"Your friends are far enough away. Now it's time for us. Head back to the car," Morgan ordered.
"Wherever." Alex shrugged, her face expressionless, and she walked with Morgan towards Brockner.
Once seated in the featureless black sedan with Brockner, Morgan leaned toward the driver. "My place first. I have important plans."
"Please do not elaborate on them now, I don't think I could stomach them," Brockner said. "Remember, she must be alive when I come to pick her up tomorrow morning."
"She'll be alive."
"Not just barely, either. There's a lot of money sunk in her."
"Not just barely, boss-man. It will be an evening of love, right, sweetheart?" Morgan leered at Alex and she could smell the beer on his breath.
Alex allowed herself to roll her eyes, but otherwise her face remained a concrete mask.
The car stopped at an ancient house with boarded up windows. Weeds had long overrun the yard and the wooden porch sagged in several places. The windows were filthy with dirt and insect nests, but unbroken.
Probably the source of many horror stories at Halloween.
"Our little love nest." Morgan ostensibly helped her out of the car.
Alex said nothing and yanked her cuffed hands away from him.
I won't give him the satisfaction of any reaction. He feeds on my fear and pain. This time will be different. This time I won't disgrace myself with tears and pleas.
Morgan led her without resistance up the dilapidated stairwell and into the bedroom. A new bed stood out in glaring contrast to the rest of the moldy room.
"You're just like I remember you," he murmured. He clicked something on the cuffs and they separated, but each one still surrounded her wrists.
Why do men expect women to never age? The Alex in this timeline is ten years older than me, sheesh.
"Oh, I've changed," she replied quietly.
"I've waited for this." He reached for her.
"Don't bother." She slipped out of reach. "I know what comes next." In one fluid motion, her shirt was off and pooled around her feet.
"What?" Morgan exclaimed at the sight of the healing burn. "But this timeline's Morgan died a long time ago."
"You think you're the only one who can jump timelines?" Alex shot back.
Maybe I shouldn't have given him that information.
The door crashed open and they both jumped back and faced it.
Brockner stood in the doorway, flanked by two agents with their guns drawn. "Morgan, did you really think I would let you play with such an expensive toy? I had no idea she was already so badly damaged. Alex, who did that to you? Morgan? Or is it some bizarre rite of passage of your friends?"
"Both," Alex said.
Good for him to fear them all.
"Brockner, are you double-crossing me?" Morgan asked.
Morgan squared off with Alex against Brockner and his agents, but Alex moved away from him.
I prefer Brockner to Morgan. I prefer hemlock to Morgan.
"I remember what you became when you received your implants," Brockner replied coolly. "All sorts of twisted stuff bubbled out of your brain. You are one sick bastard. What you did to Alex is more proof. Hands up."
Morgan raised his hands, but in a curious circle. A dark portal with purulent yellow green flames licking around the edges opened at his command. He grabbed at Alex but she dove to the floor in panic.
Morgan stepped into the portal and Brockner and his men didn't hesitate to fire into it. The portal closed with a flare of flames and heat.
Brockner and his men shielded their eyes but the minute the flames winked out, they jumped Alex. She didn't struggle and Brockner stood up.
"Okay, let's go. You or Morgan: there isn't much difference," Alex said.
"You wound me." Brockner dramatically placed a hand over his heart.
"Moderate amount of difference. You're not going to paw me, are you?"
"Not at all. I like my women blond, busty, and willing."
*****
A/N
Is this more like it? Action! Treachery! Multiple villains!
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Dedicated to:
Who sent me lists of music videos ! The one for this chapter came from one of the lists! And who noticed when I duplicated text-thanks!
I'll have to fire my quality control person - oh wait, that's me. Dang.😝😝