Page 17 of Sadistic Retribution (Rise of Phoenyxx #2)

Razor

I've got my brother’s six as he stalks after that cunt Destiny. Synn is determined to get some answers, as am I. We didn’t tell the others we were doing this. We need information—now.

I’m nervously twirling my razor in my pocket.

Fiasca is tearing my mind apart. Fuck, I didn’t even realize how much I actually cared until she was gone.

I was raised to slice and dice instead of feeling my emotions.

I guess the band Cinderella had it right: You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone.

Father is finally home. I've been avoiding my psycho mother for days.

I’m shaking in anger after hearing about Synn's latest punishment. Every beating he endures unfurls my rage. My Brother doesn’t deserve this. I want nothing more than to squeeze his father’s neck until he drops dead. He deserves to die after all he’s put Synn through.

We're hanging out in Synn’s yard, just trying to de-stress somehow.

“Son! Get over here!” Synn’s father yells across the yard. Fucking asshole.

Synn cuts me a look, and heads over to his father. As soon as Synn gets to him, a vicious slap sounds.

I seethe, and before I can think about what I’m doing, I walk right up to them. I grit my teeth and punch the motherfucker in the face.

Synn gapes, eyes wide. His father grinds his teeth, fire in his eyes. “You little shit!” He slaps me too, so hard it throws me off balance. I stand my ground, though.

“Don’t touch him again, Sir.” I look him right in the eyes.

“Your father will hear of this,” he says, turning on his heel to walk back inside the house.

Synn just stares at me for a moment. “I can’t believe you did that. For me.”

“You are my brother. Anything, anytime. I've got your six.”

“I’m tired of looking for this whore. Where the fuck is she?” Synn seethes, as we stalk the lesser courtyard. We've looked everywhere. Every building, even the front of the damn forest.

“There she is!” I holler and point when I see Destiny, standing with her posse by the benches.

We march over to them.

“Get rid of the squad,” Synn orders. “Now.”

Destiny sighs dramatically. “Go ahead, I’ll catch up.” The girls take off, and she gets an attitude, crossing her arms over her chest, and tapping her foot. “What do you want?”

“Information. We know you know something about Fiasca, and the Morgue,” I tell her.

She scoffs. “I’m not telling you anything. But you...” She bats her eyes at Synn. “Make it worth my while.”

He grabs her by her collar, dragging her forward. “You will listen, you cunt. It's not a request.” Synn is barely hanging onto his rage.

She just laughs. “Please—as if you’d really hurt me. Besides, what would be in it for me?”

I lose my shit. I shove her backwards; Synn letting go of her collar, until the backs of her knees hit the bench. I lift her up by her neck, dangling her over the attached picnic table. “I have no problem fucking you up!”

She actually rolls her eyes... little bitch. I drop her, and she tumbles onto the bench. I get eye-to-eye with her, then haul back, and punch her in the eye. I really want to see this bitch sport one again.

“Synn!” she whines, trying to hide the wince of pain. The bitch is used to taking punches from us by now. “Are you going to let him get away with that?”

He raises a brow and just laughs. “He can do whatever he wants. Like I give a fuck.”

“If you want to know what I know, it will cost you. A lot!”

“Fuck’s sake!” I grab her and drag her off the bench. “Come on.” I start dragging her back toward the cover of the trees, Synn following.

I shove her backwards into a tree. “Talk!”

“If you want me to say one word—this is what I want. Synn, start acting like my damn fiancé. You WILL publicly acknowledge me as such, and show me affection. And you will NOT fight the engagement, and marry me without argument. And fuck me when I want!”

He starts cracking up laughing. “This better be Grade A information, Des. If not, not only will there be no deal, I’ll put your ass in the hospital.”

She sniffs loudly. “Do you agree, or not?”

I look at him, shaking my head. He just looks back at her. “Yes.”

Destiny flashes a brilliant smile, happy to be getting what she wants.

"Okay, I don’t know anything concrete about Phoenyxx.

I do know the Morgue does exist. I've heard the Director talk about it more than once. I don’t know where it’s at.

They do experiments down there. I don’t know what happens to the people there, but it can’t be good. ”

What the fuck? “What else?” I question.

“There are tunnels through the property. From what I’ve overheard, the Morgue is connected to the tunnels somehow.” She thinks for a minute. “I’ve heard the Director and the scowl-y nurse speak about Patient 11. They seem to be sure of their success with them. I think the patient is Phoenyxx.”

“Fuck,” Synn breathes out, running a hand through his still black hair. He never changed it back to blue after his suicide attempt. “We have to find this fucking place. Pazessca needs us.”

“Pazessca?” Destiny screeches loudly, making me wince. “The only name I want to hear out of your mouth from now on is mine!”

He growls, going to hit her. I put out my arm, not wanting to escalate this any more than we already have. If we keep hitting her, it could be a major punishment for us. “Let’s go, Brother.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he answers.

“I expect a ring soon, fiancé!” Destiny declares, then fucks off, thank fuck.

“We’ve got to find Harris,” I tell him reluctantly. “We need his help.”

“Fuck!” Synn yells.

Hunter

My cell phone rings again. It's the fifth time in the last ten minutes. I frown.

Jax is with me. He looks toward the phone in my hand. “Who is it?”

I glance at the screen. “Synn. Why would he be calling me? Has Phoenyxx returned?” My heart does the Lambada in my chest, hope stealing my breath.

He puts a hand on my shoulder. “No, I would’ve been the first to know.”

“I wonder what he wants, then. He wouldn’t blow up my phone like this if it wasn’t important.”

“Don’t answer your cell. Call him back from one of the burner phones. We can’t risk him finding out where the compound is.”

I nod in agreement.

“Walk back to my office with me—I’ll get you a phone.”

Jax rifles through a drawer, handing me a cheap, old-school flip phone. “Go ahead and call him back. It's quiet enough in here. I'll stay and listen.”

I take a deep breath, flipping the phone open. I type in each digit of his number, praying he has good news.

Synn picks up on the first ring. “Yeah? Who is this?”

“Harris. What's going on?”

“Thank fuck. Where the fuck have you been?”

“I can’t tell you that, sorry.”

“Well, we need your help,” Synn tells me.

Razor chimes in, “Like now!”

“With what, boys?” I ask.

“We got info from Destiny about the Morgue,” Synn says, “and what goes on down there. She said they do experiments. Pazessca is in danger. We have to find her!”

Razor adds, “She also said it’s connected to the tunnels.”

I look at Jax and he shakes his head, mouthing for me not to tell them where I am. I mouth back if I can go back, he mouths “No.”

Dammit.

“Go tell this to Purge. I'll see what I can find out—if anything. I'll get back to you.” I disconnect swiftly, not wanting to hear his response. Pain squeezes my chest. Pretty Girl needs me, and I. Can't. Go. Back.

I whirl on Jax. “Why can’t I go help?”

He sighs impatiently. “The first thing you need to know about me is I don’t tolerate questioning. However, since you’re new to us, I'll tell you this one time.”

“Apologies,” I mumble.

“No need. Now, the reason is because you haven’t finished your mission yet. It would also make it easier to trace you back to us. We're at a vital point in the original case. I know you’re concerned for both girls, but I can’t risk it.”

“Shit.” I drag my hand down my face. “This is just bitter irony. In order to finish the case, we need into the Morgue. Which also is where Phoenyxx is.”

“I understand the frustration, believe me. Once we find a way into the Morgue, I’ll send you back.”

“What if Phoenyxx returns before then—could I go back? She may know the way to get there.”

“Perhaps. For now, we’ll get every hacker at our disposal on this. It's top priority.”

“I’ll go back and update Thor and the others.”

I have to stop myself from slamming out of the room in a huff. I'm pissed the hell off, and the urge to get back there keeps growing. Dammit! Frustration courses through my veins as I make my way back to the computer room.