Shackled Ch. 17

"How do we get him cooperative?" he asked no one in particular.

"Oh," said Carl, smiling, "I'm sure Laura will get him cooperative. Or dead."

Laura giggled.

Hansen shook his head.

"Nope. The place will be crawling with SPFs. We can't walk in there in a group and we'd need at least three. Two of us plus our friend in the boot."

"But without him we can't get through the biometric security," said Bonnie. "Maybe one plus the scumbag will have to do it."

"That will have to be me then," said Hansen. "We can't guarantee that he won't alert the others. It's not like I can take him in there totally tied up and gagged."

"I could cut his tongue out."

Laura. No giggling this time. She was serious.

"The problem is, until we disable the shackles, Emma and I will have to stay together."

"How convenient," muttered Bonnie under her breath, but just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Hansen looked at Emma, his face pensive.

Don't worry about the scientist. You have to do what you have to do.

I know.

You wanted help. This is my help.

This?

Yes. I can get you through it.

Fuck.

Just do it. It must be this way.

Fuck.

Hansen reached down, rolled up his trouser leg and pulled a knife from the sheath attached to his lower leg. The others in the car were silent. They understood.

That's my boy.

He turned to the others in the car.

"Laura," he said, "come out with me. I need you to help me with my....er....extractions."

"Yes, Liam," she said seriously, as she opened the door and got out. Once she'd closed the door, Hansen looked at Emma, but then spoke to Carl and Bonnie.

"No matter what you hear, stay in the car," he said. He motioned with his eyes to Emma. "Don't let her out of the car till I give the ok. For anything. I mean it."

Carl nodded. Bonnie scowled.

Hansen looked at the knife in his hand as he pulled on the car door to open it.

"For anything...." was all he said as he started to step out of the car.

You're going all religious on me, Liam.

Religious?

An eye for an eye. Ha ha ha.

You're a fucking evil bastard.

It's not me holding the knife....

****

Emma looked at Hanson through the glass, their gazes locking as a small shiver of dread slithered down her spine. She dropped her gaze down to her hands which she had clasped in her hand, her knuckles white as her heart began to pound. They were going to be up to something and from the sounds of it, it wasn't going to be pleasant...at all. For anyone involved, but particularly the guard.

"Emma..."

Carl's deeper, rougher voice caught her attention and she met his, gaze. No other words were exchanged as Bonnie made a soft sound of disgust in the back of her throat. Emma opened her mouth just then to unload a little of her own tension, but a sharp cry cut her off.

She jerked and sank deeper into the seat. "Is it really necessary?" She asked as the car rocked a little and she heard Liam swear. Laura's voice filtered in as well, lower, almost in hissing out and the car suddenly dipped a little as if extra weight had been added to it.

"Are you questioning Liam's methods?" Bonnie snapped and Emma stiffened and clenched her teeth.

"No, of course not. I was just asking a simple question."

Bonnie let out a soft grunt and clucked her tongue, turning away with a little sniff. The next blood curdling scream made her stomach dip and quiver, nausea sliding up her throat. She refused to give Bonnie something more to talk about, so stared out the window, grim faced. She knew he had to do what he had to do. If there was a way around it, Liam would have found it. She had to have faith in that. He was doing all he could to disarm them and keep them safe. She didn't want to be a hindrance to him any longer and had a lot more work to do with Simon. Although the idea of him going out alone was terrifying. Even thought she knew he'd done it a million times before...he was a lean, mean fighting machine trained for this sort of thing. But he still meant so much to her, it was making her chest hurt. Like a vise squeezing at her heart and robbing her of her breath.