The Darkest Deception

Prologue

Five months ago

"Take it off."

After hours of being confined within darkness, a hood is finally ripped from off my head.

I do a quick survey of my immediate surroundings as my eyes slowly adjust to the dimly lit room; metal table and chair. Mirror. Grey walls. Investigation room.

My vision comes into full focus, however the nausea continues to swirl in my stomach due to the chloroform that assaulted my senses when I was grabbed from behind, my face covered with a cloth drenched in the chemical, then enveloped in a non-consensual slumber.

The tremors in my hands begin to fade—slowly, but surely. I've had them tightly pressed between my thighs since I woke to find myself in a pit of darkness.

I swallow, breathing deeply. It takes a moment before it stops and I can relax my hands in my lap.

Two bulky men stand on either side of me, both of whom are dressed from head to toe in a full bulletproof body armour. Each securely holding HK416 rifles that are aimed at my head.

Amateurs.

"Kidnapping is a felony, you know?" I'm met with silence from the two hulks. "Ah, I see. It's because you're government rats you get a golden ticket that allows you a-do-as-you-fucking-please pass." I click my tongue. "No better than a common criminal."

The man to my right—the bulkier of the two—shifts from one foot to the other, he meets my dead stare. A muscle in his jaw clenching. The man to my left glances to his colleague, shaking his head once, as though to say don't let her get under your skin.

He's a clenched jaw too late.

Smirking at the men, I brace my forearms on the metal table, then swiftly glance up at the wireless camera stationed above my head and the other four in each corner of the boxed room. The red lights from the high tech wink at me. I frown. It's a tease, letting me know that the federal are watching and listening. Possibly even the head of the department too.

I flick my wrist, checking the time on the delicate watch. The diamonds glisten against the light. It's not my most expensive, but it is my favourite. My mother bought me the Cartier a few years ago.

It's exactly six in the evening; I've been here for just over ten hours—the cause to my impatience.

Aware of the eyes on me, I subtlety pull the small, sharp pin from the crown in my watch and make quick work of picking the lock of my cuffs, freeing them within a span of a breath. I keep the metal cuffs loosely on.

My attention diverts to a small but calculated movement within the shadows to my left. "Somewhere you need to be?" A man says. His voice deep and... familiar.

"I can think of a lot of places that I need to be, and far-the-fuck-away from here is at the top of my somewhere-to-be list. If we could cut to what you want, that would be delightful." My lips curl up, cold—dead.

It was only a matter of time before the FBI made use of their plan to bring me in. From the moment my name was raised within their system three months ago, I made it a priority to be knowledgeable of their strategy. Knowing today was the date they had in mind to put me in cuffs and drag me in here was one of those. Admittedly, there was far more finesse and coordination in their trap early this morning than I had anticipated.

Another movement before the form of a man steps forward, making himself known in the light.

My entire body tenses before rage burns through my body at the recognition of the man stood before me.