Redemption (Bennett Sisters Book 5) (13 page)

Rick pondered the statement. Could he really just let her go? Was it even possible? He’d been so lost in his own thoughts that neither one of them had noticed the monster truck behind them until it was too late. He heard the crunch of the metal and he jerked forward. The seatbelt cut into his shoulder and prevented him from hitting the dash board. They’d been hit and sent into a tailspin on the deserted road. The constant turning and changing scenery made him unable to focus so he closed his eyes and grab for something
…
anything to hold. His breakfast from earlier rose from the pit of his stomach and threatened to escape as he struggled to hold it in. Another sudden impact against the steel frame sent the car rolling over and over toward the tree line, the sturdy frame bending and giving beneath the pressure. They were going to hit, and there wasn’t anything Rick could do to stop it.

“Hang on,” Brody yelled. He let go of the wheel and put his hands up to his head. The SUV slowed down considerably but not entirely. They still hit the tree, but at least they hadn’t been going sixty when they struck. The overturned SUV hit the base of the tree, shaking the thick trunk that held it securely in place. He could hear the wheels spinning in the air. Brody’s side of the SUV struck the tree, knocking him out cold. Rick’s leg was pinned beneath the crumbled dash. He was unable to move but thankful he was still conscious. Limbs fell down on top of the SUV from the impact. Leaves were floating on the wind. The smell of gas and exhausted were heavy in the air. He needed to get them out of this.

Rick heard the tires on the asphalt squeal to a halt, and two big burly men jumped from the truck with guns pointed toward the broken vehicle. Rick tried to reach for his gun in his leg strap. He couldn’t reach it. His only hope was that Brody regained consciousness. Blood trickled from Brody’s ear. His eyes were closed, his body limp. Rick leaned over and felt for a pulse. Thank god he was still alive. Rick put his hands on the crunched doorframe and tried to pull himself from the upside down SUV. He couldn’t see their faces, only their outlines as they approached. He pulled harder and grimaced at the pain in his leg.

“It’s no use. You aren’t going anywhere.” One of the large guys lifted a gun and pulled the trigger. Instead of a shot ringing out, he felt a sharp pain in his arm.

He glanced down at the tranquilizer dart sticking out. Rick pulled it free. He mumbled, “What the hell did you shoot me with?”

They ignored his question.

They snickered. “Trust me, that bitch will come looking for him.”

Rick’s last thought was of
Lydia
. Panic coursed through his veins before his vision faded to black.  

****

Rick knew he was being held. He didn’t even need to open his eyes to know it. His training kicked in. He played possum until he could access his situation. Getting free to get back to
Lydia
and to warn the general was his only thought. If he could take a few of them out on his way out the door, all the better.

He rested his palm against the cool metal table he was laid on and remained still. He heard muffled voices in the distance, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. It was quiet wherever he was. He lifted his lids and glanced around the windowless room. The room was empty except for a cart pushed against the wall with numerous syringes lying on top of it. Rick lifted his head as much as he could and glanced down at his limbs. His vision blurred, but he struggled to see what had him contained. He was chained to a table. He didn’t stand much of a chance of escaping, at least not without
Lydia
’s or Brody’s gift. He’d never let his guard down enough to be in a situation like this before. He’d been thinking of
Lydia
, and both he and Brody had been preoccupied.
Shit. Brody.

The door opened, and an older man walked though. “Nice to see they didn’t give you too much.”

Rick pulled at the chains holding him in place. “What the hell do you want, and who the hell are you?”

“Mr. Thompson, you are in no position to be demanding answers.”

Rick narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, Mr. Thompson, I know who you are and about your relationship with Lydia Stevens. I’m sure you’ve guessed that she’s the reason you’re in this predicament.”

Rick let his head fall back against the metal bed. “What do you want with her?”

The older man moved toward the table pressed against the wall. “She’s fascinating, isn’t she? My sources tell me that her gifts are very strong, even if she can’t control them yet.” The man picked up a needle and walked over to Rick.

“You’re Floyd, aren’t you? The psychopath they’re looking for.”

“How very astute of you, Mr. Thompson. If her visions are to be believed, she’ll be coming for you soon.” The old man squirted some of the liquid from the plunger in the air before he plunged the needle into Rick’s arm.

Rick didn’t flinch. He wouldn’t give this asshole any satisfaction. “What did you just give me?”

The asshole patted Rick’s chest. “Just a special concoction of mine. I haven’t tested its side effects yet, but if it works like the rest of them, you’ll be a wonderful addition to my army.”

Rick pulled at the chains to no avail. He was going to strangle the guy if he could get free.

The old man walked back over to the table and dropped the used needle on top of it. “I’m sorry I can’t stay to watch what it does to you. I believe they’ll be coming for you shortly, and I can’t take the chance of them capturing me. I do have an army to run after all.”

“Fuck.”

The old man laughed. “Yes, I heard that you and Ms. Stevens did just that last night.” The old man walked to the door and put his hand on the knob. “I think I might just have to see how good she is, when I get my hands on her.”

“You sick fuck, you’ll never touch her.”

The old man turned. “Trust me that I will. I always get what I want.” The old man sniffed the air. “It’s almost time. I’m afraid I must take my leave. But don’t worry Mr. Thompson, I’ll take very good care of her.”

The old man pulled the door open.

“Over my dead body, asshole,” Rick screamed.

Floyd grinned, and said, “so be it,” as he closed the door.

****

Lydia
jumped from her bed. She’d decided she needed a bit more rest after Rick left. She shook her head, trying to remember what had startled her. She closed her eyes
. Rick needs me.
“Shit, they’re in trouble.”

Lydia
ran out of her room and into the control room. “Where is he? Where is Brody?” she demanded.

Jonah glanced up from his computer. The screens on the wall started to flash. Jonah held up his hands. “Calm down,
Lydia
, you’re going to blow everything again.”

Lydia
closed her eyes, and took a breath, pulling back the energy she didn’t know had escaped. “Sorry, where is Brody?”

“Give me a second and I’ll see if he’s made it back from the airport.” Jonah punched some buttons on the computer. “He hasn’t made it back.”

“Shit.” She spun on her heel and threw open the general’s door. “They’re in trouble.”

The general rounded the desk and shut his door. “Why don’t you have a seat and calm down. Then you can tell me what is going on.”

Lydia
paced in the small office. “I had another vision.” She stopped and put her hands on the back of the chair. “They’re both in trouble.”

The general sat on the edge of his desk. One foot firmly planted on the floor. “
Lydia
, why don’t you tell me everything you remember. I promise we’ll do everything we can to bring them back, but I need to know what you saw.”

Lydia
slid into the chair and took a deep breath. She needed to keep it together. She looked up. “In my dream, they had been run off the road. Brody was hurt and bleeding, and Rick was being taken away by two big men.”

The general put his hand on her shoulder. “I want you to close your eyes and remember your dream. Do you see the vehicle that ran them off the road? Any road markers? Anyone talking? Anything at all?”

Lydia
closed her eyes and tried to recall the vision. “It was a big truck that ran them off the road. You know, the kind with the really big tires.”

“Go on. What else?”

“They shot Rick with something, but there was no blood. They pulled him from the SUV and took him.”
Lydia
’s eyes shot open, and her hand went to her mouth. “Oh god.”

“What? What did you remember?”

“One of them made the comment that I would come for him.”

The general pulled her up and into a hug. “We’re going to find them.” He lightly shook the hold he had on her arms as he looked down at her. “You just have to trust me.”

Lydia
nodded absently. This was all her fault. They were both hurt, and it was all her fault. Her heart fell into her stomach. The general was saying something to her, but she blocked it out.
Lydia
lifted her hand to her heart. “I have to do something. I can’t just sit back and wait.”

The general wrapped his arm around her shoulder like a father would. “You will. Let’s find them first.”

The general pulled the door open, “Rein it in,
Lydia
. If you take out our computers, we’ll be blind.”

Lydia
again pulled her energy back.

The general started barking orders. “Someone go find Jamie. Jonah, I want you to pull up the GPS tracker on the vehicle Brody drove to the airport.” The general turned toward Ridge, Brody’s twin.

The general didn’t even have to say a word because Ridge said, “He’s in trouble. I can feel it.”

“They’re both in trouble, and we need to find them as quickly as possible.  Ridge, I need you to check and see if Thompson made it to the airport and report back to me.” The general turned back to the room. “For god sake, someone get Jaime in here now. We’re going to need her.”

Jonah stood up and gestured to the big screen on the wall. “I’ve got them. The vehicle is only ten minutes up the road. It isn’t moving.”

Jaime came running into the room.

“Jaime,
Ridge
,
Lydia
, you’re coming with me. Jonah, assemble another team to meet us there.”

The general turned toward Jaime. “Are you carrying?”

Jaime gave him a look that told him his question was ridiculous, and that was good enough for
Lydia
.

They followed the general out the door and piled into the Hummer.
Lydia
’s nerves were raw. Jaime leaned over and put her hand on
Lydia
’s arm. “Pull it in, girlfriend, or you’re going to disable us.”

A calming ran through
Lydia
. Her heart slowed down. She was still anxious but less likely to kill the electronics in the car. She turned toward Jaime. “How did you do that?”

Jaime chuckled. “What? You thought I was just here to teach people combat training?
Everyone in that building has
speci
al talents
.”

Lydia
chewed her bottom lip between her teeth. “I didn’t know. What’s yours?”

Jaime hesitated. “I’m a healer of sorts. I can kind of manipulate emotions and heal wounds.”

Lydia
shook her head. “How come you didn’t tell me?”

Jaime shrugged her shoulders. “Why? So I could heal your sore muscles or your fatigue?” Jaime turned to look out the window. “Besides, none of u
s go out and advertise what we’re capable of
. There are only a handful of people who know what we
can do
. It’s safer that way.”

Lydia
turned toward the window, trying to find where the SUV had gone off the road. Jaime had a point. Why would you trust in people you barely knew? Yet Jaime had trusted her with the truth.
Lydia
whispered, “I’ve got to find them. It’s all my fault. They wanted me.”

Jaime leaned over and patted
Lydia
’s arm. “Don’t worry, we’ll find them both. With all of our combined skills, whoever took him doesn’t stand a chance. You can pin whoever did this to the wall and I’ll beat the shit out of him.” Jaime grinned and pulled back her hand. “We’d make a good team. Don’t ya think?”

Chapter 14

Lydia
jumped out of the Hummer when it skidded to a stop. The SUV was wrapped around the trunk of the tree. “Oh god.”

She ran to it, the general by her side. “We need to get him out.”

Lydia
leaned down and peered inside. Brody was awake but groggy. “Hey, Red. My leg is pinned, and I can’t get out.”

Lydia
reached for Brody’s head and wiped at the blood. “Why can’t you use your ability and move the SUV?”