Page 20 of Knox
Walking through these corridors is like going back to that place.
A place I only visit now in my nightmares, where all I can see is the glint of gold and my mother wrapped in a red robe, sobbing on the floor.
My chest aches, feeling both hollow and suffocatingly stuffed at the same time. My vision blurs, and just like every time this happens, I can hear her crying.
She sobs my name, telling me she’s sorry, over and over…
And I wish I had the strength back then to take her away and tell her there was nothing she needed to feel sorry about.
It wasn’t her fault… it was his.
“Morning, Knox,” Logan says, bringing me back to this moment.
“Morning. Has the team arrived?”
“Law’s already in the control room checking the contract.”
“And the rest?”
“Damián and Alexios are on their way,” Logan says, adjusting the sleeves of his T-shirt, “and the twins are already on the island.”
“How long until Tae comes back?”
“The certification course should be over in a week, but he’s staying for a few extra days to do his cousin’s surgery.”
“He’s doing it himself? How on Earth did the cousin’s surgeon agree to that?”
“And go against Tae?” Logan laughs. “As if the poor doctor had any other choice.”
We reach the door to the control room; Logan pushes it open, and I step inside, stopping in the doorway.
What the…
This place looks nothing like a standard control room. Sure, one wall is lined with computers and a large bank of surveillance monitors, but the rest of the space looks like it’s part of a luxury apartment.
There’s a complete dining area on one side and a living room setup on the other with video game consoles and a fully stocked mini-bar.
I would’ve assumed we walked into the wrong room if it weren’t for Law.
He is sitting at the dining table, a cup of tea in one hand, the leather envelope with the island’s blueprints and info Cillian handed us last night spread open in front of him.
I take a seat next to Law and check the clauses of the contract. Audio surveillance, camera upgrades, trained personnel… pretty much the basics.
The door opens, and a butler walks into the room.
He is very tall, lanky, and pale… So I mentally dub him “The Mortician.”
The Mortician folds his hands behind his back and does a weird nod.
“Good morning, gentlemen. Would you like to have some breakfast? We can make anything you want.”
“Anything we want?!” Damián asks, walking into the room with Alexios right behind.
Alexios looks more like a Greek god than our hacker. He’s got electric blue eyes, a perfectly straight nose, and a toned body.
Today his dark brown curls are pulled back into a messy half-ponytail, and he’s wearing a faded DC Comics shirt.
“Anything, from anywhere,” The Mortician confirms.
