“Thank you.” Frank had his fingers around the necklace. He took aim at Ryder. He was going to shoot him!
I unleashed mental shrapnel with ferocious intensity into Frank’s brain, and when the gun blasted, it went wide. His face was etched in pain as I unloaded on him with all the power of the love I had for Ryder. The necklace dropped to the ground.
Quick as lightning, Ryder smacked the gun away. It skittered across the room.
“Fucking murderer!” Ryder growled. He became a wild man, unleashed. He connected a set of combination power punches, his muscular body moving with grace and agility. With grim determination, Frank backpedaled, trying to block and dodge the attack, absorbing some of the hits with guttural grunts of pain. He was being propelled across the room toward the sliding doors, away from me. And away from the gun, I was glad to note.
I wanted to grab it. Secure it. Keep Ryder safe. But I couldn’t move. I was fighting off black smudges of unconsciousness that wanted to shut my mind down.
Frank was obviously trained, or he would have gone down in the first five seconds. With surprising speed and strength, he ducked a punch and came up with a knee to Ryder’s gut, taking him by surprise.
No! My inner cheerleader turned fearful.
Frank took advantage of Ryder’s lapse and twisted sharply. Swinging an elbow, he caught Ryder in the cheek, knocking him back a few feet and leaving him gasping for a quick breath. Ryder’s rage only intensified. He whipped a device from his pocket.
“Dear boy,” Frank gasped, quickly propelling himself to take up position behind Paul’s inert body. “I believe I’m going to take you up on the sparring match another time.”
“Fucking murdering traitor.” Ryder swiped a trickle of blood from his cheek where his skin had split, keeping his device steady on Frank. “You are the reason my sister is dead.”
“Those are harsh words, young man.” Frank was breathing heavily, grimacing as he held a hand to his side. He took a moment to wipe blood from his own lip. He snarled in a low, angry voice, “Especially considering what your mother has done. You think you’re all so lily-white in this? You’re all such wonderful martyrs, enjoying your pain so perfectly.”
“My mother has done nothing.”
“Perhaps that is a more apt description.” Frank sneered cryptically. “I wonder. Does it make you equal to the criminal when you know of the crime and do nothing about it?”
“What does that mean?” Ryder growled in a low tone.
“Who is the real monster here? The product or the creator?” His eyes took on a crazed look. “Who must take responsibility for the outcomes? The consequences?”
“You hold my mother responsible for your treachery?”
“Your mother. The courts. I’m saying follow the trial, Ryder Langston. There is more than meets the eye.” Ranik allowed an evil smile to crease his lips. “What do they say? An eye for an eye? I will see it done. The spirits of Te’re will be crushed.”
Shoot him! I tore down my mental barrier and implored Ryder silently. Take him out!
“He can’t, Taylor,” Frank grinned, having read my thoughts. “For that magnificent radiation laser he’s holding, he needs a clear space for accuracy. You see, he probably has it programmed for full power, and when he pulses me with it, all of my veins will hemorrhage in spectacular fashion. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to hurt Paul by accident. Innocent Paul. He was trying to save the world, you know.” Frank’s chuckle sounded strained.