Page 156 of Fractured Future

“Chinga tu madre!” Miguel spits saliva at him.

Unfazed, Hudson wipes his face then lifts his legs to stand up. “I’m going to assume that was something unpleasant. And I dislike uncooperative people.”

When he smashes his still-lit cigarette down on Miguel’s exposed collarbone, the asshole wails like a baby. His cries are so shrill, they even soak through the double-glass mirror to bite into my ears.

Hudson lifts the now-extinguished cigarette butt then flicks it aside. A red welt, already weeping with blood and puss, is left behind on Miguel’s skin.

“Care to answer my question now?”

“Hombre loco!”

“I know you speak English, dickhead. Start talking, or I’ll go fetch another pack of cigarettes.”

Turning away, I peer into the empty third room. By the time we located the source of the gunshots after losing Luis then subduing the maniacs throwing themselves at us, Diego was dead.

Perhaps decimated is a better word. Madden did a hell of a job when he covered himself in all that spilled blood. He sure exceeded expectations. I hate that.

Disregarding the interrogations when my phone vibrates in my ripped jeans, I almost hang up by accident in my rush to accept the call.

“How is she?”

“No idea. She won’t let me in the room.” Hyland’s voice drips with weariness. “Still having tests done, I think. They called in a neurologist from St Thomas’s hospital.”

“Wait, a neurologist?”

“She had a seizure, Ax. A really fucking bad one.”

Several elongated seconds stretch on, filled with my disbelief. Surely not. If Ember was having seizures, we’d know about it. She would’ve told us. That’s too big a thing to hide.

“That can’t be right,” I eventually reply.

“It’s their medical opinion. I lifted some of her paperwork because the doctor won’t tell me shit. She’s having an EEG, CT scan and blood tests done.”

“Well… Maybe this was the first one?”

Hyland’s sigh rattles down the receiver. “I tried to listen in. She told them she can handle it. This is clearly not the first episode she’s had.”

“I don’t believe this. She would’ve told us.”

“Would she?” he retorts.

Uncertain how to respond, I stare at the wall. A bulletin board filled with scraps of paper, sign-up sheets, health and safety posters grabs my attention like it holds the secrets of the universe.

“If Madden hadn’t found her and killed that son of a bitch, there’s no telling what he would’ve done while she was incapacitated.”

“He didn’t just kill Diego,” I reply hotly. “He damn near took his head off. Forensics had to collect the shattered pieces of his skull to toss in the body bag.”

“So what? You’re jealous he got there first?”

“Yes! That shithead laid his hands on our girl!”

“Our.” Hyland’s laugh is dark and bleak. “She isn’t our anything, Ax.”

“Don’t you dare. Ember’s our teammate. Our friend. Our fucking family!”

“Families don’t lie to each other.”

The line clicks as he disconnects the call. Clenching my phone tight, I fight the urge to hurl it at the goddamn bulletin board until both objects break.