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

Virgin, we

past has constantly pursued her, ruling her, robbed her of what she deserves. None of it her fault, she has simply been the survivor of everything life has

I change any

No. Nothing.

Resourceful. Even in the dire situation she’s in, imprisoned in her cell, racked with pain, coughing up green slime,

coming for you,

And me?

I’m the decoy.

hush of a breeze. High cloud makes a haze of the stars but does little to blanket in what passed for the heat of the day. The streets are glazed

perhaps half a mile to reach the rendezvous point, near enough to get there

the cold is keeping people indoors and, after all, Christmas is coming.

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

I pass by.

the residential zone and passing into

boundary of the City, it was built before the main highways were developed, a remnant of the old town, under

noted for hoax calls of fire or medical emergency followed by

admit, I'm feeling windy about being

Better than the alternative.

to

my destination. The road lies straddled by two great concrete supports for the overpass, dim under inadequate sodium lighting. From the road above, moisture trickles down, streaking stark concrete walls white

on the overpass, late evening traffic grumbles past. But here

“Hello?”

echoes briefly, then dies

here.” I pace, circling,

Nothing…