Hot Revenge Box Set 2

*****

James

The message from Charlotte’s abductors…

Finchby…

Baxter…

… replays in my head…

Marsh Street under Barnbridge Road overpass 9pm

Bring the money

No police. No other people or she dies

If late she dies. So does the baby

Brandy and rage burn inside me.

The bag containing the ransom money swings heavy in my hand. I'm the decoy and at some level, I know I may not come out of this alive. Klempner's Kevlar vest gives me a little comfort, but it’s the fury inside that warms me against fast falling temperatures.

I should be afraid…

But I’m not.

Jade-Eyes…

My beautiful Jade-Eyes…

Your gift

day I met Charlotte, my Virgin, we have helter-skeltered from one crisis

ruling her, robbed her of what she deserves. None of it her fault, she has simply

change any

No. Nothing.

she is. Strong. Fearless. Resourceful. Even in the dire situation she’s in, imprisoned in her cell, racked with pain, coughing up green slime, she found the way to tell us where

coming for you,

And me?

I’m the decoy.

but does little to blanket in what passed for the heat of the day. The streets are

trek of perhaps half a mile to reach the rendezvous point, near enough

not that late, but the cold is keeping people indoors and, after all, Christmas is coming. Most folks will be with friends, at parties or

signs. In my own home, we never finished the trimming up. Charlotte’s abduction killed off any thoughts of celebration and

I pass by.

a few minutes I’m leaving the relative safety of the residential zone and passing into more uncertain territory. This end

main highways were developed, a remnant of the old town, under the overpass which carries the

fire or medical emergency followed by muggings for cash and drugs, and attacks on medics and fire officers for

I'm feeling windy about

Better than the alternative.

to do

the overpass, dim under inadequate sodium lighting. From the road above, moisture trickles down, streaking stark concrete walls white before settling

late evening traffic grumbles past. But here

“Hello?”

echoes briefly,

here.” I pace, circling,

Nothing…