Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
"Anywhere I can put her down? She's wiggly." Frank laughs.
"Lock her in the guest room, upstairs. It's high enough that there's no way of getting out without hurting or killing herself. She'll be safe there."
Up more stairs, some walking, open a door and then close it again, only behind me. I'm thrown onto a bed so suddenly, my stomach lurches like I'm on a roller coaster. I brace myself against the mattress, expecting to be attacked, but nothing happens. I know he's still in the room though.
I take a moment to gather myself, then hiss, "If you touch me, the Eagles will make sure there isn't a piece left of you big enough to recognize."
"Right now, I'm pretty sure it's your lover boys that are in bits. But we'll see. Maybe you'll be useful enough to live another day still. Enjoy your stay.”
A door opens, slams, and then a key is turned in a lock. I give it what feels like forever, but probably isn't even a minute, then risk pulling the blindfold off. I'm alone.
It doesn't take long to verify that what Kozlov said was true. There's a balcony and big windows that give a nice view of the city below me, but there's nowhere for me to jump or climb that doesn't involve me probably ending up as a splat on the ground. But at least I can orient myself a little. Kozlov's place is on a hill towards the edge of the city and overlooks the Ditch and then South Side in the distance. A little off to the side, the skyscrapers in Blackworth stab at the sky. If only I had my phone, I could actually use this information productively, but for now there isn't much for me to do.
The room itself is nice, but barren. More like a hotel room than somewhere someone might live. Maybe I can make a rope by tying sheets together? There are too many bad things that can happen with that. I don't trust myself to make knots that can hold my weight, if nothing else.
So I look out over the city lights. Somewhere out there, Piston, Beast and Zero are alive and whole, and are turning the city on its head to find me. I don't know that, but I have to believe it. I want to tell them that no matter what happens, I’m glad for the past week we’ve had together, and I wish we had more time.
35
BEAST
I watch the house through the pocket binoculars. It’s in a fancier part of town, overlooking most of the city. The kind of place I'd expect a bad guy to be hiding. Not one of those super mansions for an evil billionaire, but definitely a defensible home for someone with some money to spend. Honestly, it's a little fancy for somewhere I'd expect the Bloodmoney gang to hang out, but Sandra’s phone is in there somewhere.
"See anything?" Piston was a little annoyed that I was the only one who thought to keep binoculars in my saddlebag, and is waiting impatiently for me to hand them over so he gets a turn.
"A lot of people moving around inside, but the curtains are thick enough to hide faces and details. Armed guards all over the outside areas, like they're expecting to be assaulted at any time. This has gotta either be Kozlov’s place or someone else higher up the food chain from Bloodmoney. No fucking way this place is theirs." I sweep the binoculars across the facade again, hoping to catch something useful. I almost miss it. "Fuck, hold on."
A little twist to focus, and then I catch him through a gap in the curtains. His back is to me, but it's gotta be him. And then he turns around, dispelling all doubt.
"Gotcha. It’s definitely Kozlov. No wonder there are guards all over the fucking place. Fucking numbnut goons led us straight to him."
"Not even surprised." Zero squints as he examines the property, probably looking for good ways in. "It makes sense that they'd be working for him. The question is, where is Sandra? Kozlov's gonna go down no matter what, but she's the one we're here for."
"Still looking. One of you guys wanna call Eagle-eye? Bet he'd be real interested to know where we are right now." I keep scanning for signs of our girl.
Piston pulls out his phone. "On it."
"There's someone moving in a window on the top floor. To the right." Zero's eyesight is good enough that he basically has his own fucking binoculars.
I follow his directions, and while they're obscured my more of the damn curtains, I swear those curves look fucking familiar. "That might be her."
"Might be? You're the guy with the fucking binoculars."
"I'm ninety percent sure that I've gripped those hips without clothes on. But the curtains are just thick enough that I can't be certain. Here." I pass the binoculars over. Maybe he'll see something I don't. Piston glares at being skipped over, but he's still on the line with Eagle-eye.