Page 54 of Enter the Lair

She put her hand to her stinging cheek.She expected to feel betrayed.Hurt.She felt nothing for the parent in front of her.

Brian dropped his hands.“I’m sorry Sarah.I didn’t come here to fight with you.I came here to help you get Racheal out.”

She rubbed her cheek.“Why would I believe anything you say?”

“You have to believe I never wanted her hurt.I just found out.”His distress seemed real.

Sarah’s stomach sank.“What did you find out?”

“She was experimented on.Things were done to her.”

She grabbed the front of his shirt aggressively.“What was done to her?”

“I don’t know the details, but she needs to be extracted?”He wasn’t exactly lying.Though something was off about his explanation and he was clearly uncomfortable.

“I will get Racheal out.I just need to let Devon know.”

“If you tell him, she’s dead,” he said.

“They still need her.”

“Not anymore.”

* * *

Sarah followed her father through the side door and out the back entrance.

Gerald was waiting beside a black SUV with tinted windows.“I’m glad you came to your senses.”

“Fuck you, Gerry.”She saw the quick sting of pain on his face before he recovered.

He opened the vehicle’s door in a jerky motion.“Get in.”

She slid across to the far window.Gerald positioned himself beside her, his knees rubbing against hers.He put his arm around her back.What once was a friendly comfort, now made her cat snarl and push to be released.Gerald didn’t know her cougar was fully formed, and she didn’t want to tip her hand.She knew he was provoking her on purpose.

They pulled away from the curb and were only a block away before she felt Devon’s emotions surge to pure fury.She hid her smile.Officer Smith was about to have a terrible day.The vehicle pulled into an underground parking garage only a few miles from the station.

She was ushered into the building and down a long corridor that reminded her of a hospital.Gerald opened the door to a small room with a table and a few chairs in it.Racheal sat in the corner.

Sarah ran to her, kneeling down to remove her gag.She moved frantically to untie her hands and hugged her fiercely.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Racheal sobbed.

Sarah rubbed Racheal’s upper arms.“I can’t take that trip we planned to the Bahamas without you.Remember flight 222?”Racheal hated warm weather and she would catch Sarah’s meaning.

“I remember,” Racheal said before turning to Gerald.“She wasn’t supposed to be brought into this.”

Gerald shrugged.“You knew she would be, eventually.You know what I want.”

A tear fell down Racheal’s face.“He wants...”

“I know what he wants.It’s not your fault,” she said soothingly.

Racheal shook her head quickly.“I let my excitement, the possibility of a new species, cloud my judgment.I should have told you right away.The day Kevin called me.The day he took me.”Her shoulders shook.

Sarah gave her a little shake.“Don’t do this.Not here.Not now.”She needed Racheal to focus so she could do the same.“He played us because he needed you.”

Gerald stepped around Brian to approach her.“We did, but we don’t anymore...do we, Racheal?”