AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This is where westarted to work on the project.”
Steven Boon’svoice came from somewhere at the back of the room. Somewhere among the shelves,where Amber couldn’t see him.
“Come out, Boon.This is over.”
Amber set off intothe shelves, searching for him.
“I tried to dothings right. None of this was my fault, but it’s me the dead haunt.”
“You were incharge of designing the 120,” Amber said. “You knew they were going to useinferior materials. You allowed it all.”
She knew the wordswould make him angry, but Amber suspected that was the best way of drawing himout. At the very least, it would keep Boon talking, allowing her to get a fixon his location.
“No! It was all ofthem! They did this! You’re a part of it too. Trying to silence me. Trying tocover everything up! Trying to save her before she gets the justice shedeserves.”
Amber kept movingthrough the rows of shelves, closing in on the spot where Boon was raging. Shesuspected that he was just ahead.
“Where’s yourvictim, Boon? Where have you hidden her?”
“She isn’t avictim, she’s a criminal!”
Amber took a deepbreath and rounded the corner, her gun raised. There was no one there. That waswhen she heard a noise behind her. She spun around, trying to bring her weaponto bear.
Suddenly, a handsmashed down on her weapon arm, deflecting the gun even as Amber pulled thetrigger. The sound of the shot filled the space. Boon grabbed her arm, slammingher hand against the metal shelving again and again until the gun fell fromAmber’s grasp.
She was strugglingwith him then, far closer than she wanted to be against a much larger attacker.Amber hit out with her knees and elbows, but Boon shrugged off the blows.
“I never wanted tokill anyone,” he said, his hands reaching out for Amber’s throat. “It’s theirfault. It’syourfault.”
Amber managed toknock his hands aside, then scrambled for her gun. Against such a large man, givenadditional strength by his madness, she needed anything that could even theodds.
Even as Amberreached for it, Boon grabbed her from behind, covering her mouth, dragging herbackwards. She struggled against the grip, but it was too strong. She couldn’tbreathe, couldn’t call out for help.
She kicked out,hitting something solid. Her attacker grunted, but didn’t let go. Amber’s mindraced, trying to think of a way out of this. She twisted in his grip, hittingback with her elbow as she did so. That gave Amber the room she needed to turnin to face Boon, trying to strike at him once more.
Boon slammed intoAmber, his weight bearing her to the ground with him on top.
Amber struggledbeneath him, trying to push him off, but he was too heavy. She could feel hisbreath on her face as he muttered something unintelligible.
“You’re…crazy…”Amber gasped, still trying to fight him off.
Boon just snarledat her, his grip on her tightening. “You did this. They’re telling me that youhave to die. Confess what you did. Confess your part in it all!”
Amber gasped forair as Boon’s hands once again found their way to her throat. She clawed at hisface, trying to pry him off of her, but his grip only tightened. Amber tried tobridge and buck him clear, but she couldn’t get free.
She could feel hishot breath on her face as he pinned her down. Amber struggled against him,trying to free herself from his grasp. But Boon was too strong for her. Hisgrip on her was unyielding.
“You shouldn’thave come here,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “Now you’re going to pay.”
Amber could feelthe world closing in around her, could see spots dancing in front of her eyes.It felt as though pressure was building up inside her head, so that it seemedlike her skull might explode if she didn’t find a way to relieve it. Amber knewthat she was only moments away from passing out, and once she did, there wouldbe nothing to stop Steven Boon from strangling her until she was dead.
That was when afigure slammed into Boon from the side, knocking him clear of Amber. She’dthought it might be Simon, but no, it was Francesca. She must have heard thegunshot and come running. She struck out at Boon with her fists, the blowsslamming into his midriff, then his skull.
Amber gasped forbreath, trying to clear her head as Francesca kept attacking Boon. She couldsee the controlled aggression on the other woman’s face, the way that sheseemed to be completely in control of her movements.
Finally, Boonmanaged to shove Francesca away from him, sending her sprawling across theaisle. He staggered to his feet, his eyes darting between the two women.
“You’re both goingto die,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “You’re both a part of it. Youand the rest of them.”
