iah's team

ega in Queens. Then they tracked Karen and the boy on CC

BASE

wing clothes i

to go, Ho

ting on the bed, holding his fruit knife. He

. Jersey.

Thump

, expensive shoe

e blood drained

Polite. T

ough the door. It wasn't loud. I

her mouth. She point

ead. He gripped

," Isaiah said. "Don't

. She couldn't. H

AS

w through the air. The lock, rusted and weak

ed back, shi

epped int

too powerful for this dirty little hole. He wore

he looked around the basement with horr

toria whispered.

m. The mold. The mattress o

eyes land

ren. He held the fruit kni

screamed. "Leave

d at the knife. Then he

't even necessary. The rage in the b

Isaiah

a step

" Hoke slas

ght Hoke's wrist, twisting it gently but

he threw herself at Isa

om the hall. They grabbed K

son!" Karen thrashed

ouched down to be eye-level with the boy

ur name?" I

e boy spat

His expression shifted from

" Isaiah said. "You ra

him from you!

Hoke up. Hoke kicked Isaiah in the

ng the struggling boy to Vic

e screamed. He b

ght. "It's okay, darling. Grandma ha

ut. His screams ech

reak inside her. A pri

's nose. He grunted, loosening his grip. She

n. She used her nails.

caugh

ck against the damp concrete wall. The

nough!" h

. His breathing was ragg

ed, his face inches from hers. "You are unfit. Y

n whispered. "If you ta

ness there. He hated her. He hated that he

at, squeezing just enough to silence her. His o

essed

en he