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T his damn bag clings to my nose and mouth with every shallow breath. Limiting my oxygen. Stealing my sense of time and place.

The suffocating darkness is just one more reminder of my impending death. Claustrophobia is no joke when your head is covered, and the restraints only make it worse. Vertigo hits, spinning me around until I’m nauseated. Sweat runs down my neck and forehead, gathering beneath the straps on my chest.

It should be noted that hiding in a dumpster before being restrained to a chair with no way to wash off the stench was a terrible idea. Not that one plans for these things.

Combined, it might be enough to break my spirit—were I less enraged.

But I have my hate to keep me alive.

Good thing, too, because I’m about to lose my damn mind. Every minute is an exercise in mental discipline, in restraint, my limbs itching to thrash, desperate to break the bonds. To rip the bag off my head and breathe and breathe…and breathe.

Fuck, I just need some air.

A metal object clangs against the bars, but I don’t jump. Don’t react.

“Hey, you in there. No sleeping. Your buyers will be here soon.” Dolph’s derisive amusement goads me, but I refuse to engage. He’s been taunting incessantly since they tossed me back in this cage, still pissed that I got the best of him a few years ago. Now, he thinks the tables are turned.

There’s one thing he’s forgetting: I’m not dead yet.

I may be bound and virtually helpless now, but if this is to be a game—if I’m to be a challenger—I figure they’ll have to let me loose. Not much sport otherwise.

That’s when things will turn back in my favor.

That’s when I kill them all.

It’s been hours—an endless stretch of anticipation, sitting here alone. All I can do is wait for the next step; the one that brings me closer to my fate.

Prey. That’s what I’m meant to be. A “challenge” for some asshole with so much money and so little empathy, he can’t think of anything better to do with it than use it to purchase the most dangerous adversary of all.

I should be using the time I have left to center myself, to plan. Hell, some would say I should make amends with whatever higher power might be willing to work a miracle on my behalf, but right now, there’s only one thing in my head.

Everly’s goddamned voice.

Isaac… Please forgive me.

Daring to beg for my forgiveness, just after she gave the order for my execution.

Well, fuck that.

Fuck her.

Fuck them all.

If I could take more than a small sip of air, I’d scream. If I had the use of my hands, I’d throw things. I’d tear this building apart brick by brick. But I’m trapped, and not just physically. Mentally, I’m caught in a place between fury, demoralization, and logic.

It’s turning me inside out.

On one hand, why the hell would this woman pick me? Why pick a stranger over the man she married? She wouldn’t.

I’m pissed, but I’m not an idiot. I know better. And to be honest, it would kind of make her a shitty person if she didn’t choose him.

On the other hand, I’d stopped thinking of her as a stranger a while ago. I told her everything and sensed her acceptance. I fucking came back for this woman .

I couldn’t leave her, even though I knew I should, and she thanked me by practically tossing me into the incinerator herself.

I’m livid…and I know how utterly stupid that is.

I also knew none of us were ever going to be set free, no matter what choice she made, but still.

She sentenced me to death.

This is what I get for letting myself care about someone. I was so much better off when I cared about nothing.

This whole no-win situation is shit.

My chest heaves with more than labored breaths.

If the long stretch of silence is to be believed, Dolph has gone off to torment someone else—though I’m his obvious favorite—and I’m left to simmer for what could easily be a year, or two, or ten.

Maybe I’ll die here, tied to this chair.

Maybe I don’t care.

No , a nudge of conscience whispers. You still owe them.

And they owe me. They owe me for Sara’s life. And they will pay.

To keep my sanity, I allow myself to drift through daydreams ranging from impaling my captors on the cattle prod, to locking them in their own rooms and throwing away the key. Flirting with a dozen possibilities of ways to make them suffer.

But the mumble of distant voices hurtles me into the bleak reality. I open my eyes to the cloying darkness. I can’t see a damn thing, but I can hear them.

People. A group of them, from the sound of it.

“Thank you for being willing to meet at this hour.” The unfamiliar voice of an older man rumbles somewhere above, growing closer by the second. “Between me and the boys, our schedule is difficult to coordinate, as you can imagine. But we’ve been anxious to see this acquisition of yours in person for a long time.”

“Naturally, I’m at your service, day or night.” That voice I know all too well. My fists clench, tingling from their awkward position behind my head. The mere reminder of the motherfucking Timekeeper makes my teeth grind, and he’s coming this way.

Footsteps thunder on the stairs.

“Of course, we’re happy to have him shipped to the location you’re planning to hold the expedition. For the price you’ve so generously offered, I’ll even have him gift-wrapped, if you like.” The hourglass-wielding psychopath panders to his clients like a pathetic kiss-ass.

My body tenses. I guess it’s that time.

“Delightful that you’ve made this a family affair,” he says. “I wasn’t aware you had more than one son.”

“Yes, Langford is my oldest from my first marriage.”

The billionaire, I assume.

“He spends most of his time managing my businesses in Asia, but since he shares the family affinity for big game, he made time to fly in for this occasion.”

Another man responds in a low voice I can’t make out. The air in the room changes as a handful of people crowd in. I feel them there, evaluating me from a safe distance.

Come a little closer, motherfuckers. I dare you.

“Well, here he is.” Excitement practically oozes from the voice of my seller. It makes me wonder how much money he’s getting from this deal.

I stay quiet, assessing what I can from beneath the bag.

Then he has the audacity to address me. “What do you say, Mr. Porter? Are you ready to meet your new master?”

“I don’t know. Are you ready to die today?” The threat oozes from my raw throat. “Because mark my words, I’m coming after every last one of you.”

The Timekeeper chuckles. “You did say you were looking for a worthy challenger,” he tells the gathered men. “I’m afraid this one comes with an attitude to match.”

“All the better.” Amusement laces through the buyer’s words. “We aren’t looking for someone to roll over and play dead without a fight.”

I open my mouth to promise more violence than he can handle, but?—

“Are we just going to stand around and chat for a while, or will we be seeing what we paid for someday?” A voice that hasn’t spoken until now interjects.

Stagnant air catches in my throat.

For a moment, the world goes completely still.

“I’m afraid patience isn’t Langford’s strong suit,” his father explains.

Langford. The older son.

The one my captor had never heard of.

Because…

Holy.

Fucking.

Shit.

This changes everything.

My battered heart races inside my chest. Tension coils in my muscles, ready to spring at the first chance I get. Because the tables have just been turned. I’m not alone, praying to the powers-that-be for an unlikely miracle.

It’s already here.

The bag is ripped off my head, and my blurry eyes land on a tall blond man standing several feet away.

“You smell like shit.” Tanner grimaces.

I nearly weep.

But there’s no time for a reunion. Instead, our eyes slide to the man who has tortured and tormented me. Who has taken untold numbers of people. Who killed my sister.

The man who is about to fucking go down.

He’s too busy pandering to his guests—apologizing for the unkempt condition of their purchase, promising I will be cleaned up before delivery—to realize that “Langford” and I aren’t strangers. He doesn’t catch the shadow of movement in the doorway or notice the billionaire’s entourage reaching for their guns.

Tanner goes for his. “ HANDS IN THE AIR !”

Chaos erupts. Shouts ring out, echoing off the concrete.

But the men who work for my captor are here, too. And they have weapons.

Everything moves in slow motion, like we’re underwater. Dammit, I should be in the thick of it, taking people down, doing something. But I’m trapped here, on this chair, watching the black-clad members of a SWAT team rush down the stairs like an army of giant ants.

My head is swimming.

Someone is behind me, unlocking the handcuffs, cutting the straps. Catching my shoulders when I slump forward, depleted of energy. “Are you okay, sir?” It’s a young guy, a kid I don’t know, propping me up.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

All I can do is breathe and breathe…and breathe.

There are more shouts. Gunshots. Resistance. My ears ring.

Barely able to keep my head up, I look around for the man himself, hoping someone secured him first.

Where is he?

Tanner is in the fray, handcuffing a man on his stomach, who is being held at gunpoint by a member of the SWAT team.

He makes eye contact for the briefest second. I shake my head, glancing around the room. That’s when I see it… Maybe I’m hallucinating, but I swear I catch a glimpse of silver hair. A flash of bright color. But then I blink, and it’s gone.

Fuck.

The thought of his escape is like a shot of adrenaline to the heart, and though every movement is excruciating, I bury it and lurch out of the chair. My name rings out as Tanner yells for me to wait, as he calls for backup, but he’s occupied. Everyone is, and I will be damned to hell if that bastard walks away from this.

It’s sheer will that powers my stiff legs. That keeps me upright despite numerous injuries and a dangerous lack of blood sugar, as I stumble in the only direction he could have gone—through the basement, passing room after room of cages and equipment without stopping to search them. He wouldn’t have risked hiding in the building, not with an entire team of law enforcement agents here. There’s got to be a way out.

After being tased, prodded, and bound for three days with no food, I’m anything but fast. But I am stubborn as fuck, and if I see that asshole, I won’t hesitate.

The end of the sprawling building comes into view when I see it: a slightly cracked door near the end of the hall. Nothing more than a supply closet, by all appearances, but I’m drawn there like a magnet. When I look inside, I notice the shelving unit along the back wall—it’s pulled aside at an odd angle, enough for someone to squeeze behind. So, I do, and there’s another door in the back wall of a closet, hidden by a shelf of supplies.

Not fishy at all.

When I push that door open, I’m met by a set of concrete stairs leading up to a trapdoor.

Fuck. Yes.

I hurl myself up those stairs, barreling at the door like a wrecking ball. Then, I’m out into the night, the door slamming closed behind me. A wave of lightheadedness hits me, but I fight it with a clenched jaw, breathing deeply through my nose. I only allow a second to orient myself. To figure out my next move.

If I’d been thinking clearly, I would have taken the time to grab a weapon off one of the rescue team, but all I could see was the man behind this murderous business escaping. Freedom means nothing until I’ve wiped this bastard off the face of the earth, and I’ll be damned if I let the lack of a weapon stop me.

I still have my hands.

A quick scan of the area tells me I’m on a different side of the building than the other day. For such a large complex, the outside is devoid of lighting. Since escaping the first time, I’ve developed some suspicions about what this building was once used for, and if I’m right, it relied on isolation to avoid attracting unwanted attention. The rest of the world either never knew it existed or forgot about it altogether.

The perfect squatting place for a black-market operation.

It’s surprisingly quiet back here, considering the takedown happening inside. But the darkness and nearby tree line explain how Tanner’s team was able to get close enough to catch those on security duty off guard, while everyone inside remained distracted by the arriving clients.

Now the bastard intends to use that cover of darkness to slip away…

But tonight, someone up there is on my side, moving the cloud cover just enough to allow a swath of moonlight to fall over the field.

I choose to believe it’s Sara, throwing a spotlight on her murderer, as he runs toward the trees.

Pausing only briefly, he throws a glance over his shoulder.

And when he sees me standing there, he takes off like a rabbit.

Oh, no you don’t.

I may be in terrible condition, but the power of vengeance should never be underestimated, and now it carries me faster than I’ve ever run before.

For a minute, I forget the pain and exhaustion in my body.

I forget that I once relied on the system to provide justice; now it’s just me.

I lean into the dark pit in my soul, letting it swallow me whole. Leaving my humanity behind, I?—

A force like a freight train slams into my side, taking me to the ground mid-stride. Rolling several times, I’m smashed flat to the dry grass, staring up at Dolph’s twisted expression.

“You’re mine now.” With his forearm pinning my neck to the point where I can’t breathe, he pulls a gun from his back pocket.

One on one, I should be able to take him, but I’m too weak. Too…

Fuck.

I did not survive this long to go out at the hands of this asshole. There are more important things that still need to be taken care of, and I’m not leaving this world until the man currently escaping across the field is out of it.

Someone from SWAT needs to come out here. I need backup.

Tanner.

The metal barrel digs into my forehead. His arm presses down on my throat. Quickly, I assess the least dangerous method of dislodging that gun before it goes off or I run out of air. Both will kill me, but one is faster. Messier.

“Did you think, Mr. Porter, that I don’t already have a contingency plan?” A fancy shoe covers my fingers. Steps down.

I grind my teeth as something crunches.

The Viking pinning me doesn’t move, but the pressure on my throat eases a touch. My attention shifts from Dolph to the smug bastard standing over us.

He grins, unflustered, not a hair out of place. “I suppose you can have him now, Rudolph. I’m done here.”

“Contingency…plan?” I push the words through my constricted throat.

“Police interference was only a matter of time, really.” The Timekeeper practically leers in triumph. “I’m a genius, Isaac. Of course, I have emergency exits and certain precautions in place in case such a thing should happen. We should be seeing the first round of them any second now.” His gaze lifts.

“You—”

“Wait for it.” He holds a finger in the air. “Aaaand…” His hands flare outward in a dramatic, explosive gesture that he mirrors with a sound effect, just as?—

BOOM.

Explosions burst through the windows of at least four rooms on this side of the building. They’re echoed by others I can hear, but not see.

Glass rains down. I turn my head, oddly grateful Dolph is on top of me. He grunts as he takes the brunt of it.

I have only one thought:

Everly is in there.

No.

My heart rate kicks up so fast, it nearly vibrates my chest. Because no matter how betrayed I may feel, or how pissed off I am, I cannot let her die like this.

I won’t lose another person again. Not to him.

Flames shoot from the empty windows, giving the ground an orange cast. Dolph’s grip falters, just for a second. Just long enough.

When I ram my knee upward, he isn’t ready.

He isn’t ready when I take that moment to yank his gun-wielding arm straight up and twist as I roll, switching our positions. He isn’t ready when the gun slips from his grip and transfers to mine.

And he really isn’t ready when I blow his goddamned head to pieces.

For a split second, my hearing goes out. I blink, dazed. Staring at what’s left of Dolph.

There’s blood in my eyes.

As a piercing squeal takes the place of the silence, I blink again. Push up to my knees, wobbly, but still moving. Rub my arm over my face.

Then I remember.

Dolph was just a distraction.

I look up. Scan the field.

It’s empty.

“Fuck.” The voice is muffled. Distant. But— “Fuck, Porter.” Tanner is there. Crouching alongside me, his hand on my shoulder. He barely gives the pieces of Dolph a second glance. “Are you okay?”

I stare at the field until it starts to spin, then my eyes drift to my old friend. I’ve never been so happy to see someone in my life, but I don’t have time to answer ridiculous questions. If I don’t keep moving, I’ll crash, and if that happens…

It can’t. I’m not done.

As long as he breathes, I’ll never be done.

I force my shaky legs to stand. Then, wiping the gore from my hands onto my shirt, I pocket the gun.

It’s mine now.

“I’ve got to go.” I head for the trees, but barely make it two steps.

“Porter, look at me.” Grabbing me by the shoulders, Tanner spins me around. “Isaac.”

“The Timekeeper,” I mumble.

His brows pull in. “The what ?”

I shake my head. Dammit, I’ve gotten so used to calling him that stupid fucking supervillain name. “The ringleader,” I clarify, gesturing to the tree line. “I have to find him.” Every second I take to explain this, the farther he gets. “Now.”

He pulls out his radio. “I’m on it.”

“No.” I grab his wrist.

“The only place you’re going is to a hospital. You’re lucky to be alive, for Christ’s sake.”

“No,” I growl. “He’s mine .”

I don’t want help. Help will only keep me from doing what needs to be done.

I see the realization as it hits. As he looks down at the wreckage that was Dolph, and back to me. “Jesus, man. I mean, that can be chalked up to self-defense, but—” He rubs his hand over his jaw, confliction in his eyes. “I shouldn’t let you do this. You know that.”

“But you will.”

“You can’t do it alone, not in this condition.”

“Go back inside and get the civilians out. I’m not losing him.”

“The fire department is here. I’ve got plenty of others on the civilians. You’re my concern right now. Fuck, Porter, don’t make me knock you out.”

My glare says everything.

There’s a whoosh and a pop from the second floor. More glass shatters. Tanner flinches, but nothing can shake my resolve. Not now.

“Everly.” I wrap the lapels of his suit in my fists, getting right in his face. “Find Everly. Get her out of there. Make sure she’s okay.”

“Ever—”

“Everly Cross.” I give him a shake that almost takes my balance with it. “That model that disappeared two years ago.” I need to get moving before I collapse.

“Two years… The fuck?” His eyes go wide. “Shit. Is Sara…?”

I shake my head, cursing the pressure behind my eyes. All I can see is her sitting in front of that hourglass, knowing those were her final moments. It’ll haunt me for the rest of my life. “Find Everly. Make sure she gets out safe. I want you to personally make sure, do you hear me?”

“Fine.” His hands wrap around my wrists. “Let’s find her together, and then I’m getting you to a hospital. We’ll catch the guy. I promise. He went into the woods in the middle of nowhere; I’ll get teams to canvas the area.”

“No.” Twisting out of his grip, I back away. I’ve taken too long already. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me. I don’t care. Not if he goes free. He killed Sara, Tanner. She was here, and he killed her.” My chest heaves. “I have to go.”

I leave him standing there, trusting he’ll do as I asked. Breaking into a jog that jars my bones and threatens to buckle my knees, I push for the tree line.

Nothing will deter me from my mission. I have a promise to keep.

“Porter!” Tanner calls out, one last time. “Isaac!”

But I’m already gone.