Page 59 of Tactically Acquired

“No.”

“But you let me do that. Wouldn’t it make sense that you feed me also?”

He thought about it for a second, and I knew he was going to turn me down. I could see it in his eyes. I couldn’t go back to that chair. Not yet. Not when I was just starting to feel somewhat human again.

“Please, just a piece of cheese would do.”

“You know, for a captive, you’re pretty demanding.”

“Demanding or wanting basic rights?”

“Captives don’t have rights. That’s sort of the point.”

“Look, I’ve been kidnapped like four times! I’ve been in a major accident. My body hurts. My head is pounding. Is it too much to ask for a fucking piece of cheese!”

An explosion ripped through the front of the house, tearing out the front wall. My body was thrown into my captor and against the wall. My head slammed against the wall, ringing my noggin for the second time in as many hours. Spots filled my vision once again and the aches I felt from earlier returned with a vengeance.

I peeled my eyes open, staring at my captor just inches from me as he tried in vain to push himself off the ground. I couldn’t blame him. I was feeling the same way at the moment. I shook my head, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was happening in the distance, but all I saw were sparks and ash falling all around us as fire burned through the house.

Pushing up, I started coughing as I inhaled too much smoke and a hell of a lot of crap floating through the air. Arms grabbed at me, locking me down, but I’d had enough of this shit. I wasn’t about to let anyone jerk me around anymore.

With a shout, I rammed my elbow back into the man’s gut, then spun and swung my leg out. The fight scene from my last movie flitted through my head and I quickly followed the series of kicks and strikes the stunt coordinator taught me. But none of them worked and I couldn’t figure out why. They worked so damn well in the film.

I went through the series of kicks again as the man continued to stare at me. What the hell was his problem? And why wasn’t this working?

17

SLIDER

IRIS’s explosion was about five times the size it needed to be, which wasn’t at all a surprise. He always went above and beyond the parameters of the job just to have a little fun, but based on where I saw Audrey lying on the floor, he just barely missed making her confetti in the explosion.

I rushed in through the flames rushing up from the floor, dodging a falling beam just in time to avoid being crushed. We had minutes to get out of here before the whole fucking building collapsed.

“That was fucking awesome!” IRIS shouted, storming inside with me.

“Too much. Way too fucking much!” I shouted over the roar of the fire.

“Says you.” He stared in wonder at his handiwork, momentarily forgetting that we had a job to do.

I stepped over the wreckage, working my way toward Audrey, when she got to her feet and swayed slightly. We weren’t far from her, but the moment that asshole stood and took her from behind, I knew this wouldn’t be as easy as we thought, and that was all because IRIS fucked things up by once again putting just a little too much into the explosives.

But instead of Audrey doing what any sane person would do, she instantly fought back. At first, I was fucking proud, but as she spun around and started kicking and punching at pure air, I stopped and stared in awe.

No, awe wasn’t the right word.

Curiosity. Intrigue? Wonder. No, none of those were right. Disbelief. That was the word I was looking for.

“What the fuck is she doing?” IRIS asked.

I shook my head slowly, cocking my head to the side as I followed her movements. It looked like she was doing some kind of choreographed movement, but the man she was fighting wasn’t doing anything to fight back. In fact, he was watching her like we were.

“Is she fighting a ghost?” IRIS asked.

“Maybe she hit her head harder than we thought,” I suggested.

“Right. That has to be it,” he said with a frown.

“Because otherwise…”

---