Contract Killer

“Oh my God, what in the hell are you doing?” The words rushed out of her, and she covered her mouth. He was keeping other people prisoner here? Chaining them up?

She looked at the image again. The man’s face was slightly away from the camera, and the lighting was dark, but she could still see the muscles and strength in his body. He didn’t look much older than in his early thirties, but whatever he was going through had to age someone to the point their life faded away.

She looked at Rye again. “Why tell me this?”

He smirked, and dread filled her stomach. “Because I want you to know what you’re contributing to, what you’re helping to unlock.”

No, he’s telling me because he has no plans of letting me go.

“You can’t do this, Rye. You have to release me, have to let anyone you’re holding prisoner go.” She slid the photo back to him. “You want my blood, fine, I can donate whatever you need, but using people as specimens, doing whatever crazy and barbaric experiments on them, is wrong.”

“Have you not listened to anything I’ve said?” Rye’s voice was rising, his anger becoming clear.

“You’re insane.” Her voice was rising as well.

“I know you want to go home, to be with Edward, but you and I both know if I were to let you go, you wouldn’t cooperate.” He shook his head. “No, I need you accessible to me at any cost. It’s the only way this will work. My research and plan are more important, Neeka.”

“I just don’t understand any of this,” she said more to herself than to him. “Why not just ask me for blood samples? You’re my doctor, and I wouldn’t have questioned you. You’ve taken my blood many other times…” That realization had her stomach roiling. God, he’s been taking my blood for his insane experiments.

“Yes, it’s true, I have been taking samples while you were growing up, but it’s not enough, Neeka. I need bone marrow samples, tissue samples, and anything else from you that will further unlock my research. Already I’ve made so much progress.”

His betrayal was painful, like a harsh slap in her face, but it hurt most in her heart. Neeka knew her face must have had a look of hatred on it. She could not believe what she was hearing. Not only had her father trusted this man, but she had trusted him. He had betrayed them both. She looked down again at her bruised and battered arms. The marks would heal by tomorrow, but the wounds Rye had caused on the inside would never fade.

“I am sorry for that. Although I cannot let you leave, not yet, and not on your own. I can make your stay here more comfortable, lavish even, if you don’t fight me, Neeka. A few bruises here and there are a small sacrifice on your part.”

She clenched her teeth but didn’t respond.

“You’re very important to me, and I want you comfortable.”

“I’m far from comfortable,” she gritted out. “You truly are insane, and I’ll be no help to you. I will fight you kicking and screaming the whole way.” She was about to stand, but the dark look that crossed his face had her staying in her seat. Never had she seen such a foreboding and evil look on him.

“You will stay here and give me what I need, because you have no choice. I would much prefer if you were willing, but it doesn’t matter if you’re not, Neeka.” His voice had dropped to a deadly whisper that sent chills down her spine. He pushed the other papers toward her. “I want you to read what work I am accomplishing. You are what is making all this possible, and I won’t let anything ruin that, not even you.”

His jaw was hard as he stared at her, the muscles under his skin flexing.

She didn’t even look at the papers, and Rye’s face got red from his anger.

“Read them,” he said harder, more adamantly.

She took the papers, her hands shaking as she looked down at the documents. Shock resonated through her at what she read. If she was reading correctly, Dr. Rye Vincent believed that her blood was the key in making indestructible warriors.

He’d created a serum with her blood as the main component because he believed it made a person invincible. Once he injected the blood-serum mixture into the human body, the recipient would become immune to both biochemical warfare and injury, heal instantly, and have superior strength and senses.

She shook her head as she read through the material again. “This is fiction. My blood can’t make people indestructible. That’s not possible, not realistic.”

He really was insane.

“No, your blood can’t make anyone superior, but coupled with a formula I’ve been working on my entire professional life, it can.” He was grinning now, and it was a ghastly sight. “You have a blood type that isn’t even categorized, Neeka.