Exposure (40 page)

“We won’t help you,” Lucy hissed. “I’ll tell the police everything.”

From his knees, Peter nodded, sending blood spatter onto his knees.

Shut up, you two!

Hawfield sighed. “That’s what I figured. Which means you’ll have to go as well.”

“What do you mean?” Then Peter’s voice cracked. “We had a
deal,
Fergus. Detective Hawfield, I mean. You get a million dollars just for helping!”

The detective smirked. “You know, I think I knew this would happen from the start. I doubt I ever really planned on splitting the money. From where I’m standing,
five
million bucks sounds way better than one.”

Lucy began to sob.

Peter seemed astonished, at a total loss for words.

I knew what I had to do.

“I can dig four holes as easily as two,” Hawfield continued matter-of-factly. “That’s a lot tidier anyway. No loose lips to sink my ship, so to speak.”

His placid manner was terrifying. Hawfield felt no remorse at the prospect of murdering four teens for ransom money.

He’ll do it. He’ll kill us all.

I risked a look at my watch. Astonishingly, I’d only been inside the barn ten minutes.

Where the hell are the Virals?

Hawfield noticed my glance.

“You fools!” He stormed to the window. “This girl didn’t come out here alone. Those boys must be around, too!”

Whipping the shade aside, Hawfield peered out the window.

The hand gripping the gun hung at his side.

No more time. No second chances.

My eyes slammed shut.

Please don’t fail me now.

I called for the wolf.

For the other Virals.

For all the power that lay inside me.

SNAP.

P
ower infused me like a river of molten lava.

My limbs burned with energy.

I didn’t wait to test my limits. To see if my powers would cooperate.

Eyes shining with golden light, I fired forward, slamming into Hawfield from behind.

The force of my bull charge propelled him against the wall.

The gun dropped from his fingers. Skittered across the floor.

Unfortunately, my blitzkrieg attack had actually shoved the detective halfway through the window, blocking the best route of escape.

I scurried backward, a growl slipping from my throat.

At the same time, I tried to contact the Virals.

“You little hussy!” Hawfield wheeled his bulky frame, eyes darting for the HK45.

The pistol spun to a stop at Lucy’s feet.

She picked it up and immediately handed it to Peter, who had risen at her side.

Peter aimed at Hawfield, a cold smile on his bloody face. “How are things now, you stupid redneck?”

“Peter.” My golden gaze never left the detective. No one was looking at me. “Be careful. He’s dangerous.”

Hawfield was eyeing the gun in Peter’s hand, his face blank.

“He’s a buffoon,” Peter said lightly, enjoying the turn of events. “A pawn in our game, nothing more. I can’t believe we relied on him. Now, toss me those cuffs, then—”

Hawfield strode directly for Peter.

“Don’t move!” Peter screeched, backpedaling. “Stop! I swear I’ll shoot!”

Peter’s finger jerked. Nothing happened.

Hawfield snatched the HK45, then backhanded Peter to the ground.

Lucy screamed as she retreated to the desks lining the wall.

“You have to disengage the safety,” Hawfield explained, demonstrating as he spoke. “Otherwise, the weapon can’t fire.”

He pointed the barrel at Peter. “You were saying?”

“Fergus, please!” Peter held up both hands in supplication. “We can work this out. You can have half the ransom! Or
you
take four million, and we’ll split the one.”

“The time for deals is past,” Hawfield said. “Make your peace.”

I shot forward again, but this time, the burly detective was ready.

Hawfield swung the weapon toward me, stepping back to absorb any body blow.

But the detective didn’t know what I could do.

What a flaring Viral can do.

I ducked past him, racing toward the furniture along the far wall. Hawfield spun awkwardly. Springing atop a desk, I pivoted, ignoring Lucy’s panicked shrieks.

I faced the detective again, now in position. “Try to keep up.”

“Enough of this mess.” Hawfield leveled his pistol. Closed in slowly.

Faster than thought, I launched myself out into space, hands grasping a rafter beam.

Swing. Tuck. Release. I flipped in midair and landed smoothly behind him.

Hawfield spun again, trying to aim, but I was already moving. Grabbing the flagpole, I couched it in one arm like a lance and charged, jamming the eagle headpiece into his gut.

Crack! Crack!

Both shots flew high.

The air exploded from Hawfield’s chest with an audible
oof.

The detective collapsed, the HK45 jarred from his fingers.

A scarlet blossom spread from where the headpiece had pierced Hawfield’s shirt.

Hawfield stared at me a beat. Two. Then he scrambled for the gun.

But I was too quick.

Moving with canine speed and grace, I kicked the weapon across the barn, then slammed my heel down on his hand. Hawfield howled in pain.

I almost pitied his predictable, glacial movements.

He was a plodding dinosaur. I was lightning made flesh.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the twins huddled together, frozen in shock. My flaring ears easily detected their panicked breathing and thundering heartbeats.

“Get out of here!” Watching the detective. “My friends are somewhere outside!”

Peter started, as if waking from a dream. “Incredible! How did you—”

“Just go!” Back to the twins so they couldn’t spot my irises. “Find Hi, Ben, and Shelton. I’ll deal with this clown.”

But Lucy shoved her brother toward the back of the barn.

“The tunnel,” she hissed. “The boat should still be at the dock, we can take it. Let’s go!”

“No!” I shouted, but couldn’t risk turning to face them. “Check the woods. My friends can help us!”

Too late.

I heard a door slam behind me, followed by footsteps pounding down stairs.

Whatever bolt hole was back there, the twins had taken it. They were gone.

Detective Hawfield had risen to his feet. I streaked toward the window, pulled the drape back into place. Then I slapped off the light. The room became shrouded in gloom.

Darkness. Advantage Tory.

“You’re quite the gymnast.” Hawfield’s voice floated across the chamber. “Come try that trick again.”

“You’re not much without a gun,” I taunted, slinking from shadow to shadow.

Hawfield was trying to circle, but I could hear every scuff of his boots. Could see his hulking form without difficulty.

Hawfield barely looked at me, eyes searching furiously for his HK45.

I mirrored his movements, keeping the tent in the center of the room between us.

The gun was behind Hawfield, against the baseboard of the opposite wall.

He was closer, but couldn’t see it.

Keep his focus on you. Away from the weapon.

“You lost, Fergus.” My hunch was right—his clenching jaw revealed how much he hated that name. “The twins are gone. They’re probably calling your buddies in blue right now.”

“Not a chance.” Still circling. “They’re running for the hills.”

Hawfield’s sweat permeated the air. Heavy. Earthy. Sour. Metallic.

I knew those odors. My flaring nose could easily decode them.

Fear. Anger. Worry.

Hawfield was off balance. I had to keep him that way.

I neared the window. Hawfield tensed, no doubt expecting me to dive for it. He’d try to grab me before I scrambled out. That or locate his gun, then hunt me through the woods.

Run? Then what? How would I find Ella?

Hawfield would kill her immediately, then disappear forever.

No.
I
needed the gun. With it, I could prevent Hawfield’s escape.

I could
force
him to tell me where Ella was.

An ugly snarl curled my lips.

And I would. This monster wasn’t going to hurt my friend.

Suddenly, Hawfield stopped moving.

“Your eyes.” His voice was taut. “What’s wrong with them?”

Whatever it takes.

“You made a mistake, Fergus.” I forced a low chuckle. “I’m not your average girl.”

I gave him the full force of my lupine gaze.

Hawfield staggered backward. “Demon!”

Then he surprised me.

Trampling the tent, Hawfield barreled right for me.

I leaped to the side, ducking his outstretched hand while extending my legs into a split.

My foot caught his.

Hawfield tripped. Flew headlong into the wall with a bone-jarring crash.

As he lay in a dazed heap, I hurried to retrieve the gun.

By the time the detective sat up, I had him in the crosshairs.

“Thanks for showing me how the safety works.”

The detective rose to one knee, lung billowing. He spat a bloody glob into the corner.

“Just get out of here,” he fumed. “Go now, before I lose my temper.”

“I don’t think so.” I clasped the gun two-handed like Aunt Tempe had taught me. “My friends will be here soon. You’re going to tell us where Ella is.”

“You’re alone.” Hawfield rose unsteadily. “If your pals were here, they’d have come by now. I was wrong after all.” He took a step toward me. “You’re just a nimble girl with strange eyes. You don’t have what it takes to pull that trigger.”

He took another step.

I pulled back the slide on the HK45. “Try me.”

Hawfield froze. Our eyes locked. One heartbeat, then he took a step back.

Suddenly, my temperature skyrocketed. Sweat erupted all over as my senses lurched into overdrive. Information poured into my brain.

Scents. Smells. Sounds. Impressions.

I felt each Viral pause where they stood. A blast of thoughts nearly wiped my hard drive.

Tory?

Tor, where are you?

Hey, you oka—

Too fast. Too much. I staggered.

Sensing my body was about collapse, I tried the only thing I could think of.

Closing my eyes, I reached out to the other Virals.

The flaming cords thrummed like lines on a ship in a storm. I couldn’t grasp them. Couldn’t harness the connections.

Something untethered with an explosion of black.

SNUP.

A flash of red exploded in my mind. Pain seared across my forehead.

I felt myself falling, My eyes opened to see the hardwood rising to meet me.

Hawfield was above me, holding the gun. He lifted my dead weight, then flung me over one shoulder.

I tried to resist, but my mind was Jell-O. I couldn’t remember how my limbs worked. How to make sounds. I was carried, helpless, through the barn door and out into the trees.

A police car. An open trunk.

Falling. The slam of a lid. Screeching tires.

Then my eyes rolled up and I slipped away for good.