Page 121 of Damián

I smile, because I don’t know how else to answer.

I mean, what can I say?

You’re welcome for helping you escape my father?

The wife settles the kids on the bed and hands them the toys, which, luckily, are an immediate success in distracting them.

I grab a box full of snacks, set it on the bed, and then sit on the couch, unzipping my duffel bag.

“Did Kaleo tell you anything about this?” I ask the husband. “About what is going to happen?”

“Not much,” he twists the cap off a bottle of water and hands it to his wife. “He said the less we knew, the better. But he told us to be open-minded and that we should trust you no matter what.”

Ha! Open-minded?… Jesus, Kaleo, what an absolutely insane choice of words for this.

“I know this plan is going to sound terrifying, but this is the best way to keep you and your family alive while making Elijah think you’re dead.” I tell him, “Also, know we’ve done it dozens of times, and as crazy as the plan is, it actually works. Okay?”

“Okay… What do we have to do?”

“After years doing this, we’ve learned that the only way to control a situation that’s nothing but chaos is to create an extremely specific routine, and that if I get my men used to following it, no one questions me along the way.” I pull out the scissors, the handcuffs, and the rest of the supplies, laying them out on the coffee table. “For example, we have twenty-six minutes before we reach the coordinates. So right now, I’m supposed to be torturing you… mentally, of course…I don’t like blood.” I make the distinction as if that makes any difference, but whatever.

I hand the scissors to the husband, and he takes them, staring at me, confused.

“Since my reputation as a sociopath helps to keep my father’s men in line, I need you to cut a small lock of hair from everyone, and put them in here…” I pull out the Barbasol shaving cream can from the duffel bag and twist the bottom open.

The husband’s eyes go wide. “Is that… like the can from Jurassic Park?”

“Yes!” I grin excitedly as I slide out the hidden rack of test tubes. “I love that movie, and when I saw it, I was completely obsessed with this thing.” I pass it to him.

“Me too,” he says, and pops open the vials while his wife starts snipping tiny strands of hair from the kids.

“After this, what do we do?” the wife asks, as she’s snipping a strand of her hair.

“We just wait.” I set a glass of water next to the handcuffs on the table. “When we have five minutes left, my alarm will go off. We’ll stash everything you ate or drank in a box under the bed. Then, for dramatic effect, I’ll tape your mouths and put you in handcuffs. But don’t worry about the cuffs; they’re made of 3D-printed PVA… which means they’ll dissolve the second they touch the water.”

To prove it, I pour a bottle of water into an empty ice bucket and grab one of the spare cuffs. “Hey kids, want to see a magic trick?” I ask.

They nod eagerly, so I dip the handcuff into the water, and it instantly melts away against my fingers.

“Wow!” they gasp in unison.

“You know what the coolest part is? You’ll get to be magicians, too,” I tell them.

The kids instantly jump with excitement, but their mother shushes them and redirects their attention back to their toys.

“What happens after you handcuff us?” the husband asks, and I notice his hand never leaves his wife’s side.

“Once the boat stops, the—” I catch the kids paying attention to what I’m saying, so I baby-proof my words. “—the evil minions will make sure all the party guests stay at the bow of the ship, so no one sees me taking you out to the back.”

The wife looks toward the door. Even locked inside here, the sounds of the party can still be heard. “Was the party planned, too?”

“Yes, my best friend is taking care of that upstairs,” I explain. “My father’s men are terrified of dealing with witnesses. If there’s a crowd near anything that could incriminate the family, they won’t stick around. The second you’re in the water, they’ll pretty much drive off without looking back. That, plus… once you’re overboard, they’re finally allowed to drink, so they’ll be in a rush to leave.”

“And that way they won’t see the other boat picking us up,” the husband says.

“Exactly. Now rest for a bit. You’ll need it.”

I take the phone that’s showing the camera’s live feed and watch it while the family talks together.