‘How’s it going?’ I asked for maybe the fiftieth time.
I’d been listening to him pant and struggle for a while and remembered how exhausting I found the task. Having arrived home in his uniform, he had copper’s boots on still so unlike my ankles, where the Sandman foolishly tied the ropes around my boots to leave me wiggle room, Jan’s ropes were above the boots and wriggling did nothing but chafe his skin. He’d taken the boots off, but it made little difference to the task.
With a gasp to get his breath back before speaking, Jan said, ‘I just can’t get the ropes on my legs to shift. I’ve switched to work on my wrists. The duct tape is coming away slowly, but I can’t find the end so I’m having to gnaw through it.’
I could only imagine how tough the task was in the dark. It had been hard enough for me and I could see what I was doing. A yawn split my face. Lasting for seconds, I started to feel like I might be asleep before it stopped.
I was desperate to lie my head down and just get a little nap. I even had an argument raging in my head because getting some sleep might be the best thing I could do.
Just as I considered that Jan would be able to wake me easily enough if he needed to, I heard a noise coming from above. It was the first time there had been any sound since I first arrived. It jolted me, sending ice through my veins and cramps to my core. Jan froze too, all sounds of his struggle stopping abruptly.
Someone was coming.
Ramsey Mitchell. Everything According to his Plan. Saturday, December 24th 0217hrs
Taking Karen Gilbert had been easy enough. Tempest Michaels led them straight to her just as he hoped. Soon she would sleep but it was too late now to perform the ceremony this night. If he were to sing her to sleep, it would have to wait until the sun set again.
That it was now Christmas Eve mattered not one bit. If anything, the timing was more perfect for it. His acolytes were feverish with excitement at the prospect of saving three new lives. He would attend to Karen himself, but had decided to reward his senior circle with the honour of bestowing graceful slumber on the other two.
In so doing, he would, in a sense, elevate those involved and cause those who were not yet deemed worthy to clamour ever more for his favour. They would work harder than ever.
Besides, Jane Butterworth did not resemble his precious Valerie and as for the young police officer, well … he had to die simply because he was involved. Taken as a precaution to make Jane comply in case Tempest did not lead him to Karen Gilbert, his kidnap ultimately proved unnecessary. Such is the nature of taking precautions – one can never tell what issues may or may not arise.
Pausing at the door that led to the cells, he cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention.
‘Gentlemen, when we open the door, we must take care not to harm our guest. She has escaped from her cell and may be in a state of agitation.’ A ripple of murmurs passed through his followers. ‘Yes, yes, I know. She ought to have accepted the grace of our blessing and remained in her slumber room. Please take care to treat her gently and be prepared for her to attempt a physical assault.’
A voice asked, ‘Do we subdue her, master?’
‘Yes, but do so gently. We wish her no harm remember. I will administer the sleep serum myself.’ Mitchell tapped his pocket to confirm his bottle of etorphine was still there before saying, ‘Open the door.’
The lights inside the basement flickered on as they came in, the Sandman using the sudden harsh white light to blind Jane and disorient her. His acolytes swarmed in, all bar the two carrying Karen Gilbert’s limp form.
Walking with calm strides as his men rushed forward, Mitchell got to watch as Jane flailed and fought. She was strong for a woman, he observed, and appeared to have been given some fight training.
Though blinking against the light and attempting to shield her eyes, she lanced out a fist that connected with a chin. One of his acolytes jerked backward from the blow and another caught a swinging foot somewhere he really didn’t want it. The outrushing whoosh of air sufficient to let everyone know the blow found its target.
Inevitably, that was all she got before the volume of arms and hands pinned her to a wall. She squealed in terror and anger, thrashing violently as he approached, the bottle of etorphine in one hand and a syringe in the other.
Foul language spat from her lips, and her boyfriend, still trapped in his cell bellowed his outrage too.
Soothingly, he reached out his left hand to stroke her blonde hair. ‘It will all be over soon, Jane. You have served your purpose well.’ Mitchell stepped to his left, providing a clear view down the corridor where Karen Gilbert hung between two of his men. ‘Look who we have brought to celebrate with you.’
‘No.’ The word slipped from between Jane’s lips like a moan of denial. It acted like the last straw, the tall, thin woman sagging between her captors as the fight went from her.
A short while later, all three of his honourees were securely back in the slumber rooms where they could rest until it was time for their ascension. All were drugged and would remain so for many hours, but as Ramsey Mitchell walked away, intent on dealing with the Blue Moon team, there were several things he didn’t know.
One of those things was
