Page 49 of Resolve
I kick the back of his knee, then throw an elbow at the side of his head. The second my foot connects, something feels off. Creighton turns his head, a manic grin on his lips as my elbow slides past him, and he lands a solid punch to my kidney. It feels like a wrecking ball drove a knife into my side, and the force of it has me airborne.
I hit the wall, and all the air is knocked out of me before I collapse to the floor.
Chapter eighteen
Raegan
KellanandAidenjointhe fight with Creighton, and I use their bodies as a shield to dash past and behind them to the dead agent. His gun isn’t even snapped properly into his holster, so it slides free with ease, and I hurriedly flick off the safety and turn, aiming for Creighton’s head.
“Drop it, or I’ll blow a hole through his skull.”
Kellan’s halfway across the floor, Jackson’s still on the ground a few steps into the cell, and Aiden’s eyes are closed where he’s hunched over against the wall.
And Creighton’s gun is pointed at Aiden’s temple.
Fuck.
If I shoot him in the head, will that be fast enough? How much time is there between when he hears the shot or sees my finger move for him to react? Considering all three of them are down, I can’t underestimate him.
Creighton’s hand snaps out, capturing my wrist and dropping my aim. I fire, trying to hit him first, but it sinks into the concrete. The gun heavies in my hand, weighing it down more and more until Ican’t hold it anymore, and my grip loosens on its own. It clatters to the ground. He drags me to my feet easily, and I struggle to escape his hold even though my wrist aches and twinges.
“What did you do to my hand?” I demand, biting back the pain when I try to twist away from him. “I didn’t drop it.”
Blood trickles down his face to his lips, and he licks them clean. “Oh, but you did. It was too heavy, and your body had to let it go.” I almost gasp with relief when he finally releases my wrist, but then his fingers grip the hair at my scalp as he drags me back against him and holds his other arm to my throat. The more I fight him, the more tired my body feels. The more sluggish and weak I become.
He laughs. “I didn’t think I’d have to resort to using my gift on some powerless prisoners. What a fucking treat. I can only imagine what fighting you all will be like when you’re at full strength.” Creighton smushes his nose into my cheekbone, then takes a long breath. “Mm... and what a pretty prize you are. I wonder if you’re worth three strong dogs and GE’s president.”
My pulse accelerates at the unspoken threat, and he chuckles as if he can hear it. Or maybe he feels it.
“Charles will kill you himself if you don’t get your fucking hands off me.”
Creighton throws his head back and laughs. “That’s cute. His actual order was to bring you to him dead or alive, so... you know... your life is in my hands, Babycakes.” Dread slips through my veins like ice. “Though it’d be a shame to see any of you dead before your gifts return. Can’t say that’s the ending I’m hoping for.”
“Your gift,” Jackson grunts, his injured leg shaking as he tries to put weight on it to stand. “You steal our strength by touch. Even if it’s while we’re hitting you.”
Of course. And he’sstilltouching me.
I mentally thank Jack for telling me withouttellingme. I need to separate from him and then try attacking without touching him directly. Considering how long he’s held me compared to making contact with Jack during their fight, it seems like he can control how much to take. I’m just weak enough to make holding me easy for him, but not so weak that I can’t move or stand.
Creighton smirks. “Figured me out, did ya? See why it’s no fun when you don’t really have a chance to fight back?” He kicks the door to the cell closed in a single strike. The heavy door that had taken two hands and a strong effort by his partner to finally drag open. “Now”—he presses his lips to my ear, and I shiver with disgust—“be a doll and wait for me while I lock your dogs in their cage.” He shoves me forward. I slam into the unforgiving concrete from his borrowed strength, barely protecting my head.
Aiden stands slowly. Jackson staggers forward, and I worry about the gunshot wound and how much of his strength Creighton’s stolen. Kellan runs at the door, coming seemingly out of nowhere until he crosses my field of vision. My eyes catch on a glint of silver in the lighting, and I find the knives Jackson had dropped earlier. One is within reach.
The door clangs when Kellan rams it, but it doesn’t budge from where Creighton leans against it and fits the key into the lock.
I reach for the first blade, touching my fingertips to the smooth metal and encouraging it closer to me without drawing too much attention.
“Careful now,” the agent teases in a singsong voice. I freeze, my heart sledgehammering as I slide my gaze up. But he’s looking at Kellan, not me. “I’ve hardly tasted your strength, but I’d be happy tosiphon more that I can use against your girl.” Creighton sticks one hand through the bars, and Kellan angles out of reach. He laughs and withdraws his hand. “Mm... maybe later. I have a feeling you’ll be a bigger meal, then.”
The first knife fits under my palm, and I pull it back to me. I slowly rise to my feet with the knife clutched in my right hand. I think Creighton’s about to look at me when Kellan smacks his fist into the bars to grab his attention.
“Keep your filthy hands off her,” Kellan snarls.
Creighton chuckles. “Or what?”
I lift the knife and run at him, throwing my arm down with as much strength as I can muster to stab it into the back of his neck. He turns at the last second, his eyes widening when my arm flies down and the blade plunges above his collarbone.
He gasps. Blood pours from the wound, and before I can rip it out, he snatches my arm in a death grip. My strength leeches from me fast and hard. My legs collapse, and whatever damage I’d done to him seems inconsequential to the strength he absorbs from me. The others are yelling and banging on the bars, calling my name and cursing him if he hurts me, but they’re background noise as I sink backward to the ground, my limbs feeling heavy and useless.
