“Same question, if you give the same answer as Earl here, you will get the same result. Who is helping here in Philly?”
“I don’t know,” the man yells. “I wasn’t told about any of that. I don’t have anything to do with any of this.”
“Jasper Collins, age thirty-three. Photographer. It’s your work that is on the dark net website, advertising the kids.” Finn gives the stats again. He looks over to me and adds. “He had a bunch of pictures of Ollie on his hard drive. Just in case the current buyer backed out.”
The red haze that covers my vision tints my whole world. I’m deaf to the screams of the man who is before me. My mind shuts down all reasoning when my hand pulls the knife from my belt. I only feel the sticky wetness coating my hands. Rivulets of blood run down my forearms. I faintly hear Declan saying something about him being dead, but still, I don’t stop.
The sobs of the next man pull my attention from the eviscerated carcass in front of me. I snatched the tape from his mouth. Even before the last of it left his skin, he started talking.
“I don’t know who it is,” his words come out fast between sobs. “But a few days ago, a call came in from someone who works for Murphy Enterprises. The guy said that Colton was here and where they could find him.” His sobs turn to full-on hysteria as I move closer to him.
“Is that all the information that you have?” Declan asked. “Ronan, here is losing his patience for bullshit.”
“He said,” he takes in a deep breath as he tries to move as far away from me as his restraints will allow. “He said that he could get to them. He had a place for them to stay and a plan. I don’t know the details. Please, please let me go.” His begging starts in earnest.
“Jeremy Snider, age 28. From who the fuck cares. Is responsible for locating kids matching buyers’ requests.” Finn snarls. His patience was wearing thin as well.
“I never touched the kids. I did as I was told! I had to,” he screams.
“You had to. You had to find kids, babies, for the others to sell. You think just because you didn’t physically touch them that makes you innocent?” Finn asks.
Not waiting for a reply, Declan asks a question of his own. “Is that everything? Think hard about your answer.”
“I think his name is Ken or Kenny or some K name. I wasn’t on the call.”
“Ronan, he’s of no more use.”
I run my knife down his face, his throat stopping when I reach where his heart is. “Burn in the hell you preach about,” I say as I slide the knife between his ribs and stab his heart. I keep my eyes on him, watching his life drain.
“Oh, look whose awake. Who is helping here in Philly?” Declan pulls Earl’s head back so hard by his hair that I’m sure he’s going to be missing chunks. That gives me an idea. Moving behind him, I replace Declan’s hand with my own. I pull his head back so he can see me standing over him. I place my knife at his hairline.
“Fuck, stop. His name is Kenneth. He said that he was demoted and wanted to get even. I don’t know where they are, just that he was going to meet them at the airport.”
I glance over at Dad, who has been leaning against the back wall, watching us work. His face is a mask of calm, but the subtle flare of his nostrils tells me that his demon is close to the surface.
“Do it,” Declan says, and I make the first cut. I relieve him of his hair. Then I relieve him of his life.
“I knew we should have gotten rid of that asshole when he fucked up the first time,” Declan says. “I still owe him for letting Xavier get kidnapped.”
“He’s mine,” Dad says, and we all know not to argue.
Chapter 30
Colton
There’s a loud, deafening boom that seems to shake the entire room. I don’t think I just move. One second Ollie is standing beside me, and the next I’m diving for him, wrapping my body around his as we hit the floor. His mouth is open. He’s crying, I know, he is. But all I can hear is the sharp ringing in my ears.
My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might break through my ribs. I hold Ollie tighter, curling over him and shielding as much of him as I can with my body. Then I look up. Kenji is standing a few feet away. Blood is spreading across the front of his shirt. For a second, he just stares down at himself like he doesn’t understand what happened. Then he falls. Everything after that happens too quickly.
Alessia steps in front of us without hesitation, putting herself between us and the doorway where the threat came from. Even in the chaos, even with panic clawing through me, I see the absolute certainty in her face. No one is getting to us.
Slowly, the ringing in my ears starts to fade, and the world comes crashing back all at once.
“Kenneth, what are you doing?” Alessia asks. I want to tell her to run, to take cover, but she stands tall, shielding us.
“Getting the revenge that I deserve,” he glares at Xavier. “If it weren’t for this weak-ass bitch I would still have my regular job. But instead, I’m left guarding an empty warehouse and was humiliated. You and your family think you’re so perfect.”
“The mistake was yours,” she says. Why is she antagonizing this man? Why is she not afraid?