Page 39 of Blazing Joysticks
Something about their posture, the way their eyes darted around, set off every alarm bell in Cat’s head. This wasn’t a friendly visit or a harmless mistake. These men were here with purpose, and Cat had a sinking feeling it wasn’t a good one.
Her pulse pounding in her ears, Cat clutched Ayers closer and quickly made her way back to his room. She needed to get them both somewhere safe and call for help.
Once inside the nursery, Cat gently laid Ayers in his crib, her hands shaking slightly as she fumbled for her phone. A wave of panic washed over her as she realized she’d left it in her purse by the front door.
The sound of the doorbell ringing again, more insistently this time, made her jump. Cat’s mind raced, weighing her options. She couldn’t leave Ayers alone to go for her phone, but she needed to contact someone, anyone, for help.
Her eyes landed on the baby monitor on the dresser. It wasn’t ideal, but it had a two-way communication feature. Maybe she could use it to call out to a neighbor for help.
Just as Cat reached for the monitor, a deafening crash echoed through the apartment. The intruders had broken in.
Adrenaline surged through Cat’s veins as she scooped Ayers back into her arms and darted for the walk-in closet. Her eyes fell on the noise-canceling headphones Laura used when flying with Ayers. With trembling fingers, she carefully placed them over his tiny ears.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” she whispered, her voice barely audible as she wrapped him snugly in a soft blanket. “Auntie Cat’s got you.”
With utmost care, she placed Ayers in the far corner of the closet, tucking him behind a stack of storage boxes. The space was small enough that he shouldn’t be able to roll or crawl away, but Cat’s heart ached at the thought of leaving him there.
“I’ll be right back,” she promised, pressing a kiss to his forehead before reluctantly closing the closet door.
Cat’s eyes darted around the room, searching for anything she could use as a weapon. The place was frustratingly baby-proofed with nothing remotely dangerous in sight. She settled for grabbing a heavy picture frame from the wall, holding it like a shield as she positioned herself between the closet and the bedroom door.
The sound of heavy footsteps approaching sent a chill down her spine. Cat’s grip on the frame tightened, her knuckles turning white. She silently prayed that Keir would arrive soon, that the police would somehow know to come, that someone would help.
The bedroom door burst open with a splintering crack, revealing two men—both large and muscular, with an aura of danger that made Cat’s breath catch in her throat.
“Well, well,” the taller of the two sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. “Looks like we found our little tech genius.”
Cat’s mind raced, trying to place their faces. Were they from Obsidian Tech? Part of some criminal organization after Sharpe Drakon’s tech? She opened her mouth to speak, to try and reason with them, but no words came out.
“Come on, sweetheart,” the other man said, taking a menacing step closer. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Your choice.”
Cat’s eyes narrowed, a surge of defiance rising within her. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she spat, her voice steadier than she felt.
The men exchanged amused glances. “Feisty little thing, isn’t she?” the first one chuckled, the sound sending ice through Cat’s veins. “All right then, hard way it is.”
They lunged forward simultaneously. Cat swung the picture frame with all her might, catching the closer man on the side of the head. The glass shattered, and he staggered back with a pained curse. But his partner was already on her.
A meaty hand clamped around Cat’s arm, yanking her off balance. She lashed out with her feet, her knee connecting solidly with something soft. The man grunted in pain, his grip loosening just enough for Cat to wrench free.
She made a desperate dash for the door, her heart pounding so hard, she thought it might burst from her chest. But a strong arm snaked around her waist, lifting her off her feet. Cat kicked and thrashed, her nails raking across any exposed skin she could reach.
“Enough!” the man holding her roared, giving her a rough shake that made her teeth rattle. “Knock it off, or we’ll have to hurt you.”
Cat went still, her mind racing. She couldn’t risk them searching the room and finding Ayers. She had to get them away from here, even if it meant going with them.
“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth, every fiber of her being rebelling against the words. “I’ll go. Just... just don’t hurt anyone else.”
The men exchanged triumphant looks as they half-dragged, half-carried Cat out of the apartment. She tried to memorize every detail of their route, noting with surprise that they bypassed the main elevator in favor of a service entrance she hadn’t even known existed.
As they emerged into the cool night air, Cat’s hopes for a dramatic rescue began to fade. A nondescript black van sat nearby, its engine running. Before she could even think to scream for help, she was unceremoniously shoved inside.
The van peeled away from the curb, tires squealing. Cat’s heart pounded as she watched the familiar cityscape blur past the windows. With each mile they put between her and home, her fear grew.
Would Keir know where to look for her? Would anyone even realize she was missing before it was too late?
Just as despair threatened to overwhelm her, a deafening roar split the night air. The van swerved violently, nearly tipping over as the driver tried to avoid... something.
Cat’s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of enormous, scaled wings through the windshield. Keir.