twenty-eight
Pacing back and forth, every muscle screaming with tension, Seth listened to Alden Pike’s insane manifesto. As the man bellowed his beliefs, Seth pictured a naked, vulnerable Honor sitting in a small, cold room having to endure his teachings.
He told himself she was a strong woman. Never had he known anyone more grounded or stable. He told himself she could withstand anything Pike could dish out. Seth believed that. What he was having trouble dealing with was listening as Honor endured.
The information she had unearthed yesterday had been remarkably revealing, giving them insight into not only Pike’s twisted mind but also what his victims had been through. Had Kelli gone through the same thing? If so, how had she fared? She was twenty years old and still trying to find herself. What kind of effect would this maniac’s brainwashing have on a young, impressionable woman? He knew the answer to that question. The young women Honor had talked to yesterday had given a good indication of what Pike’s victims became. Was Kelli there yet? Would she be able to recover and return to the innocent young woman he remembered?
Yesterday, Seth had done a thorough search of the area. Situated between two large hills, Tranquillity was a formidable fortress. The armed guards had changed shifts at midnight. And this morning, at eight sharp, they’d changed again. With LCR’s help, they should be easy to take out.
McCall, Livingston, and Thorne would be here soon. The decision had been made for the rest of the team to wait a couple of miles away. When Honor signaled for them to come in, he and the three men would go in as quietly as possible. Any other way could get someone killed.
After listening to the tour Honor had been subjected to, he’d called McCall again. Learning that many, if not all of the women had been abducted wasn’t that big of a surprise. And it didn’t surprise him that several of those women were pregnant or that there were children in the community. It did ramp up his concern, though. As much as he’d like to go in like gangbusters with the strength of dozens of LCR operatives behind him, the risk was too great. Silent stealth was the only way to ensure the safety of the innocents.
The light crunch of leaves had Seth whirling around. McCall, Thorne, and Livingston stood about five yards behind him. Hell, either he was getting rusty or these men could move in like fog. All three were dressed in full camouflage, and their serious, determined faces reflected Seth’s own feelings.
“What’s happened?” McCall asked.
“You bring a radio receiver?”
Dropping a bag to the ground, McCall nodded. “Yeah, it’s designed to pick up Honor’s mic.”
“Get it out. Honor’s training has begun.”
The grim expression on McCall’s face echoed Seth’s terse words. Retrieving the radio, he adjusted the setting, and soon all four men were listening to Pike’s tirade.
Noah propped the radio against a rock, and the men began to unpack their gear. McCall cast an approving eye at the weapons lying on a sheet of canvas—weapons Seth had checked and rechecked, all in an effort to keep himself busy. “Looks like you came prepared. We’ll have plenty of firepower. Doubt we’ll be able to use much.”
Seth gave a grim nod.
Pulling his backpack from his shoulders, McCall said, “Any new information?”
“Not really. Breakfast was delivered to her this morning, and then some man I think Pike calls ‘the healer’ gave her a physical examination. The man said Pike would be happy about her physical health. It’s clear the bastard intends to keep her for himself.”
“And still no sounds indicating that the other girls are there?” Livingston asked.
“Not yet. She’s in a place with several small rooms, so they could be there and unconscious.” Seth shrugged. “Or they might be in another building.”
“So what’s the plan?” Thorne asked. “We going in?”
McCall shook his head. “We wait. There’s no point in going in until we know exactly where the girls are. If anyone gets the idea that Honor isn’t one of their victims, we’ll be placing her and the others in even more danger.”
As much as he hated this plan, Seth had to agree.
“Honor will alert us as soon as she sees one of the girls.”
“What if she doesn’t see anyone?” Thorne said.
That was the easiest answer of all. “We go in and save Honor.”
“How long do we wait?”
“We play it by ear,” McCall said. “Let Honor make the call. If she’s in danger or can’t handle this part of the training anymore, she’ll let us know.”
“Any idea what other kind of training this guy was talking about?” Livingston asked.
Seth shook his head. He didn’t want to speculate out loud, but he’d spent a sleepless night thinking about just that. Anticipating what a sadistic psycho would do was difficult.
The men fell silent, listening as Pike continued his insane ravings. Had the volume been turned up? It seemed the man’s voice had gotten louder and harsher. Though he had seen Pike only from a distance when the man had carried an unconscious Honor to the Hummer, Seth could imagine the bastard standing before a microphone, his eyes gleaming with an unholy excitement, spittle on his lips … maybe even standing and pacing as his disturbed brain issued its rules and regulations to his “people.”
His gut twisting into knots, Seth turned away from the too shrewd eyes of the LCR men. Though Honor couldn’t hear him, he closed his eyes and spoke softly to her anyway: “Be strong, sweetheart.”
“Father, may I approach you?”
Alden looked up from his account books. He had much to do this morning. Training had already begun for his woman. He had stayed for a few minutes to watch the beginning … he loved to see the initial reaction. It was almost always one of sheer panic, at least at first—an “Oh shit, what have I gotten myself into” moment.
As time went on, myriad expressions would cross their faces. Pain, confusion, anger, despair, and then that edge-of-insanity moment when each one finally accepted the inevitable. That look always gave him the biggest rush of all.
Once that initial phase had passed, it would be time to step up the game. A joint orientation to give the girls a chance to not only see one another but to observe how the others reacted. Sometimes their fear for the other girls was as fulfilling as their own.
The group training also showed him each girl’s threshold, both physically and mentally. After he learned that, he would have little free time until he was able to gauge each individual’s breaking point. Once that was determined, he’d structure a training session based on their needs. After that was decided, Tabitha would assist him. But until then, the time-consuming, backbreaking, yet admittedly enjoyable work was all his.
“What is it, daughter?”
He saw Tabitha move toward him until he said the last word. When he referred to her as “daughter,” it was an indication of displeasure. Had she really thought he would forgive her so soon?
“I wanted to apologize once more. Beg your forgiveness.”
“Has it been a month since you defied me?”
She lowered her head. “No, Father.”
“Then what makes you think I’d consider granting forgiveness so soon?”
“Because I know what a forgiving, loving man you are.”
That was true. Many people had betrayed him. Years ago, he had punished them without remorse, his only desire to appease his rage. Once he’d realized his potential in controlling others, however, he had gained control over his temper, too. Now when he punished, the results were rarely fatal. If behavior could be controlled and then changed to his liking, what was the point in killing, other than self-gratification?
Ruling over his followers allowed him to be the gracious, forgiving leader his people worshipped.
“What do you believe would be a just punishment for what you did, daughter?”
Tears appeared in her eyes. “I can think of no greater punishment than to have you withhold your pleasure from me.”
Tabitha rarely cried. Even during his most enthusiastic punishment, when his enjoyment overcame his caution, she remained dry-eyed. But now he could see that his desertion was indeed hurting her. How very interesting.
“The punishment stands. Is there anything else?”
Surprise flickered in her eyes, and he almost chuckled. She had thought he would give in. Did she think him so weak as to be moved by tears?
Visibly collecting herself, she finally said, “The promise you made about John. Did you mean it?”
“You know I always keep my promises.”
Her face brightened. Yes, he was being overindulgent, but how could he not give in to her? And though doing away with his son wasn’t his preferred solution, having John gone would make life simpler. Plus, it would give Tabitha happiness. Despite his anger at her disobedience, he couldn’t help but spoil his angel.
“Do with him what you will, however you like. Just make sure it brings no questions from our people. Our family affairs are none of their concern, and speculation can cause worry, disrupting the community.”
“I have already determined the method. No one will ever suspect.”
“Excellent. Now leave me to my accounts. Orientation has already started for our newest member. You know I hate missing one moment of progress.”
Her entire body jerked at the news. “You’ve begun already?”
“Are you questioning my judgment?”
“No, of course not. I’m just surprised you’ve started so soon with her.”
Only to himself had Alden admitted that he had made an exception for this new female. But never had he seen one so ripe or ready. Under ordinary circumstances, orientation with his manifesto was the second phase of training. Weeks of incarceration, along with deprivation of food and sleep, and the occasional drugs, softened their senses, readying each girl to hear his message.
Though he resented his daughter’s question, perhaps this was a good opportunity for her to learn what he had in mind for their newest member. “She is special. It’s as if she was made for Tranquillity.” He deliberately paused and then added, “Made for me.”
A small lip tremble was Tabitha’s only indication of upset. Then she backed away silently, as she had been taught.
Satisfied that he’d made his point, Alden returned to his accounts. Now if only the new girls would be so cooperative. And his newest one? It was all he could do not to single her out and begin the intensive training with her immediately.
No, that would be breaking more of his own rules. He’d already deviated with her orientation. Any other change was out of the question. Discipline flowed from the top down. If he made another exception for her, others might learn of this. They would question his strength.
The fact that she’d already made him desert his longstanding rules concerned him. Was he seeing the qualities of subservience and obedience because they were truly there? Or did he want her so much that he had exaggerated them? A chill swept through him. A woman who made a man so weak as to question himself had an evil inside her that needed to be exorcised.
No, he wouldn’t break any more of his own laws. However, her influence over him could not go unpunished. She would pay a stiff penalty for being such a temptation.
twenty-nine
Seth sat on a rock yards away from the others and listened to the nonstop bullshit blaring at Honor. Alden Pike’s manifesto, in his earsplitting voice, was a blast of insane meanderings. He went on and on about perfection and tranquillity and how he offered both. His ego had no boundaries as he extolled his own achievements and how he offered solace to those who’d lost their way. He’d yet to say that he was a god, but the inference was there. Or if not a god, at the least, some kind of supreme being.
The message was thirty-seven minutes long. Rules, regulations, what could and couldn’t be planted in the garden. What food should be prepared for a man. What sexual services a woman should give to her mate. How they were to dress and conduct themselves. Those and a seeming thousand other ridiculous mandates blared as if they were being yelled through a bullhorn.
Once the message ended, it started again. This was the beginning of the fourth hour. Just how much more could Honor take? He wanted … God, how he wanted to go in and get her now.
An hour ago, he’d been ready to do just that when, in the midst of Pike’s recorded rant, he’d heard Honor’s voice. Out of necessity, her words had been soft. He pictured her putting her mouth directly over her watch to speak.
“Hopefully you can hear me over this crap. I’m okay. Don’t come in. Got a headache from this asshole’s ramblings, but nothing worse. I promise.”
Though the message had been too short, and he’d heard the tension in her voice, her iron will had been there, too. He had to trust her judgment. She had asked for his trust … for him to have faith in her abilities to handle this job.
She believed he hadn’t trusted her before with the truth. Maybe he hadn’t. His main concern had been protecting her. To Honor, not telling her the truth had been like a slap in the face to her integrity.
So now, here he sat, trusting her judgment and cursing himself for doing it.
“You okay?”
Seth looked around at Noah McCall. “This may not drive her crazy; I can’t say the same for me.”
“She’ll tell you if she thinks you need to come in.”
“Yeah, I know. She told me you worked on some cases together before she came to LCR.”
McCall nodded. “First case was a few years back. Takes a lot to impress me, but she did it in spades. Compassion combined with a steely strength is a rare quality. Honor never lets her kindness control the job she needs to do. Nor does she allow her experience to jade her. I don’t have to tell you that she’s seen a lot of bad things and though she’s tough, she’s not hard.”
Seth couldn’t have said it better himself. That was Honor in a nutshell. Every person had a breaking point, though. No way in hell did he intend to find out what hers might be. Seth knew he wouldn’t be able to wait much longer. Hell yes, he trusted her judgment, but he also knew that Honor was all about service and sacrifice. That had been ingrained into her DNA. Damned if he’d allow that sacrifice to include her torture.
She wouldn’t forgive him if things went sour and he charged in too early. Living without Honor’s forgiveness was painful but doable. Living without Honor in the world wasn’t.
Soon, he’d have no choice but to act on his instincts.
Seth’s mouth moved softly, sweetly over hers, their lips sipping at each other’s, his spicy taste sweetly addictive. Large, callused hands, so very gentle, caressed as they glided, covering every inch of her body. Honor groaned her arousal. The image was so clear in her mind, she could almost feel the stinging stubble of his beard against her skin.
Fantasies and memories were keeping her sane. For five hours, nonstop, she’d listened to the same message. When would it end? What indication did she need to give that she was fully on board with Pike’s bullshit message?
An incessant ache throbbed in her head, created not only by the loud, booming voice but also by the lights. She’d remained in the dark for the first hour and then all the lights had been turned on, brighter than they’d ever been. So bright, she’d gasped at the pain in her eye sockets. Two minutes later, she’d been plunged into darkness again. And then the lights had gone on again. Then darkness once more. This had been repeated every few minutes.
She’d received no food or water since this morning. An hour ago, she’d drunk the water she’d used to swish out her toothpaste earlier. Damned if she’d die of dehydration. This bastard would not defeat her.
She figured Seth must be going crazy—listening to this and feeling helpless to do anything but wait for her signal. And he would be questioning the promises he’d made to her. Not because he didn’t trust her but because of who he was—a protector through and through. He would wait, though … she trusted him.
She couldn’t give the go-ahead yet. Yes, this was painful and, yes, she wanted it to end. However, if she called the team in now, without any idea of where the girls were, this mission could well end without them being found. Worse yet, making the call too soon could put their lives in danger—Pike would have no qualms about killing to protect himself. Honor refused to accept either outcome.
At some point, Pike would believe he had achieved his goal. Was that five minutes from now or five months? At that thought, Honor sat up in bed. No, she had to find a way to convince him that she had succumbed to his will. What would it take to convince the bastard?
Think, Honor, think!
Alden stood and stretched his achy muscles. This was always the most tiresome part of the process. After enjoying their initial reaction of terror, watching and waiting for each girl to break could become tedious. The average girl could take anywhere between two days and a week before he broke her into a gibbering, slobbering idiot.
For entertainment, because of the boredom, he often placed bets with himself on how long it would take each girl. So far this year, he had a perfect score.
The runaway had taken the longest—six days. The skinny blonde had taken four. The fat blonde with the pretty blue eyes had surprised him the most. With her subservient attitude, he’d figured he was being way too generous when he’d wagered three days, but that’s exactly how long it’d taken before she was mumbling his words like a jabbering moron.
He always rewarded the ones who took the shortest amount of time with something special. After all, when they gave in, his real enjoyment of the process could truly begin. So though she’d taken three days, he’d rewarded the girl with an extra glass of water.
Alden checked his watch again. Five hours so far … she was holding out moderately well. The tiny camera attached to the ceiling had shown the normal amount of restlessness. She’d tried covering her ears, putting a pillow over her head, and even singing. Watching her methods of avoidance had been quite amusing.
It was time for a bit of relief. One solid hour of stark silence, during which she would be fed and watered. She would receive another glass of water to brush her teeth. Then music would be piped in. He’d never cared much for music … had never seen the point to it. However, he’d found it had a soothing, if inane quality that calmed. He’d noticed that in the course of a day, many of his people would go around humming the tunes they’d heard during their training. Now, to him, that was beautiful music.
Her musical therapy—or lullaby, as he liked to think of it—would last for fifteen minutes. She would believe the training was over for the night. She would grow sleepy. Weary from the stressful day, she would lie down and begin to doze. And then, like lightning, it would all begin again.
He blew out a tired sigh. Exhausting work, but eventually fulfilling. His future bride deserved only the best of him.