Midnight Squad: The Grim (17 page)

           
I turned my eyes back to the Jinn. She was putting her
shirt back on. “Thank God almighty that you think with your little head!
Joseph…we aren’t safe…you…” Alhambra froze in place. Her eyes looked upset.
There were tears welling up, and then they just stopped. It was like staring at
a completely different person. “Sergeant, do you like this body?” The Jinn fell
back on the bed. She writhed out of her clothing. “It’s been awhile since we
played together.” I watched her begin to tease her nipples until they grew
hard. Alhambra stopped to suck on two fingers. Memories flooded my brain. It
was hard to breath. Those same fingers slid down her body and came to a
tentative stop between her thighs. A low moan escaped her throat as her fingers
disappeared inside.

           
I wiped the drool from my mouth. All I wanted to do was
get up out of the chair, but my body betrayed me. My erection butted up against
the bottom of the desk. I could feel the steel drawer pressing against the
front of my slacks. “Sergeant…do you want me? Don’t you remember all the fun we
had?” I felt bile rising up into my throat, but I continued watching as her
other hand opened a drawer on her nightstand, and took something out. Alhambra
rolled onto her knees, exposing herself to the camera. I felt dirty, but that
wasn’t enough to bring me back to reality. At that moment, I was back in my
torture cell, and I’d have done whatever she asked. A part of me kept begging
for the strength to turn off the monitor, and a part of me wanted to crawl down
to her and beg forgiveness.

           
“Sergeant…don’t you want me?” She swayed her ass at the
camera. My knuckles were white as I gripped the desk for all I was worth. It
was the only thing keeping me from running to her. “Sergeant, do you remember how
it felt to be inside me?” I nodded. She was moving her hand faster now. Her
thighs quivered as she was about to reach orgasm. She gasped, “I remember it
too. My favorite part was how you’d pull out of me, and then drive yourself in
as hard as you could. I always loved when you’d impale me with your lust. I
never felt so full, and I want you behind me right now. I need it. Please
Sergeant; come give me what I want.” Her pants became ragged. She was about to
climax. I rose to my feet. My erection strained against my zipper. I was
fighting a losing battle.

           
My eye caught a glimpse of movement on one of the other
monitors. It was Penny. She was laughing with
Danika
.
Her face turned to the camera. It was as if she was looking straight at me. I
felt the strain in my body go away. She is so beautiful. Looking at the
vampire, no, looking at that woman helped me to find some control. It might be
more accurate to say her beauty redirected my urges. The feelings of lust still
overwhelmed me, but at least I could think…sort of. It was a few moments before
I realized I was grinding my crotch against the desk. I was in the process of
making some baby desks, or would they be coffee tables?

           
“Sergeant!”
The Jinn howled as
she rode the wave of her orgasm. Her firm backside and thighs trembling as she
dry humped the air. Her spell was broken. Instead of arousal, I just felt
nausea. I raised my middle finger, and reached to turn off the monitor. Penny
and
Danika
were playfully poking one another. The
rest of the room laughed as they waited on me to join. Elizabeth hung up the
phone and stomped angrily back into the rec room. She smoothed her hair, and
looked completely unruffled by the time she sat down for the movie. The only
sign she was still angry was how she gripped the necklace. She white knuckled
that gaudy thing the entire time. I heard Alhambra scream, “No! Please No! I’ll
never do it again! Please!” I froze. My finger hovered millimeters from the
power button. I watched in horror as her hand began digging at her insides. Her
other hand moved out from under her. I finally was able to see what she’d
gotten from the nightstand. It was a large pair of scissors.

           
Alhambra screamed and begged for mercy. I watched in
horror as she began stabbing herself. She began sobbing as the scissors started
to move between her thighs, and went into hysterics as she rested the scissors
at her opening. My stomach tied itself in knots. She screamed into her pillow
as the scissors sank inside her. I was frozen. I listened as she begged, pleaded,
and finally just gave up. The mutilation finished, and she lay there
whimpering. Nothing else could happen to her poor abused body, so the woman
pulled out the scissors and wiped the blood on her sheets. The wounds closed
almost immediately. Alhambra pulled herself to her knees and rocked gently. Her
voice was breaking and cracking. I’d seen that look before. That was the same
look my men had whenever she had finished with them. She’d left the same look
on my face for three months.

           
Alhambra used her power, and immediately she looked
immaculate again. She began moving to the elevator. I needed answers.
Sprinting, I made my way to the elevator and hit the call button. Clearly
something was beyond fucked up, and someone was watching us. I only hoped that I’d
get the elevator first. Luck was mine, the doors opened and I pressed to go
down. When the doors opened, Alhambra jumped with surprise. She didn’t expect
to see me, and I moved to the side and let her in. I waited nervously for the
doors to close.

           
“What the fuck was that?” I asked. She shook her head no.
“Listen, I know there is someone else watching. I saw the camera move. I’m not
saying I trust you, but I want some answers!” The Jinn shook her head. She
looked scared and ashamed. “Nothing happened.”

           
“What do you mean nothing happened. What you did…I can‘t
ever
unsee
that. If that isn‘t the most fucked up
thing I‘ve ever seen it‘s certainly top ten.” I growled.

           
“You didn’t see anything. I didn’t do anything. Nothing
happened
!“
She kept poking me in the chest with each
word. “It was stupid of me to even try in the first place.” She whispered under
her breath.

           
“Listen, we’ve only got a few seconds left. There’s no
camera on the elevator. Tell me what’s going on.”

           
“Joseph, I’m sorry, but I can’t. Please don’t ask me
anymore.” Her eyes were pleading for me to drop it. I wanted to press, but she
looked like a trapped animal. What little conscience I had was rearing its
head. “Just so we’re clear. This conversation isn’t over, but I’ll give you a
rain check…for now.” Her tiny body locked onto me, arms wrapped around in
genuine thanks, but all I could think of were the three months she’d spent
torturing me and my men. Images of each squad mate’s last few breaths flashed
into my mind. Alhambra whispered her thanks into my chest, and I became ill.

           
I shoved her away with more force than I intended. Her
tiny frame slapped against the guard railing of the elevator. She tipped back,
and for a brief moment I hoped she’d fall over. It wouldn’t have killed her,
but I’d have a little satisfaction knowing I’d gotten some payback. I’d
searched her files repeatedly since I got here, and each time I went away more
frustrated. I couldn’t find a way to kill her in the files. There was only a
brief mention that level nine would hold her, but no mention of how. I’d kept
waiting to get DD alone, and maybe she’d be able to give me a heads up on how
the Jinn could be contained. Alhambra’s body was seesawing on the rail. She was
about to tip over and fall when I grabbed her, and put her back on her feet. I
glared at her, I knew better than to shove her. It was unprofessional, but even
still I wasn’t about to apologize.

           
Alhambra smoothed her clothes. “Thank you. I probably
deserved that, and a lot worse. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you wanted me
dead.” Dead…I wanted more than that. I wanted her to suffer the way she made me
suffer. I wanted to cause her so much pain that she began begging for her life
with each breath, to keep going until her words grew to a constant screaming prayer
for death, and to keep screaming until she couldn’t make another sound.
Finally, I wanted to push her past the point where she’d care. Then we’d take a
break and start over. During the downtime, I’d think of ways to give her false
moments of hope, and then snatch them away. I wanted her to believe she had
chances to escape, and then make her realize it was all just a trick. I wanted
to take everything real in her life and destroy it, and all of that was just
the beginning. Even with all of that, I’d be barely scratching the surface of
all that she’d done to me. That was the worst part. That was what turned my
dreams of revenge into nightmares. It was the knowledge that no matter what I
did, it wouldn’t be enough. I’d seen what she could do, and anything I tried
would just be pathetic in comparison.

           
“Joseph, all I can do is
say
that nothing about this is what you think. I’d like to say more, but I can’t.”

           
“Can’t or won’t” I snapped. My voice filled with rage.
“Can’t, I really do want to, but I can’t.” Her voice was terrified. She was
practically begging. “I’ll accept that, for now. But we will discuss this at
the first opportunity.” Her head hung down, “I can’t discuss it. Why don’t you
understand that? I can’t. I just can’t.” I growled at her, in frustration.
“Joseph, I’m sorry. I really am. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but
please, can you do something for me?”

           
I laughed, “What!
Seriously?
You
have to be kidding me. I wouldn’t piss on you to put out a fire.” Her eyes were
terrified, “Joseph please. You know about the cameras. If they see us come out
together, they’ll be suspicious. I need you to make it look like we were
fighting.”

           
“Why the hell would I do that?” I was grinding my teeth
in anger. “Joseph, we have to work together. I’ve been trying to save you. I
even shot you hoping they’d just discharge you.” My hands flexed and relaxed
repeatedly as I concentrated on her neck. “You shot me! Son of a bitch! You
nearly killed me! How the fuck did you do that? I thought you couldn‘t directly
hurt people.” The Jinn shook her head. “I can’t. I made the gun go off, and
aimed the bullet for a target right about here.” She put her finger two inches
past me, right over the bruise where the bullet had exited. “You just happened
to be in the bullet’s path.” Fucking loopholes, I nearly died because of
fucking loopholes. “Joseph, you have to understand. If I wanted it to kill you,
I’d have aimed it to pass through your heart. I wasn’t trying to kill you. I
was trying to save you. You weren’t in any real danger. I can’t say anything
else. Now listen because we’re almost there. If those doors open and we aren’t
fighting, or at least arguing, we’ll be in even deeper trouble. Please, if you
aren’t going to help me at least help yourself.” Her eyes were pleading.

           
I heard the ding signaling that the doors were about to
ready to open.
“Fine!”
I spat out. My hands clamped
around her throat. The doors opened just as I started to squeeze harder. With a
quick twist of my shoulder, I tossed her into the hallway. “You fucking bitch!”
I walked over and kicked her as hard as I could in the face. It was about as
effective as a mosquito biting an elephant. My tongue felt like I’d just
touched the tip to a battery. She was drawing energy to cast a spell. My leg
swung back as I readied another kick. I saw a quick flicker of electricity jump
from her to the floor. I probably should have stopped myself, but I just
couldn’t pass up another free shot. My foot struck her again, this time right
in the ribs. Electricity spiked up through my leg, knocking me back against the
wall. I could smell singed hair, and unfortunately, it was mine.

           
My body wouldn’t respond. It was as though she’d used a
tazer on me. Fucking loopholes! Alhambra stood over me, “Don’t you ever touch
me again you hairless ape!” I could see the electricity sparking off her as she
leaned down to me. Sparks jumped from her to me, tazing me all over again. She
whispered in my ear, “Thank you Joseph, I am in your debt.” She stood up and
gave me a stiff kick in the chest. My best guess is she was aiming for the
wall. Again, fucking loopholes! It wasn’t hard enough to break anything, but
I’d have a new bruise. At this rate I was going to be one solid bruise by the
end of the week.

She walked down the hall, and
entered the rec room. After a few moments, I could move again. My body
protested as I got onto my feet. I slowly made my way to all the others. All I
could think of was that I’m clearly over my head. I looked around the rec room.
There was a lot to think over. Was Alhambra telling the truth, or was she
screwing with me? Right now, I felt like she was screwing with me, but back in
that elevator she seemed genuinely afraid. There was a tight knot of
frustration in my stomach. Could she have used her power to move that camera…of
course she could, but if she did then it was a hell of an acting job. If
someone moved that camera, then who was it? Everyone was accounted for when
that camera moved. That meant there was someone else watching, but whom?
Elizabeth would definitely be aware of any additional people, but was anyone
else? Did they all know, and if so why were they keeping secrets from me?