Page 9 of So Deadly
The agent who had murdered him chuckled at her pain.When Faith looked at him, she saw the crazed, rotten-toothed grin of Jethro Trammell, the infamous Donkey Killer whose brief but sensational reign of terror in rural Pennsylvania had ended with the encounter that nearly killed Faith and inspired two future generations of serial killers to terrorize the nation.
“He bleeds better than you, little girl,” the killer crooned.
David fell on his face.Faith rushed toward him, but strong arms wrapped around hers and yanked her off her feet.Hot breath fell over her face, and the voice of Franklin West, the Copycat Killer, the disciple of the Donkey Killer who had surpassed his mentor and tortured Faith for years, crowed in her ear, “I told you I would break you, Faith.I promised you.”
He opened his mouth and dragged his tongue across her cheek.She shuddered and struggled, but she couldn’t get free.He had her.David was dead, and Turk was retreating, surrounded by a sea of dogs.West had her in his arms, and he was licking her, and she couldn’t do anything but scream and—
“Faith!”
Faith snapped awake just in time to see the headlights of the semi bearing down on her.She cut the wheel to the right and swerved into her own lane just before a head-on collision with forty tons of American steel took away all of her worried for good.
She checked the dash clock.Nine o’clock.She’d only been out for a few seconds.How had she managed to generate a complete and vivid dream in only a few seconds?
Because you’ve been imagining this or scenes like it for months.Years, really.Your mind is excellent at finding the worst possible outcome to every situation.
“Do you want me to drive?”Jessica asked.
Faith pulled off the highway.The FBI Academy staff entrance was visible a half mile down the road.“No, it’s all right.We’ll be there in less than a minute.”
“Well, make sure Michael drives you guys west.”
“Yeah,” Faith agreed.“Will do.”
Turk leaned into the front seat and licked her face.The last lingering anxiety from her dream faded at his attentions.She smiled gratefully and pushed him back into the rear seats.“I’m all right, boy.I’m okay.”
Faith was okay, but only relatively speaking.The life she’d built for herself in Quantico was supposed to be free of the terror that lingered within every shadow in Philadelphia.Now that life was crumbling, and the way forward was shrouded in darkness.All she could do was hope that the light came back and revealed a solid path and not ruins and ash.
CHAPTER FIVE
“You look like shit.”
Faith glared at Michael across the table of the café.“Fuck you very much.”
“I say that with love.You know that.”
She sipped her coffee and said, “Yeah, well, you should work on things like, ‘I’m so sorry for you, Faith’ ‘Whatever you need from me, Faith’ ‘This really sucks, Faith.’”
“Yeah, well, all of that is true, and it’s also true that you look like shit.Are you eating?”
“Are you my mother?”
“That’s a no.I’m ordering us some food.Youwilleat some.”
“Is this how you talk to your agents?”
“Yep.Give Chavez a call sometime.She’d love to tell you all about how annoying I am.”
Turk nudged Michael and looked up at his eyes needily.Michael chuckled and began scratching him behind the ear, earning a half-lidded rumble of appreciation from the German Shepherd.“I’ll get some for you too, boy.”
“Can you order it to go?”Faith asked.“I want to get as much of the drive done at night as possible.”
“I was thinking we would fly,” Michael said.
She closed her eyes.“Right.Sorry.That makes more sense.”
“Yeah, youdefinitelyneed to eat.I have the tickets already.The soonest flight to Oklahoma City is in three hours.We fly out of Dulles.We have time to eat food, drive to the airport, and get to the gate.Don’t worry.”
She glared at him.
