Page 73 of Lethal Weakness

“My turn!” She yells. “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Ready or not, here I come!”

My initial fear that I’ve been made dissipates quickly, and in its place is pride because she got all of her numbers 1 through 10 that time.

My head is fucked. But at least now I know there are other entry points I need to be worried about. If there is a cubbyhole between these rooms, there might be a hidey-hole somewhere else to get below the house.

Which means my search continues, and I need to check the blueprints again.

* * *

A full week and a half since I’ve seen Linden. With her consent anyway. I’ve been watching her on my cameras, keeping an eye on them from afar. I’ve watched her drop off and pick up Avery from her grandparents and walk to the houses across the street during the day.

I watch her sleep in the bed that used to be mine every night, and I crave the chance to be beside her.

But she still doesn’t want anything to do with me.

Maybe tonight I’ll knock on the door. Take them a pizza or some steaks. Beg her to give me a minute of her attention.

And be denied when I still can’t tell her all of the truth.

Besides, they aren’t home. She left an hour ago, and I don’t have the privilege of knowing her comings and goings. Not without invading her privacy.

I feel so guilty for how I’ve violated her life.

“Go for Eagle-One.” My handler’s voice comes over the speaker next to my monitor.

“Eagle-One, clear.”

“The final hard drive from Merrill Scott’s office is decoded and in your files. This operation seems to have taken a turn for the worse.”

“Worse, how?” I open the first file, scanning through order forms for medical equipment, and close it out.

“This isn’t just an organ operation. There seems to be full-on trafficking happening. I suspected they were using recently DOA bodies, or worse, prematurely taking patients off of life support to harvest organs… But there are missing persons up and down the Eastern states tied to the Scotts and their associates. Victims snatched from hospital parking lots before they even made it to the waiting room.”

“Jesus. How have they gotten away with this?”

“A lot of runaways, and people with no living next of kin. I have a list of 50 missing people in the immediate area alone that could potentially be linked to this that still haven’t turned up. Along with medical equipment, there are supplies needed to sustain living bodies.”

“They’re not just stealing organs… They’re experimenting on living people… What kind of Frankenstein shit is this?”

“I don’t know. But it’s time to shut it down.”

“Agreed.”

“Stay ready. Ops plan will be ready at 0100.”

“Copy.” Finally.

This means it’s time to go in hot. Kicking down doors and finally putting an end to the Scott enterprise.

Finally getting Linden and Avery out.

I continue scanning the documents I received as I clean my guns and ready my ammunition, needing to stay busy as the minutes tick by.

I need all this shit to be over.

I want to have the freedom to fight for what I need.

And what I need is right next door.