Page 75 of Redemption (Devil Dogs of the Apocalypse #4)

With an almost imperceptible stumble, Stitch stops just outside the room Hawk was carried out of and silently takes in the mess of bodies lying around the room.

Blood is splattered everywhere, and a little trail of red is beginning to ooze out into the hallway.

He exhales heavily, seemingly more annoyed than shocked, before turning to the opposite side and opening the door next to the bathroom.

Lifting a hand, he allows me to enter first. I’m reluctant to do so, but I remind myself to trust in Darius as I take a seat on the bed in the center of the room while still clutching my flashlight between my tense fingers.

Stitch closes the door but remains there, staring at the white wood for a moment. His shoulders lift and lower with a deep breath before regarding me again. “Is your name Alessandra, by chance?”

Shit. How do I play this? Do I give him a real name, or should I fudge that information?

Darius said he trusts this guy, but then again, he also said to not trust anyone.

On the other hand, I was sent here by David to do some sort of onboarding medical examination.

That means paperwork. Paperwork that, according to Darius, would end up in that filing cabinet right next to everyone else’s.

In the long run, it might not be a bad idea to have a paper trail just in case something goes wrong.

Besides, this guy seems to already know who I am.

So, what’s the harm? Real name it is. “Yes, Alessandra... or Aly,” I answer.

As if overwhelmed by my confirmation, Stitch rubs his palms down his face before placing his hands on his hips.

“Ok,” he says, nodding to himself before repeating the word, a bit more seriously this time.

“Ok.” He takes a small step forward, palms facing me as if I’m a wounded animal about to strike.

Which... to be fair... after everything I’ve been through regarding this town, might happen.

“You’re going to be ok, Alessandra. But I’ve got to be honest, you’re both fucking lucky I had to cover the overnight shift for Forge.

If he were here, he wouldn’t have given two shits about you.

Rest assured, however, you’ll be safe with me.

” He takes another tentative step forward but pauses when my grip on the flashlight tightens in response.

“Drone... shit... Darius was the one who told me about you. Asked me to watch over you until he returned. I know you don’t know me, but you can trust me.

Just...sit tight and stay quiet. I’m the only one on the floor right now, so no one else will bother you. ”

With nothing more than a sympathetic nod, he exits the room, leaving me on my own.

∞∞∞

Not even five minutes later, voices filter in through the walls.

“Sorry, sir, the Infirmary is empty. Our last two patients were reassigned. They’ve both been relocated already.” I recognize that voice to be Stitch’s, but who’s he talking to?

“No new patients?”

“No, sir.”

“I find that hard to believe, Stitch,” the other man says skeptically with a deep southern drawl.

“I specifically sent Drone over here with a new arrival not twenty minutes ago, saw them both enter the facility with my own two eyes. He never showed up to our meeting, so I decided to take a little walk over to see what the holdup was.”

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to, sir. I just got back from reviewing the tests sent from Ascension House. Haven’t seen a soul since.”

A momentary pause, and then...

Footsteps... headed down the same hallway as mine.

“Whether you are aware of it or not, Stitch, there is a female of high priority status within our midst. A new arrival brought in by one of my highest-ranking security personnel. I’ve had my eye on her for over a week now.

Even had to utilize precious resources in order to send a retrieval party after her and those good-for-nothing men she was with.

If I need to personally search every single one of these rooms, including the broom closet, I will. ”

Doors slam open. One after the other. Each more forcefully than the last. And then, the footsteps pause in front of my door. The handle turns, deliberate and methodical. The hinges creak as the door slowly inches open. And then...

“Why... Hello again, little flower,” the man croons, and I’m instantly on my feet.

Fucking David...

Alone in this room with me...

But with my pack still in the hallway, I have no weapon.

Shit... That’s not good.

Stitch enters a moment later, wide-eyed, but remains silent as he warily watches David slink into the room.

I glare at Darius’ friend, struggling to convey with my eyes that I need his help.

That this man is obviously dangerous and that we’re in trouble, even though I’m almost positive he already knows that.

My gaze trails from him to David and back.

All we’d need to do is subdue him, knock his ass out so we can escape, but Stitch remains silent and still, stubborn with his resolve.

Why the fuck isn’t he doing anything? He told Darius that he’d keep me safe, but David is the farthest thing from the concept.

Tired of waiting for Stitch to make a move, I prepare to rush David and end his reign for good.

I glance at him, readying my muscles to charge, but stop when, out of the corner of my eye, Stitch regains my attention.

Almost imperceptibly, he shakes his head No.

What’s his deal? It's two against one. We can take him!

I scowl back, willing him to understand, but he just clenches his jaw, subtly shaking his head again.

Undeterred by my rising agitation, David stalks in with all the casualness of a predator before perching on the chair by the bed.

“I just wanted to check in and confirm our good doctor was doing his best by you. As the newest addition to the family, we need to make sure you’re taken care of.

” Making himself comfortable, he turns back to Stitch standing stiffly in the doorway.

“I seem to have found our lost blossom.” Then, with a single raised hand indicating to the two of us, he says.

“You may proceed with your examination.”

Stitch frowns, his brows furrowing as he addresses his leader.

“Um, yes, sir. But, sir, there’s no need for you to remain in the room.

For common decency, the woman might want some privacy, as the tests can be rather invasive.

I’m sure you wouldn’t want Phoenix Rising to come off as indecent and uncaring. ”

Settling in further, David crosses an ankle over his knee before smiling smugly at Stitch.

“On the contrary. Having a male doctor in the presence of a female patient requires a level of supervision, if you ask me. It’s only right, you see, to maintain the integrity of the practice.

” His voice crawls up my spine, making me flinch and subconsciously twist away from the auditory venom.

“Stitch, you may proceed,” he repeats, more forcefully this time.

“Yes, sir.” Turning his back on David, Stitch regards me, clenching his jaw before mouthing the word, ‘sorry.’ Almost reluctantly, Stitch walks over to a bottle on a side table and sanitizes his hands before turning back to me, lifting a pen and a pad of paper.

“Alright, miss, first question’s the easiest. If you don’t mind, could you please tell me your name? ”

We knew something like this might happen.

It was one of the eight hundred and seventy-three scenarios we thought could occur.

It still doesn’t make it any easier to comply and act as if nothing’s wrong when the devil incarnate is staring right at your face.

But I remind myself that if I just go with the flow, it’ll not only keep me out of harm’s way, but it’ll give Darius the time he needs to get the job done and hopefully be back before any other surprises come looking for me.

I glance over to David, unease crawling up my spine before I fall into my role once again and slowly lower myself back down onto the edge of the mattress. “Aly.”

“Alright, and your age?”

He continues with the interview, asking about my prior occupations, hobbies, talents, etc.

But then the questions take a turn, asking things like prior sexual partners, number of pregnancies, any abortions, any miscarriages, date of my last period.

It sounds like I’m back at my gynecologist’s office, and I’m about to get asked to scooch my ass down just a little farther .

After a few minutes, Stitch concludes the interview and sets down his pad of paper. “Alright, now we just have to do some tests.”

Tests... What kind of tests? After all those questions about my cycle and my hoo-hah, I’m on edge. Those sounded like pap smear questions.

Shit... I was not given enough time to prepare for the magnitude of whatever it is I’m about to be put through.

“Ok,” he hesitates, looking to the side and then back to me with a small sigh.

“If you’ll just strip down and cover yourself with that,” he lifts a plain sheet in front of my face and I grab it, anxiety in full-fledged terror mode.

“We’ll step out for a minute or so and give you some privacy to situate yourself and get comfortable. Then we’ll come back and get started.”

Almost immediately, I lock eyes with the man seated comfortably in the corner. He hasn’t moved and is looking overly satisfied with himself as he openly eye-fucks me from his chair.

He said we ...

Meaning this asshole intends to just sit back and watch as I...

Oh, hell to the fuck, no. No. Nope. No. No. NO.

I move to stand, to toss the flimsy sheet to the ground, and bolt out of there, but before my feet even hit the ground, David’s there, yanking the flashlight from my hand and pressing me flush against the bed, his hand holding me down with all of his weight against my shoulder.

“There, there, little flower. As I said before, we’re here to take care of you.

But if you do not comply, we’ll have to take.

.. more intense measures to make sure you are healthy.

No one wants to be caught off guard with an infected individual roaming the streets.

You understand, don’t you, my little flower? ”

My brain fills with rage as his lips tilt up into a sadistic grin. He thinks he’s won. He thinks I’ll sit pretty and listen like a humble, obedient little child. Well...he’s just going to have to try harder.

I grit my teeth, snarling right into his face as I say, “Fuck... You....”

At seeing my predicament, Stitch, finally, attempts to intervene. “Sir, I don’t think—”

But, in an instant, the tides turn. “I don’t keep you here to think!

I keep you here to obey!” David shouts, pulling a gun from somewhere and pointing it at Stitch’s head.

“It seems to me that you are blind to the current state of affairs in Phoenix Rising, so allow me to illuminate a very important modification I mistakenly assumed you were aware of. Unlike before, you are no longer the only certified medical physician within the community. Which makes you expendable. Do. Not. Push. Me. Son.”

As if completely caught off guard, Stitch’s eyes widen at the threat. A moment passes, then two, before he takes a step back and lifts his hands in a surrendering gesture. Glancing down at me beneath David, sadness coats his expression as he replies, “Yes, sir.”

I can see the remorse in his eyes as he mutters the words through his clenched teeth, but I get it. At gunpoint, he has no choice but to follow David’s command and back off. And now, without his assistance and with Darius out of the picture, I’m on my own.

David turns his gaze back to mine, sighing at my insult.

“You disappoint me, flower.” With a flick of his wrist, two men I didn’t realize were lingering in the hallway enter the room and take his place holding me down.

“I didn’t want to do this,” he says. “But it looks like we have to continue to do things the hard way with you.”

I writhe and kick and scream under the two men, trying my best to dislodge their arms and get out from under them, but they have me pinned, their combined weight enough to cave in the mattress around me.

“I want you to think about what you’ve done wrong while you’re dreaming.

You did this to yourself, flower. You could’ve had it so easy if you would have just been a good girl and listened.

But don’t you worry yourself none. We’ll take good care of you while you’re asleep and have all those tests completed before you even wake up. ”

No...

No. No. FUCK NO!

I can’t let them do this. I won’t!

I fight harder. Force myself to arch my back. Knee them in the ribs. Anything to get me out from underneath them and away from this fucking lunatic. But, even with all my attempts, I can’t so much as gain an inch.

David steps back up to my side, witnessing my struggles beneath his two goons but doing fuck-all about it except grinning excitedly at the scene.

I try to angle my face away from him, but all my struggling is no use as he jabs a needle into my neck.

The two goons at my sides press in further, holding me there until I groan, defeat looming at the edges of my vision.

My legs lose their strength. My eyelids start to droop. I can’t stop this. I’m powerless.

And yet, I’m not.

I’m a powerhouse of grit and determination.

A stubborn, pint-sized ball of fury.

I survive on my will to succeed and the strength the men in my life have taught me to embody.

I am vengeance incarnate.

And, despite what these assholes might think, I’m the most dangerous person in this room.

Because I have a plan.

The very last one Darius came up with, to be exact.

Despite my lack of ability to do so physically, mentally I grin at the thought. My twin mimics my sadistic tendency, eager to get to work, as she, too, dissolves along with the room around me.

My heart rate slows, breaths dwindling in substance. There’s nothing else I can do except give in to the darkness and mutter my last words of consciousness.

A threat and a promise for all to witness.

“You’re gonna fucking die for this....”

And then I’m going to save them all....