Page 46 of Sadistic Retribution (Rise of Phoenyxx #2)

Hunter

I hear a commotion coming from the trees, despite the windows being closed.

Some huge, bald guy runs full-out, a crazed look in his eyes.

The bald guy stops unexpectedly, grinning as he takes off all his clothes.

He's covered in blood, grinning like a maniac.

Buck-naked, he runs right past our car and just keeps going.

“Who the fuck was that nutjob?” Trikk asks.

I just shrug. “No idea.”

I crane my neck, finally seeing Pretty Girl and the guys running our way. There are two other women and two other guys with them.

I jump out of the car, impatient to hold her in my arms. Jax tries to grab my arm to stop me, but I shake him off.

Frost, Valley, and Trikk get out, as well. All of them are running fast, like the hounds of hell are on their heels.

I squint, trying to see the extra people with them. It's so dark out, it’s difficult to make out any features. I recognize Bryan, but I don’t know who the other new faces are. A smile hits my lips as they get closer.

“Oomph!” Phoenyxx throws herself into my arms, talking a mile a minute. She took the lead, letting the others wait behind.

She peppers my face with kisses. “We did it, Hunter! We got them out! There was a bit of a hiccup. The masks showed up, and some big-ass orderlies. But we killed the orderlies, and the masks took off!”

“Holy shit! Were you injured?”

“No, I’m good. Some of the others did, though. Razor took a knife to the gut, and Purge has a couple shallow knife wounds. 6 got the shit beat out of her, but she’s okay.”

“Tell the others to come closer,” I tell her.

She whistles. “Get over here!”

The rest of The Six walk over. I look them over briefly. “Razor, that will need stitches. Otherwise, you’ll be okay.” I turn to Purge next to check his wounds. “Those look nasty, but those areas bleed a lot. They may need stitches, but you’ll be okay, also.”

They both thank me, and I wait for the rest of them.

I hear a footstep, then see Bryan reluctantly stepping forward, eyes downcast. A high-pitched shriek damn near shatters my eardrums, and Valley flies by me.

Bryan looks up sharply, his mouth hanging open. She goes right for him, and he lifts her from the ground, with a loud whoop, spinning her around in the air, just like in those cheesy rom coms.

“Bry... my Bryan, Oh my God, My GODDDD!” Valley babbles.

Tears flow unchecked down his face. “My love! It's true! You're here! Oh, thank God. I thought I lost you. Please never leave me—I love you so much!”

He kisses her passionately. Emotion is raw in the air. A choked sob comes from Pretty Girl. I turn to look at her, but she’s beaming at the couple. They're clutching each other tightly, and it does warm my heart at the reunion of young love.

As they reunite, I ask Pretty Girl about the three others she saved. “Can they come meet us?”

“10, can you come meet the other guys?”

The woman comes forward. She is tall, and as muscular as any man, and sporting a buzzcut, which she nervously ruffles as she gets close.

“Hey, I’m 10. Thanks to you all.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Hunter.” I point to the car. “They’re Frost, Trikk, and Jax.”

She nods at each in turn.

“Are you coming with us?” I ask.

“No, I have other plans in mind,” she says apologetically.

“Fair enough.”

10 jogs off, and Pretty Girl calls after her, “Good luck!”

“And this one?” I motion toward the last guy hiding behind her in the trees.

She hesitates. “3 is very... feral. Let me go try.”

She walks to the tree line, crooning low to a figure who steps out. The person is viciously shaking their head. After a minute of her talking, I see the figure take her hand. They slowly walk towards the car.

When the light from the car hits them, I see a bedraggled, skinny young man standing with her.

“Hi, I’m Hunter.” I offer my hand for a handshake.

He shakes his head, trembling next to Pretty Girl.

“He’s mute,” she explains.

“I see, it’s alright. Can you get him to get inside the car?”

“Yeah, I’ll try.” She whispers in his ear, and he nods twice. Hesitantly, he reaches for the door handle and he slips in, close to Jax.

“There’s one more,” Pretty Girl emphasizes. “6! Get your ass over here!”

I hear a female giggle, then a slim figure steps closer. My brain stutters. I recognize that laugh... She makes it to Phoenyxx, who embraces her.

“Hunter, this is...”

My face goes deadly pale as time stands still. “It can’t be...”

6 turns to me, and the smile drops from her face.

“This is Hunter—” Pretty Girl starts to say.

Her face contorts, confusion flitting over her features. My eyes tear up.

I know her...

She starts to shake and falls to her knees. “Um...11? Is this a joke?”

“What?” Pretty Girl asks. “Why would it be a joke? I wouldn’t do that to you.”

She pales more, then cries out. “Hun... Hunter? Is it really you? Am I really me? I'm not 6! I'm...”

“Cynthia! My beautiful girl! Oh my God you’re alive!” I hold out my arms, and with a choked sob. She stands, letting me envelop her in my arms. I start to rock her back and forth, kissing the top of her head.

Pretty Girl has a confused look on her face. “Cynthia? The one you told us all about? But how?”

I say quietly, “Yes. This is my sister.”

“Oh!” She smiles brightly, tears shining in her beautiful emerald eyes. “Holy shit! The sister that was kidnapped? I can’t believe it! I am so happy for you both!”

Emotions continue to rise, everyone feeling humbled by not one—but two—reunions.

Jax opens his car door. “This is lovely and all, but we have to go.”

We all turn to him, but before we can get in, we see the headlights of an incoming car in the opposite lane, far down the road.

At the same time, a large man runs from the driveway, muscular guards surrounding him.

Oh God please—not now! We're so close!

Purge

A scream lodges in my throat when I see my father. His face is purple with rage. The guards look equally angry.

“You little bastard! Who the fuck do you think you are?” he roars, coming up fast. “Just where the hell do you think you’re going?”

I steel my features, bracing myself. “Away from you, you sick fuck! I know everything, Father! You... you OWN this place! You're behind everything that’s done here! The experiments... the torture...”

He stops dead, breathing hard. “You know nothing, punk!”

I laugh hollowly. “I have proof, motherfucker. There's nothing you can do about it!”

He bellows, rushing towards me, his second glued to his side. They both have their guns out.

“I’m going to kill you!”

Phoenyxx

I've lost my ability to breathe. I look frantically at Synn.

“Do something!” I yell to him. He moves, planting himself in front of Purge.

A battle cry sounds out from the road, and I see 9 streak right past us, still naked. He goes straight for Purge’s father and his entourage of guards.

The headlights that are coming towards us fast almost blind me. I frown when they start to slow down. Maybe they think we need help?

They slow further, almost to a crawl. In the blink of an eye, my world upends itself. Loud popping sounds come from the car, and I squint, seeing several men inside. One of them has a gun in his hand, shooting at us! He looks familiar, somehow...

Before I can draw a breath to warn the others, a shrill scream sounds out.

“No!” Cynthia wails. “No! I just got you back!”

My eyes snap to her and Hunter, watching helplessly as he turns white as a ghost; sliding down the car he’s leaned against.

My eyes blow wide when I see the blood. His midsection blooms with red fast.

“Hunter! No!” I scream at the top of my lungs. I move to go to him, but... I can’t move, at all. My body won’t work. What the hell?

“Malishka!” Ghost cries, terror in his voice I’ve never heard before. He rushes me, catching me when my legs collapse.

“I don’t... I don’t understand...” I try to say, but the oxygen feels like it’s being sucked from my lungs. My mouth dries up, my breathing becoming choppy.

Ghost yells to the others, extreme panic in his voice. “Help! She's been shot in the back! HELP!”

“Wait, I... forgive you, all of you. I... love you Ghost. Take care of 3… please, promise me...”

“No! Don't say that, Malishka—you can’t leave me! Please!”

“Promise me...” My eyes plead with him.

“I promise,” Ghost chokes out on a loud sob, his shoulders shaking with fear and grief.

There's a flurry of movement as the others come, including Valley, Bryan, and 3. A guttural sound explodes from 3’s throat.

He tries to speak. “N... N... o...!”

I can’t reach for him. The strength is leaching fast. My vision dims. I fight, but it’s useless. The last thing I see before the darkness takes me is my guys, openly crying. My loves… I hope they will be okay.

I hope...

Anthony

My excitement grows when I see that bastard Volkov running towards the group of people on the road. I nod to my guards. “Slow down once you get to that car. I’m finishing this asshole, once and for all.”

I whip out my gun, flicking the safety off. I roll down my window and extend my arm out. We get closer and closer, and I’m salivating at taking that Russian bastardo down.

As soon as we get close enough, I start shooting. The “bang-bang” of the shots reverberate through the confines of the car.

Screams go up into the air. I see one man fall, and shoot my eyes to Volkov. It’s some crazy bald man that’s completely naked. I missed! Dammit!

The lights from the other vehicle allow me to be able to see as we creep to a crawl. A girl also falls, a guy cradling her and crying.

Once we’re practically on top of them, I look at the girl’s face and freeze in my seat, ice sluicing through my veins. My throat dries up at the sight. “No! There's no way. It's not possible...”

“Boss?” my driver queries.

“Go, go!” I scream, shaking like a leaf.

How? How the hell could that possibly be...

THE END

BUT ONLY UNTIL NEXT TIME...

Book 3 out soon!