Page 146 of I Will Mend You
Her eyes widen, her features flickering with fear. She swallows hard, her voice trembling as she whispers, “What do you want to know?”
“Where is the Three Fates Boarding School?”
Eyes squeezing shut, her swollen face etches with pain and fear. “I have a daughter there,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “You have to promise she won’t suffer because of me.”
Disgust churns in my gut, and I can’t help but bare my teeth. “I’m nothing like you,” I snap. “I’d never take revenge on an innocent child.”
Xero steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder. The warmth of his touch grounds me to my humanity. My head clears, and the grip on the pliers loosens.
“We’re going to rescue all the child assassins,” I say. “Regardless of their parents. Now, tell me where to find Three Fates.”
“It’s off Highland Lane. Stop torturing me, and I’ll help you avoid the traps,” she rasps.
“Where is Delta?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” she sobs. “He hasn’t met me in person since I told him about the baby.”
Xero and I exchange glances. The corners of his lips tighten. I expect it’s because of the implication that this little girl is another of his siblings.
“How do you communicate with him?” I ask.
“He calls or emails. You took my phone… Use it.”
“Give us the coordinates of the entrance,” Xero says.
She slumps in her chair, her entire body trembling. Tears roll down her cheeks as she stutters out a string of numbers. Xero taps them into his phone, bringing up a patch of forest. His fingers expand the map, revealing nothing but trees.
“Is this accurate?” Xero holds the phone in front of her swollen face.
Wincing, she scans the screen. “Yes.”
“If you lead us into a trap, we have enough drones and backup to wipe out a small army,” I snarl. “And don’t think Delta will come to your rescue. Your daughter isn’t the only child of his he’s exploited.”
She nods. “Now, will you kill me?”
My eyes narrow, and I glare at the pathetic creature, sobbing and trembling in her seat. “Oh, Charlotte, my revenge has only just begun.”
SEVENTY-ONE
XERO
Thirty minutes after Charlotte’s intel, I’m pressed against the side of the truck, the cold metal seeping through my jacket. The hum of the engine vibrates through my bones as I coordinate the teams for our assault on Three Fates.
Jynxson is in the front seat, also buried in his phone. He’s confirming satellite and surveillance images with Tyler. Our tracker team sent out drones to the coordinates, in search of thermal activity.
Their latest update buzzes in my earpiece, confirming multiple heat signatures. Every operative within fifty miles is on their way, and it’s all thanks to my little ghost.
My chest swells with pride at the thought of Amethyst’s contribution. We wouldn’t have advanced this far without her. She’s tackled Charlotte’s emotional manipulations with a strength that has me on my knees. I knew she was special when I received her first letter, but I never guessed she would make my every dream come true.
She continues working on Charlotte, extracting every scrap of intel she can about Father’s organ trafficking operations.We’re recording the interrogation with a view to sending out operatives after surgeons, hospital administrators, brokers, social workers—anyone enabling Father to exploit children.
With confirmation from the last team, I issue the command. Charlotte guides us through a narrow gap in the hedges. The truck jolts over uneven terrain, its wheels bouncing rhythmically. Dense foliage encroaches on the windshield, transforming the world outside into a shadowy blur.
“Are you sure this is the place?” Jynxson asks from the driver’s seat.
“It wouldn’t be a secret entrance otherwise,” Charlotte replies through pained whimpers.
“How do you get in supplies?” he asks.