching and feeling like I should do something but not knowing what. This was what I wanted wasn't it? Daniel being caught. Daniel finally paying for what he did to me.So why did I feel sick watching them haul his body around like he was already dead?"Move," Farok said to me while grabbing my arm. His grip was tight enough to hurt. "We need to go."He pulled me toward the van and I stumbled trying to keep up. My legs still felt weak from the poison. Every step took more energy than it should have. The men
Charles POVI moved as quietly as I could from cover to cover. Behind pallets. Behind forklifts. Behind anything that would hide me. The footsteps were getting closer. They were searching systematically. It was only a matter of time before they found me."Check the offices in back," one of them called out."What about you?""I'll keep searching here. He can't have gone far."One set of footsteps moved away toward the back of the warehouse. The other stayed close. Too close.I was maybe fifty feet from the exit door now. But there was no cover between me and it. If I ran for it he would see me for sure. If I stayed here he would eventually find me.I had no choice. I had to run.I took a deep breath. Counted to three. Then I broke from cover and sprinted for the exit."There!" a voice shouted behind me.Gunfire erupted. Bullets sparked off the concrete floor. Hit the shelves beside me. I didn't look back. Just ran as hard as I could.The exit was right there. I slammed into the door's
CHARLES'S POVThe first shot hit the ground near their feet sending up sparks from the asphalt. Both men dove behind the sedan for cover. I fired again hitting the sedan's front tire. It exploded with a loud bang and the car dropped several inches on that side."Come on," I muttered while climbing over the center console into the driver's seat. The dead driver's body was heavy and awkward. I had to shove him to the side to get past. His blood was everywhere. On the seats. On the steering wheel. On my hands.I checked the ignition. The key was still there. I turned it and the engine made a horrible grinding noise but didn't start. Smoke was still pouring from under the hood. Whatever damage the gunfire had done it was too much.More gunshots. Bullets punched through the back window spraying me with glass. I ducked down low and fired back blindly. Two shots left.I needed a new plan. The SUV was dead. I couldn't stay here. They would just walk up and shoot me through the windows. I had







