Tortured Dreams

Chapter Forty-Three

"What would get Nyleena's attention?" Alejandro looked at me.

"A nuclear bomb?" I suggested.

"This isn't time for fun and games," Alejandro scolded.

"That's the problem, I don't know. She doesn't have the issues that Malachi and I have. Nyleena is a mostly normal, well-adjusted human being. She's taken on the Cartels, gun runners, serial killers, mass murderers and human trafficking. Killing anyone she knew could wake her up to a brutal reality or she might just shake it off because it comes with the territory. She chooses to keep a best friend whom death follows around like plague. She decided a long time ago that she could tolerate Malachi and The Butcher to be friends with me. So, I just don't know what would and wouldn't bring her running."

"If I wanted to ensure I had Nyleena and Malachi's attention, I'd kidnap you." Lucas made this sound very matter of fact.

"I'm not going to fit into the Hanging Coffins, unless they designed one for me and I'm not a good victim. Getting a hold of me is a battle in itself. I'm not above being kidnapped, but I don't think two psychopaths could do it and while they may not know it, I do have that very bizarre pseudo-serial killer watching me. I don't think he wants me dead. They'd have to contend with him as well."

"We could use you as bait then." Alejandro suggested.

"I don't think that works," I frowned. "Kidnapping me gets them Nyleena and Malachi's attention. Kidnapping Nyleena does the same thing and she would fit in the Hanging Coffins and doesn't have a serial killing stalker. Getting past Malachi might be an issue though. What do they do for the three days?"

"Huh?" Xavier asked.

"They keep them alive for three days. Why? Doesn't that strike anyone else as odd? Especially since they aren't physically torturing them or raping them? Are they psychologically torturing them for three days? If so, why? To what purpose? That would make the deaths, even the most painful of them, seem like a release, not a punishment. So what the hell are they doing with them for three days?"

"This is like the Maidens." Lucas shot me a warning glare.

"A bit, yes, but we found stuff out about the maidens. Might find out more stuff from the maidens." I quipped.

"What we discovered from the maidens was pretty unhelpful," Michael added.

"True, to some degree, it was pointless. However, it helped me realize that these things were planned long before they happened. It made Lucas re-evaluate some of his theories."

"That's true. We think the victims are planned, not random. Two people would be better than one, especially at grabbing ten women in a single night. We know they have back-up women just in case something happens to their first ones. We know they plan far ahead."

"The next torture device is going to be the same; they are going to use the Scavenger's Daughter on these ten." I closed my eyes.

"But we have their hoop thingy," Xavier commented.

"No we have a hoop thingy. Surely they had more than one made. If they can afford five Iron Maidens, they can afford more than one Scavenger's Daughter. How are they getting the money for these things if they are off the grid? How many ways can you make non-traceable money?"

"Not many; drugs, prostitution, robbery, burglary, illegal gambling," Lucas started listing.

"I think we can ignore prostitution and illegal gambling." I told them.