Darkness. Voices, murmuring in the fog. Kara shook herself awake. Her head snapped up. Two joints in her neck cracked like fireworks.
"And she's up," came a gruff voice from behind her, the sound reverberating around the room. Kara groaned.
"That's nice," she mumbled.
Kara blinked, forcing her eyes to come into focus. Concrete walls in front of her. She turned her head. Lila and Daniel were to her left. Men stood guard around the small family. Kara began to count them, twisting in her chair. She moved her hands about, trying to loosen the ropes.
"That won't work."
Lane. He must have entered through the door that was behind her.
Kara inhaled, sparing a glance toward her parents. Lila met her eyes, which were filled with fear. She had to be strong for Lila and Daniel. They were in the presence of an anarchist mastermind, who knew no limits or boundaries.
"What is that on your neck?" Lila asked, bewilderment on her face.
"It better not be a hickey," Kara said.
"It's not a hickey, Kara!" Lila exclaimed. Kara shrugged.
"It's a tracker, actually," Lane interjected.
"And why would I need that? It's not like I'm going to leave," Kara argued.
Lane walked around and stood in front of Lila.
"Tell me about Parker," He said.
"Parker Fields?" Kara asked.
"Yes, that Parker," Lane replied.
"What about him? We dated for six months, he cheated on me and we broke up. That's all there was to it."
"That's only half the truth."
"Maybe it is? Why do you want to know?"
"Kara, what is he talking about?" Daniel peered over at his daughter.
Kara glared at Lane, and clenched her jaw.
"After I found out Parker had cheated on me with this shallow cheerleader named Diane, I wanted revenge. Not toilet paper his house or anything, I wanted something big. I wanted to wreck his life and his future. So I opened an account, and started internet gambling."
Lila and Daniel shared a look. Lane gave Kara a subtle nod to continue.
"I hacked the sites, and tilted the odds severely in my favor. I made 10 million dollars in two weeks."
"You what?? And where did those funds go, Kara?" Lila was shocked.
"I'm getting there. Parker's dad, Samuel Fields, owned a multimillion dollar company. Sam Fields was involved in scandal several years prior, but he paid off the witnesses. I hacked his company's books the day before the auditors came. The entire stock crashed within two hours. Then I dropped the evidence of the scandal to the newspaper. Samuel Fields was exposed and disgraced, Parker had to leave and go to another town. Diane dumped him, and I was satisfied. He got what was coming. Is that what you wanted to know?"
Kara licked her lips.
"Yes, it is. Take the Reeds to the other holding cell. I'm going to have a talk with Kara." Lane's voice was soft, and it echoed through the room. Kara felt a chill go down her spine.