Page 85 of Master of Chaos

“No! Don’t!”

“Well, then.” He slapped the remote into his opposite hand. “I will need you to follow my instructions carefully.”

“What do you want?”

“Many, many things,” he said, smirking. “Some of them, you have already delivered, with spectacular success. Which puts me in a benevolent mood, in spite of your bad attitude. Very lucky for you. And for little Regina, incidentally.”

“Spit it out, Halliwell.”

“We start by walking out this door together… smiling. There are security cameras in the corridors. One across from this door. We walk together, with my arm around your shoulders. We smile up at the camera. Then we go out into the parking lot, get into the car, and go. Simple, no?”

“So you want… you want them to think…” My voice trailed off, appalled.

“That you were working for me all along, yes, Cassandra. Because in a way, you were. But I can explain that later. We have no time to waste. If you don’t smile at the camera and chat with me politely as we walk, I will dial up Reggie’s illness right now. Off you go, my dear. Left foot, right foot.”

I just stared at him, horrified.

“And as a very special treat, I will turn Reggie’s dial from 25 down to 15 once we are in the car,” he added. “That will make her fever break, at least, and will probably make the rash recede. The coughing will ease off, as well.”

I looked at the remote in his hand, and he chuckled under his breath, and wagged his finger at me. “If you should have the bad judgment to make a play for this remote, just be aware. Dr. Avery has a duplicate in his pocket, and he’s been told to make sure that Regina dies instantly if you misbehave. Do we understand each other?”

I nodded.

“Okay, then. Off you go.” His voice hardened, the false jollity gone.

We walked out into the corridor, which was full of people, none of whom I could ask for help. His arm was slung over my shoulders. It felt heavy, flesh-creeping, repellent, like a poisonous tentacle of some monster draped across my body.

“Smile, Cassandra. Or I turn the dial up.” He smirked at me.

I smiled back at him, big and wide and empty. “Will this do?”

“None of your sass, girl. I hold the cards, and you have nothing. Look up at the camera right now, and smile.”

I did as I was told, smiling up at the video camera like a painted doll. Then we spun and marched toward the garage. Left foot, right foot. In lockstep with Halliwell.

The big black Porsche SUV idled outside the garage entrance, next to the curb. It was the same deadpan, asshole driver who had taken me to all those hellish restaurant meals. I slid into the seat and stared ahead as Halliwell went around the car and got in.

Thud, the door closed.Ka-thunk, the door locks snapped to. I was trapped.

He held out his hand. “Give me your phone, Cassandra.”

“Turn down Reggie’s dial,” I said. “You said you would.”

“First, the phone.” He made an impatient sound. “You have nothing to bargain with, so don’t be annoying. The phone. Now.”

I handed it to him.

Halliwell slid it into his pocket, pulled out the remote, and held it out with a theatrical gesture so that I could see it. He turned the dial from 25 to 15. “See? I keep my promises. Little Regina should start feeling better any minute.”

“Turn it down to zero,” I said.

“Oh, no, no, no,” he said, wagging his finger. “Not yet. The monkey has to do her tricks before she gets her treats.”

“How are you doing this?” I demanded. “How does it work?”

“All will be made clear in time,” he said.

“Make it clear now. What else do we have to do?”