Grace struggled against Terre as he dragged her from the vehicle and into a large rustic lodge set amongst many smaller wooden cabins. The area looked like a camping facility or corporate retreat rather than the hellhole she’d imagined. He pushed her through a doorway and down several cement steps. The air cooled even more, and she shivered, trying to look behind him. Were they bringing Benny too?

Terre turned down a corridor, blowing past several closed doors to what looked like a cell with some type of Plexiglas wall on one side. Using a keypad, he opened it and pushed her inside. She backed away from him. There was nothing in the cell but a small door to the side that revealed a bathroom.

Two Cyst soon followed, lugging Benny. They threw him into the cell, and he landed on the cement with a hard thud, not moving on his own, not even a little bit.

Terre shut the cell and stood on the other side, watching her.

She ran for Benny and turned him over, wincing at the burns across his face. One was so deep, she could see singed parts of his skull and maybe brain matter.

“He’s lucky the blast didn’t take off his head,” Terre said, his voice coming clearly though a set of round holes across the glass.

Her legs shook, but she stood to face him, keeping Benny behind her. “What’s your plan? Why did you bring him?”

Terre crossed his arms, still looking so much like Brian that the perversity was frightening, especially since Brian didn’t really exist. “Benjamin Reese has been a member of the Seven since the very beginning. He’s one of the few originals, and he has a lot of information in that crazy head of his. Information we need to extract before cutting it off.”

Bile bubbled in her stomach. “I suppose you think I have information in my head.”

“I look forward to finding out.” He licked his lips.

The bile rose and burned her throat.

Heavy footsteps sounded and another Kurjan joined Terre, this one a couple of inches taller. His black hair was tipped with red. “This is the Key?” His faced was angled and his skin pasty, but he had a sharpness to him that was compelling. His voice was deeper than Terre’s and his stance more casual, but he had an aura of power around him that was almost physical.

Her fingers itched for her camera. She wanted to capture him on film and now.

“Yes, brother. We’ve found one.” Terre lifted his chin, satisfaction flaring his nostrils.

The other Kurjan stepped closer to the glass. “I’m Dayne, leader of the Kurjan nation. Show me your marking.”

Words escaped her, so she stood tall, all the while wanting to curl into a ball behind Benny and make him wake up and deal with these assholes.