Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 16567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 16567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 83(@200wpm)___ 66(@250wpm)___ 55(@300wpm)
In a flash, Tom throws himself forward and snatches the keys on my desk before I can grab them. Shit. I must have left them there after I uncuffed Victor.
Remember what they taught you, Sedona. Stay calm. Press the button and pull the trigger. Treat the patients like wild animals. Don’t panic, and don’t show fear.
I shove my hand under the desk, find the handle of the tranquilizer pistol, and fire the needle. Right beside the gun is the small box that houses the emergency button, and I press it.
Sirens blare outside in an instant, and the fluttering in my chest ceases for a moment. But it’s quickly replaced by actual terror as Tom turns his head up to me.
“Ouchy.” Tom looks at the dart sticking out of his stomach. “You hurt me.”
Fury floods his face, and his brown eyes burn fiercely. At first, I assume the concoction is taking longer to kick in because of his sheer size, but I quickly realize it’s not taking at all. He continues to fiddle with the keys until his hands come free from the chains.
“You hurt me,” he roars as he charges towards me. “Now, I’m gonna hurt you.”
5
VICTOR
Sirens blare, and chaos erupts.
The voice on the speaker insists the inmates remain calm and security will escort everyone back to their rooms. But that voice is safe behind thick walls and bulletproof glass. They have no bearing on the crazies screaming at the top of their lungs and starting a riot in the common area.
Through it all, I remain seated, watching as the loonies begin their parade. They squeal and dance, shout and throw wild fists into anything that will connect. A crayon narrowly misses my head, flung by Bethany Howlett from across the room. Moments ago, it was used to draw amateur flowers and her childhood home. Mom, Dad, Bethany, and dog—all happy to the side.
How beautiful it is when chaos reigns supreme.
“Code black in room thirty-eight. I repeat. Code black in room thirty-eight,” another calm announcement from the intercom system.
This one sends my heart into my throat. Room thirty-eight—Sedona Quinn’s office. If I wasn’t paying attention, I might’ve missed it. But now that I know my woman is in danger, fury courses through my veins.
I launch out of my chair and sprint toward the small door that brought me into the common area. Two officers stand with batons in hand, ready to beat the piss out of anyone who tries crossing the boundary.
“Where do you think you’re going, Cullen?” one asks, pressing the tip of his baton into my chest. “Your room’s that way.” He gestures with his head to the line of people forming on the other side of the room.
“Listen, big man, we can do this the easy way.” I press my palm against my chin and crack my neck. “Or we can do it the fun way. Choice is yours.”
“You looking to get your ass kicked?” He prods me with the baton again.
In here, they don’t keep us chained up. A mistake these goons will regret.
Before the stick can touch me a third time, I grab the tip and drive my fist into his wrist, disarming him and taking his weapon as my own. The second guard raises his arm to swing his weapon, but with a stabbing motion, I jam the handle into his Adam’s apple. He crumbles to the ground, gasping for air.
“Woah, wo—” The first steps back, clutching his wrist. “You don’t have to—”
I slam the baton against his cheek to ensure he won’t follow me down the hall. There’s going to be hell to pay for knocking out two guards, but that’s a bridge I’ll cross when I get there.
Sedona’s office isn’t far from the common room, and I make it there in a quick sprint. The halls are empty for the most part, except for a doctor who cowers away at the sight of me.
A solo guard stands in front of Sedona’s door. It hasn’t been very long, I suppose, but you’d think a doctor’s safety would warrant more than Michael Rowe. He’s old, on the heftier side, with six months left until retirement. Hardly the man I’d put faith in to save Sedona.
“Relax, old man. I’ll handle this,” I say.
“Huh? What?” Michael’s beady eyes nearly burst out of his head as he takes me in. Though I don’t trust him to do any saving, I’m lucky to have made an acquaintance of him in my time within these walls. “Absolutely not. You’re supposed to—”
“Be in my room. Yes, yes, I know. But I’m not. I’m here. And I’m going in there.” I point at the closed door.
“You’re gonna get yourself killed,” he says, but either because of awe at my want to protect Sedona or the total lack of wanting to fight, Michael gets out of my way.