Desolation Road (Torpedo Ink 4)

“Everyone has to decide for themselves what they’re going to do when they find themselves in a situation where someone takes them from their home and family. We decided we needed to fight back. Czar taught us how. He was just a boy himself, but he figured things out using what we had right there. That’s why he’s president of Torpedo Ink and we all look up to him and listen to what he says.”

Emily nodded. “That’s why he’s our dad, right, Absinthe?”

“That’s right, baby. And that’s why you always listen to what Czar says. His word is law. You don’t keep things from him. You always tell him the truth. He can figure it out, even when you’re scared. He might look scary mean, but he always comes up with a solution.”

Emily nodded. “He kisses me good night. So does Mama Blythe.” She squeezed Jimmy’s hand. “They make things better.”

Absinthe nodded. “Like I said, we didn’t have much, we were just little kids, but we developed some wicked skills and I’m going to teach you those and the progression of each of the weapons you can make and how to use them if you need to.”

That got Jimmy’s entire attention. He suddenly turned his gaze fully on Absinthe. The kid was heartbreaking. He could see why Czar and Blythe were desperate enough to want Torpeko Ink to find a way to help them break through to the boy. He’d been taken by a man called “the Collector” and sold to a very wealthy pedophile who kept him for six years. Torpedo Ink had discovered him when Jimmy had been put up for auction online and they set out to find him and retrieve him.

The Collector found single parents, men or women without too many family members and very young children, babies even, took pictures of the toddlers and made up brochures. Those went out to exclusive websites, specifically those of very wealthy clients looking for children they could have without fear of interference. If they chose one of the Collector’s toddlers, he murdered the family, took the child and was paid a fortune. Jimmy came from the Collector. The boy was new to the family. He’d only been with them a few short months and was still very nervous and unbelieving that he was safe.

Alena sank into the grass beside Absinthe. “The cool thing about these weapons is no one can ever detect that you even have them on you. Not ever. We started this way, with just little rocks and acorns to practice with until we became so accurate, we never miss. Never. And you won’t either, if you practice the way we did.”

She picked up one of the rocks, still sitting, half turned and sent the rock flying so fast it hummed in the air and shot right through one of the holes.

Emily and Jimmy both gasped, eyes widening and then exchanged grins. Jimmy reached down and picked up one of the rocks, his fingers moving over the smooth surface.

“Czar would have penalized me for showing off. We were never supposed to make any noise. Not ever. You don’t give yourself away. You don’t want your prey to ever suspect you. You’re the child. The innocent. Even if you’re the only one in the room that could have done it, you have to perfect the look of innocence. Never be smug. Never have an ego. Never brag. Never show off. Never tell anyone that is not one of the brothers. That means Torpedo Ink. That’s who you are. Torpedo Ink. This is your family and it always will be. What we say here stays here with us.”

Emily nodded solemnly. “That’s what Daddy Czar tells us all the time, right, Jimmy?”

Jimmy nodded. He looked as if he might say something, but he didn’t make a sound.

“So, what we’re going to do now,” Absinthe said, “is start practicing. Emily has the red rocks because that’s her favorite color. Soleil painted them for you. She put all those pretty little flowers on them, Emily. You’ll be able to tell they’re yours. You have twelve of them. Jimmy, you like blue. You’ve met Soleil. She’s married to Ice. She painted the ocean on all of your rocks because Blythe told her you like the ocean. Each rock is varied, but all of them have various shades of blue and the ocean is acting different. You also have twelve.”

Alena and Absinthe moved back out of the way.

“You’re going to take turns throwing. You want to use a quick pitch, side arm. That’s the first throw you’re going to learn. At first your rock might not get to the wall and it can be frustrating. That’s okay,” Alena continued. “The point is to learn the arm movement. I’ll help you with that. You need that very slight movement, so no one notices. You can actually practice it without anything in your hand. It just helps to have the rock in your palm. Sometimes, hold it without letting anyone see it.” She demonstrated, concealing the rock in her fist and making the quick flick with her arm and wrist.