Page 78 of Property of Anchor

I turned, still holding the envelope.“It was just sitting here.On the step.”

Anchor frowned.He plucked the envelope from my hand and tore it open.

I didn’t have to see what was inside to know.

The look on his face told me everything.

Another USB.

“Do you think…” I started, my voice shaky.

“I don’t know what to fucking think anymore, Pearl,” he snapped, though not at me.His voice was sharp with frustration and fear.“Get your shoes on.We’re heading to the clubhouse.”

I nodded and turned, adrenaline already buzzing under my skin.I didn’t change, just shoved my feet into my sneakers and grabbed the sweatshirt from the back of the couch.Anchor pulled on his shirt and shoved his feet into boots.He grabbed the USB, then my hand, and we were out the door.

The gravel crunched beneath our feet, and the early morning air was cool against my bare legs.Anchor didn’t say a word, and neither did I.There was no room for small talk with something like this.

The clubhouse loomed ahead.Anchor didn’t hesitate; he shoved the door open with enough force to make it slam against the wall.

Everyone turned.

Skull stood behind the bar.Post, Piney, Vin, and Prime sat scattered around the room.Wannabe had a spoon halfway to his mouth.Bob held a donut in each hand.All of them froze.

“Fuck,” Skull muttered, slamming his hand on the bar.“I saw you on the cameras, but I didn’t think you were gonna come busting in here like your ass was on fire.”

Anchor didn’t respond.He just held up the USB between two fingers.

Every single one of them paled.

“Oh, fuck me,” Prime muttered under his breath.

Skull snapped his fingers.“Wannabe, computer.Now.”

Wannabe practically dropped his cereal and bolted from the room.

My heart thudded hard in my chest as Anchor led me to the bar.Skull sat down, and a moment later, Wannabe returned with the black club laptop, setting it in front of him.

“Let’s see what the fuck we’ve got,” Skull grunted.

Anchor handed over the USB, and Skull inserted it into the laptop.The screen flickered.The cursor spun.A folder popped up.

It was titled:Let’s Play.

My stomach dropped.

Skull clicked it open.

Inside the folder were three things.

One was a distorted audio file labeledMessage.mp3.Another was a short video titledTick Tock.And the last was a folder labeledPhotos.

None of us said a word.Skull clicked on the audio first.

A low hum filled the air, followed by static and the faintest sound of laughter.It didn’t sound human.It was warped and echoey, like it had been dragged through hell and back.

Then a voice.

Distorted.Choppy.