Page 33 of Ghost
They moved as a unit through thefarmhouse and went out a side door into the darkness of the night.The yard looked like a war zone. Burning vehicles, bodies of guardslying on the ground, and more fires burning in thedistance.
A high-pitched scream stopped them intheir tracks as they took a defensive position behind a paneltruck.
“Where did that come from?”Brick asked. “Gunner?”
“Searching,” Gunner’s voicecrackled over Ray’s comms. Ghost’s position in Ray’s arms left himclose enough to overhear. “Twenty-six degrees due south of yourcurrent location. I don’t have a clear shot.”
Ghost looked to where Gunner haddirected to see Edward headed toward a truck with a child in hisarms, gun pointed at their head. Shit.
“Does anyone have a clearshot?” Brick asked.
Ghost could hear the negativeresponses coming back over the comms.
“Shit,” Brick growledbefore stepping forward. “Freeze, motherfucker, and put the kiddown.”
Edward skidded to a stop on thegravel, his back against the truck. He spun to face them as hepressed his gun into the little girl’s temple. She was about sixyears old and wore a collar like Rose and himself.
“That must be why Edwardleft earlier today. I didn’t know another survivor was brought in,”Rose stated. “He must have hid her.”
“Let her go,” Brickrepeated.
Shaw and Stryker stood beside him,guns raised, while Ray protected him and Rose.
“Back off, or I’ll killher,” Edward yelled.
“Anyone have a shot?” Brickasked again.
“None without risking thelittle girl,” Stryker answered.
“Same,” Shaw said, as didthe remainder of the team.
“I’m leaving here, and ifyou try to stop me, Iwillkill her,” Edward said as he inched his way towardthe open door.
Ghost watched the poorgirl, her face a mask of fear.Now is thetime. Let it bring what may.
He raised his arm, palm out, catchingeveryone’s attention. He concentrated on Edward with every fiber ofhis being. Edwards left arm slowly relaxed, releasing the girl, whoquickly ran behind a nearby tree. Edwards other arm shook as bloodbegan flowing from his nose, mouth, and, finally, eyes. A gurglingscream was the last sound he made before the man fell to theground, dead. Ghost couldn’t have used this murderous power beforebecause of the toll it took on his own body leaving him vulnerable,but with the team around him it was now possible.
Ghost’s head throbbed, and a trickleof blood ran from his nose at the focus he’d used. As the teamwatched, Ghost turned to Ray and, with his remaining strength,said, “Sorry.”
Everything went dark.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Ray
Ray sat quietly, watching Ghost sleep.He’d been unconscious for over two days, and no matter how manytimes Mrs. Greer and Rose assured him Ghost was fine, Ray wouldn’tfeel better until he woke up. His own injuries were healed, and thecollars removed from all three prisoners. They were now in thehands of Spencer and Harris, the resident technology gurus, whowere determined to find a way of disabling the devices from adistance without having to shut down the entire electricalgrid.
He had to admit that initially, he’dbeen stunned by the extent of Ghost’s secondary power, the one he’dbeen afraid to share, and Ray could understand why. Ghost had theability to fry someone’s brain without ever touching them. Whenthey’d reached Edward, the top of his skull had caved in, and thecontents had been squeezed out his eyes, ears, nose, andmouth.
However, the toll it took on Ghost’sbody to save the girl was substantial. Ray also understood theman’s fear of anyone knowing his secret. Two options would occur.Either people would fear or want to use him as a powerful weapon.Ghost would have been surprised if he’d been conscious of how theteam reacted. Instead of fear and judgment, they were concerned forGhost’s health and safety. No one was angry he hadn’t shared hissecret. If anything, they understood, and no one was afraid he’duse it against them.
Gator had done what Brick wanted andblown the farm to bits. Nothing there would ever be used againstanyone again. With the help of the team leader’s contacts, thewhole incident was attributed to a natural gas explosion. As far asanyone knew, no one was home when it occurred; the bodies had beensecreted away, and the animals were out in pastures, far away fromany danger. Ray had to admit he was impressed by both Brick and theteam’s abilities to manage a dangerous situation and clean up theaftermath.
He’d extended his leave; after all,they still had Sophia’s mystery and the Berry family’s involvementto figure out, but he wasn’t going anywhere until Ghost was awake.There hadn’t been any movement from the Berry family since thehardware store, and they figured Jackson had listened to the oldveterinarian’s warning.
“You’re being creepy,”Ghost’s voice cracked as he spoke.
Ray crossed from the window to thebed, knelt, and held Ghost’s hand.
