I’m ready for them. I kick the nearest one square in the face, more than satisfied when I hear his nose crack and blood spew from it. As he recoils, leather jacket punches me in the face, stunning me. He grabs my collar and tosses me hard onto the rocks and gravel. It’d hurt more if not for my screaming jaw. As I’m still reeling, leather nicely helps Lucy out of the trunk.
We’re underground in the subway, metal tracks crossing over gravel. The only lights are from the portables set up around. There’s a nearby subway car parked about twenty yards away near an old station. If I look the way we came, there’s nothing but darkness. The other guard stumbles over to me, pissed to hell. “You fucking bitch!” he says as he kicks me in the stomach. I can’t breathe. Pain replaces air. I curl into the fetal position to stave off more blows.
“Hey!”
All eyes move to the source. Strolling out of the lit-up subway car onto the platform is the man himself in all his glory. He’s dressed in chinos, loafers, white shirt, with his goatee and hair coiffed to perfection. King of the Underground and he knows it. Ryder jumps off the platform, walking toward us. “That’s no way to treat a guest.”
“She broke my fucking nose and killed Burns today!”
“You did try to kill her as well. I’d break your nose too.” He saunters over to me and my nausea returns. My eyes don’t leave those wrists. “Hi, Joanna. Nice to formally meet you.” He holds out his hand, and I wince. He chuckles, shaking his head. “You try and be nice.” Ryder grabs my hands and yanks me up, not easy as my body is reeling from today’s torture. The bastard actually puts his arm around my waist to support me as I limp toward the subway car. Whenever I glance at him, he gives me a friendly smile. He really is fucking crazy.
We’re led into the car, which is set up like an apartment with a bed, books, a rack of clothes, a hot plate, and a tiny fridge with a power line out to the generator. Better than prison, I guess. He helps me sit on his bed as leather jacket sits a shaking Lucy next to me. Alkaline whispers a few words to the men. I recognize the word “Blitzkrieg,” a henchman for hire from Jericho who combines his talent for bombs with his gift of flying. Bastard owes me a samurai sword. When Ryder finishes his instructions the guards walk out, sliding the car door shut behind them. I’m actually more frightened when they leave.
James Ryder. Alkaline. A few feet away from me. And there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop what’s coming.
He pulls up a chair, casual as hell, and sits facing Lucy and me on the bed. “So. Here we are. At last. Sorry the place is such a mess. I wasn’t expecting company so soon. He was just supposed to place the bomb under Ms. Helms’ car.” He smiles at the lady. “Though when we realized where she was headed, the men had the wherewithal to call and the plan changed, definitely for the better.”
“Lucky you,” I say.
“It’s better to be lucky than smart,” he says with another smile. “Though I have been blessed with both, as you know firsthand. That was fun on the bridge that night. Thrilling. I wanted you chasing me from the very beginning, you know. It was all part of the plan. I just didn’t know it would be so much fun.” Still smiling, he scoots closer to me. I recoil, but that smile doesn’t fade. “You know, I remember you from the neighborhood. You were always walking around with that ‘don’t mess with me’ look. Even my dealers knew to leave you alone. It was cute as hell.” He reaches across and caresses my chin. I don’t react. “Not much has changed.”
“Yeah, I’m irresistible,” I say sarcastically. I’m powerless, and we both know it. But there is no way in hell I’m going to give this piece of shit the satisfaction of seeing me scared. None. “Look, I’m exhausted. I don’t want to play any games with you. So I will do whatever you want, okay? I won’t fight. Or I will, if that’s how you get off. Whatever floats your boat. Just don’t hurt Lucy, okay? You raping and murdering me will be more than enough to get your point across.”
“How noble. Though, how do you know that’s what I intend to do to you?”
“Because you’re a fucking cowardly rapist child-killer with no soul whose tried to kill me twice today. So, let her go and just get it over with already.”
He leans in closer, apprizing me with that smile that’s still growing. “I admire your strength, Joanna. When your friend, the good doctor, found herself facing a similar fate, she crumbled into incoherent sobs and pleas. Yet here you are with your chin up, looking out for a woman who has treated you with disrespect for years.” I narrow my eyes. How did he know that? “Your friend is an idiot to have let such a woman as yourself pass him by.”