Breeder Nation

Chapter Twenty-Two ~Travis~

Taking a seat, I immediately flip the switch that will enable me to hear what's being said in the room. My heart drops within my chest as I look up and see Maddie. Seeing her this close and not at distance through the monitors, she looks so tired. As she looks around the room, her eyes hold within them a sadness I've never seen in all the years I've known her, and as if it could be possible, I swear I feel my heart break a little more.

She begins to fidget in her seat and worry plays across the features of her face. I hate seeing her this way. If only she knew the reason why I became a Hunter, and that I planned for things to go down so differently the night I found her. A few words from me right now might be all it would take to ease some of her pain and hopefully bring some light back into her eyes.

I look down at the switch that enables the microphone into her room, then back up at Maddie. No one but her will be able to hear me. With a simple flip of that switch, I can tell her that she's going to be okay. But Brad's warning about keeping her in the dark in order to keep her safe keeps poking its way to the forefront of my mind, and as much as I want to, I know I can't do it. Especially now, since Jenkins just entered the room.

He takes a seat across from her, and Maddie wisely eyes him with suspicion. Knowing her the way I do, I guarantee she sensed something was off with him from the moment she met him.

Wasting no time, that prick dives right in. "We received some new intel this morning involving a recent shooting, I have a feeling you and your little friend might know something about it," he says.

Oh fuck.

"Why do you think I was involved?" Maddie responds. She begins to fidget again but quickly stops herself.

Jenkins tells her that a shooting happened not far from where she was apprehended and that the descriptions of the suspects provided were a perfect match for her and her two friends.

Maddie laughs in response. That's my girl. I can tell she's nervous, but there's no way Jenkins can. He doesn't know her like I do.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says.

Jenkins stands and walks behind her. Leaning over her from behind, he explains that no gun was found at the scene. "But I think you know where you left the gun, and I think you want to tell me where that is," he threatens.

She saw Aiden kick his gun over to me. I can see her processing everything she's being told against what actually went down. Understanding seems to take hold, but then she quickly shakes her head, as though she's trying to clear her mind of whatever thoughts she's having.  

Jenkins grabs her hair, pulling it back, leaning down into her. She pulls away, but he has a grip on her hair and he's using it to pull her back towards him. Maddie's eyes fill with fear.

Is she shaking?

That mother fucker!

I slam on the microphone. "Jenkins! Office. Now," I demand through gritted teeth before flipping the switch back off. He steps back and looks up into the two way mirror.

Maddie immediately spins in her chair, her eyes searching the room while mine stay trained on her. Jenkins says something before exiting the room, but my mind fails to process his words. My focus remains steady on Maddie, and time seems to slow down as I watch her eyes scan the two way mirror, desperately searching to see who's on the other side. She knows it's me.

Time suddenly speeds back to normal, and I'm ripped away from the moment as I hear the handle of the door begin to turn. Before Jenkins' foot even has the chance to cross the threshold, I grab him by the front of his shirt and pull him into the room, his face inches from mine. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I yell into his face.