Eternal Faith - Book 4 (The Ruby Ring Saga) (14 page)

Della
fluttered her eyes open, and there was terror written all over her face as she
struggled into a sitting position in the confined space. She covered her eyes
with her hands. “Hey,” she said. “It’s okay. I’m alive.”

I
balled my hands into fists, furious at the nightmare I’d just witnessed. Pounding
the padded wall with my fists, I clutched my chest and began to weep.

“Were
you really that concerned for me? I am touched, Sarah. Truly,” Della whispered.

I
spun to meet her gaze. “They’re going to kill my son!”

She
arched a brow. “How do you know that? I think they want to keep us alive for
experiments.”

Streaks
of sweat ran down my spine, drenching my shirt. My throat felt coarse and dry
as I screamed, “Because I saw every vivid detail. Get up, Della! We have to get
out of here.” I reached my hand out, but she refused to accept my help.

She
slowly stood and looked into my eyes. “How do you propose we get out of here?”

I
wiped my eyes. “I don’t know, but I had a vision. I saw everything, and I
refuse to be dissected on a cold slab of metal. I refuse to let these beasts
kill my son.”

“A
vision? As in the gift of sight? How is that possible?”

I
shrugged. “Don’t ask me how, but somehow, we’re able to keep our extra gift. This
vision was different from any others I’ve had though. It was longer, and I was
actually in it rather than watching it. It seemed more detailed than any of the
other visions in the present.”

“You
are becoming more accustomed to the gift, Sarah. Perhaps it is winning against
all the other energies in your body.” She then desperately grabbed my arm, her
lips trembling. “Tell me, Sarah, what did you see?”

I
gripped her hands. “We’re in hell, and I just personally met the devil.”

“I’ve
met him too,” she whispered.

“We’re
being kept alive as Guinea pigs, Della. According to my vision, you are not the
perfect specimen. You don’t meet their DNA criteria, so they intend to do away
with you.”

Della
gasped.

“I
was on the operating table,” I said, sucking in a deep gulp, “and they let my baby
die just so they could save me for some stupid experiment.”

She
shook her head, horrified. “We cannot let Victor’s heir die.” There was a
tremor of fear in her voice as she looked away. “Victor has desired a child for
centuries, and he will not be able to cope with the loss of his son.”

I
paused as her words tore at my heart. Finally, I swallowed the lump in my
throat and continued, “I heard them talking about a helicopter being loaded. It
was going to take place on June thirtieth at 2 p.m. Wednesday.”

“That’s
in three days.”

“Maybe
we can hitch a ride outta here, like stowaways.”

“I
do not wish to ride anywhere with these villainous creatures. They’ve tortured
me for months. Is there not a way we can just run?”

“The
way they were talking, we’re far from civilization, maybe in a desert or
something. If that’s the case, we have no choice but to fly out of here.”

Exhausted
and beaten down, Della looked at me and nodded. “If that is what we must do, so
be it. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get out of here.”

* * *

I
was startled when the two soldiers rushed in and even more startled when one of
them walked right up to me, stunned me with his taser, then laughed as he threw
me over his shoulder. I only had one thought:
Is my vision coming to pass? Are
they taking me to surgery, where Alexander is destined to die?
I tried to
fight and flail, but the stun gun had rendered my muscles useless. I was
completely paralyzed as pain spread through my body.

A
soldier unlocked a small, metal cage and shoved me inside. I heard the lock
click
of the door and wondered again what was happening. Then I heard somebody call
my name over the intercom system in the room. “Sarah, I am your handler, your
programmer,” he said in a deep voice.

“What
do you want?” I asked. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“If
you cooperate, no harm will come to you,” the male voice said.

“Just
don’t hurt my baby.”

“What
do you eat?”

“What
kind of question is that?” I shouted.

A
flash of light blinded me as pain tore across my body and forced my eyes to
dart open. It was at that point that I realized the cage was hotwired on the
ceiling, bottom, and sides.

“Why
are you doing this?” I screamed.

Another
flash of light came, followed by more pain.

“I
will ask the questions,” he said.

He
had told me he was my programmer, and now that was beginning to make sense, as
much as anything could make sense in that crazy place full of Immortal
lunatics. Every time the DC voltage was applied, I saw a flash of light and
felt the sting of pain, like a lab rat in some cruel conditioning experiment.

“What
do you eat?” he asked again.

“Food.”

“Please
be more specific.”

“Meat,
cheese, dairy...uh, fruits and vegetables, bread. Oh, and pizza. Pizza Hut’s my
favorite, especially stuffed crust,” I said, hoping my answer would not get me
zapped, but it did. I gritted my teeth as pain flooded through me, and I
realized I’d have to watch my mouth.

Over
the next hour, they asked me basic questions, and the white room often went
very dark or very bright. Over my cage door was a panel of lights, and
occasionally, a pattern of dots would light up. I had no idea what any of it
meant, but they continued stinging me with low-level shocks that were
coordinated with the various patterns of illuminated dots. As much as I hated
what they were doing to me, it was still much better than the surgical
nightmare I’d seen in my vision, performed by Dr. Green Eyes.  

Suddenly
the dots lit up brightly and sped back and forth as jolts of pain flooded
through me from electric shots.

“This
brutality is...completely barbaric!” I shouted through the waves of pain. “What
are you? Monsters? I’m pregnant, for goodness sake! Leave me alone!”

Then,
the room went completely dark, and even the panel of lights above my door shut
down, as if there’d been a massive power outage. I gasped for air and glanced
around. My body was still limp, but Alexander was kicking my insides like a
World Cup soccer player gone mad. I felt as if I’d stepped through the gates of
hell. I knew that unspeakable horror was still waiting for me, and I knew I had
to get out of there, no matter what.

I
touched my stomach. “Hold on, my sweet baby. Mommy is so sorry. Just hang on,”
I said, my voice wavering.

My
fingers and toes tingled, and my body felt numb. I couldn’t understand how
Della had survived so long in that place. I’d only had a taste of what she’d
been through, and I was almost ready to give up already.

Through
the fog of pain surrounding me, the door creaked open, and someone gave me a
shot in my arm. Then, one of his evil henchmen carried me back to my cell.

“Are
you okay?” Della asked.

Unable
to answer, I just closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

W
hen
I fluttered my eyes open, I heard the television, a blonde reporter talking
about me!

“Sarah
Larker has been missing for three days. She is seven months pregnant, and her
family is worried that something sinister has happened.”

“Three
days?” I whispered.

“You’ve
been in and out of consciousness for about two days,” Della said.

I
glanced back up at the TV.

“The
interesting twist to this story is that it isn’t the first time Miss Larker has
disappeared. Over a year ago, she went missing on an expedition, and Frank
Hedford was charged with her death. When she was rediscovered some time later,
it was believed that she had suffered from amnesia.” The reporter then held her
microphone to a tall man with white hair. “Do you have any leads on this newest
disappearance of Sarah Larker, Officer?”

“We
believe Miss Larker is...unstable and that she may have run off again, possibly
back to New York City. We are currently checking all potential leads.”

The
reporter then held the microphone up to my mom. “My daughter would never run
away. She was happy to be home and had settled in nicely.” Her voice trembled as
tears streamed down her cheek. My dad wrapped his arm around her and pulled her
close as she continued, “If anyone knows anything, please call the police. I
can’t lose my Sarah again, not after we finally got her back.”

“We’re
going to bring Sarah home,” my dad said. “She’s a fighter, and I...” Overcome by
grief, his voice trailed off.

I
was equally sad, knowing that my family was worrying for me. It was a relief,
though, to know they were looking for me, and I was sure Victor would never
give up till they found me. As I looked at the worried look on my dad’s face
and the tears on my mom’s, my heart was torn in two. I desperately wanted out
of that hellish place, to be reunited with my family.

“What’s
your extra gift, Della?” I asked.

“Invisibility.”

“What!?
That’s perfect! Try it,” I said.

She
shot me an exasperated look. “Do you honestly think I haven’t tried already? I
only hit a brick wall.”

“Yeah,
but you didn’t concentrate on that one specific power. Just humor me, Della. Try
it. Mine works, so yours might too.”

“But
they injected something in me and...”

“Just
try, Della,” I insisted. “I received the same injection, and my gift of sight
still works.”

She
nodded and closed her eyes. Within seconds, she disappeared, right before my
very eyes.

My
heart swelled with joy. “It worked!” I declared as I watched her body fade back
in.

“We
have to get them to open the door,” she said. “If you hold my hand, you’ll be
invisible too. That’s how it works.”

“This
will give us a fighting chance! I know they’ve put you through hell.”

“I’m
fine.”

“Do
you think you can do this? Are you up for the challenge of trying to escape? It
will require that you concentrate very hard.” I stared into Della’s eyes,
trying to determine if I could count on her. I hardly knew her, and she wasn’t
exactly my best friend. All she had to do was let go of me, and I’d be as good
as caught—and probably punished.

“I
can see in your eyes that you don’t trust me.”

I
shifted my stance, wondering how she could read me so well?

The
lines in her pale face softened, and compassion flickered in her brown eyes. “I’m
not going to let anything happen to your baby. Victor was my world for hundreds
of years. I’ll do anything to save his child, even if I’m not carrying him.”

It
was clear that she was far more interested in saving Alexander than she was in
saving me, but I had no option but to trust her. Still, I couldn’t switch
off the nagging voice at the back of my head telling me to be careful. The
woman clearly wanted Victor back, and part of me still questioned her
intentions. For all I know, she’d leave me there so she could step into my life
and have my husband for herself.

Della
bit her lip. “According to your vision, the helicopter leaves sometime while
you’re in surgery. It’s one p.m. now.”

I
sucked in a deep breath. “They’re taking me to surgery in an hour. Alex will
die if we don’t resort to drastic measures. We have to act now. He’ll be dead
in a matter of hours.”

“Do
you think you could pretend to be in labor?” Della asked.

I
nodded. “Distraction. Great idea.”

“As
your Hollywood people say, give us an Oscar-worthy performance.”

As
I doubled over and moaned in pretend pain, Della pounded on the door
frantically. “This woman is in labor!” she shouted when a man peered in the
square window. “I don’t know how to deliver a baby. Can you send a doctor?”

The
door opened, and the man rushed in and pointed a gun at Della.

Della
helped me lie down on the ground. “It’s okay. They’re going to get a doctor.”

The
man motioned for Della to stand in the back. “Make one false move, and I won’t
hesitate to use force,” he muttered.

“I’ll
do whatever you say,” she said hysterically. “Just help Sarah. She can’t lose
this baby.”

Two
more men entered and pointed guns at Della. When the first man felt for my
pulse, I let out a scream, as if I was in excruciating pain.

“I’m
losing the baby,” I said. “I need the doctor!”

The
man glanced at the others. “Let’s get her on the gurney and call Dr. Larson.”

“Where’s
the other woman?” one of the men asked, suddenly stumped when there was no sign
of Della.  

I
screamed so loud that I drowned everyone’s voices out, and then I jumped to my
feet, knowing I had to distract them somehow.

“Calm
down,” the blond man asked, his voice low and menacing.

I
let out a long scream to try and divert their attention once again. “Help me!”

“Shut
up!” the blond told me, then threw his fist straight into my jaw.

Pain
flooded my face, and I stumbled. Della aimed at the guard’s side and fired. The
soldier crumpled, dropping his gun, and the weapon clattered across the floor,
until I abruptly stopped it with my foot. I snatched the gun up and pointed it
at the two guards, my hands surprisingly steady for someone who’d just been
knocked senseless and was still seeing stars. The gun wouldn’t kill the
Immortals, but I knew it would sure as heck slow them down.

I
smiled when I felt Della grip my hand, and I disappeared right before their
very eyes.

“Where
are they?” I heard one man ask with a gasp.  

Della
temporarily let go of my hand to ward off the ogre coming straight for her.

“I
pulled the alarm!” the other man said.