Page 128 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

She stormed into his office letting the door slam and she smirked when she saw he was there too. Brandon.

“Well well if it isn’t the dream team.” She quipped.

“What the hell do you want?” Cole snapped.

“Charming, that’s a lovely way to greet your sister.” She replied. “Except you’re not lovely are you Cole?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Maddie. You didn’t let her come did you?” She said.

“Excuse me?” Cole replied.

“Saturday. She was meant to come riding with me but you refused to take her didn’t you.” She stated.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cole said.

“Are you? You can’t control her, you can’t stop her from doing what she wants.” She replied.

“Get out.” Cole said and she shook her head.

“Not until I see Maddie.” She stated.

“Then you’ll be waiting a very long time.” Brandon said and Cole scowled at him at the insinuation.

“Why, where is she?” She asked.

“Away.” Cole said before Brandon could answer.

“Away where?” She asked.

“Just away. Now I suggest you leave, some of us actually have work to do.” Cole replied.

“Has she left you?” She asked him.

“What?” He growled.

“Maddie, she’s left you.” Charlotte said.

“Don’t be a fucking idiot Charlotte.” Brandon snapped.

“Then where is she?” Charlotte half yelled and the man that had just walked in behind her half jumped in surprise.

“We’ve got something.” He said glancing at Charlotte like she might be mad.

“What?” Brandon asked.

“From the target. It’s encrypted but you’ll want to see it.” The man said.

“Come on then.” Brandon said standing up and Cole followed.

They walked into the Briefing Room, Becky and Douglas were already there as were about a dozen analysts and other agents.

Someone hit the button and a figure appeared with what looked like a hessian sack on their head. Someone yanked it off and Maddie’s face was there, on the screen, blinking like she hadn’t seen daylight in a while and that the brightness was hurting her eyes.

She was topless with just her hair covering her but you could still clearly see practically everything if you looked. She was beaten up with a bruise across her cheekbone. Her wrists were bound and she held them up against her to try to cover herself and at least two if not three of her fingers were badly broken. Her eyes looked down from the camera and someone yanked her head back to force her to look into it.

She muttered something, barely audible, and someone behind the camera laughed loudly. They were taunting them Cole realised, showing BlackWater they had her.

“Turn it off.” Cole said and everyone looked at him.

“There might be something here.” Becky said quietly.

“I said turn it off.” He yelled and Brandon shook his head. “That is one of our agents. One of your team. Turn it off.” Cole stated and the man with remote nodded hitting the button and the screen turned black.

“Where is she?” Charlotte asked and Cole turned realising she was there, that she had followed them in.

“That’s the point. We don’t know.” He said and she swallowed.

“Can you get her back?” She asked.

He narrowed his eyes before walking out. He wasn’t going to answer that because he didn’t know that either.

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