had asked him first. It seemed that everybody around here assumed his opinion didn't matter.
He turned to Ethel. "How am I getting home?"
"All the cars in this garage are available to you now," she said. "Take any one you want, any time you need it."
"Do I have to fill out a form?"
"No. The keys are in the ignition. Insurance and registration is in the glove compartment."
"Nice." His gaze settled on a black Corvette.
"Before you go, one last thing," she said. "You've already heard it, but it needs to be repeated. Secrecy is essential to us. All our operations are covert. When we leave this headquarters, we become anonymous. I can forgive a few honest mistakes and lapses in judgment. However, at some point..." Suddenly, her hand was on his throat, and her face was very close to his. "...there will be no forgiveness."
He jerked backwards in surprise. She had moved faster than his eyes could follow.
She stepped back. "Get a good night's sleep and be ready for a tough day tomorrow. I'm really glad you're with us."
He didn't know how to respond. He felt anxious, excited, afraid, and intimidated, all at the same time. Either, this was the luckiest day of his life or the worst. He just nodded dumbly.
Chapter Six
Aaron opened the door of his apartment. He was already thinking about the quick dinner he would prepare for himself before going to bed. He had jars of peanut butter and jelly and a loaf of fresh sourdough bread. He might also make a fruit smoothie from some overripe apples and bananas if he felt ambitious.
An unexpected breeze caught his attention before he turned on the light. A window was broken, the one leading to the fire escape. Somebody had entered his apartment.
Old habits made Aaron reach for his holster. Then he remembered he wasn't a cop anymore, and he wasn't carrying a gun. He realized he should've armed himself before leaving headquarters.
He did have his fancy new phone though. Quietly, he held the five key down, hoping that the "panic" button would work as advertised. It was hard to see in the dark, but the layout was standard, so he was confident he had chosen the right button. After a few seconds there was a beep.
Suddenly, the lights came on. Strong hands grabbed him before his eyes had time to adjust, and a cloth gag was stuffed into his mouth. He struggled, but there were at least four attackers and they were big. Very quickly, he was bound to a chair, unable to move his arms or legs.
The intruders wore green sweat suits, had shaved heads, and had green tattoos on their faces. The cult , Aaron thought. He counted six men, but perhaps more were hiding out of sight.
The biggest man punched Aaron hard in the face. Two more stunning blows followed soon after.
The cult member opened his mouth and revealed yellow teeth with a few prominent gaps. "I'm going to take the gag out," he said with a snarl. "Make a sound, and I'll hit you so hard you'll have to eat through a straw. Got it?"
Aaron nodded. The gag came out, and he worked his sore jaw.
"We know you were at the sanctuary during the tear gas attack," the cult member said. "Don't try to lie about that. Brittany told us all about you. Who attacked us?"
Aaron grasped the bleak implications of the last sentence. Brittany had escaped from her parents and had returned to the cult.
He needed a story fast. "The sheriff's department," he said in a confident voice.
"Nobody saw any cops," the cult member said.
"There were plenty hiding in the woods." Aaron nodded to emphasize the point.
He was punched in the gut, driving air from his lungs. He coughed and tasted stomach acid. Fear and anger made him pull against the ropes, but they were wrapped too tightly around his wrists.
"I want the truth."
"OK," Aaron gasped. "Just let me breathe."
He needed time. Hopefully, rescue was on the way, but it would take several minutes at best, if the signal had been received at all. Stay positive , he thought.
"There is a folder in my files," Aaron said.