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

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

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

I change any of

No. Nothing.

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

coming for you,

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

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

not that late, but the cold is keeping people indoors and,

windows brightly lit, glowing with warmth and welcome, 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

I pass by.

residential zone and

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

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

feeling windy

Better than the alternative.

has to

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

traffic grumbles past. But here below, all is

“Hello?”

voice echoes briefly,

I pace, circling,

Nothing…