Have to lose him. Have to hide. I will not let that ... man ... ever meet my child. Not ever.
Chapter 39
Sienna Nealon
Now
I read three FBI criminal activity reports after I got my wits back about me. That took me until well after midnight, at which point I sat back in my chair, leaning at a forty-five degree angle, pondering just giving up and going to sleep right there. I heard the creak of the chair again, wondered if it was saying something about my weight and my sedentary lifestyle, and shrugged it off. I let my head loll to the right and looked out the window.
I blinked as I stared out, something catching my attention. There was movement in the construction site of the new science building. I turned the chair around and leaned closer to the glass. A light was bobbing around in the unfinished windows of the first floor, where they were still doing the basic framing. I stood and moved closer to the window, peering out, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever it was, but it was far, far too dark of a night and the view was partially obscured by the dormitory building. I frowned as my mind raced, wondering at the possibilities, from the mundane (a construction worker doing some unscheduled overtime, a thief using our building site to improve his home at a rock bottom discount) to the fearsome (the entirety of Century hiding in the site, preparing to stage an assault on us.
I crossed my office and flung open the door. “Who’s still here?” I called out, and waited a beat for an answer.
“Me,” Ariadne’s voice came from the office next door.
“I am.” I saw Scott appear toward the end of a cube row, peeking his head out into the main aisle.
“We’ve got something going on,” I said.
“Hooboy,” Scott said and pounded his way down the aisle at a fast jog. I moved aside and led him over to the window. Ariadne followed behind a moment later.
“See that light?” I pointed out the window. “In the construction site?”
“No,” Ariadne said, and I watched her squint into the darkness.
“Yes,” Scott answered immediately.
“I’m thinking ...” I looked again. “I’m thinking it’s probably not a construction worker or someone doing some thieving.”
“The odds are definitely a little too coincidental for that,” Scott agreed.
I flashed a look at Ariadne. “Can you take care of Li? I don’t want things to get fouled here.”
“Yep,” she said and disappeared back into her office.
“I’m gonna go scout,” I said, opening the cabinet behind my desk and pulling out a submachine gun, pulling the strap over my shoulders.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Scott asked, looking at me in disbelief. “That is not in the plan.”
“The plan is for an attack,” I said. “This could just be a prowler, in which case I need to scare the bejeezus out of him.”
“Umm, or it could be a Century ambush, designed to lure one of our best people out by themselves so they can sucker punch them,” he said. “Walking into a dark construction site in the middle of the night? Not your smartest move ever.”
I hesitated. “You have a point.”
“Thank you,” he said graciously. “I may not present a compelling argument very often, but when I do, boy, is it a doozy.”
I started to answer back when my phone started ringing, making both of us jump a little. I started to reach for it, and Scott slapped my hand away. I looked at him with irritation, a What was that for? kind of look. “I’ve seen this movie,” he said. “Do not answer that phone.”
“This isn’t a horror movie,” I said, “and I’m not played by Neve Campbell.” I picked up the receiver. “Hello?”
“Sienna Nealon?” The woman’s voice was a little out of breath but recognizable.
“Katheryn Hildegarde?” I asked, though I was sure it was her.
“One and the same,” she replied, still trying to catch her breath. “We’re, uh ... out on the construction site on your campus. Me and my crew. We, uh ... ran across something. If the rumors are true, you can even call it a gift for you.”
“Oh, really?” I asked, and shared a look with Scott, who was giving me the Don’t be an idiot look. I knew it because I’d sent it his way enough times while working with him.
“Yeah,” she replied, sounding pretty matter of fact. “Caught someone snooping while we were making our way to your front door. I think you know him.” I heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh, a dull thud, and then Hildegarde spoke again. “Say hello, asshole.”
The voice that followed was deep, pronounced, a familiar one that would be burned into my memory until my dying day.