In the dim predawn light, Nathan parked his assistant’s car in front of the barn. In the passenger seat, Bill’s leg jiggled. They got out of the vehicle.

“Where is she?”

“Just inside.” Nathan pointed at the double doors. “Go on in.”

Bill hesitated. “It’s dark in there. I don’t like the dark.”

“There’s a light switch next to the door. I’ll turn it on for you.” Nathan prodded Bill’s back.

“No.” Bill balked. “This doesn’t feel good. I don’t want to go in there.”

“Run!” The feminine shout came from within the barn.

Bill’s big blue eyes went wide. He backed up, stumbling backward and tripping on his over-sized feet. “Mandy!”

Nathan fired the Taser.

The barbs shot out and struck Bill in the thigh. His huge body jerked. Twitching, he fell on the closed trunk with a clunk. A wild spasm drove his elbow through the cover of the brake light. Bits of red and clear plastic fell to the dirt. Bill rolled off the vehicle and crashed to the ground like a felled giant redwood.

Nathan stared down at the twitching man. Mandy’s brother was quite large and could potentially be a serious problem. Nathan hastily retreated to the barn’s small office, filling a syringe with tranquilizer and jogging back. Tears flowed down Bill’s face as he wild-eyed the needle. Nathan jabbed it into Bill’s still-spasming leg.

Bill quieted. Crisis averted.

The barn door rolled open. A camp light, raised lawn-jockey style, illuminated the barnyard.

“How are you going to get him up there?” His assistant pointed through the open door to the stack of wooden cages. The uppermost layer was above Nathan’s head. The man in the bottom cage was shielding his son from Nathan’s sight. The young blonde woman above him did likewise with her prone companion.

She was the one who’d shouted. Deep in her tear-swollen eyes, rebellion lurked. He’d have to watch that one.

Nathan gazed down at Bill again. He weighed more than two hundred pounds. Nathan’s muscles had suffered as much as his brain these last few days. Weakness prevailed over his entire system. There was no way he could lift even a small person over his head, let alone Bill.

Confusion nearly overwhelmed Nathan. His gaze pinged around the space. Surely, he’d planned for this. He wiped sweat from his brow with a grimy hand.