Page 110 of The Tomorrows After You
I had to double down, but I also had to keep him talking while I figured a way out of here. Because as confident as I was pretending to be, I was terrified. He had the upper hand. I discreetly pulled my phone out and tried calling 911 but it was too dark and I couldn’t see if it was connecting.
“It was only a matter of time before someone at the pharmaceutical company figured out the study was pumped with ineligible candidates. The results are no good because they were all hooked on your little Chimera drug.” I waved to the industrial meth/heroin lab behind me.
He nodded, smugly. “Yeah, I suppose it would have been. I’ll have to call up my broker and tell him I have a… bad feeling about Echidna Pharmaceuticals. Seems like a good time to short the stock.”
From behind my back, a faint “whoosh” confirmed the sent email. I had to work to conceal my smile. Whatever happened from here? At least someone else had what I had now. Someone else could do right by Riot if I never made it out of here.
The thought of that lit something primal in me and I wanted to get back to him. I had to get back to him.
“And what about Grace, huh? She went to lay flowers on her daddy’s death site and saw this whole operation getting set up, didn’t she? So, what — Elias Blackwell sent you as his dumb muscle to shut her up?”
The echo of Geoff’s guffawbounceddown the shaft,slappingme in the face.“Yeah, right. That dumb hick couldn’t add four quarters to make a dollar. Imadehim every dime hehasandwe’reabout to come into a whole lot more. FDA approval or not.”
He disappeared and started rustling for something and I gauged how long it would take me to climb the ladder. Just as I was about to jump for it, he reappeared.
“Iwas sorry about Grace, I really was. I liked the woman. In another life…” He drifted off and the surprising thing was that I believed him. “But she threatened to blow the whole operation before it ever got started.” Geofftskedsadly.
He pulled something out from the box he brought into view.
“Igaveher a chance. Itriedto reason with her.Toldher my vision.Triedto get her to see how much good she could do with the church when our investmentscamethrough but shehada hard head. A lot like you, I reckon. Ihada soft spot for my Gracie.”Helookedup to the black night sky.“Itblindedme. And IsworeI wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”Isawhim fumble with something in his pocket.“Almostluckedout when that wacko boy of hers nearlytookcare of it for me. But naturally, that queerwasn’tman enough to finish the job.”
I growled, blood boiling at his vicious summary of my friend. HehadseenBrennan’s fight with his mother. And heletRiot go to jail for it. If Ihadair in my lungs I wouldhavegrowled, I wouldhavegivenhim a tongue-lashingso fierce he wouldn’t be able to sit down for months.
But I couldn’t breathe because as he spoke I realized what he was fumbling around with.
“You see, I let my Grace go, hoping I could change her mind. But then she had to go and call up that Plainbottom cop…” He gazed down at me. His lighter flicked to life. “That’s why I can’t let you go, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I really am. But I’m too close to let some Nancy Drew call anything into question.”
Iwatched, almost in slow motion. The fuse to the stick of dynamitesprungto life like a tiny, deadly little firework.
Therewasn’ttime to think about anything. About my regrets, what I would miss. The things I wish Ihaddone. The people I wish I neverinvolvedmyself with. The places Ihadalwayswantedto go.
I let a certain peace wash over me. The lit stick floated down past my face and all I could feel was the warm palm of Riot’s outstretched hand, as he offered it to me so many times. I pictured his handsome face, smiling in the driver’s seat of his truck as we took turns turningup the music. I closed my eyes and felt his lips on me, his scent overwhelming me. Eclipsing me. I heard his voice, whispering my name.
Riot Asherwasthe last thing Isawbefore the dynamitefellto the bottom of the elevator shaft and the world around meexploded,pitchingme into an endless abyss of nothingness.
And now, fucking hell, I was dead.
The bright white lights of Heavendescendedon me,piercingmy eyeballs,goadingme to open them to see the pearly white gates that would be my eternity.
Wait, did Heaven really smell like bleach?
And did Ihonestlythink there was a Heaven? Especially one that would letmein?
The smell of bleachprickedthe back of my sinuses and itwokeup something in the back of my head, a throbbing ache thatparalyzedme.
Being dead shouldn’thurtthis much, should it?
One eye blinked open. The overwhelming ache of my body finally hit me.
As the bright room around mecameinto focus, Riotwasthe first thing Isaw. Hewaspacingaround at the foot of my bed, horrible concern fixedon his face.
Holy shit, Iwasalive. Not onlywasI alive but Riotwashere. In the same room with me. Everythingcamerushingback to me. The treatment, our fight, therecording, him kicking me out.Washe still angry with me?
Itriedpartingmy lips to speak, but Ibeganto choke violently. Oh, God, I couldn’t breathe.
I felt Riot’s hands press against me but I was too focused on ripping out whatever was in my mouth.
“Hey, easy, Nic, easy.” His words were comforting, but I still coughed and hacked until I saw the end of the tube that was downmy throat come out of me. He shouted something to someone but the echo of the mine explosion still ricocheted off my brain.
