Page 37 of Rescuing Micah (Prey Security: Cyber Team #3)

“Hrmph,” Teresa muttered in annoyance.

She’d been working on trying to get to her tracker for hours now, but the way her wrists had been bound to the bed was making it impossible.

The spot she’d chosen to embed it under her skin was right on the inside of her wrist at the base of her hand.

She had a small scar there from an accident as a kid, so she’d thought if anyone should search her, they would assume it was just the scar if they were able to feel the tiny chip.

Not that she thought that was likely. It was too small, and these people had no reason to assume she would be using a tracking device.

Although they should, since they’d already made it abundantly clear, first with Ava, and then with Isabella and some of the other nurses held captive with her, that they were relentless in pursuing those they deemed adversaries for whatever reason.

The problem was, the leather strap locked around her wrist was covering the tracker. Whoever had done it up had done it tight enough that she couldn’t push it down to get her finger over the tiny device to activate it. Without a clear read of her fingerprint, it wouldn’t turn on.

If it didn't turn on, nobody was going to find her.

By now, Micah would know about the tracker, and her plan to use it should she be taken a second time. It wasn't really about playing bait, she hadn't wanted the trafficking ring to get to her again, but she had wanted to be prepared in case it happened.

And she wanted this whole mess finished because it was standing in the way of her future.

A future that had disappeared after her rape when Micah cut himself out of her life, but had slowly come back to life over the last few days. If anyone was going to stop that future from happening, it was going to be her and no one else.

Certainly not an organ trafficking ring.

No one was going to steal her future from her this time.

Not her dad’s untimely death, not her mom’s need for support, not Arthur’s medical issues, not Simon and his criminal activities, not Micah deciding he got to make decisions for both of them.

No one was deciding what her future looked like but her.

She was in control of her own life.

For so many years, she’d sacrificed everything she had to give to other people, but not this time. This time, she’d fought for her future, made her own choices, knowing they might not work out the way she wanted, but still willing to try.

It was die doing everything within her power to destroy the trafficking ring, or survive and try things with Micah.

If they didn't work out, then maybe the two of them could be friends again. At least she’d know there would be no unanswered questions hanging over her head.

No what ifs, no could haves, or should haves, or would haves.

When the door to her room opened, she saw a young man walk through it. He looked to be a few years younger than she was, maybe in his mid-twenties, and from the black eye he was sporting, she was going to take a guess that he wasn't here by choice.

Perfect.

Exactly what she needed.

“I have to get you prepared for surgery. I'm sorry,” the young man added as he approached her bed, refusing to make eye contact with her.

Darn.

She’d been hoping for longer before they were going to put her under the knife again.

She should have expected this, though, they'd likely already matched her organs with someone on their buy list. The ring was losing ground every time Prey raided another of their facilities, they had to move quickly if they wanted to keep their business operational.

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault,” Teresa assured the man.

Surprise widened his eyes as his gaze snapped up to meet hers. “Normally they … they think … they blame me.”

“I'm not them. I know about the ring, and I know they force some of the doctors and nurses to do their dirty work. They abducted my friend and kept her for seven months, trying to force her to comply. Is that what they’re doing to you? Making you work here? Are they hurting you when you try to say no?”

What she needed the most right now was an ally, and this young man could be it. All she needed to do was gain his trust, then convince him to release her hand long enough for her to activate the tracker. Then all they had to do was wait for Prey to arrive.

Slowly, the man nodded. Then quickly spun in a circle as though expecting someone to pop up after having witnessed his confession.

When he reassured himself that no one was there, he hurried over to her side, leaning in close as he whispered.

“They tricked me. Told me it was a legitimate job, it was meant to be well-paying. When I got here, they locked me in a room, put an ankle monitor on me, and told me what they wanted me to do. I told them no, but they don’t care. ”

“How long have they had you?”

“What day is it today?”

“Umm …” Teresa’s mind whirled as she tried to figure it out. “It was May 7 th when I was taken, and I don’t think they’ve had me more than twenty-four hours.”

“They haven’t,” the man confirmed. “They took me in early April, so I’ve been here a month.”

“They hurt you.” She nodded at his face and the darkening bruise, which was recent if the swelling in his eye was anything to go by.

Another nod. “I keep telling them this is wrong, but they never listen. All they care about is money. Well, she cares about more than money, but the rest don’t.”

“Who’s she ?” Teresa asked. Could he be talking about the woman in the skirt suit with the bun that both Ava and Isabella had mentioned?

“Ms. Tilly,” he whispered, leaning in even closer.

“Is she the woman who runs the ring?”

“She’s the one who offered me the job. I did some work for her, real work, legitimate work, taking care of her daughter.

Her daughter is sick, with some genetic issue that causes her organs to start shutting down.

Ms. Tilly has already lost her husband and three sons to it.

She was determined not to lose her daughter as well. ”

“That’s why she started the ring? Organs for her daughter?”

“I think so. She’s very determined, she loves the money and power as well as keeping her daughter alive.

But I never would have signed up for this.

” The man’s voice grew urgent. “I thought it was another job like caring for her daughter, if I'd known what they wanted me to do, I swear I would have turned the job down.”

“Shh,” she murmured. “I believe you. If you’d turned it down, they would only have kidnapped you anyway. What's your name?”

“William.”

“William, I'm Teresa. I think you know that already.” When William nodded, she continued, “Do you also know that I work for Prey Security?” Another nod. “I knew the ring would try coming after me again, so I came prepared.”

“Prepared?”

“I have a small tracking device implanted under the skin of my wrist. It’s something I was working on. It remains inactive until my fingerprint wakes it up. Only my fingerprint will activate it. But to do that, I need you to loosen the binds on my wrist.”

“I can't,” William hissed, shaking his head desperately. “If they know I helped you, they’ll hurt me.”

“They’ll hurt you either way,” she reminded him.

“Prey knows I have this tracker on me, they’re waiting for me to turn it on so they can come.

Sooner or later, they could decide to switch you from nurse to patient.

They could take your organs as easily as they’re taking mine.

This is our only hope. Yours as well as mine.

Prey will come, and if you know information about how to get in touch with Ms. Tilly, then they can shut down the trafficking ring for good. ”

“Will I … will I be punished for helping them?” William asked.

“No. Absolutely not. You aren't here by choice, and you were coerced into working for them. You’ll be treated like all the other nurses and doctors who were rescued, like the victim that you are. Please, William. All you have to do is loosen the strap long enough for me to activate the tracker, then you can prep me for the surgery like you were sent in here to do.”

She had to find a way to convince him to help her.

If she didn't, she would undergo this surgery, and then another and another, the ring would keep taking from her until there was nothing left.

Convincing this scared young man to help her was the only thing that was going to save her life, his life, and the lives of all the other innocent men and women the ring had trafficked.

May 7 th

12:19 P.M.

The words blurred as Micah read them over again.

Dear Micah

I don’t know how you found out about what happened. Was it your dad? Did one of his colleagues mention that his son’s girlfriend’s name had popped up in a case? Did you read one of my messages or listen to one of my voicemails and then decide to block me?

I don’t understand why you're not here.

I need you.

Don’t you get that?

You’ve always been the one who takes care of me.

That sees that even though I can handle whatever life throws at me, sometimes it still gets to be too much, and I feel like I'm going to get crushed beneath it all.

Whenever that happens, you're always there.

You help lift me up so I can keep going, keep doing what my family needs me to do.

But I'm scared I can't handle this. What if this is the thing that breaks me?

Is it my fault you won't come? Am I too broken for you now? Too damaged? Too dirty?

I feel dirty. So filthy. Every time I look at myself, I'm disgusted. I keep taking showers, but it doesn’t make me feel clean. I scrub and I scrub, but I can't get the feeling of those boys touching me off my skin. Do you think it will stay forever?

I'm so mad at you for leaving and blocking me, but I still want you so badly it hurts. I hate that. Hate myself for needing you when it’s clear you don’t want to be here. Maybe you never loved me the same way I loved you.