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 to

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

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

I change any of

No. Nothing.

she’s in, imprisoned in her cell, racked with pain, coughing up green slime, she found the way to

coming for you,

And me?

I’m the decoy.

merest 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 to a hoared sheen, except

a mile to reach the rendezvous point, near enough to get there quickly. Far enough that, hopefully, they

the cold is keeping people indoors and, after all, Christmas is coming. Most folks will be

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

I pass by.

of the residential zone and passing into more

the City, it was built before the main highways were developed, a remnant of the old town, under the overpass which carries the modern road to Barnbridge. It's a risky spot for the unwary, noted

least in pairs and the other emergency services are cautious. The area is noted for hoax calls of fire or medical emergency followed by muggings for cash and drugs, and attacks on medics and fire officers for

I'm feeling windy about being

Better than the alternative.

has to

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 before settling to iced sculptures over ground-level

evening traffic grumbles past. But here below, all

“Hello?”

briefly,

I

Nothing…