Tansy started at the beginning, like she always did with research. If she got lost in the words and the problem, she’d be able to ignore the pain and the fear.
Was Sam close to finding her?
When her parents had died, Tansy’s therapist had helped her build a mental box to contain emotions when they’d threatened to overwhelm her.
The TeenySaurs had been easy to conjure up in her mind and they’d worked together to create a beautiful box covered with images of Tansy’s favorite memories with her parents.
Because the box was in her mind and not physical, she could change out the photos as she’d needed over the years.
She’d tried to be a robot and not have any emotions, but that hadn’t worked for long. Instead, the therapist had helped her teach the TeenySaurs to open the box a small crack at a time. That way, the emotion would eke out, not slam into her like a bullet. Once she’d learned to deal with that emotion, she’d let out a little more.
It had been years since she’d used the technique, but now, she slid her fear into the box and instantly felt less panic.
Tansy typed out her first heading. Hypothesis.
The TeenySaurs closed the lid on the box and showed her the new photos. Ones of her and Sam.
As she typed through her hypothesis and the accompanying questions, she let the images of her and Sam occupy another part of her brain.
The quiet boy doing martial arts in the Riveras back yard.
His agreement to teach her Tai Chi and martial arts.
His pride when she got her first black belt.
The knife slid into her thigh and drew a sharp line through her skin.
“Miss Cheveyo, you are stalling.”
Breathing through the pain, she kept her eyes on the screen. “I’m not. I’m a scientist without my data, so I need to start at the beginning and build from there.”
After a beat of silence, the knife receded, and Bernie spoke. “Proceed. Do not dally.”
Pretentious jerk.
She finished the sentence, then moved to the next heading. Research. Here she could be completely honest as well. There was nothing about her hypothesis or research that was classified. Nothing that wasn’t readily available online.
She’d just compile it all here again.
Hurry Sam.
Requirements. What she needed the tech to do. And why. Here she expounded on various situations where the tech would be useful.
That brought another smash onto her shin. This time, she realized it was a baseball bat. And this time she heard a crack.
Bernie didn’t say a word as she breathed through the pain and then flexed her fingers again.
Test One Data.
And this was where she had to be careful. She could make little omissions, little errors that would make big errors in the real world.
Did he have someone watching in person or virtually? Someone who knew the science?
She hadn’t heard anyone other than the two of them move.
Only one cologne.
One sweaty body.
One with a knife.
One with no soul.
The laptop wasn’t connected to the internet, so no one was checking her data in real time.
Was he filming her?
Was he sending the information she typed through his phone to someone to check? Or someone to start building?
Tansy’s stomach churned.
No matter what, she couldn’t give this man the data he wanted.
She couldn’t contribute to him creating a weapon that could potentially be used against innocent people.
Her brain was foggy with pain and fear, but she kept the TeenySaurs busy opening the box and shoving in more emotions.
They were going to need a bigger box.
Test Two Data.
Nothing dangerous yet, so she could mostly focus on straight reporting from memory, sprinkling in errors and question marks as if she couldn’t retrieve the data from memory.
Hurry Sam.
Sam hurried to the back of the storage unit property. No way was Howard keeping Tansy in something close to the road. Why would he use a storage unit? There were far more private places.
Unless this was all his property. Through a shell company or a friend.
As he moved, Sam wondered if any of the units were even rented. The property was surrounded by bush along this side and the back.
Howard might use the entire property as a personal warehouse. Less obvious than an actual warehouse.
He could store his guns and weapon systems here easily. Use it for exchanges. It would be a good way to stay under the radar.
Once Tansy was safe, they’d check that out.
Sam reached the rear and moved to the first aisle of units. No vehicles.
Nor the second or the third.
On the final aisle, he found two vehicles. Both ubiquitous black SUVs. Easy to blend in. Difficult to differentiate.
Popular with rich scumbags everywhere.
One man leaned against a vehicle and scrolled through his phone. A guard who was doing a piss-poor job of guarding.
Sam wanted to shoot the bastard and go in solo, but that would put Tansy in more danger, so he forced himself to pull out his phone and send a text to Joe.
Final aisle on north end. Third unit from the end. Two vehicles. One guard. Secure the office and don’t let them call out.
He knew Joe would figure it out from there.
Joe’s text was immediate. Got it. On the way.
Sam pocketed the phone and moved in.
The guard faced the unit with his back to Sam. Dumbass. A guard should be focused on danger from all areas, not facing where the hostage was being held.
Everything pointed to Howard owning the property. The guard was a formality, nothing more. He wasn’t worried about anyone unwanted approaching.
Sam crept toward the man and crouched behind the SUV.
He needed to take him out quickly and silently.
Sam eased his gun into its holster and focused his weight.
He moved to the edge closest to the guard and then used his foot to brush against the man’s leg.
When the man looked down, Sam rose and easily pulled him into a choke hold until the man passed out. By that time, Joe and Troy arrived and helped him to truss up and gag the man.
Graham must have stayed at the office to control the situation from there.
Sam brought out his gun again and moved to the door he assumed held Tansy and at least a couple of men.
With hand gestures, they decided Sam would go straight while the others covered right and left. They would have surprise on their side, but that was about it.
And without any tech toys, they had no idea what awaited on the other side of the door.
Should they wait?
A cry of pain sounded from inside the door. Tansy.
Sam tested the knob. Open. Complacent dumbasses. He shoved forward while the others moved to the sides.
A spotlight stood in one corner, shining directly onto Tansy, who sat on a chair in front of a desk with a laptop.
The light from the door added to the spotlight so that they could see the other occupants.
In the shadows just beyond Tansy, a man stood holding a switchblade in one hand and a baseball bat in the other.
Rage filled Sam as Joe shouted out, “FBI. Drop your weapons. Hands in the air.”
Instead of dropping the weapon, the man lunged toward Tansy with the knife.
Sam fired his gun, and the man dropped with a roar, clutching his ruined hand to his chest.
Sam hurried to put himself between Tansy and the bastard on the ground, then angled so he could keep an eye on him while checking the rest of the room.
Joe and Troy held guns pointed at a man dressed in a suit who stood with his hands out to the side and a bored look on his face.
Bernard Howard.
Knowing the others had the situation under control, Sam turned his attention back to the man on the ground. The idiot was trying to use his foot to pull the knife toward him. Sam kicked it away and then knelt down with the gun aimed squarely at the man’s face. “You want to try for the bat?”
The guy spat at Sam, but it was easy to avoid.
Sam rose and kicked the bat away.
“Keene PD.”
“FBI. Stand down.”
With the backup cops and agents piling in, Sam backed away until another officer had the thug under his watch. Then he lowered his gun and moved to Tansy.
She sat in the chair, trying to yank the zip ties off of her ankles. Sam’s heart ached. His fault. She’d been tied up and tortured and it was his fault.
“Tansy.” That’s all he could manage before he knelt in front of her and just pulled her into his arms.
“Sam. I knew you’d come. I knew.”
The conviction in her voice floored him. “Thanks to you and that tracking device. I’m so sorry I didn’t stop them, Tans. I’m so sorry you were taken.”
She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed in. “Not your fault. I knew you’d find me. Thank you.”
Her voice started to shake, and she pulled in a deep gulp of air. He didn’t move while they both battled for their composure.
Then Joe joined in the group hug, and they all just held each other.
When he had his voice under control, Sam leaned back. That bastard had two weapons, and he’s used them at least once because they’d heard Tansy cry out.
“Where did he hurt you?”
Joe immediately leaned back as well.
It took no time at all to see the slices in her leggings and her t-shirt.
He growled as he and Joe shot to their feet, then turned to the man on the ground.
“Tansy? Where is she? Tansy! Are you okay?” Nico’s voice distracted them both from their quarry.
Their buddy rushed over to hug Tansy and whispered something in her ear.
By the time they turned back, several officers were hauling the bastard to his feet and escorting him out of the storage unit, potentially saving him from any more injuries. They’d all sworn to uphold the law, but that asshole had cut up Tansy.
Part of Sam was thankful he wasn’t alone with the prick. The other part of him desperately wanted to be alone with him.
With a mental yank, Sam turned his attention back to Tansy. Her leggings were black, but he could feel the blood seeping through in multiple places. “We need an ambulance.”
One of the PD officers nodded at him. “Four minutes out.”
Sam squatted down in front of Tansy. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide. Probably shock and pain.
He took her hands in his and noted the deep gouges in her wrists, proving she’d been tied up there as well. He lifted her fingers to kiss them while he looked at her.
“Ambulance is on its way. We’re going to get you taken care of, Tans.”
“I don’t need an ambulance. I just want to go home.”
“I know, honey, but you need to see a doctor. You’ve got some serious cuts on your legs and arm. We’ll get those checked and cleaned up.”
Joe’s hand rested on his sister’s shoulder and his voice was gruff when he spoke. “You need to see a doctor. We don’t know how badly you’re hurt.”
Tansy glanced up at Joe with a small smile and then her gaze returned to Sam. “I’m fine. Thanks to you guys.”
Her eyes shone, but she blinked back the tears and Sam didn’t resist leaning in to kiss her.