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Norn is laughing as his men come rushing for me, telling me that he’s done with our talk. I shove my chair back into them before grabbing a stapler off the desk and flinging it hard at Norn. He’s not expecting it, so it busts him in the face, immediately stopping his laughter. One of the guards punches me. I try to block it, but Len is right, my ability to fight is practically useless, and even worse when there are ten guys.
I came in here knowing fully well Norn might kill me, but now that I know he’s wanting to use me against Len, I can’t let him. I try to block another hit but it only allows someone to punch me in the stomach.
Air knocked out of me, I stumble back and someone hits me in the face, making the world go dark. I manage to elbow someone and try to rush for the door but another tears me back. It’s far too soon that they have me on the ground, kicking me and hitting me, until someone drags me out of the room as I realize that I can’t tell which way is up.
* * *
LEN
My phone beeps as I get near the factory and I pull it out, begging that it’s Kade.
When I see his name, relief washes through me until I realize it’s a photo, and I dread what the image is about to show me.
I glance down at the photo and see Kade lying on the ground, face covered in blood.
What the fuck did he think he was doing? Why didn’t he ask me before he ran off and grew a goddamn heart and lost his brain in the process?
Underneath it is an address and I know Norn’s set me up. I shouldn’t have written the note last night and threatened him. I knew better. I knew to keep to myself. I knew not to get wrapped up in Kade’s battle, but between years of rage I’d built up while dealing with Norn and my desire for Kade, I couldn’t stop myself.
And yet here I am.
Regretting everything.
I drive to the location, knowing that I’m walking right into a trap, but I don’t hesitate. I get out of my car about half a mile from the place and pop open the trunk. Inside is a case I open, pulling out my rifle that will assist the gun that’s at my side.
I move to a clear spot and find that I’ve been directed to a small building. I’m not even sure what Norn uses it for since it looks pretty desolate, reminding me again that it’s a trap. He’s not going to have me rush into one of his factories or warehouses where I could potentially hurt his business.
No, this is a trap to stop me, but I’m going to kill as many as I can first… I just wish I’d have bombed his fucking factories on the way here.
I open the stand for my rifle and get into position, peering through the scope as I familiarize myself with the area and find the location of the guards on the premises. They’re on high alert and smartly using cover to keep an eye out for me. One man is waiting in what looks like a guard booth near the drive leading in. He’s got an automatic weapon in hand and keeps pacing the area, looking for me, like he thinks he’ll ever see me.
I wonder if he knows Norn sent him out here to die.
I pull the trigger and swing my rifle to the next man. This one is using the building as cover, but it’s still not enough. The shot sends him flying back, out of my view, but I’m not worried. No one gets up after I shoot them.
Shifting the gun, I find a man watching from inside the building. He’s standing so still I nearly miss him, but my bullet doesn’t.
I wait a moment, wondering if the shattered glass alerted anyone, but the world remains silent, and I start moving in.
There’s a span of open space which makes it harder to get across the parking lot without getting shot, but there are a few cars and the guard building that will provide cover. Keeping an eye on the windows, I look for anyone watching out for me and move in quickly. The moment I do, someone comes to the window, having noticed me, but I shoot them before they even get the chance to fire at me. It gives someone else time to shoot, but I slip behind the guard building before they can get an accurate aim. I lean out around it and find them. They take another shot at me but miss while mine doesn’t. It leaves me time to reach the building, slipping alongside it as I get to the front door, pulling it open and heading inside.
Quietly, I move through the hallway, wondering if Norn’s just going to blow it up when I step inside. Honestly, that’d be his best bet for getting rid of me, but the place doesn’t blow.
No… instead, I find two more guards which I dispatch quickly as I tear open door after door looking for Kade. It isn’t until I’m in the pit of the building that I realize I don’t hear anyone else. My eyes are drawn to the single closed door in the hallway that I make my way toward.
Reaching it, I pull it open and look inside, finding Kade lying on the ground at the far end of the small room dimly lit by a single bulb that can’t fight off the shadows.
“Kade!” I yell from outside the doorway. “Kade, wake up.”
He doesn’t move. He doesn’t stir at all, leaving me standing in the doorway, knowing I need to get in and grab him and go.
The room seems to cave in around him, the walls squeezing down tight as I realize how far away he looks inside that dark hole.
“Kade, please wake up,” I urge as I set my hand on the doorframe. Anxiety eats at my stomach as I take a deep breath and slowly step inside.
I just have to grab Kade. I’ll simply grab him and pull him out of here and go… I can do that.
Moving in farther, I feel like I’m stepping into an oppressive black pit.
