Ransom Canyon Jodi Thomas Novels & Stories

I stopped fiddling with my hands, all my movements; if it was possible, I may have had forgotten to breathe at that moment too. "What do you mean? Jodi, come on? Talk to me..did they forced you to act that way? You're not a fucking robot! Don't do what they tell you to do! Those people out there are a bunch of assholes!" I saw her twitched but it didn't faze her. She remained stoic looking at me without even batting an eyelash. "No. No, Nick the truth is I'm an interpol agent. Me being inside the arena wasn't coincidental. It was all planned; my assignment was to get close to you and expose the compound's location. And I was successful, I guess."

The bomb’s shadow was gone, but Dante’s escape and Alessio’s silence loomed, a storm unbroken. --- The Castellano safe house was a bunker of dim light and simmering rage, its concrete walls a refuge from the city’s chaos. Kai stood by a map, his black shirt torn, his shoulder graze re-bandaged, his hand lingering near Gianna’s. She sat on a crate, her braid undone, her emerald eyes shadowed, the bomb’s near-detonation a weight. Rosa, bandaged but fierce, uploaded hack data, while Marsh, vengeance burning, pored over Syndicate ledgers seized in the raid.

Disarming. “It’s protected,” Thomas said as we drove. “Not with obvious force. With discretion. Respect. No digital footprint worth tracking.” I leaned back slightly, watching reflections slide across the window. After explosions, sirens, and open sky, the city felt almost unreal—too calm, too alive. “And why are you helping us?” I asked. Thomas smiled faintly. “Because some storms don’t stay contained. And when they reach shipping lanes, supply chains, quiet corridors people assume are untouchable—men like me notice.”

Jake walked behind us, alert in case anyone came down the stairs. Thomas climbed out the window and waited for me on the other side. Jake cupped his hands to give me a step so I could climb up to the window. I stumbled out as best as I could, and Thomas caught me and helped me land on my feet on the other side. The outside… The cool night air… I thought I would never see daylight again. Even though Derian said he didn’t intend to hurt me beyond kidnapping me, I was terrified of not making it back home and seeing my babies again.

he said, “and I’ll take your hands before you blink.” Thomas chuckled. “Oh, we don’t need to touch them,” he said lightly. “Watching you panic is far more entertaining.” Casius lunged. The rune-web snapped tight around his legs, burning through muscle and bone. Pain exploded up his spine, white-hot. He bit down a roar. Thomas lifted a hand, his voice smooth as poison. “Drop the ledger. Kneel. We leave.” His smile returned, slow and cruel. “And in exchange, your precious pups—and their rogue mother—get to see another sunrise. For now.”

The exodus was a sight of pure, unadulterated terror. It wasn’t an organized protest. There were no placards, no chanting. There was only the frantic scraping of metal trunks against concrete and the sobbing of girls who realized that the walls meant to protect them had become a cage. "They are using us for rituals!" a girl screamed, her voice cracking as she dragged a giant travelling bag toward the campus gate. "First Mary, now Titi! Who is next?" "I believe there's a serial killer, in our midst" another girl said calmly. "I would rather go home than be slaughtered by a psycho!"

THE MORNING HEADLINES: * ASSET SEIZURE TURNED AMBUSH: Cynthia Thorne arrested at the signing of the Thomas Estate transfer; the "Orphanage" records revealed as a front for international trafficking. * A NATION WATCHES: Cynthia Thorne faces trial of the century; legal experts say life imprisonment is the minimum, while some territories push for the death penalty. * THE SURVIVORS SPEAK: Thousands of victims come forward to thank Jake Thomas for "finally remembering their voices" and breaking a decade of silence.

Thomas struggled to remember the layout, envisioning Ariana's description as she anxiously relayed the details. Mind racing, he gathered as much information from her as possible. "How many guards did you see on your way in?," he inquired urgently. After a moment's hesitation, she answered, "I counted five of them." A flicker of hope ignited within Thomas. He meticulously planned his next move, exploiting any weakness he could find. With determination, he began working on freeing himself from the chains binding his hands and feet. Struggling against the biting pain and the unforgiving metal, he managed to loosen them enough to slip free.

Thomas glanced out the window and with a lingering fear in his heart he muttered, “Ryan Hudson, a terrifying rival. With him on Conley’s side assisting him, it will cause us huge problems in the future. “With his defeat this time, Ryan will be more cautious with his next move, making it more difficult to counter. “But… Thomas licked his lips in excitement and said, “It has been a long time since I experienced this feeling of exhilaration since I left the west coast. How strong are you, Ryan Hudson, show it to me as much as you want, please don't let me down.” Thomas had always found battles with experts to be exhilarating. ...... A frosty night, the moon went down and the crows cawed. Thomas

However, there has been some good news. Ryder had been located safe and sound. He and Thomas were both apprehended hiding at Thomas's sister's house in Wellington. As it turns out, Thomas was wanted for an outstanding warrant. One of his skills he didn’t want to be exposed was his knack for harboring stolen goods. That accounts for his unexpected reaction regarding the journal. As of now, Ryder is living with his aunt, who appears to adore him along with her four-year-old twin daughters.