Pandora’S Box: The Battle of Wills

By Brandi Darnell Eade

The heavens grieve as Mother Earth frantically fights for her life. The explosions rippled in the heavens allowing destruction to ensue. The undulant impact caused pulsars, quasars, red and blue giant stars to detonate far too soon. The discharge sent repercussions the neighboring nebulas. This place where birth is given becomes a cradle of death. With the last star winking out all of the heavens go dark. Deaths insatiable appetite is heading for Earth. Reaching out its hand and overcome with the desire for human obliteration.

One child will stand-alone possessing the power of all universes bringing time and space to a standstill. Born with two souls, blessed with three graces, and having a predators heart the heavenly stars will cry out this childs name. Life ever present and death waning. Lifeblood springs from royalty and the seer of dreams. Where there is despair, hope will shine through. This child is a castle that stands tall in the middle of a storm sheltering all in need. Its a slayer of monsters, and a warrior for the common man.

Spiritual assassins sent to devour this child, breaking its mind is a must do. So begins the battle of wills.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491770122

Brandi Darnell Eade

I’m a Southern woman who was born and raised outside the Holy City. Churches, synagogues, and history have engrained itself in my DNA. I was brought up in the belief that the supernatural is just beyond our sight. The paranormal and the magical world that encompasses us have always led me to ask how and why. The seduction of the preternatural thrills me and keeps me asking questions. The intoxication of the ghostly and bizarre history that occupies the South has particular effect on my massive and vivid imagination. This leads me to be a weird and outgoing person.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Present Day

T he aching inside her head would make a root canal feel like a day in the park rolling her head around, Pandora tries to overcome the disorientation that swamps her. She is in the dark with only a light from a small porthole. She struggles then realizes that her hands once again are tied down. She attempts to move her legs but they too have been strapped to the chair.

I am getting sick and tired of being knocked out and tied up, she thinks.

The door gives way, and the man with a heavy beard strolls inside. Well, well, well, glad you’re awake.

Hate springs into Pandora’s eyes upon seeing the man, Where is the woman who was in the car with me?

I don’t know.

Then you and your men are stupider than you look.

Insulting us isn’t good for your health.

What do you want from me? She yells the venomous words spews from her lips.

We know that you are an international spy for your government. I’m sure that they will pay handsomely for your return.

She wiggles in her tiny prison. She hears a boisterous laughter. It takes hardly any time for her to recognize it is her own voice. Firstly, my country doesn’t negotiate with idiots. Secondly, boy, have you picked the wrong person. At this point in time, I am sure that not only am I a wanted terrorist but also a serial killer. I am the cause of a mass murder that involves several federal agents. Believe me when I tell you that my government will probably pay you to keep me.

You will tell us your government’s secrets. If not, you will die.

Since you put it that way what do you want to know?

Who are you working with?

Oh, that’s easy enough. A cloaked dude with no sense of style, he just wears a black cape. Then there is this deranged woman who thinks that she is an ancient queen of old.

The bearded man reaches out and backhands Pandora. The strength of the blow causes her lip to bleed. This man’s slap hurts her feelings more than it causes any physical pain.

What the hell was that for? she yelps.

All you Americans think the same way, as if you answer to no one.

We all have someone to answer to. Anyway, I was not trying to be cocky. You asked a question and I answered it, she says as she struggles against her bonds.

Who are you working for? he demands.

No one, I just told you that I am a wanted fugitive. Are you deaf as well as dumb?

The man t-urns and walks towards the table. There is a vial and a needle. He places the needle into the vial. He fills the syringe with a colorless liquid.

Pandora struggles against her bounds. You’re doing that exactly for what reason? Don’t even think about sticking that thing in me.

Why not, is there something that you would like to tell me?

Because it’s probably not sterile and when I get out of here I would prefer to be alive. I don’t want to die from a massive infection.

That won’t be a great concern. You’ll die long before an infection sets in. he walks over with the syringe holding it up for Pandora to see.

That’s good to know, she says mockingly.

Will you answer my questions now? He reaches down and turns her arm over exposing her veins. This will hurt. The more you resist the more painful it will be."

Wait a minute. You asked who I was with, and I told you. I don’t know anything else. Please. I know you think I am someone that I am not. Please do not. Wait, wait, please don’t do this. Please. The man does not listen to her pleas. He finds the vein that he needs. He sticks the needle in and pushes the plunger.

The injection site stings and the clear liquid makes her woozy, What is this?

This is Sodium Thiopental better known as truth serum, he brags.

Several hours pass by and the effects finally are wearing off. The bearded man decisively takes it to a new level. He leans her chair back on two legs. He places a towel over Pandora’s face. This is not just a fear tactic. He has all intentions of making this female suffer.

Not knowing what will happen next, she finds herself begging, I promise you I don’t know anything.

Who do you work for?

No one, her voice rises from fear.

He tilts her back and pours water on the towel after a few times he stops. He looks down at her as she is gasping for air.

Who do you work for?

No one, I’m a wanted fugitive.

He pours more water on her face. She cannot breathe. She feels as if she is drowning. He pulls her forward and yanks her head back. Why are you here? What is your government’s purpose for sending you? What are the transponder codes? How do I get into the military installation?

She struggles for breath. She vomits violently trying to expel the water from her lungs. There are no codes. This is not a military station, only an American embassy. My government did not send me and for the last time, I am no spy. Mister, you can put your boots in an oven, but that does not make them biscuits. Okay I have told you everything that I know.

You haven’t told me anything.

She is weak from exhaustion and he knows that he will not be getting anything more out of her tonight. She is a strong-willed woman. He has never seen anyone take the serum and withstand the effects. He has to come up with a way to break her. Her training is strong, but he is stronger. He marches out.

She understands that her torture session is over at least for a while. She should be at peace, but she is not. Her thoughts turn to Nefertari. She hopes that nothing has befallen her. Even though she imagines that Nefertari is crazier than a rabid bat, she still likes her. Pandora’s body aches. She absolutely makes up her mind. She is getting out of here one way or another.

She focuses on the events that occurred two days ago. She wants to see the defining detail that is still missing. She knows it must be as obvious as a tick on a dog’s ass. She is just overlooking it. Nevertheless, the detail remains elusive. She has gone through all the substantial and inadequate information repeatedly and thus far nothing. Try as she might, she has lost the battle. She falls into a deep restless sleep.

CHAPTER I

Two days ago

T he void was darker than an inkless, moonless night. Its vast nothingness was filled with earsplitting silence. Life’s building blocks had not yet been conceptualized. The Creator spoke thunderous words aloud at the barren chasm saying, Bring forth your light. Let it be abundant and shine for all to see. The smallest protons and electrons poured into the void. They started to spin life’s fragile beginnings. A particle sprang forth an atom. An atom produced dust. Dust created stars. Stars shaped life. Life generated the heavens, and the Heavens gave birth. Birth opened the door to allow death a place at its fiery side. The life-altering powers made love, torn between their desire to wield the ultimate power and an impulse to relinquish it.

Heaven’s jubilees stained with confusion, conceit, and deception created wretchedness. Heaven’s armies were deciding the positions they would take. Raphael drew upon the Creator’s power affecting divine intervention and Mephistopheles the Creator’s disdain. Little did the inhabitants know that these two warring angels would change man’s fate. One would bring death and tragedy. The other one would bring renewed euphoria.

Raphael placed his throne room where light flowed unabated. Mephistopheles set his within a land dark enough that light abolished itself. He achingly enjoyed this place that enhanced evil’s cruelty, pain, and torments. Life did not welcome a dark ominous preternatural Armageddon. Men, women, and children have chosen sides as in an all-encompassing supernatural brawl. The putrid smell echoed down the blood-soaked streets as rotting flesh told the story about the approaching hell on earth.

One child would be standing-alone, possessed by the power of all universes, who would bring time and space to a standstill. Born with two souls, blessed with three graces, and having a predator’s heart this child would have its name cried out from the heavenly stars. Life was ever present and death waning. Life’s blood springs from royalty and the seer of dreams. Where there is despair, hope will shine through. This child is a castle that stands tall in the middle of a storm sheltering all in need. It is a slayer of monsters, and a warrior for the common man.

A spiritual assassin will be sent to break the child’s mind. So begins the battle of wills.

CHAPTER II

E xcitement lightened Pandora’s head. It’s finished, she whispered. The last word typed, and saved, all that was required is to hit send. A piercing shiver curled down her spin as, she pressed enter. The overwhelming, frightening, and emotional ambiance of her latest book has taken a toll on her.

The button was pushed. She began to think about why the book was written in the first place. The long restless nights, the dreams that tormented her mind with tossing and turning all night made her believe that she was going crazy. She decided that writing her dreams down would help. Her journal entries and her deepest thoughts were now her latest novel.

The horrendous dreams defiled her mind while she slept. Her waking hours were filled with the memories of the twilight nightmares. In Pandora’s dreams, she watched as Mephistopheles held down Ametil as his serpentine claws shred her angelic skin. He stripped off her flesh and allowed the divine lifeblood to slip away until the Archangel could no longer fight. With a slow dying progression, her body went limp. This heightened his aptitude for cruelty. He tore away her holy robes. He pinned her arms over her head as he took his sickened twisted cock and spearheaded her innocence. The pain she suffered reverberated across the vast universe. All stood still. All wept.

She thought about her finished product and decided that she needed some fresh air. She grabbed her purse and opened the door as her cell phone started to ring.

Hello?

What are you doing right now? Wendy rasped.

I’m leaving to go take a walk, why?

Good, can you meet me at the coffee shop around the corner from my place let’s say a half an hour?

Let me repeat the question in case you didn’t understand it the first time, why?

Sarcasm shows a weak mind, Pandora. I was just reading over your last chapter, and I have some questions.

Is everything okay? Pandora asked, knowing what the answer was.

It depends on how you look at it.

Fine, half hour lateness shows no respect, Pandora challenged.

I never am. Wendy barked back.

Pandora closed the door and went to the stairwell of her apartment building. She was wondering why there was a big rush to get this done. Her hand glided down the rail as every step took her closer to the door. She came to the apartment’s main building doors and opened it. She felt the sunlight as it kissed her skin and warmed her face. She strolled up the Avenue to a local coffee shop. Along the way, she looked through the trees and saw that they had begun to change color. It showed the signs of the season that was nearing.

She walked further down until she came to her little coffee shop. She toddled inside and was greeted with an affectionate welcome. She waited in line and then gave her order to the barista.

Pandora stood there waiting for her coffee when she heard, My god, look at all those fat rolls. I mean damn, a man could get lost in all that fat.

She felt flushed as the heat of embarrassment planted itself on her face. She knew intuitively what he was getting at and why. She squared her shoulders back. She turned around and looked the man straight in the eyes. You’ve got a ten-gallon mouth and elephant’s ears.

Yes, she was short and a big girl. Nevertheless, she had a few amazing features too. She had soft thick mahogany hair. She had the biggest brown eyes. And if you looked into them, you could see that there was a black outline of a star around her pupils. Her skin was soft and luxurious, and she always smelt good. She was no super model by any stretch of the imagination. However, should not her big heart make up for her looks? She knew that most guys did not want to be with a girl with a lot of meat on their bones. The idea of loving a big girl is too disgusting to them. Instead of getting to know her, men usually just passed her by.

What? What did you just say to me, you fat cow?

Since you’re a simpleton let me put it another way. You need to clean your own backyard before talking trash. You are not a hunk yourself, she turned around and did not look back.

The man murmured something and walked away. She heard her name called and grabbed her coffee and strolled to a medium-size corner table.

Some people are just ignorant, right?

Yeah, She looked up and saw a gorgeous man that towered over her. Man, you’re just cuter than a litter of kittens.

He laughed, May I have a seat?

Thank you. My name is Spencer, what’s yours?

It’s Pandora.

She watched as Spencer pulled out a chair from under the table and sat down. He placed his coffee near hers. He sat there for a few moments and said nothing. Finally, he was the one that broke the silence.

Nice meeting you. It doesn’t sound like you are from around here.

No, I’ve only lived here for about a year. I’m from the South.

I understood that from your colorful vocabulary, Spencer said.

Sorry, my southern expressionism has a habit of turning on when I get irritated or excited.

This man nearly took her breath away. He is tall, medium skin tone, and a lean muscular body, and perfectly poetic looking. His eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. His hair… goodness, his hair was a soft looking sandy brown. His hands though large were slender. He had perfect teeth, and a smile that would light up New York City.

Wow, that smile, I could wake up happy seeing that smile beside me every morning. Please kiss me. She thought.

His handsomeness caused lustful ideas. She would have loved to have felt those lips pressed up against hers. She wondered what his hands felt like as they ran up her thighs. That had her shaking her head. She did not enjoy the direction her feelings were going. She decided that she had better change the subject. She took a chance.

Spencer, do you live here as well?

Yes, are you meeting your boyfriend?

She considered that there was a possibility that he was asking if she was seeing anybody. No, I’m meeting my agent here. We were to discuss my book’s final draft.

You’re a novelist?

Yes, I’m a novelist. I started capturing people’s imaginations a few years back.

What time was your agent planning on being here? He asked.

Pandora looked at her watch and then at the door, Speaking of the devil she just showed up. She smiled.

Wendy walked up. A small flash of insecurity washed over Pandora. Wendy, this is Spencer. Spencer this is my agent Wendy.

Madam, Pandora, it was really nice to talk with you.

Hello. Wendy gave a sheepish grin.

She gave Pandora a look, Are you ready?

Spencer bowed his head toward them. Ladies, have a wonderful afternoon.

Both women held their breath as they watched him walk away. They looked at each other and giggled. They sat down and started working.

Spencer walked out and approached the fringe of the back alley across the street. As he entered, he pulled his ringing phone from his pocket.

Yes sir.

Did you identify the target? the dark voice asked impatiently.

Yes sir I did.

Agent Jordan, you know what has to be done?

Yes Sir.

Spencer snapped his phone closed. Frankly, he knew how the old man wanted her eliminated. However, from what he had seen the girl was no threat. He was an undercover federal agent and left no wiggle room for questions. He had a job and he had his orders. He was doing it, no matter what the cost was.

After several long hours, Pandora rewrote the final draft. She seized her papers and headed home. The sun had begun to set, and the streetlights were just coming on. She walked down the Avenue acutely aware of the time. She felt as if someone was watching her. She picked up the pace to where she was running when she finally made it home. She opened the door and slowly crept inside. She sensed that something’s wrong. Hello, anyone there? There was no answer. An eerie feeling pricked at her neck.

Hello? she bellowed.

She reached for the light switch and turned it on. She saw a cloaked shape sitting at her table. She snatched up the broom that was lying by the counter.

Please don’t do that, the cloaked body spoke. His voice was husky yet smooth to her ears.

Who are you? And what are you doing inside my apartment? Panic sizzled within her voice.

I’m a friend, and that’s all you need to know, he replied.

You’re a friend? Friends don’t usually break into friends’ homes.

The shadowed form reached inside his pocket and pulled out an envelope, You’ll need this. he laid the packet on the table.

She maintained a safe distance and walked around the large oak table. What will I find once it’s open?

It’s something that will save your life when the time comes. Things in your life will change. Your path was altered and that cannot be changed. You are heading down a long dark unalterable course. Continuously stare into the light, trust your instincts, and trust no one. With those parting words, the man left.

Wait…Wait! I didn’t know that I was in danger. Mister, come back here. Please give me an explanation. What’s going on? She yelled after him as he began to descend the stairwell that she had just come up.

After she locked the door, she sat down at the table and looked at the packet. Okay, how bad can this be? I mean a man did break into my home and threaten me. I should call the police let them handle it. However, if the man wanted to hurt me, he had his chance.

She held her breath. She numbly tore open the packet. A small piece of paper floated down and hit the floor. She reached downward picked up the note. Remember you are not alone. At the bottom of the paper, there were four initials A.R.C.H.

She turned on a lamp that was next to her bed. The light made shadows leap on her deep dark purple walls. She longed for her bed and for a peaceful sleep. The bed was soft, and plush. She looked at the painting that was by the door. Her grandfather drew it for her as a child. Every time she looked at it, she was reminded that someone did love her once.

She went to her bed and pulled the covers back. She pulled the curtains closed, changed, and thought about the man she just met. She decided that he was nothing more than an overly enthusiastic fan who brought the book alive in his own mind. Better safe than sorry, she was having an alarm installed tomorrow. She crawled beneath the covers and curled up on the bed. She shut her eyes and fell into a restless sleep. The slumber brought back the nightmares she wished she had never dreamt. Once again, she felt the gnashing teeth. Claws tickled her tender flesh. Voices were screaming, and blood flowed. The limp lifeless bodies she saw, the torment, fear, and every ounce of pain, she felt throughout the night as her dreams came alive in her mind.

CHAPTER III

T he next morning, she heard the electronic coffee maker go off and smelt the coffee’s pungent aroma as it carried its way through the apartment. Pandora hesitantly rolled out bed. She wandered into the kitchen. She went and got the milk from the refrigerator and poured some into her cup. She grabbed the warm coffee and enjoyed its heat as it thawed out her cold hands. Stillness encompassed the kitchen while her mind waltzed over last night’s events. She dismissed the stranger’s words, Your life will be altered.

The tiny apartment was flooded with light from the bay window in her den. The light allowed you to perceive the cream-colored walls. She spent several days finding the right color to match her dark golden hard wood floors. The colors of the walls and floor drew out the black in her leather sofa and surrounding furniture. She loved her tiny apartment. This place was her safe haven.

She thought, as long as you’re alive, your life will always be altered. He must think that I’m simple-minded about life. I mean come on. I’m not a fool’s handmaiden. Change and I have always been friends. Without one, the other cannot exist. Therefore, that checkmates that conversation.

She put the dirty dishes from yesterday in the dishwasher and wiped down the counter tops around the kitchen when the doorbell rang. She walked over and answered the door.

Hello, may I help you?

Yes ma’am, I have a delivery for Ms. Macbe, the young man said.

That’s me, Hon, she said as she reached for the clipboard.

After Pandora signed the receipt, she closed the door. There were photos of Egrets on both sides of the door, matted in a pale blue and framed in sterling silver. She loved her birds. Her grandparents always had a flock of them in their back yard. She sat there for hours just watching them. She turned around and paused in the hallway. The tiny narrow space was a bright blue. The color did not match the rest or her décor. However, she did enjoy the brightness that the color gave off.

She clutched the massive long box tight. The aromatic fragrances that came from the box danced with each other and produced a harmony that permeated the kitchen. She opened the lid and looked inside, and she saw two dozen long stem pink roses with black veins and also some Star Glazer Lilies. She scrutinized the box and found a note.

Thanks for the laugh, Spencer.

It unnerved, perhaps scared her a little, but she could not help smiling. She was happy. Her heart rate accelerated, and she felt light headed. Then the realization hit her without warning. How did he know her last name and more important where she lived?

You know Mr. Spencer I don’t care how you know I’m just glad that you do.

She picked up the box and sashayed across the dining room. She left the flowers on the old oak table that was in her dining room. She snatched a vase from the shelf. It slipped from her fingers and exploded on the floor. Her instincts flared up. Something was wrong. A tiny undertone circumnavigated her mind. Trust no one. That is the only opinion that she, and the stranger could agree on. That moment’s peace that had been circulating between her heart and her mind had now disappeared. She felt confused. She knew that she should stay cautious. However, she wanted more. She wanted him.

She made her way back to the kitchen, grabbed the broom, and cleaned up the mess that the shattered glass just made. Once she was done, she headed back to her bedroom.

Pandora got dressed and headed back down the Avenue towards the coffee shop. She was hopeful that she would run into Spencer. The more she thought about that, she knew she had never seen him in there before. The question that lingered foremost in her mind was should she? She decided that if she went to the cafe, it would solve nothing. He knew where she lived. If she saw him, again she would thank him. Nonetheless, she would not hunt him down. It made her look pathetic.

She decided not to go the rest of the way. She turned around and headed home. Having walked away felt like the right thing to do. And she felt great. She started back up the stairwell and noticed how dingy the walls looked. She would talk to the super about a new paint job.

She entered her apartment once again. She heard the phone ring on the counter and decided to pick it up.

Hello?

Hi there, it’s Spencer.

Hi, I was just thinking about you. Thank you for the flowers. The roses completely captivated me.

If you actually wanted to thank me, you could have dinner with me tonight, say seven o’clock, he asserted.

That would be wonderful. Seven it is then, she said.

She placed the phone back on its charger. Pandora began to prance around her den. The invitation livened up her sprits. She laughed at the delight. This handsome man called her. She danced to the music that she has playing inside her head as she walked to her closet. The giggle that exploded from her mouth sounded as if a flock of honking geese made their way into her bedroom. She heard her own squawking, and it made her laugh even harder. This was the first time in a long time that she felt good about herself.

She felt as if she was a teenager going on her first date. Her dating life had shriveled up since she focused on her career. She had no time. She turned toward working on her book. Her last date turned into a fiasco. She settled on not dating after that.

She fumbled through her closet and decided on what she was going to wear that night. For better or worse, she went with a low-cut dark silk dress that had a split up the side of her thigh. She had chosen her five-inch black stiletto heels since the dress was excessively long for her. Once she was dressed, she went to the bathroom and began to do her hair. She went with a bun do. After that, she moved to the makeup mission.

Pandora looked at the luminescent clock on the stove. It showed almost seven o’clock. She hoped that she did not look stout or too gaudy. She enjoyed her curvaceous body. She gave herself the final approval after scrutinizing her outfit one last time.

The tiny apartment suddenly went dark. She felt strange sensations storm within her. Someone threw a spherical object through her living room window that shattering the windowpane. The thing released an intense bright light that engulfed the room followed by an instantaneously booming explosion. She fell down. She observed an ominous figure before her as she passed out.

He looked down at Pandora. Spencer felt a pang of guilt. She did look nice though. He wondered whether she always dressed this way on a date. Did she do this just for him? He hoped the latter.

He took in her voluptuous body. Her hefty swollen breast heaved up and down slowly showing Pandora’s relaxed state. Since tonight was special for her, she was wearing an elegant low-cut dress that exposed her enormous orbs. He wished that he could just have one night with her. He wanted to know what she tasted, felt, sounded, and smelled like as she peaked. His desire flashed into a supernova. He wanted the feel of her flesh under his lips. He felt his cock engorging itself. Observing her here like this was not good for him.

He tried to dismiss these tempestuous emotions. His gigantic throbbing manhood virtually busted through his pants. His ideas regarding her were unprovoked and challenged his judgment and his concern for this case. From the moment this woman opened her mouth she beguiled him. He did not understand the power she held over his body. She was not his type at all. Therefore, why was he attracted to her? His job required of him, unrelenting discretion and he could not give that up not even for one night with her. There was too much at stake.

Cuff her and take her in. Spencer roared. He turned and took one last look at her then disappeared.

CHAPTER IV

T he vivid glow shocked her eyes. This caused a momentary sickness. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust. Fully aware and present, she assessed her surroundings. She noticed that she could not move her arms. She looked down and found them cuffed along the table. She was unsure of what just happened. She felt her anxiety rising and striking a completely new level of intensity. A bombardment of emotions attacked her as if the feelings were purposefully aimed at her already fragile mind.

Is anyone out there, she yelled, please anyone? Panic mounted, and sweat poured down her brow. Her skin became flushed. The heat from her skin caused her to have vertigo, Please, she whimpered, someone, anyone, please help me. You don’t understand I have bizarre panic attacks. I need a Doctor, she yelled at the empty room. She tugged at the cuffs, and she hoped that she could get them free.

A numbing sensation ran through her entire body. Her mind was spinning. Inanimate objects began to dance before her eyes. Waves of dizziness swept over her mind. The walls slid in towards her. She felt ensnared. Her lungs were unwilling to work. Her labored breathing became erratic.

She thought she was near passing out again, What the hell is going on? She howled. Scared and unsure, she yanked down on the handcuffs one last time. She tried to loosen them from her wrist. An older man walked inside the room.

Are we ready to begin? I am Agent Salley. I will need you to confirm your full name.

What? What the hell’s going on? she yelled.

Ma’am, please confirm your first and last name, he asked again.

Anger wailed up inside her. It made her sick to her stomach, Suck my nonexistent cock, she hollered.

Ma’am please answer the question.

No, not until you tell me where I’m at and why I’m here.

Again my name’s Agent Salley and you are at USDHS headquarters.

You mean United States Department of Homeland Security? What the hell.

Yes ma’am, your full name please.

Suck my balls and lick my ass that’s my full name. I know my rights. I want a lawyer, and I want my one phone call, she blurted out.

Ma’am you’re considered a national threat. Your rights… consider them null and void. You do not get a lawyer or a phone call. I can and will hold you indefinitely. Therefore, you can stow the attitude and talk, or I can walk out and forget that you’re here, Agent Salley shot back.

She felt completely deflated. Her world was now turned upside down. Nothing was making any sense to her, You’re making a mistake, she whispered.

That definitely is possible, but I won’t know that until we’ve talked.

Can you at least take the cuffs off? They are hurting my wrist, she shook her head not believing what was happening. Of all the people in the world, why