Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“Well, turns out beyond researching new neurological therapies and drugs, the Huisman Foundation also dabbles in ways to make date rape easier,” came Kala’s reply.
A deep chuckle slithered through the room. “Ah, not true. We created these particular drugs to make it easier to take out the people I need taken out. Date rape is simply a secondary use, though I suspect I’ll make some money off of it. Welcome, Ms. Taggart.”
Carys felt her stomach roll but forced herself to focus. She knew that cultured voice. Aidan had listened to some of his lectures in preparation for the symposium that wasn’t going to happen now. At least not with them attending. “You’re making a mistake, Dr. Huisman.”
“Am I? Or am I fulfilling a long-term plan?”
He wasn’t looking down at her. She turned her head toward where the voice had come from and realized Huisman was standing over Kala, who was laid out on another exam table.
Carys tried to move her arms, but she felt the restraints around her wrists.
So like the ones Aidan and Tris had used on her, and for such utterly different reasons. It was odd how the same items could cause such various reactions based on who was using them. When Tris and Aidan tied her down, she felt safe, beloved, and worshipped. These scared the hell out of her. “I’m Ms. Taggart, by the way. She’s just my bodyguard. And she didn’t do a great job. Those test strips didn’t work. Someone should talk to your boss.”
Another chuckle and Huisman turned, unblocking the view of Kala’s body. Unlike Carys, she wasn’t tied down. Her arms were at her sides, her legs unrestrained.
Why wasn’t she killing this fucker?
Huisman took the three steps separating the tables and looked down at Carys. He was a handsome man in photos, with dark hair and seemingly intelligent eyes. His hair was slightly long, brushing the bottom of his earlobes. He had a full mouth, but his eyes held something Carys couldn’t explain. Something that scared the fuck out of her.
This was the real Huisman. The mask was gone, and his insanity was clear in those dark eyes. This was the man Parker had talked about, the one who wanted to burn the world down.
“Yeah, I’m probably going to get fired after this,” Kala said, only her mouth moving.
“I seriously doubt she’ll get fired. As for you, Ms. Taggart, you’re slow. The drugs are definitely harder on your system. We’ve already gone over this. The drugs I gave you aren’t covered by those test strips whores use,” Huisman said, the almost kindly smile on his face betrayed by his words. He slid two fingers under the restraint, pressing against her pulse. “I have some very intelligent people working for me. They’re also morally ambiguous, which I find helpful. Now that we have the explanations done, I can tell you how surprised I am to see you here, Ms. Taggart. I was expecting the other one.”
“Other one? I don’t have a sister. I have three brothers, and one of them has a particular set of skills.” She was starting to feel stronger.
“You’re fine,” he said with another chuckle. “And I scarcely think Kyle Hawthorne is the one I should be worried about. Like I said, you are not supposed to be here. I wanted the other Taggart. I wanted her sister.”
A chill snaked up Carys’s spine. “What are you talking about? She doesn’t have a sister.”
Kala stayed silent.
“Oh, she has two, and a pretty cousin who unfortunately got caught in my net,” Huisman said with a shake of his head.
“You were after Tasha.” The words seemed forced out of Kala’s throat.
“Yes. It’s precisely why I sent my men in when I did. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know if it would work. I thought I could get the whole team here, but I wasn’t sure who they would send in with the idiot residents,” Huisman admitted. “Though you should know some of Dr. O’Donnell’s ideas are interesting. I’ll probably steal them and pass them off as my own.”
“I don’t understand why you want Tasha.” Carys was confused.
“I don’t understand how he knows,” Kala added quietly. “I don’t exist. There’s nothing to tie me to Tasha.”
“Nothing if one only started looking a few years ago,” Huisman conceded. “I will admit the CIA does an excellent job. They scrubbed your existence clean. No social media. No government records. No birth certificate tying you to Ian Taggart. I often wonder how much it hurt your parents. Did they feel the ache when they realized playing spy was more important to you and your twin than being their child?”
“You should ask them,” Kala replied. “Bring them in. See what they say.”
“I think I’ll avoid being in the same room with your parents, though it will be interesting to see what they do.” Huisman sounded amused at the idea. “To answer your question about how I knew when all precautions were taken, well, it’s because my grandfather kept careful records. After Mr. Taggart set in motion the events that would lead to my father’s death, my grandfather made a careful study of everyone involved. I have all the real records, including what I feel is a well done but faked birth certificate for one Natasha Federova. I suppose they did that because if her Russian birth was known, the adoption wouldn’t have gone through. And Kenzie and Kala Taggart. You might no longer exist in the official records, but you are in my books.”