Fields of Clover - THE SPECTER SERIES [book two]

Chapter THIRTY EIGHT

Yevette Feilds

The stairs lead you up to a wide open room above the compound with windows overlooking the storage floors below and the wooded hills beyond.. Several security guards stand around posted at the windows and entry.. In the middle of the room, dressed in finely pressed dark suits, stands Anderson Daley and Michael Ryan..

Anderson turns first and sneers at you as Ramirez drags you along towards a chair in the middle of the room.. "Not that one Ramirez!" Anderson growls but Michael steps forward, holding up a hand.. A shiny gold watch glints around his wrist as he waves dismissively.. Anderson takes a step back and bows his head, deferentially.. The way he always does.. Like a pathetic yes man.

"No.. She will do just fine..." The Senators eyes light up with excitement as he looks you up and down.. He turns to Ramirez, who drops you into the seat and takes his place beside Michael, who gives him a stern glare.. "Where is my son Carlos? He is supposed to be here by now.." He looks around the room as if seeking Zach himself, while questioning Carlos..

Your heart jumps to your throat and thuds, you take a deep breath and hold it, waiting for Ramirez to reveal the terrible truth of what you have done..
Even if you managed to survive this ordeal, you will have to live with blood on your hands for the rest of your life.. A tear slips down your cheek at the thought.. Even though Zach was a terrible husband and an even worse human being.. You never wanted this..

But to his credit and much to your surprise, Ramirez doesn't give you up.. Instead he shrugs his hulking shoulders and gives a non-committal head bobble.. "He never showed up to the house.." He lies convincingly..

The Senator scoffs, a deep crease forming between his brows.. "Fucking typical.."

While the Senators grumbles to himself about his useless son, you sit dumbfounded by Ramirez's actions right now.. You just can't understand it.. The Senators own personal bodyguard, lying to his face - right in front of you.. Ramirez looks down at you, his gaze locking on yours and you see something in his eyes you hadn't earlier.. Pity..

You don't get it.. Why would he do that.. Why would he cover for you..

"I don't see the point in keeping this one, Mr Ryan--" Anderson talks about you as though you aren't even there as the Senator comes to stand before you, taking your chin between his fingers and turning your face so he can examine you..

You do your best to maintain some dignity, refusing to avert your eyes and instead staring up at him, defiant.. "You don't? I think she's rather lovely, Anderson.." His voice is eerily calm as he runs a hand through your hair, down your neck and across your shoulder.. You shudder in disgust at his cold touch.. This reptilian old man, with his hungry beady gaze..

"She's caused nothing but trouble for us.." Anderson protests..

Michael snarls, whipping around to face Anderson.. Your eyes flick between them.. Of the two, you aren't sure who is worse at this point, but you're happy to finally have the attention away from you..

You tug at the ziptie around your wrists while everyone is distracted, but the sharp plastic edges only cut into your already rubbed-red skin.. "She's caused trouble for you, you mean.." His voice drops an octave and he takes a menacing step towards Anderson.. Immediately there is a new tension in the air, one so thick it practically suffocates you.. "We had a deal, Daley .. The girl for your position.." He lifts his hands and gestures around, as if to say 'here we are'.. "Here you stand.. As promised, an 'Elected Representative'.. Congressman, I held up my end of the bargain.. Yet my son doesn't have the wife he is owed.. And since you failed to break her spirit.. I will have to do it myself.."

With a click of the Senators fingers, Ramirez rushes Anderson grabbing him and pinning his arms behind his back.. He struggles to pull his arms free or kick at the henchmen's legs, but he is no match and soon resorts to shouting at the senator.. "Which means, I have very little use for you anymore, Anderson.." He sighs dramatically, letting his head fall back, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, as if this whole thing were giving him a headache..
This goes on for several seconds, and when he finally allows his head to drop back into position, he simply shrugs a shoulder and holds out a hand, waiting for something.. You aren't sure what, but you watch on, completely shocked and on the edge of your seat.. This is not exactly one of the outcomes you had been anticipating...

"No! You can't do this, I gave you everything! You bloody bastard!" He shouts as one of the guards trudges over and hands Michael a hunting style blade, as long as a butchers blade, but with one smooth edge and one jagged, finished with a dark brown leather grip.. Anderson's eyes go wide with fear at the sight of the knife.. His rage quickly turns to whimpering pleas.. "Wait... We can make a new deal.. I can fix this.." Anderson Daley, now the epitome of a broken man, weeps and begs for his life, his face pales as the senator comes to stop right before him.

Michael's expression is dark and foreboding, he tests the sharpness of the blades tip, twisting it against the end of his index finger.. "No.. You can't.." He rears back before he plunges the knife to the hilt deep into Anderson's gut..

Your stomach turns as the only father you have ever known let's out a blood curdling shriek of agony, that reverberates around the whole room.. Ramirez drops him hard, letting his wounded body crumple to the ground in a wailing bloody puddle...