Camouflage, M J Marlow [english readers txt] 📗

“Now wait just one mo…” Sebastian’s protests were cut off and he looked at the receiver in shock. He hung up and went to the desk. He pulled a file out of his top drawer and scowled at the person whose photo appeared there. “You are not going to do to my son and Emily what you did to Stephanie and Michael. This is going to stop!” He slid the file into a mailer envelope and addressed it. Then he put it in the Outmail box on his desk. “It’s time you paid!” He turned as the doors behind him opened and his eyes narrowed in anger. “I’m not going to let you hurt them!” he snarled at the man standing in the doorway. “What are you doing?”
“Taking care of a loose end, Sebastian,” Sheriff Alex Forrester sneered as he looked down at the man he had just struck down to the floor. “I should never have trusted you to take care of things.” He put the revolver in Sebastian’s hand and held it against the man’s head. “Goodbye, Sebastian.” He left the revolver lying near Sebastian’s body and then picked up the phone and called the authorities. “There’s been a murder at Sebastian Townsend’s residence. Please hurry.”
He hung up the phone and left the estate. He walked the half mile to his waiting squad car and looked at the woman seated in the passenger seat. Lydia Maxwell saw the pleased expression on the Sheriff’s face and knew the job had been done. He had proven to be quite a wonderful specimen, she thought as they drove away. Even Sebastian had thought that Alex was the one who had been behind Stephanie’s murder. If the conditioning held, Alex would be the one found over Emily Barton’s mutilated body. He would never be able to remember her role in this, Lydia smiled as she patted a vial in her pocket. She would make certain of that with one little injection.
“It’s time you paid the lovely little Emily a visit, Alex, dear,” Lydia smiled as she laid her hand on Alex’s arm. “You know where you have to bring her.” The car slowed five miles down the road and she got out. “Don’t harm her more than you have to, Alex. That would spoil all the fun.”
She laughed and shut the door. She watched Alex drive away, then went to her waiting car. It was going to be so much fun replaying the death scene from Stephanie Spencer’s life. That bitch had stolen Michael away from her, and Lydia had made her pay with her life. Taking the child had been an added bonus. Now she was old enough to play her own role in the drama Lydia was creating. Michael would be the one to find her, she decided as she got into her car and drove away. He would be given the choice; his freedom or Emily’s life. If he chose incorrectly, he would be given a front row seat at the mutilation of his precious daughter. Either way, Lydia laughed to herself, he would pay for betraying her.

9*
Emily woke up three hours later and sat up. She had heard a strange noise, she was certain. But all she saw was darkness. She pulled her robe on and got out of bed. As she headed towards the light switch on the far wall, someone grabbed her from behind. Emily struggled in their hold, but they did not let go. She was dragged out of the apartment building and then struck on the back of the head. As she struggled to keep aware, her abductor cuffed her arms behind her back. The man yanked her up to her feet and pushed her towards the waiting squad car; its lights flashing. Emily realized that if there were any witnesses they would believe she was being arrested. There would be no report of her abduction.
She felt the prick of a needle and finally saw the identity of her attacker. She blinked her eyes; refusing to believe that this man could have anything to do with abducting her. He was supposed to uphold the law, not break it. The sedative started to go to work as she was shoved into the rear seat. Her last sight was of Alex getting behind the wheel and dialing someone on his cell phone. He said simply that the package had been picked up and then he drove away.
Emily passed out and did not see as he drove out of town and came to the sight of an old abandoned amusement park. He carried her into the Hall of Mirrors and laid her in the center. Lydia laid her hand on his shoulder as he was removing the handcuffs, and she smiled at him warmly.
“You have done very well, Alex,” she told the bemused man. “You will remember nothing of this.” She laid her hand to his cheek, her eyes warm with regard. “I will contact you later, darling.” Alex left without comment and she looked down at the sleeping girl laid out on the bed. She took a box out of her pocket and slid the contact lenses into Emily’s eyes. Then she sat down beside the bed and stroked Emily’s hair. “You should have been my child, Emily. I am sorry that it had to come to this.”
Lydia left the room and went to the control booth along the far wall. From here, she could see the entire maze and monitor the booby traps. If anyone did find out where Emily was, they would pay dearly for trying to rescue her. She was deep in a daydream about how she, Michael, and Emily would become a true family; as they had always been meant to be; when she heard a small sigh. She watched as Emily regained consciousness. The girl sat up and looked around; frowning as the lenses rendered her blind. That did not stop her, Lydia saw with mounting respect. Emily got to her feet and moved slowly around the room. She came to the door and tried to open it. Emily cried out in frustration as the door remained resolutely locked.
“Don’t be afraid, Emily,” Lydia said over the intercom. She watched Emily’s head snap in the direction of the speaker. “Whether or not you are harmed is totally up to your father. He’ll know the price he has to pay.” Her voice grew dark and deadly. “For your sake, child, I hope he pays it.”
“Who are you?” Emily cried out, looking around frantically. “Why are you doing this?”
“You may ask your father when he arrives,” Lydia replied. “For now, just make yourself comfortable and try to relax.”
“Let me out of here!” Emily demanded instead. She beat on the door, crying out in anger. “You can’t keep me here!”
“I can do whatever I want, child,” Lydia laughed at her. “I am in control here, not you. Now, do as I say,” she continued, not bothering to hide her anger, “or I shall be forced to gas you.” She smiled as Emily felt her way back to the bed and sat down. “That’s a good girl! You continue to do as you are told and you might live through this.” She snapped off the microphone and turned to the man standing in the corner. He was scowling. “I know I promised you the girl. Be patient, my pet,” she crooned as she rose to her feet and stroked the man’s cheek, “she’ll be in your hands sooner than you think.”
“Did he really kill Sebastian for you, Lydia?” Wes Sharpton asked as he looked over at Emily on the security screen. “Impressive.”
“Yes, it is,” Lydia smiled up at him. “She is going to be the next test subject for a drug her own father designed!” She laughed in delight at the thought. “I feel like celebrating, Wes, darling. Let’s open a bottle of champagne.” Her eyes widened in shock as she felt the prick of a needle. She looked down to see it in Wes’ hand. “What are you doing? You’ll spoil everything!”
“Oh no, I won’t, darling,” Wes said as he watched the woman’s eyes go blank. “You will remain here and continue to monitor this trap; exactly as if Emily were still here. Is that clear?” Lydia nodded and he kissed her on the cheek. “You will forget that I was ever here.”
He left Lydia seated in the control room and went through the maze to the center room. He had wanted her from the very first moment he had laid eyes on her at the age of 14. Even then he could tell she was going to be something very special. She would never realize that potential in Lydia’s hands. No one, but he, could guide her along the path she was destined to follow. He froze as her eyes opened and she looked around.
“Emily,” Wes frowned as he sat down on the bed near her. “I don’t know how to tell you this…”
“Bluntly and to the point,” Emily suggested. “It saves time in the long run, don’t you agree?” Wes was looking at her in shock. “I think I can handle whatever you have to say, Wes.”
“Sebastian Townsend was murdered last night,” Wes told her bluntly. He saw the shock on her face and laid his hand over hers. “I’m sorry, Emily. I know he meant a lot to you.”
“Do they know who killed him, Wes?” Emily asked the man.
“Oh it wasn’t me,” Wes smiled back at her. “It was the woman who was responsible for your mother’s death.”
“It was a woman?” Emily asked, puzzled. “How long have you known about this, Wes? Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” She cried out as he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward with enough force to make her back shriek. “You’re hurting me!”
“Stop being such a child, Emily,” Wes ordered. When she clamped her lips shut, he nodded. “You are an intelligent woman, Emily, I’m certain you will appreciate the beauty in this plan.” He saw her eyeing him warily. “You and I are going to be married.”
“You can’t do this!” Emily cried out. “It’s not legal!”
“Oh, I assure you, darling,” Wes laughed coldly, “it is going to be quite legal. You see,” he continued as