Dark Museum

Sophia

He'd been waiting for them at their hotel room, when they returned from the hospital, the door standing wide open. Though Kieron had sprung into macho action and tried to shield Sophia and Diya from danger, Demetri pistol-whipped him into submission. Diya said one word ("Nope,") and returned to her car. After that, it was easy to yank the teary-eyed Sophia into the room.

While she rubbed her head from hitting it on the desk after she'd been thrown, Demetri tied her around the chest and arms with a lamp cord. After he'd pulled Kieron inside and locked the door, she kicked him. Demetri cocked the gun at her.

No matter what she did, he'd always have that gun, and that gun would always win. Her resignation must have shown because he backed off to dig one of those buttonless phones out of his back pocket. After a few practiced taps, he put the device to his ear.

The other side of the conversation filtered through.

"Hello?"

"It's Demetri."

"What do you want?"

"I've got your other two people."

"Demetri ..." Sophia pleaded, without meaning to say anything.

His eyes flashed anger at her, then looked away and said, "Hotel? It was on Sean's phone."

"How'd you find the people at our motel?"

"They're staying a few doors down. Saw them earlier and pretended I lost my key. The guy at the front doesn't care who he lets in."

"Do you still have the gun?"

"What do you think?"

Kieron grunted on the floor, waking.

"I could shoot them both and turn them in," Demetri continued.

"No! We need them alive."

"It'd be easier."

Kieron's eyes opened a slit. "You okay?" he whispered to Sophia.

She answered by showing him where the cord tied at her back.

Whatever the person on the phone had said stunned Demetri into silence.

"But ... it was all necessary."

"It wasn't. What you did killed him. You'll be put away for years once that gets out."

Josh.

A rush of tears clouded Sophia's vision and she blinked them down. Kieron touched her outstretched leg and almost imperceptibly shook his head. The sternness in his eyes told her he was fully conscious, choosing not to get up. She'd have to do the same and hide her emotion.

"These people were holding me in that museum," Demetri said, his own anxiety uncontained.

"We needed to tell you that so you'd get on board with us, but you put everyone in a fucking mess. Now look, you've already killed two people, and you're holding two people. That's kidnapping on top of murder. Okay?"

Demetri made eye contact with Sophia and turned away.

"Yep."

"Listen, if you want revenge, we've got to go after Blair. All of you are victims of hers. These people did nothing to you. Neither did Erica and myself. Neither did Sean. Are you listening?"

"Yeah."

"You have the chance to make up for what you did, but I need you to play ball."

"What's gonna keep them from attacking me?"

"You've got it coming, don't you? They're focused on other things like you should be. Wouldn't you like to go home and get back to your life?"

Demetri didn't answer, but his shoulders drooped. The bedsprings squeaked as he sat down.

"We'll come to you."

"I don't need help with them. Just tell me where to go."

"Goddamn it, I just said you've got to do it our way."

"Room 20," he said and hung up.