Page 28 of The Lost Soldier
“She’s a civilian. My government isn’t going to cover her up. You’re fucked if you touch her.”
Jung laughed. “Ah, but you know I have no problem killing her, or you wouldn’t have given up the information so quickly.” He leaned in, sneering. “If you’re lying, neither of your deaths will be quick and easy.”
A couple of his men picked Scottie up from the ground and dragged him across the foyer and into another room. Fromsomewhere upstairs, she heard a muffled scream. The lights flickered.
Her muscles trembled, and tears stung in her eyes.
Jung grabbed her arm and hauled off in the other direction. They passed a staircase and another gut-wrenching wail smacked her ears. A few seconds later, Scottie cried out.
“We’re going to find whoever is blocking your powers.” Jung shoved her to a sofa in the middle of a what appeared to be a family room. Old hardwood floors were partially covered with a white, shag rug. Animal antlers lined the walls.
“I don’t understand?” She blinked a few times, taking mental notes of everything in the room, including the only exit and the three windows on the far wall. The room itself wasn’t much to talk about with its brown sofa, matching chairs, and bland accent colors. A couple of the wall decorations could be used as weapons, if she could rip them down.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” Jung said, sitting in a wingback chair, lighting a pipe. “Someone is protecting your talents. Hiding them from me. When I find out who it is, I’m going to kill them.”
“What are you talking about?” She concentrated on trying to punch through the barrier, realizing that the force of the shield wasn’t projecting from the outside, blocking her from using her skills, but coating her body, keeping anyone from penetrating her senses and exposing her gifts and tapping into them. This wasn’t about blocking her, but about unlocking her.
But why?
And was it even possible?
“Preventing me from using my psychic ability only keeps me in harm’s way, so it has to be you or one of your men.”
Jung shook his head. “I want you to use your gifts. You’re special,” Jung said. “I knew that the second I sensed you coming down that road.”
At least he didn’t know she’d been in the compound. Or hoped he hadn’t sensed her there.
“So special, I had to risk having you, but the second I snatched you up, someone clamped down on your powers so quickly and precisely that even you don’t know what is going on. But whoever it is, I’m going to find him and kill him.”
Another muffled scream from upstairs.
She cringed.
“And what about whoever that is? Are they special?”
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about them.”
“But they are why I’m here,” she said. If someone was protecting her gifts, she needed to find out who, and why, because it didn’t make sense. Keeping her from calling for help only crippled any chance of getting out alive.
Unless there was a double agent doing this to her protecting her until he could help her make her escape.
“You’re not military,” Jung said.
“No. I’m not. But I was hired by them.”
He smiled. “Because of your precious gifts.”
“I was brought in to help find the two men you have upstairs.”
“You’re only half good at your job.” Jung let out a hearty laugh, his large belly bouncing. “You found them, but you won’t be able to save them.”
She leaned back, crossing her legs, trying to act as though she wasn’t utterly terrified. “Why are you torturing them? Not a good way to extract information.”
“Who says I’m extracting information?”
“Why else would you torture someone?” If she kept him talking, she might be able to communicate with whoever was holding her abilities back, or hiding them, or whatever. She really needed to reach Chad. She knew without a doubt he’d be able to get her out of this mess.
And save his men and Scottie.
