The Omega Team: Death Sentence (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Tina Donahue Page B

dropped the phone, gathered bandages and antiseptic then tore from the infirmary.
    Inmates jumped out of her way. A guard turned.
    If anything happened to Chase….
    Adrenaline poured through Hallie, fueled by fear and rage.
    She rounded a corner and dashed to the storage room, the door ajar. “Chase!” She ran inside.
    A hand clamped over her mouth.
     
    *****
     
    Chase reached the kitchen and frowned at Lunez. “So you’re back.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Back from where? What the fuck are you talking about?”
    “Being AWOL. Forcing me to come here to check on your inmates.”
    “Have you lost your goddamn mind? I haven’t budged from this spot for an hour. My varicose veins are getting varicose veins.”
    He went hot then cold. “Edward didn’t try to reach you on your unit?”
    “Fuck no. Why would he?”
    To get Chase out of the way for reasons he didn’t want to consider. His cellphone rang. Jacqui. “Yeah.”
    “Someone called Hallie. Must have been bad. She looked like she might hurl then grabbed bandages and stuff and bolted out of the infirmary.”
    Dick, Edward, or both were after her. Chase ran from the kitchen. “Where’d she go?”
    “I tried to follow her, but there are blind spots. Give me a sec to scroll back.”
    “You don’t have that long, goddammit. Hurry .”
     
    *****
     
    Dick shoved Hallie against the storeroom wall, his hand on her throat.
    She trembled uncontrollably.
    He pushed his face into hers. “You could have left well enough alone. You could have gone along with the program and made some bucks for yourself, but no, you had to be a crusader. Don’t deny it. Patricia told me everything.”
    The betrayal hurt but didn’t surprise Hallie. Patricia had done what she thought best to save herself, and maybe to spark Dick’s interest in her as a woman. “If you kill me, do you honestly believe you’ll get away with it?”
    “Not here. That’s why you’re going to be a good girl and forget everything you heard or think you saw in this institution.” He squeezed her throat.
    Her vision dimmed. She clawed him.
    He squeezed harder. “Stop that or I’ll break your fucking neck.”
    She released him.
    He let up. “Pay attention. I’m only going to tell you once. Your tire was a warning. Next time, it might be a cut brake line, or worse. You’re going to do whatever I say, or you’ll end up like Kim, an unfortunate suicide. She didn’t know how to behave either. Think you can fight me? You’re dead fucking wrong. Edward and the other guards will tell anyone who’ll listen how down you were about your drug problem so you offed yourself. You think we can’t plant coke or smack on you like we’ve done to inmates?” He squeezed her throat again.
    She stiffened.
    He bared his teeth. “Before we take you out, your sister or mother might have an unfortunate accident that we stage as a double suicide. Unless you prefer us to off Chase. Maybe that would keep you in line, having to live without your precious boyfriend when you two seem so—”
    A baton struck Dick’s shoulder.
    Its crack and his scream filled the room.
    His hand dropped from Hallie.
    Chase shoved Dick off her and lit into him, his blows lightning quick.
    Dick cried out. He staggered away, arms raised to protect himself.
    Repeatedly, Chase drove his fist into Dick’s belly.
    He gagged and dropped to the floor on top of the bandages. Curled into a fetal position, he lost consciousness.
    Chase took his baton and gun.
    Hallie ran to Chase. “You okay?”
    “Yeah. You?” He looked at her throat. “What else did he do?”
    “Just threatened. And confessed to what he and Edward have done. It’s all here.” She tapped her glasses.
    Chase tugged her into the hall, locked Dick in the storage room, and pulled out his cell.
    “Who are you calling?”
    “Athena.” He summarized what had happened and told her to call the authorities.
    Edward approached. Chase pointed Dick’s gun. “Don’t move any