Chapter 2

When I woke up, I was in the back of a rattling old tractor. The kind-faced woman was there, along with a few rough-looking men.

The engine's roar was deafening, and their voices were low murmurs I couldn't make out.

My head throbbed. I felt weak.

The road turned to dirt, winding deep into the mountains.

We finally lurched to a halt at a small compound. A few thugs walked out with lanterns, squinting at me like I was a prize heifer at an auction.

The lady hopped down, giggling as she huddled with them.

One of the brutes pulled out a wad of crumpled twenties and handed them over. She snatched the cash, her face splitting into a greedy grin.

The burly man eyed me suspiciously, asking, "She's a pretty thing, but she's too quiet. You sure she isn't sick or something?"

"Shut your mouth!" the woman hissed. She's perfectly healthy! Don't you go making stuff up."

She quickly shoved the money deep into her pocket, terrified he would change his mind.

"Alright, the deal is done. Here's the consent form you wanted," she said, handing over the paper I had signed. "She's all yours now. I've got places to be."

She turned and practically ran, disappearing into the darkness. As soon as she was gone, the men closed in, their eyes glinting with a hungry light.

The leader's jowls quivered as his gaze crawled over my body. A lanky, grinning man next to him took a step closer.

He rubbed his hands together, swallowing audibly.

"Hey, they only need a few parts from her, right? No one's gonna know if we have a little fun first. This one's a real looker. If we don't say anything, who the hell's gonna know?"

He reached out, his greasy hand moving toward my face.

I kept my eyes down, held my breath, and coiled my muscles, ready to strike.

The instant before his fingers made contact, I snapped my head up. The leader roared and shoved the lanky man back.

"Get the hell off her! Can't you keep it in your pants for five minutes, you damn moron?" he snarled.

He shot a vicious glare at the other men, who were shifting restlessly. "Don't you idiots know how much heat is on us right now? There are eyes everywhere! If you screw this up and mess with the plans, we're all dead meat. Forget your fun. You'll be lucky to keep your life!

"So keep your dicks in your pants! If anyone tries anything, I'll break their goddamn legs myself!"

The lanky man spat on the ground but didn't dare say another word.

The leader wasted no more time. He threw a burlap sack over my head and tossed me into the trunk of a car.

I had no idea how long I was tossed around in that suffocating darkness, but eventually, the car stopped.

I was dragged out violently, and the sack was ripped from my head. The sudden light was blinding, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

I was in some kind of hidden facility. There were at least a dozen other girls, all my age, tied up together.

Their eyes were empty, and their faces looked pale. Each had a numbered band on her wrist. They looked like lambs waiting for the slaughter.

I was shoved forward, my eyes darting around, taking in every detail of the room.

A man in a white lab coat and a surgical mask approached, ready to process me.

He gave me a quick glance, and his expression immediately soured.

"Wait a minute..."

He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Why does she look so familiar?"

Another man overheard and came over, studying my face with a frown.

Suddenly, a jolt of recognition shot through him, and he shuddered violently.

"Wait, she looks like the one whose tongue got cut out last time!" he stammered. "Is she a ghost? Is she back for revenge?"

He jumped back, his whole body breaking into a cold sweat.

"No, it's impossible! I saw them take her heart out with my own two eyes! She can't be back!"

The first researcher finally understood with a mask of pure terror.

My heart shattered into a million jagged pieces. They butchered Emily?

These bastards were going to rot in hell.

In one fluid motion, I lunged for the heavy steel door and slammed the bolt home, locking us all inside.

One of the men's faces twisted in fury. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he screamed.

The other one, looking as pale as a sheet, fumbled for a walkie-talkie, his voice cracking. "Security..."

Before he could finish, I was on him. My hand closed around his throat, and a vicious kick to his stomach sent him flying across the room.

He let out a piercing shriek as a spray of blood erupted from his mouth.

They never expected me to fight back. They had drugged me, but after years in the psych ward, my body had built up a tolerance to almost anything.

A cold smile played on my lips as I sauntered over to the second researcher.

With a loud thud, he crumpled to the floor with a pathetic whimper.

I turned back to the first one, murder blazing in my eyes.

"Tell me," I said. "Which hand touched my sister?"

He was speechless, his lips trembling.

"Oh? So you used both of them?"

I took a step forward and brought my heel down on his wrist with all my force.

"Ah! My hand!" he screamed.

The other one tried to crawl away. I snatched a scalpel from a nearby tray and plunged it deep into his thigh, pinning him to the floor.

He howled in agony, collapsing in a heap.

"My leg! It's ruined! God, it hurts..."

Watching their twisted faces, I grinned and began to walk toward them. Each slow step was like a drumbeat on their chests, and the air grew thin, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

The first one stared at me, his eyes wild with terror. "Don't come any closer. Don't kill me. I'll tell you anything..." he pleaded.

I slowly crouched down, bringing my gaze level with his terror-stricken eyes. My voice was hushed and melodic, the kind of gentle coo you would use to soothe a crying toddler.

"Tell me," I whispered, "who was the one who reached inside and took my sister's heart? Where is it now? Where are they keeping it?"

His breath hitched, his eyes darting back and forth as he weighed his options.

I didn't rush him. I simply reached down, picked up the fallen scalpel, and gently traced the cold blade over the pulse point on his other wrist.

He flinched, his body convulsing, and broke completely.

"It was Theo Carter! He's in charge of this whole operation!" he shrieked. "The order came from the top! He was just doing what he was told! We were just following orders! Please, let us go! I'm begging you!"

My eyes went cold. I stomped on his fingers, grinding them into the concrete.

"Where is he?" I demanded. "I want to see him. Now."