The Karma Study

Chapter 23 - naTascha Kampusch

Dean

I felt my blood still to ice when I heard Brandon's voice speak that name. But, we accounted for this. We planned for this. I tried listening in, but the connections to him dropped just seconds after I heard Brandon address him.

"He can handle himself, and his team will be fine." I say into my radio, "Focus on the plan."

Nobody responds, but I can still hear them so I know they are still connected. If I were to guess, Khal has made Brandon remove his ear piece, as well as his team. I can feel a tingle running through my body that is telling me I need to go find him and make sure he's okay, but he's grown now. I don't need to protect him from Khal anymore, he's stronger, faster, braver. Brandon is strong, he doesn't need us to protect him anymore.

I sent off some back up units that weren't put into team categories to head to Brandon's branch. I also choose to go ahead and send back up to the others except for Max. Max needs to handle his part of the plan alone, it's the safest bet. From my base I can spot Teddy as he makes his way in. I look at my phone screen and I can see where they all are stationed. Everyone is where they need to be.

The good news right now, is that we know where Khal is, and I can assume for the time being that wherever Brandon's tracker is, Khal is there too.

Even with Khal surprising us, everything seems to be a little too perfect. Too simple. Yes a lot of time and effort, and man power went into executing this. But this is... Easy. Way too easy.

Not to mention we have no clue what Zoe—

The ground beneath my feet tremors and shakes, and after a beat of silence, a boom. A sound that will continue to echo in my ears for all of eternity.

An explosion goes off in the bunker and my stomach drops.

Without a second thought Icharge for the bunker. I shout for the teams to follow but I'm not sure they heard me. I can't hear my own voice from the ringing in my ears but I run anyway hoping they'll just instinctively follow my lead.

Time and space is a blur, but I don't slow my sprint as I make my way into the bunker. Most people would run from the excitement like this, but my family is in there.

Zoe is in there.

"What the fuck was that?" I call into the radio and I squeeze my eyes shut trying to hear a response. "For fuck sake if any of you can hear me, respond!" I bark, praying for everything unholy that my brothers will answer.

"All good here." Max says.

"Oh little devil." I hear Teddy's voice, and I relax enough to slow my pace as I round a corner at one of the bunker entrances. Teddy continues, "You made a mess, but what a pretty massacre." He coos.

"Let us see your hands!" An unfamiliar voice yells.

"Get away from my little devil." Teddy's voice is icey, and sharp, calm.

"Do what he says, Karma." A voice I've been praying to hear comes through my earpiece and I can feel a sob lock itself into my throat as I hold up a hand to stall the units that followed me in.

"Fuck." Max sighs in relief, and I know it's the same relief we are all feeling. "Teddy is with her, perfect! Teddy!" Max clls. "Teddy, just grab her and get her out before more guards show up. That explosion will surely bring a lot of attention."

"I can't." Teddy says. "Little Devil has company, and he's holding a gun to my head."

A beat passes and you can hear the earpiece get crushed, we have officially lost the connection to Teddy.

"Fuck!" I for as I land a fist into the wall. I check the screen on my phone again and against my better judgement I try to find Brandon. Teddy is fine. Fucker has been shot before and still drank a gallon of chocolate milk before getting patched up. He will be okay. But I can't find comfort in the silence from Brandon.

"What about Jessica and Drake?" Max asks.

"They should both be in by now." I reply.

"I- I'm here." Jessica's voice comes through but the connection sounds unstable. "It was her, she-she set off that explosion. She recognized me, I know it. She didn't try to hurt me but... She." Jessica makes a choking sound and it's followed by a sob.

"What is it?" Max shouts. "Spit it out."

"It's Drake." She says between sobs. "The explosion... Oh. God." She cries, and it's followed by the sound of her puking.

"Is he alive?" I ask, needing a direct answer as I continue to find my way through the maze to get to Brandon.

"Not for long, it's a lot of blood." She say, and it sounds like her voice is steadying, trying to regain a sense of calm in this shit storm.

"I'm here, I'm fine. It's no biggie." Drake's voice is weak, and there is something missing in it. It's not light anymore, but heady, and there is just a tone of dread under his chipper words. "Get Zoe. I'll be fine, Jessica here is just a bit dramatic. You know.. pfft. Women." He tries to joke but there is no real punch to his words, and his laugh is weakened by a wet cough.

"We are going to get you out of here alive, Drake." Max says. "Jessica, did you see where Zoe went? Was Teddy with her?"

"Yes," Jessic is responding quickly, but the connection is still wavering. "It was Zoe and some guy, he was holding a gun to Teddy's head but they went towards the center of the bunker I believe. The explosion has me all turned around."

"Try to follow them," I commanded Jessica, "But do not approach. Keep your distance."

"But Drake—." She starts but I cut her off.

"No matter what, we get Zoe out." I repeat our words from earlier.

"Yes sir." And I can hear her stand and start to walk away.

"No, no wait. Don't leave me man." Drake calls, but there's even more weakness to his voice.

"I'm almost there!" Max calls and I can hear the sound of double as his steps reach Drake's mic. "We are going to get you out." There is a silence and when I finally round the corner into where Brandon's tracker shows him he isn't there. All I find is the little tracking device sitting in the middle of a now empty corridor.

"Brandon is a ghost for now." I call into the radio to notify everyone, "Keep your eyes peeled."

I check the screen again and I see Teddy's movements, he's still moving so that's good news.

"I need you to tell Teddy something for me" Drake's voice is weak and even slower than before.

"You can tell him yourself." Max's voice is soft, so soft I know exactly what is happening right now.

"No really, he needs to know—." His sentence is broken up from another wet cough. "I-I'm his half brother. Please tell him." Drake coughs again but I freeze at the sight in front of me.

Teddy is walking straight towards me with Zoe by his side, and a man stands behind Teddy with a gun pointed directly to the back of Teddy's skull.

And the red headed Vixen, who doesn't quite look like the girl I fed a grilled cheese to smiles as she puts her hands in her pockets, "Hi Dean."