Chapter 2 No.2

Miller tried to crawl toward the driver's side door.

Kaela stepped on his calf. She didn't stomp; she just applied pressure, slowly increasing the weight until he cried out.

"Stay," she commanded.

She crouched down, bringing her face level with his. The rain plastered his comb-over to his sweating forehead. She reached out with the silver pin and traced the line of his expensive silk tie, right over his jugular.

"Who placed the order?" she asked.

"I... I work for Mr. Moon," Miller stammered, his eyes crossing as he looked at the sharp point of silver. "You can't touch me. I'm-"

Kaela pushed the pin a millimeter into the skin of his neck. Not enough to kill, just enough to sting.

"Wrong answer."

"Jenna!" Miller shrieked. "It was Jenna! And Candace! They wanted a video. They wanted to see you begging."

Kaela's eyes narrowed. Of course. The sister and the stepmother. They didn't just want her to take the fall for the merger; they wanted to humiliate her first.

She reached into Miller's jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. She grabbed his thumb and jammed it onto the sensor. The screen unlocked.

She scrolled through the texts.

Jenna: Make sure she's broken before she gets on the plane. I want to see tears.

Candace: Don't mark the face. She needs to look pretty for the altar.

Kaela let out a short, dry laugh. "They want a broken bride?" She stood up, hauling Miller to his feet by his lapels. She slammed him against the hood of the car. "Call them."

"What?"

"Call them. Tell them I'm a mess. Tell them I'm crying in the corner and I wet myself."

Miller's hands shook so hard he almost dropped the phone. He dialed.

"Speaker," Kaela whispered, pressing the cold metal of the pin against his ear.

Candace's voice filled the air, sharp and impatient. "Is it done?"

"Yes... yes, Mrs. Moon," Miller stuttered, tears mixing with the rain on his face. "It's done. She... she's a wreck. Curled up in a ball. Won't stop shaking."

"Excellent," Candace purred. "Put her on the plane. Clean her up a bit, but keep her terrified. We'll handle the rest in New York."

The line went dead.

Kaela released him. Miller slid down the grill, collapsing into a heap.

"Get in the car," she said.

"But... the window..."

"Drive fast. The wind will dry the seats."

She turned back to the pile of groaning bodies. She crouched over the leader, rifling through his pockets. She found a wad of cash and a tactical knife. She took both.

Her own phone vibrated. A secure line. Once she was sure Miller couldn't see, she unzipped a hidden compartment in the lining of her canvas bag, revealing the compact, high-tech device. The message was encrypted.

Onyx: Biometrics spiked. You okay, K?

Kaela typed back with one hand while walking to the car.

K: Trash taken out. Send PD to the location with the robbery evidence on this crew.

Onyx: Copy. New ticket just came in. Urgent. Code 'Zeus'. Neurotoxin exposure. Location: I-94, Mile Marker 30. Kaufman Convoy.

Kaela paused with her hand on the door handle.

Kaufman. Her fiancé's family.

"Miller," she said, sliding into the back seat and ignoring the glass shards. "Change of plans. We're making a stop."

"We're going to miss the flight," Miller argued weakly from the front.

"Drive to Mile Marker 30. Now."

As the car merged back onto the highway, the wind howling through the broken window, Kaela opened her canvas bag. She pulled out a small, unassuming leather roll. Inside were vials of liquids that didn't have labels, just color codes.

She checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. She looked wild. Dangerous.

She reached for a medical mask and a dark hoodie from her bag. She pulled the hoodie up, shadowing her face, and snapped the mask on.

"Who are you?" Miller asked, glancing in the mirror, his voice trembling.

Kaela looked at his eyes in the reflection.

"I'm the cleaner," she said.