Feisty Heroines Romance Collection of Shorts Page 14

  Dana held back a grin as she typed Taylorbrook Hospital into her phone’s search engine. It popped up almost immediately. “It’s between Wichita and Andover. Looks like it’s in the middle of nowhere. That’d be about right for Dr. Morrison.”

  “Okay then,” said Brandon. “Let’s go get Lacey.”

  Chapter 3

  Brandon parked in front of the long winding drive leading to the hospital entrance. The little patch of land, buildings, and greenery looked out of place among the wheat fields surrounding the rest of the area. It looked modern and somewhat maintained, which surprised Dana. There were no recent pictures on her search page, and she’d almost expected something like a sanatorium out of a horror movie.

  Brandon parked behind a row of hedges to hide the vehicle, then turned to Dana. “Are you ready?”

  She nodded.

  Jeff twisted in his seat. “Listen, guys, you can just let me out here.”

  “Why would we do that?” asked Dana.

  “You don’t need me. I’m just going to be in the way.” He jerked lightly on the handcuffs.

  “We might.” She turned away from him and addressed Brandon. “Do you think we can get in without being noticed?”

  “I don’t know. Let me take a closer look.” Brandon exited the car and cautiously made his way through one of the hedges. He emerged a couple of minutes later, his expression grim.

  His head shook slowly as he re-entered the car. “I doubt it. They have one guy at the door. No telling how many are inside.”

  “I’m sure there are a few more. Dr. Morrison always surrounded himself with guards the whole time I knew him. I think he was afraid of us, to tell the truth.” She glanced back at Jeff. “Looks like we’ll need you after all.”

  He shook his head. “No, I’ll mess everything up.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You are the one that got us in this. You will help get us out.”

  He shook his head again.

  “We’re going to walk up there, and you will tell them you have something for Dr. Morrison.”

  “What do I have?”

  “Me,” she stated. “Tell them you have captured Angelica Stratton.

  “Who’s that?” Jeff asked.

  “My name before I escaped. I changed my identity when I got away.” She looked down the drive and tried not to contemplate the risk involved by revealing her real identity. Lacey was all that mattered.

  Brandon put a hand on her arm. “Are you sure about this? What happens once you get inside?”

  “They don’t know about you,” she said to Brandon. “Keep the car ready to go. We’ll probably have to make a quick getaway.”

  “No, I’m going with you.” His lips pressed into a firm line.

  “Those maniacs inside are dangerous. I won’t blame you if you want out. But if you stay then I need you to wait here in case we need backup. If we aren’t out of there in a reasonable amount of time, call the authorities. Then come find us. Do what you need to do.” She glanced at his weapon. “Guns blazing if necessary.”

  Brandon shook his head. “No way in hell I’m leaving you two behind. When we leave here, it’ll be with all of us.” He inhaled and exhaled deeply. “I don’t like it, but I’ll wait. Only twenty minutes and then I’m kicking the damn doors down.”

  She smiled at him. “Thank you, Brandon.” Dana leaned forward and kissed him.

  He threaded his hands in her hair and deepened the kiss. Dana sensed his urgency. Fear crackled between them as well and she didn’t know if he was reflecting her own emotions or if he also felt afraid.

  She pulled back and cleared her throat. “We should go. Time is not on our side.”

  Brandon nodded. “Like I said, I won’t wait long. I won’t take a chance of either of you getting hurt.”

  “Aww, how sweet of you. I didn’t know you cared.” Jeff mocked from his still shackled spot in the back seat.

  Brandon scowled at Jeff. “I meant Dana and Lacey, dumbass. I don’t give a shit about you.”

  Dana held out her hand. “Keys?”

  Brandon fished the handcuff keys from his pocket and placed them in her palm.

  She got out of the car and opened the back-passenger door. “Sit back a bit,” she ordered Jeff.

  He did as instructed, and she uncuffed him. He rubbed his wrists, then reached up to gingerly inspect his nose. Dried blood caked one nostril. He moved to wipe at it, but Dana stopped him.

  “No, leave it. It’ll be more believable when you tell them you caught me.” She slid out of the seat, waving for him to follow her.

  Jeff scooted out and stood, stretching each limb. “You think they’re going to believe you got the better of me?”

  She raised one eyebrow at him. “I have. More than once.” She raised one hand and electricity crackled between her fingers. “And they know what I’m capable of, so yes, they’ll believe it. It’d be suspicious if we walked in and it looked like I hadn’t put up a fight.”

  He nodded but said nothing more.

  She turned to Brandon, who’d exited the car and leaned against the front passenger door. “Okay, give us twenty minutes. If we aren’t out by then, it’ll be up to you.”

  Brandon sighed. “Okay, but I still don’t like you going in on your own. Are you sure?”

  She gave him a tight smile. “No, but it’s the only way to get in without a fight. We need to conserve that energy for getting back out.”

  “All right then.” He pushed off of the car and showed her a large zip tie. “I’ll put this on loose enough you can get out when you’re ready.” He quickly secured her wrists behind her. He then stood in front of Jeff. “Do exactly as she tells you. Any deviation from the plan, and I’m kicking your ass.”

  Jeff huffed. “Sure.” He grasped Dana’s arm and tugged her to follow as if he were in charge.

  She took a deep breath and played along.

  The guard at the entrance stood at attention when he saw Dana and Jeff coming up the drive. “You’re lost. You need to turn around and go back. Now.” The low, gruff voice was menacing and likely very intimidating for most people.

  Jeff held up one hand. “I’m Jeff Palmer. I helped Dr. Morrison get the little girl they just brought in.”

  Dana had to resist once more the urge to kick him in the balls. Instead, she kept her eyes downcast, trying to give the impression she was tired and defeated.

  “So? You want a cookie?” the guard asked.

  “I have another gift for the doctor,” Jeff continued, ignoring the man’s sarcasm. He pushed Dana in front of him. “Angelica Stratton. She escaped his facility several years ago.”

  The man eyed her with suspicion. “Hold on.” He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, tapped the screen, and spoke with someone briefly before putting it back in his pocket. “Go on in.” He stepped aside and opened the door for them.

  “It worked,” Jeff said under his breath.

  “I told you it would,” she whispered back.

  He roughly shoved her in front of him as they entered the building. Dana took in her surroundings. A narrow hall in front of them opened into a large room, and an exit sign illuminated a door to her right. Scattered chairs and a counter confirmed it used to be a waiting room.

  “Angelica. What a nice surprise,” Dr. Morrison’s voice echoed down a darkened hall from her left.

  She turned toward the familiar voice. He stepped into the light, and her stomach roiled. She focused on thoughts of Lacey and let her anger replace the nausea.

  “I wish I could say the same,” she said weakly.

  “Did you not miss us?” The older man smiled. His once dark hair had gray streaks at the temples, his full beard mimicking the look. He adjusted his glasses. “No matter, we’ll soon get reacquainted.”

  Dana glared at him.

  “Mr. Palmer. Thank you so much for your generous gift. I’ll be tripling what I offered for the little girl as a token of my appreciation.”

  Jeff choked. “Oh,
um. Thank you, doctor.”

  “How did you find Miss Stratton?” He gave Jeff an ominous look. Dana feared he was on to them.

  “She happens to be—”

  Dana interrupted him, afraid he was about to show their hand. “I’m a friend of Dana’s. The mother of the little girl you kidnapped. I was trying to help get her back when Jeff realized I had gifts too.”

  “And he bested you?” Disbelief laced his words.

  “Not before I got a shot or two in.” She nodded to his face.

  Dr. Morrison chuckled. “Same old Angelica. Always fighting the inevitable.” He glanced at Jeff again. “We’ll no longer be needing your services, Mr. Palmer.”

  Jeff looked at the doctor, then back to Dana. “So, should I hang around for my payment?”

  Dana didn’t know if he was trying to stall or if he truly wanted the payday. She worried it was the latter.

  “Absolutely.” Dr. Morrison turned his attention to a guard on his left. “Would you take our dear Mr. Palmer to the accounting department?”

  The guard nodded and grabbed Jeff by the arm. “C’mon.” But instead of going deeper into the building, the guard hauled him back out the door they’d entered.

  Dana had a bad feeling.

  Moments later, a gunshot rang out, and her muscles tensed as she flinched. She didn’t like Jeff, and she’d threatened to kill him herself, but he was still Lacey’s father and he didn’t deserve death.

  Dr. Morrison frowned. “He was just going to blow it on drugs. He’s better off.” He rubbed his hands together. “Now, Angelica. What do you say we reunite you with your little friend, Lacey?”

  The guard that walked them in pushed her forward. She almost stumbled as she tried to keep up with the doctor’s long strides.

  “As you can see, we’ve had to downgrade our facilities, thanks to that little dust up in Kentucky. But we’ll be back to our former glory in no time.”

  They entered a cafeteria. Only a few tables remained, most of them pushed against the walls. In the middle of the room were desks, computers, and an all too familiar-looking cage. It resembled a large birdcage, the top scraping the almost 20-foot ceilings. She hated that cage.

  Lacey was sitting in a chair, hands duct-taped to the arms. Her head raised up, and Dana could see her red cheeks and watery eyes. She wanted to kill them all.

  When Lacey saw Dana, she opened her mouth, but Dana quickly shook her head. Thankfully Lacey understood that it was best to stay quiet for the moment.

  “I think you know this young lady,” Dr. Morrison stated as the guard shoved Dana down in a chair across from Lacey.

  “Hi, Lacey. I’m your mom’s friend, Angelica. Do you remember me?” She prayed her daughter would catch on to the ruse.

  Lacey nodded. “Yes.”

  “Are you okay?” Dana smiled at her.

  Lacey looked up at Dr. Morrison. “I want my mom.”

  He shook his head. “Your mom sent you here to learn just how special you are.”

  Dana controlled her breathing as her inner rage boiled over. “Are you okay, Lacey?”

  Lacey looked at Dana and nodded.

  “She’s just fine.” Dr. Morrison patted Lacey’s curls. “As for you, Angelica. You were a naughty girl. You ran away just as we were figuring out your gifts. That was a lot of wasted time.” He leaned down, placing a hand on both arms of her chair. “I don’t appreciate you wasting my time.”

  “Time is a gift never to be wasted on the unworthy,” she repeated the mantra he’d drilled into their heads many years ago.

  He smiled, genuine delight filling his features. “You remember. How wonderful!” He stood upright and addressed another man in a lab coat. “She has telekinetic and electrical pulse gifts. Keep her hands apart when they are not behind her.”

  Another doctor nodded and scribbled something in a notebook.

  A woman in scrubs walked up beside Dana and began prepping a needle.

  “What are you doing?” Dana asked.

  “Just a little sedative, sweetie. Nothing to worry about.” She kept her eyes on the needle.

  “Lacey,” Dana began. “Remember that rule your mommy used to have? Rule number one?”

  Lacey nodded again, and Dana knew she was thinking about the carefully constructed rules they’d put together regarding their gifts. Rule number one was never using your gifts when they weren’t in the privacy of their own home.

  “Your mommy wants you to ignore that rule.”

  Dr. Morrison chuckled. “Speaking in code will not help you, or her, Angelica.”

  Dana carefully slipped her hands out of the zip tie and held them in place behind her back. “You know, doctor, I’ve been gone a long time. I’d forgotten how smart you think you are.”

  He looked down his glasses at her. “And I haven’t missed that smart mouth of yours. But we’ll break you of that. We did it once, and we can do it again.”

  The nurse reached for Dana’s arm, and Dana quickly pulled her hands to the front of her body, shoving them together toward the nurse. A ball of electric energy knocked the nurse off her feet.

  “Grab her!” shouted Dr. Morrison.

  Two guards swooped in on Dana, doing their best to keep her hands apart.

  Suddenly there was a high-pitched scream that sent shock waves through the room. The powerful force from it made movement nearly impossible. Dana lifted her gaze to her daughter. Lacey screamed in her chair as tears ran down her face. She remembered overhearing one of the scientists say that extreme emotions were often the catalyst of emerging gifts. Lacey had developed one more through her terrified state.

  Dana pushed through the wave, taking all her strength to reach her daughter. Her hand touched Lacey’s, and the little girl looked into her mother’s eyes. She stopped screaming, but the tears still flowed. The wave of energy dissipated, and everyone else in the room stumbled, trying to get their bearings.

  Dana worked on Lacey’s bindings as quickly as possible. Lacey flexed her fingers. “Do it, baby.”

  Lacey flexed her fingers again, and this time, the chair Dana vacated slammed into one of the guards trying to subdue Dana. She flexed again, and a table slid across the room, pinning another large man to the wall. “Good girl,” Dana murmured. “Do what you need to do.” Dana pulled off the last of the tape on Lacey’s right hand.

  Lacey lifted her hand, and Dr. Morrison floated in the air.

  “No. No. Don’t do it. Please.” Dr. Morrison’s voice was pleading.

  Dana worked on freeing Lacey’s left hand. “Ignore him.”

  At that moment, Brandon burst into the room with his gun in hand. He pointed it at the nurse, and she backed herself out of the room through the kitchen area.

  “You can set him down, baby.” She comforted Lacey. “Brandon’s got him.”

  Brandon stood close by as Dr. Morrison fell to the floor in a thump. He pointed his barrel at the doctor. “Stay down if you prefer to breathe through your nose and not the extra holes I’d dearly love to put in your skull.”

  Dr. Morrison put his hands behind him on his head. “Please, don’t.”

  Lacey was finally free, and she rubbed at the sticky residue the tape had left behind. “Mommy, can we go now?”

  “Yes, baby. We’re going.” Dana picked her up, then kissed one of her tear-stained cheeks.

  “Mommy?” Dr. Morrison repeated. He raised his head to look at them. “I should have seen it! The resemblance is too striking.”

  Dana ignored him and walked over to Brandon’s side.

  “How many people are in this building?” Brandon demanded.

  Dr. Morrison said nothing, so Brandon kneeled and put the barrel against the doctor’s temple. “I repeat. How many people in the building?”

  “Only two others. The rest of our crew is out on a supply run,” he stammered.

  Dana nodded. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “What about him?” Brandon kept his gaze trained on the doctor.

  She
grinned. “I know exactly what he needs.” She sat Lacey down. “Give me just a moment.”

  Dana rummaged through drawers until she found a large key. She strolled over to the cage and unlocked it. “He should be comfortable in here until the authorities arrive.”

  Dr. Morrison groaned. “Now, let’s not be hasty, Angelica.”

  Brandon pulled the doctor to his feet and shoved him toward the cage, keeping the gun aimed in his direction.

  She gave the doctor an extra hard shove and slammed the door once he’d passed the threshold. She turned the key in the lock and deposited the key in the pocket of her jeans. “I’m not Angelica anymore. Like so many others, once in your care, you destroyed who I used to be. I’m not that scared little girl you abused and bullied year after year. I’m stronger and willing to fight back. We all are.”

  “All?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “I’ve heard the rumors about what happened in Kentucky and Tennessee. The woman they call Jane and the doctor who’s helping rebuild the lives of all those your organization destroyed.” The corners of her lips lifted in a wicked grin. “They’re all fighting back. And Karma is coming down hard on those who’ve wronged us.”

  He shook his head. “Listen, there is no reason we can’t come to an understanding.” He scooted forward and put his hands on the bars.

  “Screw you.” She spat at him and moved to pick up Lacey again. “Let’s go, Brandon.”

  He nodded and led them into the hall and out the side exit door. As the door behind them closed, they could hear Dr. Morrison screaming and cursing at them.

  Lacey frowned. “He said a bad word, Mommy.”

  Dana grinned and hugged her daughter tight. “He sure did.”

  Brandon had the car ready to go just outside the door. Jeff lay in the back seat, groaning. Dana had temporarily forgotten about him. “Is he okay? I thought they shot him?”

  Brandon shook his head. “No. I saw what was about to happen and stepped in. The guy beat him up a little first, though. I shot the guard.”