Page 29 of Ghost
“You’re sure it’sArkansas?”
“Certain,” Rocko answered,meeting Brick eye to eye.
Brick nodded and continued talking toSpencer. “Arkansas. We’ll know more as we go.”
“This isn’t the time tosecond-guess,” Ray said.
“I never do,” Rockoconfirmed. “Your man is in Arkansas, and as we get closer, I’ll beable to narrow down the location.”
“Good. We need to find himquickly.”Who knows what’s happening tohim right now,Brick thought.
“Will we be able to get thelocal authorities’ assistance?” Rocko asked.
“Leave that to Brick. Itwon’t be a problem,” Conor said.
Rays nerves remained on edge as theirtruck ate up the miles of the Texas Hill country.
We’re coming for you. Justhold on, baby.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ghost
“Show me what you can do,”Edward ordered from across the large wooden desk.
“Fuck you,” Ghost spatout.
“Wrong answer,” Edwardchuckled before pushing the button again.
Pain shot through Ghost’s body as themetal collar around his neck came to life. The electric shockcollar worked the same as the bands the previous division of thegroup had used on him in his prior detainment. Don’t do what you’retold and zap; lightning bolts of pain shot through hisbody.
His broken bones vibrated inside thesplint Rose had placed on it. Ghost’s wheelchair shook, and he wasthankful the brakes were on, or he’d be rolling all over Edwardsoffice like a boulder down a mountain.
The shock slowed, and soonhe was left gasping for air, his vision blurry, his ears ringingyet again. HeGhostwas being pushed closer to the edge, and it wasn’t his goingghost that worried him. It was his other ability. The one he’d onlyunleashed once before and refused to ever use again. If he releasedit now, he’d still be screwed. He’d still be stuck in this chair,unable to walk or escape. Ghost had noticed over a dozen Noah Groupgoons wandering around the farm fully armed, and he knew he’d neverget past all of them. Besides, he’d promised Rose he wouldn’t leavewithout her and intended to keep that promise. He hadn’t seen anyother survivors aside from Rose, but he doubted they were the onlytwo here.
“How long do you think youcan hold out?” Edward asked, sitting back in his leather chair andtaking another drag of his cigarette.
“Smoking is not good foryour health, but in your case, motherfucker, I’m all for it, sosuck it up, smoky.”
Edward’s smile grew, and Ghost foughtthe urge to let his power loose.
“Think you have balls ofsteel? I’ve broken bigger and badder than you, pretty boy. It’ssimply a matter of time.”
“Why bother? Yourpredecessors tossed us aside, but now you new assholes act likewe’re indispensable.”
“The scientists that camebefore were short-sighted. They didn’t see the bigpicture.”
“And you do?”Here we go. The justification for doing terriblethings to good people.
“Yes. Power. You mutantshave it but fail to use it to its full potential. People like mewill tap into it, control it, and use it to bring those in our wayto their knees.”
“Blah, blah, blah. Worlddomination bullshit. People like you spew bullshit like it'snuggets of gold. You’re not the first, and you won’t be the lastlimp-dicked fucker with dreams of grandeur. In the end, you’re allthe same, pathetic, sniveling cowards, hiding behind others whenshit goes down. Letting your minions fight your battles while youprey on the weak and hide in your bunker. Men like you go down inhistory as the example of how pathetic an ego-ridden megalomaniaccan be.”
The pain was instantaneous aselectricity shot through his body, and Ghost did his best to holdeye contact and smile at Edward right up until he passed out fromthe pain.
***
Ray
