Chapter 9 #2
His arms tremble as I creep toward him, watching for any signs of retaliation on his part. Stopping a few feet away, I pull the mask down to hang around my neck, and he gasps. They know about me. Samuel must have narked me out. I’m going to find that bastard and skin him alive.
“All I want is the formula,” I say quietly, to get him to relax some. “Give it to me and you live.”
“Okay, man. I’m going to reach for a pen and paper,” he chokes out.
Leaving his left hand raised in the air, he turns his head and reaches for a pen and the first piece of paper he can get a hold of.
He leans toward the desk and begins writing it down off the top of his head.
This man knows the formula by heart. That means he knows how to make it.
The entire process. He could teach Dustin and me how to do it all.
I wonder if he can alter it without fucking it up.
“You have it memorized?” I snort.
“Of course, I—” He pauses for a second, choosing different words. “Yes. We make it here.”
I know better than that. I heard what he almost said in a snide tone. Only a person who responds like that has great pride in what they do. This man knows it by heart because he created it. That means he can give me exactly what I want and need.
I watch as he finishes writing and straightens his arm out to hand it to me. The correct formula dangles from his fingertips as he stares at the desk, his jaw tight.
“Take it and go,” he grits, not facing me.
I pull the paper from his grasp and slip it into the pocket of his lab coat. His brows draw together in confusion as I smile at him. He’s a smart man. It doesn’t take but a few seconds before he realizes my plan, and he shakes his head furiously.
“I can’t leave you behind. You’ll tell them I’m here, and I’ll get caught before I’m off the property.
Plus,” I tap my temple and try not to laugh, “you have everything I need right here.” I step behind him and put the gun to the back of his head.
“Start walking and be quiet. If we’re caught, I’ll shoot you in the fucking head. ”
He peeks out the door and looks around. Taking a step, he moves in the opposite direction of the meeting room. “The exit to the parking lot is at the end of the hall,” he whispers.
I nod and check over my shoulder, watching for anyone to exit the room. We only make it a couple of rooms down before we hear someone say, “I’m going to see what’s taking Joseph so long.”
I reach for the doorknob right next to us and open the it. I push him inside and jump through before I can be seen. Shutting it quickly, I turn around and lean against it listening. Noise comes from under a different door, and I turn in that direction. I’m confused when I see a toilet next me.
What the hell people? How many secret fucking entrances are in this place?
I point to the door, and Joseph backs up against it shaking his head.
“We can’t go in there,” he whispers.
“We can’t go back there,” I grind out. “Go!”
“No,” he says a little louder.
My face twists in anger and desperation as I grab his throat and squeeze. His eyes bulge as he gasps for air. “Move. Your. Ass.”
He nods the best he can with my hand wrapped around his neck. I let go, and he rubs his throat as he turns toward the door. Gripping the knob, he turns it and pulls the it open. A TV commercial fills the silence as he steps into the room, blocking my view.
“Joseph!” a female voice gasps. “You scared me.”
My heart double-thumps at the sound. I know that voice. How the hell did she get here? How does she know any of these people? This little adventure ended up better than I could have ever imagined. Two people for the price of entry into this place. Makes my dick hard thinking about it.
“Sorry, wasn’t my intention.”
He waves his hand behind his back as if he wants me to stay behind him and out of sight.
Not gonna happen, buddy. I’m taking her too.
“Cash send you to check in on me?” she huffs in aggravation.
Cash. That motherfucker. My teeth grind hearing his name.
I should have known. I should have fucking known he was behind all of this when he showed up out of nowhere.
They did know about me. They were trying to find out what I was doing.
That bitch found the formula and handed me over on a silver platter.
“Yeah,” Joseph chuckles nervously. “He wants you to go to his office. He’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Oh, I thought this was his office.” Hazel stands up slowly and turns the TV off. I move to stay in Joseph’s shadow. “Where is his office?”
“Two doors down. You can’t miss it. It has his name on the door.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I can’t let her get away. This is my chance to finish what I’ve started.
I push Joseph out of the way as she walks to the door.
He tries to hold onto me, but I headbutt his nose.
The yelp he lets out startles Hazel, and she turns to see what it was.
I get to her just in time and hit her in the back of the head with my gun, knocking her out.
“What did you do that for?” Joseph says in shock, holding his nose. “We could’ve left, and she would’ve never known you were here!”
I point the gun at him, and he shuts up. “Pick her up. She’s going with us.”
The expression Joseph gives me makes me want to knock him out, too, but I need his help getting her out of here.
He checks her head before pulling her body off the floor.
Looks like he won’t be able to carry her alone.
I quickly strip out of the stupid jumpsuit and rid myself of the mask, leaving them on the floor.
Wrapping my gun arm around her, I poke it in Joseph’s ribs as I pull her arm around my shoulder.
“Don’t accidentally pull the trigger,” he says, squeezing his lids closed.
“Don’t make me pull the trigger,” I retort. “Let’s go.”
Joseph is able to lead us through the factory, and out an entirely different door than I entered, without being detected. I pull the phone from my pocket with my free hand and call Dustin. He answers on the first ring.
“Pull straight ahead. You’ll find me.”
Seconds later, the car comes to a stop. I open the passenger side door and order Joseph inside. Pulling open the back door, I try to swing Hazel inside, but she bounces off the frame and hits the ground hard.
Dustin seems confused, wondering what to make of all this. “What the fuck, man?”
“Shut up and help!” I spit.
Joseph jumps out, horrified, and helps pick her up. We slide her into the back seat, and he goes to sit next to her, but I shove him toward the passenger seat and point the gun at him again. Without a word, Joseph gets in and shuts the door. I jump in the back of the car, and Dustin takes off.
I stare out the back window, hoping we aren’t caught as we leave. When we pull out of the parking lot and top the hill leaving RCC behind us, I turn around and sigh. A chuckle escapes me as I relax into the seat and rub my face. It turns into a full-on belly laugh filling the silent car.
I did it. I fucking did it.
I shout and punch the roof of the car, making Joseph flinch.
Dustin watches me from the rear-view mirror, nervous and full of questions.
It makes me laugh harder. He’ll know soon enough.
I settle down once Dustin hits I-59 that starts the first leg of the way home.
Turning toward Hazel, I run my finger down her beautifully bruised face, pushing aside her hair.
She moans and pulls away. It’s going to be a long trip, and I don’t want her waking up on the way there.
I reach inside my bag behind Dustin’s seat and pull out my pouch.
Opening it up, I grab the syringe I should have used on her over a week ago.
I pull off the cap of the needle and pull her sweatpants down, exposing her hip and a blend of colors.
It makes me want to see the rest of her.
I tug her T-shirt up, revealing the marks I made on her stomach.
She’s lost some weight in this short period of time.
My fingers glide over her flesh, feeling the welts and scratches I left behind.
They are mesmerizing. I can’t wait to leave more.
A gasp has me turning my head. Joseph stares at Hazel’s stomach in pained disgust. I leer at him and put the syringe against her skin. The needle pierces her flesh with ease, and I push down on the plunger.
I lean back into the seat and pull Hazel toward me, lowering her head onto my lap. Holding the gun in one hand, I stroke her silky hair with the other and allow myself to daydream about the future.