Opening my timer, I set it for five minutes as I dialed Hampton. “Hello.” The gruff older voice answered tensely.
“Hampton. Bane.”
He coughed. “Bane. Thank you for the flowers. Felicia appreciated them. I tried calling you yesterday for another job I have, but couldn’t reach you.”
“Yeah, I disconnected my number. I need some time off to get my head on straight. How’s Felicia?”
Hampton was exhausted. I pulled up the hospital Felicia was staying at as he answered. “Better. She’s eating and her white blood cell count is looking good. I think we’ll be able to leave in a few days. Felicia’s exhausted and ready to be home.”
“I bet. Quick question. I was thinking about the job at Discrete Encounters. Did you find anything odd?”
He paused. “No, why?”
“Well, they claimed to have a top-notch security system but it had more holes in it than a leaky sieve. Before I disconnect from everything for a bit I was simply wondering.” I listened for any sounds of the hospital in the background, but didn’t hear any. There was a hotel connected and Hampton could be there. Without becoming obvious, I’d have to investigate the records on my own.
“Umm … they came into the office the day before I asked you. Sounded desperate. Made me a great offer if I could pull it off. Then, I called you.”
Made sense. If they were watching Hampton, they’d know his wife was sick. The first choice to call was always me. “I’m probably crazy. Thanks, man. Tell Felicia I’m thinking of her.”
“Will do. Take care.”
Hanging up, I steepled my fingers underneath my chin and was glad I’d made the choice not to tell Hampton about Eric. Maybe in a week or so if I wasn’t able to get answers. Plus, first I needed to talk to Sarge and tell him. Otherwise, I’d have my ass thrown in a sling by the Black Division. They were not someone you wanted to piss off.
Protocol stated to call in as soon as possible if there was a breach in security. Eric being a traitor was a major fucking breach. Even though I was out of Black Division, I was still bound by certain rules.
Eric Thornhill hated Hampton with a passion. They’d never agreed on missions and how to handle situations in the field. Hampton wanted to limit casualties while Eric wanted as many bodies as possible. Going through every moment of the committed memories during the interrogation, I thought back to the day I’d questioned Eric and he confessed.
Eric sat in the metal chair with both hands and feet cuffed and zip-tied to the side. Blood dripped down his face from my earlier few punches. Not once had Eric agreed to any of the charges against him, claiming he was being framed as well.
Complete and utter bullshit.
“Eric, I can make the pain stop. Tell me who all you sold me out to and you won’t die.”
He wiped his chin on his sleeve, spreading the blood. “I didn’t sell you out.”
I stood, throwing the chair against the wall. Sarge stood watching me get in Eric’s face as I yelled, “Liar! I have a dead fiancé and child because of you!”
“I didn’t sell you out!”
I took the wand Taser in my hand and held it to him—enjoying the immense pain radiating through his body. The electricity flowed through Eric as he pissed himself for the third time. The skin smelled burnt, but I pressed it in further. “Tell me or I won’t stop next time.”
“Fine!” He spit through gritted teeth.
I released the wand while Eric breathed rapidly. “I did it. I sold you out, motherfucker. And guess what? I’d do it again.”
Sarge swung at Eric as I went to unleash hell. Three guards rushed in and held me. Sarge looked at me. “Go get your shit together, Bane.”
I looked at the guards. “Take the traitor down to the execution hall. I’ll be there.” Sarge didn’t argue with my commands. He knew better. It was part of the arrangement to get me to finish the six missions I’d agreed to. They still had four left to ask me to do.
“You fucker!” Eric yelled.
I shrugged and walked out the door as I called over my shoulder, “I lied.”
A day I thought as victory had been fake. Part of me felt like I’d been cheated out of the revenge I deserved. The bitter taste flooded my mouth. I wanted Eric Thornhill dead.
Turned out, Sarge’s punch dislocated Eric’s jaw. Only his muffled sounds were heard as Hampton pulled the trigger and I watched with absolute joy while the man who caused Jasmine and Faith’s murders died. If it had been my choice, he would have suffered—slowly.
But it all had been for nothing. All of it. Eric was alive. And Eric deserved to die. I would make sure this time around he didn’t escape. Who had helped Eric from the inside? Was Hampton involved since he’d pulled the trigger? I saw the blood.