Paranormal Misdirection

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Nero’s face turns darker than the sky during a Category 5 hurricane.

I step back and nervously check the time as I’ve trained myself to regularly do.

He comes after me and grabs my wrist—preventing me from escaping. “I didn’t realize you got a chance to look at the map, let alone snap a picture,” he growls, and with the speed of a striking cobra, he snatches my phone from my hands.

An angry squeeze later, the phone crumbles into tiny shards of plastic, silicone, and glass.

“I have the image printed,” I croak out. “It’s also in the cloud. I’ve also emailed—”

“You will not go there,” Nero says, enunciating every word. “It’s too dangerous.”

“But he’s my father. What wouldn’t you risk for your family?”

Something like sympathy flashes in Nero’s eyes for a moment—that and pain. Then it’s replaced by grim determination. “You’re here on Earth for a reason,” he says. “He wouldn’t want your help.”

I open my mouth to reply when Nero moves with preternatural speed. Before I can get a single word out, I find myself draped over Nero’s shoulder.

“How dare you? Put me down!”

Nero readjusts his hold and walks toward the exit, carrying me like Santa Claus lugging his bag of gifts.

Or more like Krampus, Santa’s evil opposite.

I spice up my screams with some kicking and punching.

Infuriatingly oblivious to my blows and escalating protestations, Nero walks out of his office.

His assistant Venessa stares at the spectacle in speechless horror, and I can almost see the words “harassment” and “lawsuit” swirling through her brain.

In a few strides, Nero reaches the elevator.

Stepping in, he presses the button that would take us to the basement, and I triple the kicking, punching, and screaming, using all my remaining strength.

But it’s to no avail.

He carries me into the safe-like cell in the basement.

“You owe me a hundred-and-thirty-five work hours.” He plops me on the soft cushions of the couch. “I want those to be consecutive. Meanwhile, I’m going to post guards in every hub on the planet.”

Turning around, he smashes his fist into the passcode screen I’d used to escape this place, and it joins my phone in technology heaven as he steps out.

“Wait,” I yell, but the metal door to my prison screeches into place.