Page 13 of Her Wicked Hero

“Getting info on that shit is a hell of a lot more valuable to someone than some old shit you might have done at the NSA. That means they have more incentive to keep Marcia alive and use her as leverage over you.” Zed said.

“You’re right,” Brockman agreed. “So, who’s going after her?”

“I am,” Zed immediately responded.

Gray gave Zed a considering look, then turned to Brockman. “He’ll find her and bring her to safety.”

“I’m sure your Zed’s good. But you don’t understand, this Raymond, there’s something wrong with him. Can you spare two men?” Brockman asked.

“Zed will bring her back,” Gray said again.

Brockman pushed himself up the side of the hut, the only outward sign of pain were the beads of sweat that dripped down his temples. “How bad is it, Lieutenant? Are we going to be able to evacuate? I can make it with limited assistance.”

“No, Sir, you can’t,” Gray stated emphatically. “Neither can two others. We also have your daughters we’re concerned about. With all of you, this should take us about three days to get to the road that leads to the coast. There will be a helicopter evac there to take us to the USS Ronald Reagan.”

“And Marcia?”

“I’ll make sure she is taken to the Reagan as well,” Zed said with quiet assurance.

“I know she isn’t my daughter, but I think of her like one of my own. She’s special, Son.”

Zed looked the man dead in the eye. “I know.” He turned to Gray, “I need to go coordinate with Dex, and see if Kane has any more intel.”

Gray nodded.

3

Marcia couldn’t catch her breath.

“Faster.” Raymond yanked on the rope that was tied around her wrists. He liked doing that. Even when she was keeping up, he would jerk the rope, just so she would stumble. What a needle dick. That was probably his problem. Raymond was such an A-hole because he had a teeny tiny penis.

“Keep up, we’re on a deadline.”

Marcia kept her head down, so she could watch for branches and anything else on the jungle floor she might stumble over. She was so tired, but she would never admit it. She’d done track in high school, and she jogged every other day at home. She was never going to give up even though her wrists were raw from the rope, and her hands were scraped and battered from when she’d fallen.

“What do you mean we’re on a deadline?” she asked. One thing she had learned spending time with Mr. B., knowledge was power.

Thank God, he went around a fallen tree instead of climbing over it. “You don’t think Kyle was the brains of this operation, do you? Fuck, he couldn’t run a Burger King. Look how things ended up. I was always working with the big guy behind Kyle’s back. I made sure I had a contingency plan. I was smart.”

“I don’t know Raymond, seeing as we’re on the run, you’re not looking too smart. I think you would have been lucky just to be working the fryer at the Burger King.”

He yanked the rope, and she had just a second to see the rage on his face and feel the spittle hit her as he roared, “Bitch.” She tried to duck his hand, but he was too fast. Stars exploded, and she hit the ground.

Her nose was smashed into the damp jungle floor. Her mouth tasted like copper, dirt, and the pungent bitter taste of leaves filled her mouth. She spit, trying to clear her mouth. She didn’t know how long she was on the ground before more pain seared through her scalp. Raymond pulled her hair even harder as he lifted her head.

“Drink this.”

He shoved the straw from his Camelback into her mouth, so she could gulp down some water. As she was drinking he talked. “You shouldn’t have been so stupid. If you hadn’t mouthed off, I wouldn’t have had to hit you.”

Raymond pulled her up into a sitting position. Marcia touched the side of her face with her fingers. She glared at the douche-nozzle, but just squinting her eyes at him hurt.

“Don’t push your luck, Lesley. What I put up with in camp won’t fly out here. Women don’t walk all over me. I only allowed it before because I didn’t need the hassle. But make no mistake, women need to know their place. You get me?”

He coiled the rope around his hand and Marcia saw the fanatical glee in his face. She had no doubt in her mind if he didn’t have some kind of need for her, she’d be dead. And it wouldn’t be an easy death. This boy had serious mommy issues. Marcia bowed her head, so he couldn’t see her expression, she knew her eyes would give her away.

“I understand. I’m sorry, Raymond. Please forgive me,” she said softly.

That apology left a worse taste in her mouth than the jungle floor.