Touched by a Phoenix (49 page)

Their backs were to the camcorder, which he had turned on before waking Rick. He closed in on the unsuspecting man and pressed the vile against Rick’s neck. A loud
swoosh
wiped through the air as the vile ejected the needles, dispensing the liquid. Jones held the vile against Rick’s neck until empty. Rick fought him for a minute before he collapsed.

Jones pressed enter on the timer. The steady rhythm of the countdown began.

He stepped behind the camera and cleared his throat as he attached the voice distorter and then pulled a black ski mask over his head. He stepped in front of the camera.

“Mr. Scott, I wanted to give you a time-lapse of what is about to happen to Alexandria…to ensure you are properly motivated. As demonstrated, I just administered a vile of poison to the man. His name is Rick and he has thirty-six hours to live. The recording you are seeing will continue during the experiment. Sometime during his last hour, I will give him the antidote demonstrating that you can actually save your precious Alexandria.”

He stepped behind the camera making sure both the timer and the man were both visible before walking away.

Upstairs he made a phone call, “It’s me. As tight as security is at AAS, I will never get close to her without raising questions. You said this needed to be administered close to the neck, correct?”

“Yes, what are you thinking?”

“I need a jeweler.”

“Why?”

“I have an idea.”

“We’re not changing the plan now.”

“I need a locket engraved with something Mr. Scott said to her. I will have the locket delivered to her on Friday as a wedding gift from him. Alexandria will not hesitate to put the locket on and the poison will self-administer.”

“
Hmm,
that is an excellent idea. Someone will contact you shortly.”

There was silence. “Did you have something else?”

“Yes, why did the man collapse? I would have thought it would have taken some time before the poison began to work.”

“The vile contains two chemicals; one cause’s brief paralysis, and the other is the poison.”

“I see. I will await your man’s arrival. Oh, I need a delivery person with the proper credentials and dressed as a Military Police Officer from Andrews on Friday.”

“Consider it done.”

Alexis needed to get away for a few minutes—she needed to breathe. Tomorrow was her wedding day and her groom was secluded at Andrews. They had only been able to speak a few times this week, just enough to let her know that he was safe and demonstrations were going well.

John had locked her down as well. The only time she was free from guards was when she used the restroom. They sat in her office…outside her bedroom door…drove her to work…and followed her around like a puppy. They were stifling her and she desperately need a little space and some air.

“I’m going to father’s office,” she announced on her way to the door.

Matt started to rise. “Stay,” she commanded, “I’ve had enough.”

“No ma’am, I have orders.”

“Screw your orders,” she growled.

He stepped between Alexis and the door. “Ma’am, I’m sure this is difficult, but please, I will lose my job.”

His patronization pushed her over the edge.

“Tiffany,” she yelled, “get John in here now!”

She paced the floor like a caged animal, back-and-forth, arms crossed…getting angrier by the minute.

John rushed in. “Is everything all right?” he asked hurriedly.

“Tell your man to back off,” her blood boiled with rage.

“Matt, why don’t you step outside. I’ll take care of this.”

“Oh hell no, you don’t. You will not take care of this like I am some child!”

“Then stop acting like one.”

Alexis’s normally calm demeanor had been strained to the breaking point and he just waved the red cape in front of the bull. Her face contorted in an all-consuming rage. Her eyes flashed—becoming narrow slits, her nostrils flared.

“You asshole!” she ranted.

“Alexandria, calm down….” Too late. The anger raging in her eyes told him he was in for the fight of his life.

He put his hands up in front of himself as if he was trying to hold her back. She stormed towards him like a wildfire burning out of control. Her hands closed into tight fists. There would be no stopping her—the fury flew like a tornado swirling around him…ready to destroy everything in its path.

He stuttered, “Alexandria…I know you are on edge, but the security is necessary.” In a desperate attempt to placate her, he went on, “I promised Brad I would keep you safe.”

His words fell on deaf ears. Her golden eyes had become weapons, flinging daggers. She let go with an uppercut to his head. During the first few jabs, John concentrated on self-defense, hoping she would calm down once she was able to land a few well-placed blows. After a half-a-dozen or so solid punches, he thought she might be finished.

He relaxed his defenses only to find himself up against the full force of her rage.

Hurt, fear, anger—fueled her adrenaline and gave her more strength than he could have anticipated. She was battering him with one blow after another and all he could do was take them. He would not fight back.

John relaxed his muscles and focused on dodging her rhythmic combinations of kicks and blows. He had to admire her…
damn she was good.
Briefly, he wondered where the hell she had learned to fight. He didn’t think Phillip had taught her any of these moves.

He was able to divert the right hook, but he underestimated her abilities, and before he stabilized his feet, she was in a midair spin. Alexandria’s foot flew through his defenses and landed squarely against his jaw in a mindboggling sidekick. His head twisted violently as blood spewed from his mouth…spilling on the carpet and splattering against the wall.

John sank to his knee. His head lowered as he wiped the blood from his mouth on his sleeve.

“Get up,” she screamed.

She was in a crouching position from the previous kick and ready to attack the minute he moved.

He looked into her burning glare. “No, Alexandria. I will not fight you. I know you are angry but this isn’t going to make the situation any better.”

“Get up…
now,
” she roared.

“Alexandria,” her father yelled as he barged through the door, “enough.”

She didn’t acknowledge Phillip’s existence. He wasn’t even sure she had heard him. “Alexis,” he repeated in a calmer tone.

“What?”

She had not taken her eyes off John. Phillip asked her quietly, “Do you really want to do this?”

She did not respond to her father. “Get up, John.”

“Will it make you feel better if I do?”

“Yes.”

He stood slowly. Their eyes met. “You will have to take me as I stand. I will not fight you,” his words were soft and calm.

He sensed she was struggling with her anger—anger at the situation…debating her next move. She simply needed someone to take her frustration out on and he was the most logical person. This was his fault; he should have known she would need to vent. He could have escorted her to the gym, they could have sparred—it would have been safer.

He reminded himself this should have been the happiest week of her life. Instead, everything had been wrong. Brad was still in danger. The military had claimed National Security and were not allowing him to leave the base nor would they marry as planned. Thank God, he was capable of taking her beating without taking it personally.

Her anger seemed to fade but only slightly. With his fingers, he carefully motioned for Phillip to step back.

“Alexis.”

The pity in his voice sent her careening off a cliff. She came at him with all her strength. Twisting in midair…she planted a back kick directly in the center of his chest. Both his feet came off the floor. He hung suspended in midair for a split second before he hit the floor…hard.

Phillip rushed to John as the rush of air expelled from him in a loud
ooooof!
Then silence. Phillip knew John well enough to notice the flicker of panic cross his face before he remembered to relax and catch his breath.

Alexis stormed past them both…out of the office. She stopped in the hallway for a split second. Everything came crashing down on her and all at once. She ran. Down the stairs. Pushing her way past the guards and across the street. She burst through the front door of Angelo’s and headed straight for the kitchen where she could hide.

Angelo looked into Alexis’s blank, emotionless expression before her eyes became glossy with the tears threatening to spill over. “Alessandria…,” Angelo remarked as he took her into his arms and guided her to a private area.

John struggled to sit upright. He had to get to Alexis before someone else did. Phillip extended a hand to help him up. John stumbled as he stood, bracing himself with a hand against the wall. Rubbing his chest, he asked, “Where the hell did she learn how to fight?”

Phillip’s face reflected his distress, “I have no idea…I taught her basic self-defense moves.”

Phillip was shocked at Alexis’s reaction…and her skills. He would never have expected Alexis to be capable inflicting such pain but more importantly, she never let anything get the best of her. She always maintained control—
that is…until
today
.

John’s words from a month or so ago haunted him…she would kill to protect Brad. My God, just how deeply did she love this man? He didn’t know what to think—Alexis was gone and she was dangerous.

“I need find her before she gets hurt…or hurts someone else,” one hand on his chest and the other on his jaw.

Phillip took a deep breath, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I think I know where she is…I’ll be back shortly.”

“No, Phillip…I will go. She is hurt and angry—she just needed to vent. If you go, it will become personal, whereas, I won’t allow personal feelings to interfere.”

“John, she just kicked the shit out of you. What makes you think she won’t do it again?”

“Phillip, I let her take her frustration out on me…I didn’t fight back. I should have remembered she needed a way to ease her pain before now. I should have taken her to the gym…but I didn’t…what’s done is done.”

“John…she is an expert with a knife…a bow…and a gun. If you are right about her love for Brad…I need to find her before she does something stupid.”

“Phillip, I will go. You need to stay here just in case she returns.”

“Try Angelo’s, she’s always gone there when she needed to escape.”

“Is she here?” he asked quietly as he walked through the entryway still pressing his sleeve against his bleeding mouth.

“Sì, il signor Martin, she is in the back with Angelo.”

“Grazie, Maria,” John nodded as he walked through the quaint little restaurant.

Angelo was trying to comfort her with soothing words as he entered the room. She sat as if she had turned to stone, rigid and unyielding.

John tapped Angelo on the shoulder and motioned for him to leave. “I’ve got this,” he said softly.

She jumped as John took her hand. “Alexis, it will be all right. I will find the people behind this so Brad can come home.”

The fear rose from the depth of her soul. She reminded him of a wild animal who had been caged in a cruel world without her freedom. She was paralyzed by the tragic feeling of isolation…she needed Brad.