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…

Cara… Your gift to

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

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

change any of

No. Nothing.

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

for

And me?

I’m the decoy.

icy and with the 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

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

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

sparkling with fairy lights, dressed with spray-on snow and Santa, Please Stop Here signs. In my own home, we never finished the trimming up. Charlotte’s abduction killed off any thoughts of celebration and our tree stands half-decorated and

I pass by.

few minutes I’m leaving the relative safety of the residential zone and passing into more uncertain territory. This end of Marsh Street is not a good

highways were developed, a remnant of the old town, under

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 the sheer hell

admit, I'm feeling

Better than the alternative.

has to

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

traffic grumbles past. But here

“Hello?”

echoes briefly, then

here.” I pace,

Nothing…