They’re an Alzheimer’s medication.

I try to think through the fog back to the presentation by our chemist and the molecule on the screen.

My chemistry is rough, but I think Damian’s pills are some kind of inhibitor. An antidote of sorts?

I bounce as the car stops. I pull them free of the packaging and swallow all of them. It’s hard. My mouth is dry and I haven’t had any water. They don’t want to go down my throat. The trunk is going to open any second.

He’s going to spray me.

The pills are starting to choke me. I have to do something.

I have to survive.

I bite the inside corner of my lip. It’s easier than I thought, given how numb I am. Blood rushes past my tongue. The dry pills become moist. I swallow and try not to think about what I’ve done so I don’t throw up.

I feel the pills go down my throat, finally. I don’t know what effect they’re going to have. All I can do is wait.

I move my tied hands behind my back. I don’t want him knowing I can do that.

The trunk opens. I see a figure standing several yards away. He’s holding a video camera with a light aimed at me. At first I think he’s talking to me, then I realize he’s talking to the camera.

62

THE LIGHT FROM the camera makes it hard to see his face. I think he is the priest from the church, or at least the man pretending to be the priest. He steps closer to the car and keeps the camera light pointing toward me.

“As I promised you, Lord. There she is. Unharmed . . .”

He notices the blood flowing down my lip.

“Goddamn it!” He sets the video camera on the ground and walks toward me. He pulls a gun from his waistband and points it at my head. “I took the gag off so you wouldn’t choke back there. Now look what you’ve done!”

“Let me go.” I try to make my voice calm and reasoned.

He ignores me and brings the gun to my face. He uses his sleeve to wipe the blood free. If my hands were in front of my body and able to move more quickly, I could maybe knock it out of his hands. Then what? All I see are trees. I have no idea where I would run to.

He steps back and picks up the camera and starts over again. “As I promised you, Lord. There she is . . .”

So this video is supposed to be seen by the Warlock?

I scream as loud as I can. “He raped me!”

“I did not! She’s lying! She’s a lying whore!”

He lowers the camera and gives me an angry look, then storms over to the trunk with the gun in his hand. “I swear to God, bitch, I’ll hit you in the head with this if you say another thing.”