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You didn’t have to fuck with Neeve.

The cursor blinked. Taunting me. Then more words appeared.

Damon:

Ah, yes, that was rather unfortunate, but collateral and all.

I rubbed my face, searching for something to say back, because Damon was distracting me from my mission.

Find the girl.

And I was so damn close to finding her. We’d narrowed the search to a 200-mile radius, and my code was currently scanning satellite images for anything large and remote enough to be an Order compound.

My program chimed just as I typed my reply.

Me:

Stay away from Neeve, or I will turn my focus to finding and killing you.

I reached for the program window, but another message appeared before I could open it, and I could practically hear the laughter in his voice.

Damon:

Oh, please do come and find me. I will have so much fun with you in person.

I didn’t answer. Instead, I switched open the screen with my map, where a pin marked the spot my code thought the Order compound was most likely located.

Found you, fuckers.

The chat dinged again, and I opened up once more to Damon’s new message.

Damon:

I know you just found the compound. I’ve got a little surprise for you when you get there. Maybe it will teach you a little lesson not to fuck with me.

Time is ticking.

Don’t disappoint me, Little Rabbit.

That arrogant asshole.

I slammed my laptop shut and grabbed my leather jacket.

It was time to go because we didn’t have another second to waste. The girl could already be dying.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Xeniya Morozova

Age 35

I’d like to say I had a better plan than appearing out of nowhere and stabbing anyone in sight. And technically, I did.

Technically.

First, I'd take down the power grid with a little computer bug. Then I'd appear out of nowhere and steal the girl back.

I had knives and guns, but I didn't plan to use them. Boy, did I want to, though. The urge to break in, stab everyone in sight, and watch them bleed out slowly was almost unbearable. Maybe take a bath in their blood like that unhinged medieval countess who thought virgins' blood would keep her looking youthful.