Page 69 of Deceiver

“Keagan,” I say again as I knock a little louder this time. Still no reply.

“Keagan, I’m coming in.”

I turn the doorknob, only to find it locked. Why would he lock me out of the bedroom and not answer me. He hasn’t come across as someone who would hide something important from me which makes me think there’s a problem. As the sense of something being very wrong intensifies, I kick the door open, ready to battle what’s on the other side if I have to.

The room is empty.

The windows are closed, and nothing is out of place, but Keagan isn’t in here.

He’s gone.

Fuck. I lost my target.

Chapter 19

Keagan

“Wake up.”

A shiver moves through as awareness slowly returns. When I drag my eyelids open, my surroundings make no sense to me. The ground is cool, covered with fallen leaves under a canopy of trees. The sun is long gone and darkness envelops me.

I sit up abruptly, breathing hard. “Where am I?”

“We’re gonna try something, Keagan. All you have to do is follow my instructions.”

“Dad?” I peer through the darkness but see no one. “Is that you?”

“You’ve done such a good job so far, my boy.”

It must be my dad, but his voice doesn’t sound right. Like it’s mixed with other voices and far away.

“This is our first task. If it works, we’ll be able to finish my project. Together.”

“Okay. What do you need?”

“There’s a house on the other side of this tree line. Go to it now.”

I get to my feet, brush the leaves from my jeans, and walk in the direction of a dim streetlight I can just make out. Throughthe trees, I spot a small house sitting at the end of the street. This area is rural as fuck, and I have no idea where I’m at.

“There’s a shed to the left,” Dad says. “Go in there.”

“Whose house is this? This is trespassing. I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“You won’t. Go to the shed.”

Reluctantly I head that way, my feet seemingly moving on their own.

“Where are you?” I ask in vain.

“I’m all around you. I’m in you. Go into the shed.”

I reach the small wooden structure and push the door open, and I’m immediately hit with a stench that makes my stomach turn. I cover my nose. “What is this place?”

“Just do as I say. Look on the workbench.”

It’s dark, but I make my way inside, my hand extended to feel what’s around me. I walk straight into the wooden bench.

“Good. There should be a small hatchet. Be careful not to cut yourself.”