Available Darkness Season 2

her memories without burning her to death.”
    “We don’t have time. Skinner is in New York chasing down a lead on something else for me. We have no idea what came through the portal. And we need to get on top of this now, John.”
    “We’re not killing a civilian! She just lost her kid for Christ’s sake!”
    Any pretense that John was anything close to Mathews’ equal faded like vapor as his boss’s face twisted into a display of impatient anger. “If we don’t find out what happened, many more civilians could die, and likely will. You know what we’re up against, John. You know what Jacob is capable of. We’re talking about the greater good here. Must we really have this conversation again?”
    “There’s a difference between killing Harbingers and a civilian!” John tried to keep the growl from his voice. “I’ll be the company hitman, fine, but not if it means killing innocents.”
    “I’m not asking, John. Get in there, now .”
    The look in Mathews’ eyes was the only threat given, or needed. Omega held the trump card — Hope. They knew where she was. John didn’t. They’d already made it perfectly clear that they would do whatever they had to if it meant keeping him in line.
    He glared at Mathews.
    One slave, and one master. So long as Omega held Hope over John, the equation would never change.
    He went back through the door, and looked back at Mathews as if to ask, “Will you be joining me?”
    Mathews turned his back to John.
    Pussy.
    John returned to the room alone and met the weeping woman’s tormented eyes. The concern inside them had deepened, as if sensing his hesitancy.
    “What’s happening?” she asked.
    John approached the table and sat opposite Emilia. Her eyes found his gloved hands, and she looked back up. “Did you find her? Did you find Kayla?”
    John shook his head then opened his mouth. His voice wore the slightest crack. “Is there anything else you can remember about who came through the portal?” He hoped she would remember something, anything, which would allow him to spare her life.
    Emilia’s face flushed with frustrated anger. “I told you all everything I know. Please, can I leave now?”
    John slipped off his gloves, and Emilia’s eyes fell to his hands, as if somehow sensing the danger in his empty palms.
    He held out his hands, without saying a word, hoping she’d take them as she’d taken Mathews’.
    She reached out, her fingers stretching out to embrace his.
    No!
    He yanked his hands back, startling Emilia.
    “What the—”
    John ignored her, jumped out of his chair and then stormed through the doorway and back into the hallway where Mathews stood, staring past John into the room.
    Before Mathews could open his mouth, John shook his head, “I’m not doing it.”
    Mathews gritted his teeth, then pushed past John and went back into the room. What is he doing? John turned just as Mathews retrieved his gun from inside his jacket and fired at Emilia, directly into her chest.
    John screamed, then raced into the room, his hands ready to suck the life from Mathews.
    Mathews’ gun fell to the floor as an onyx blade dropped from his sleeve and landed in his palm. He thrust the blade out between himself and John, a warning for John to keep his distance.
    “You know what this will do to you. So I suggest you get to work. Draw her memories before she bleeds out.”
    John swallowed his anger and fell to his knees beside Emilia, sprawled on the ground, looking up at John, confused and crying as her body emptied itself of her blood.
    John whispered, “I’m so sorry” as he set his hands on her head. He wished that there was a way to do this that didn’t hurt the victims so badly. If only he could kill with a gentle touch, to offer a painless exit.
    As they bonded, his fire spread through Emilia, sending her body into convulsions, and her eyes into giant balls bulging from her head. Her mouth opened wide enough for a scream, but none escaped. As her body blistered, John felt Emilia’s memories surging through him in a tsunami of rolling emotions.
    He closed his eyes to focus on the torrent, trying to ignore the overwhelming fear and pain coursing through her and into him, searching for the memories he needed from the million inside.
    He found them — reliving the woman’s final moments, experiencing her creeping unease as the weather changed, her fear turned to terror as Kayla chased after the dog, then her unflinching horror as the portal opened