Page 52 of Retribution
Nate Bannerman
It doesn’t take long for me to locate The Unseen—Trey Williams. My brother’s a savant when it comes to computers, his hacking skills coming second to none. Combined with my skills, we’re a force to be reckoned with, which makes tracking him down almost child’s play.
Sitting in a window booth at a diner across from the Radisson Hotel, I watch as he emerges from the lobby, pulling a suitcase behind him. A stunning woman skips alongside him, smiling and laughing.
Huh. This, I wasn’t expecting. The woman looks happy, not at all forced to be by his side. I’m a bit surprised that it looks like he’s moved on from Tessa already, especially as he stalked her for twelve years. But the fond look on his face as he looks down at her clearly shows that he has. That’s one clear point in his favor.
Downing the rest of my coffee, I drop a twenty on the table and pull on a baseball cap and shades. Pushing out into the still mild autumn morning, the diner door closes silently behind me as I make my way to the rental car. I make sure to leave several cars between us, hoping he doesn’t make my tail.
I’m glad of the two cups of coffee I downed in that diner when I realize he’s heading for Phoenix. They’ll keep me awake during the drive.
Flipping the radio on, I switch channels to a news station, listening to them recap everything they know about the House of Horrors and the deaths of several prominent members of the community.
If I really have to, I’ll admit that I’m impressed with the fucker. I don’t know why he’s going after pedophiles now, and I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the woman by his side.
I know Eric and Tessa are all on board with him joining us, but there’s still a part of me that’s unsure if it’s wise. Trey looks happy with this woman, but what if he’s around Tessa again, and decides he wants her too?
My hands clench around the steering wheel, my knuckles white with the strain. If he tries, he’ll find himself strung up and missing his skin—because I will slowly peel it from his body as his screams feed my demon. My lips curl up into a grin at the thought. Fuck, it’s been too long since I’ve indulged in blood.
We’ve been keeping a low profile since we faked our deaths and moved to Canada. That FBI agent, what’s her name? Oh, yes, Agent Gerhardt. When she cornered Tessa in that bookstore, warning her that the FBI were coming—well, we thought it best if we got ourselves out of Chicago. And better yet, the country.
Agent Gerhardt had told Tessa about the international trafficking ring she was working and when we held a family discussion about it, we three decided that we’d help the good agent out. After all, her warning saved us from getting caught and we all agreed that doing this would balance the scales.
Not that we have any issues with taking out pedophiles, the sick fucks.
We’ve spent the past couple of months learning everything we can about this ring. They are good; excellent, even. Eric has to work tirelessly to keep track of everything online, as they regularly change passcodes, firewalls, and security. He could use another hacker to help him keep track of everything.
We’ve discovered that there’s at least fifty-six of the fuckers. Fifty-six heads, as it were. Spread worldwide, each in control of a portion of the ring. There might be more—Eric is sure there’s at least one we’re missing—but so far, we haven’t discovered who they might be.
Changing lanes to keep Trey in my sights, I make sure to pay attention as we draw nearer to Phoenix.
Imagine my shock when he pulls up to what looks like a small amusement park. Huffing a quiet laugh, I watch as he opens her door for her, pulling her out and kissing her firmly. They look happy.
Pushing my seat back and reclining it, I settle my cap over my eyes, figuring this might just be a long, boring day ahead.
I don’t know how he managed to stalk Tessa for all those years, this is boring as fuck.
Chapter 30
Rebecca
When Trey pulls into the large parking lot, I just sit for a moment, staring. The sight of gigantic metal tracks, the screams of fear and delight, the tinny music, and flashing lights bring forth a long-forgotten memory.
“Auntie Sannah!” I cry, running towards her. She leans down, scoops me up, and twirls me around.
“Hey, nugget!” Auntie Sannah says, grinning down at me. “Ready to go on some rides?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” I shout, so excited. Mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, and Auntie Sannah are all here, taking me to the theme park for my ninth birthday. I’ve always wanted to go to a theme park, and now that I’m big enough for the coasters, I get to come here for my birthday treat.
Swinging my hand in Auntie Sannah’s, I can’t stop looking at everything.
“What do you want to go on first?” Mom asks.
“Mmm—the Goliath!”
Dad chuckles, ruffling my hair. “Of course, you do. Come on then, I’ll race you!”
A shudder runs over me as the memory fades. Trey looks at me worriedly. “Was this a mistake?” he asks softly. “I wanted to give you a fun day out, away from everything that’s waiting for us. But we can leave if you want to.”
