Page 59 of Hard Game

“There has to be a main room. These locks are electrical,” he says, scanning the metal platform that surrounds the cages from above. “There’s no one guarding them; they must have cameras.”

“Which means…” I swallow hard as he nods grimly.

“They know we’re here.”

Fuck.

I thought we would have had a gunfight, two of us versus the madmen who cage women, but no, they’re hiding behind cameras and electric locks.

A woman reaches her hand out to me, and I see she’s missing an eye. My stomach twists, but I clutch her hand, squeezing it tightly. A large metal collar chains her to the back of her cage, which doesn’t give her much room to move. She has nothing, not a toilet, water—nothing.

“Please, get us out of here,” she says before she coughs so violently she brings up blood. I pull my hand away, refusing to make empty promises. She cries, and I have to look away.

My fucking God, what hope do we have of saving these poor souls? Even if we do, how will they survive? What life will they live? Not the one they had before they were taken, that’s for sure, but they deserve a chance to live.

A door slams above us, and instinctively, my head whips upward, my eyes scanning the metal platform for whoever just walked in.“Well, well. Is that you, Max?”

Maddox stiffens beside me but keeps hold of my hand, his eyes fixed on the top corner of the room like he can see something I can’t. I squint, able to make out the outline of a large man.

“And you’ve brought a treat!”

The women moan and wail around us, and I feel their terror pulsing in the air. Whoever this man is, he’s rotten to the core.

“Don’t speak to him,” Maddox says, stepping in front of me.

“Aww, so protective, Max. You should know it’s quite pointless, though, as you’re surrounded. I thought you were too pussy for all this pussy, haha.”

My eyes dart around the metal platforms, expecting to see more men appearing, but there’s nothing and no one. What the hell does this bastard mean? We’re surrounded? I can’t see anyone.

Maddox doesn’t move, and I hate myself for wanting him to say something back. The fact that Maddox is here is a testament to his strength.

“Detective Diess. I was going to visit you, but you came to me first. Step forward; let’s have a look at you.” The voice addresses me, and I grit my teeth, jutting my chin.

“You’re a fucking monster.”

A chuckle, then I see him. He is tall, with grey hair and a matching grey suit. He walks across the platform almost casually, and my instincts tell me this is wrong. He shouldn’t be walking towards us without fear, not when we’re pointing guns at him. He sweeps a hand toward the cages, and I see upon closer inspection that he wears a ruby ring.

Pompous bastard.

“Look at my empire, Max. Hasn’t it grown from the seedy little cells we used to use?” He chuckles, grinning at us with amusement.

I raise my gun, and he holds his hands up in mock terror, still grinning. “I’ll put a bullet in your mouth, cocksucker,” I vow, no longer caring what Maddox told me to do.

Maddox groans, but he doesn’t turn to look at me.

“Fiesty, isn’t she? Bet she’s an animal in bed. Then again, I’ll find out for myself. Do you bite, sweetheart? I sure hope so.” The man leers at me, and the women sob, the ones closest to him scurrying to the back of their cages in fear.

I detest him. “I’ll cut your cock off and shove it down your throat, you fucking piece of shit,” I rasp, taking aim.

Then, there’s a buzzing sound, and three cages behind me unlock. Maddox’s shoulders drop, and I furrow my brow.

What am I missing here?

“No, no!” A woman screams as the man before me beckons his fingers, a twisted smirk on his vile mouth.

“Come, Anyetta. You know the drill.”

“Please! Help me, please!”

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