Page 81 of Desecrated Saints
“Let me get this straight. Sa—um, Alyssa, is allowed to risk her life to infiltrate an institute but I’m not permitted to bring someone in? How is that fair?”
“Because Alyssa works for Sabre,” Hunter booms as he enters, flanked closely by all four guys. “She’s undergone extensive training for this role. I have faith in her abilities.”
“What’s going on?” Kade pulls me into his arms.
We all gather around Theo’s monster of a computer, with a dozen different monitors hooked up and millions of windows open. It’s like staring into a chaotic extension of his brain. Eli takes my hand, holding on tight as a video file is pulled up.
“What is this?” Seven asks warily.
Theo clears his throat. “It’s a warning.”
Hitting play, there are several sharp intakes of breath. The camera pans across a darkened concrete cell. Unlike the torture chamber where I was held, this one features a wide, two-way window that allows for constant observation. I stare at the balled-up body in the top right corner, shivering all over.
“Let’s try this again,” Bancroft’s regal voice drones.
Phoenix’s swollen face is almost unrecognisable. He’s been beaten into a pulp. One dislocated arm hangs limp at his side, while his clothing is ripped and blood-stained. He can barely move, and his teeth are gritted in agony.
“Nix,” Eli rasps.
I tighten my hold on him. “We’ll get him back.”
Our entire group watches in horror as a guard enters the cell, dragging a huge hose in with him. I already know what’s coming. It seems like a minor punishment, but after long enough being pounded by freezing water, you begin to lose grip of your mind.
This is just the warm-up act.
After ten minutes of relentless water, another beating begins. I have to walk away, bracing my hands on the wall while the group curses at the unfolding scene. Eli eventually joins me, unable to stand it for a second longer. Both of us cling to the other, silently praying for the man that binds us together.
The worst part is, Phoenix still doesn’t make a damn sound. Throughout the torture, there isn’t a single grunt or cry of pain. It’s like he can’t feel it anymore. He’s already given up.
“There’s more,” Theo says reluctantly.
I look back in time to see the camera man exiting the cell. In the adjoining room, behind the glass, Bancroft stands ready to deliver his message to us. His hands are casually tucked in the pockets of his tailored trousers, a sinister smile stretching his mouth wide.
“Brooklyn West,” he drawls. “You have forty-eight hours to hand yourself and Patient Seven over to the authorities, or Phoenix Kent will suffer the consequences. Don’t try to run. I have the resources to hunt down every single person you’ve ever cared about and bring them back here for the same treatment.”
Right on cue, there’s a guttural scream.
It seems Phoenix couldn’t hold out any longer.
“The clock’s ticking, Miss West. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
The feed cuts out, leaving stunned silence.
“The file has been coded to erase itself after it’s been watched,” Theo explains with frustration. “Pretty high-level programming, but I suppose Incendia can afford to pay an expert.”
My fist sailing into the wall seems to break everyone out of the spell. Swallowing a scream, I shake out the pain in my bleeding knuckles. All I can hear is Phoenix’s scream ringing over and over again in my head.
“Any idea where the video was taken?” Enzo breaks the tension.
“It doesn’t match any of the institutes we’ve infiltrated so far,” Hunter replies. “There are two locations we haven’t gotten inside. I doubt Incendia would use their headquarters to hold him. It’s too obvious.”
“Priory Lane? Kirkwood Lodge?”
“Both possibilities, along with Harrowdean. Alyssa hasn’t entered the experimental wing yet. They’re being extremely cautious after recent events.”
“Can we trace the message?” Hudson suggests.
Theo’s fingers race over his keyboard. “I’ve tried tracing the IP address, but it’s been rerouted and bounced all over the country. They aren’t taking any chances. Everything else has been anonymised and the video itself erased.”