Read Online The Face of Earth by Kirsty Winkler - Free Book Online Page B

greedily.
    “I’ll give her a good race, then.” Jawol increased his speed, catching up to Megg at Mars, and soon both ships were speeding out of the solar system.

CHAPTER 4
     
    Karina slowly awakened as the drug wore off. Her blurry vision cleared and a white ceiling came into focus. She found herself lying on an uncomfortable metal table. For a moment she thought she had been abducted again and felt a surge of intense fear. She heard voices speaking in hushed tones to her left, and turned her head toward the sounds. A group of men in white coats stood nearby. Their backs were to her, but since they spoke English her fear diminished. She tried to sit up, but couldn’t. Numerous leather straps secured her to the table. She strained against them, wiggling around in an attempt to stretch the leather and slip out. One of the men noticed her efforts and came over to the table, leaning over her and examining her face. She froze and stared up at him.
    “She’s awake,” he announced.
    “Good. Get Mr. White,” another answered. He seemed to be the one in charge.
    The first man left while the others began to examine Karina. One man checked her blood pressure while another drew a vial of blood.
    “Get that processed immediately,” the man in charge ordered.
    “Yes, sir.”
    As Karina continued to push against her bonds, a face appeared over hers.
    “Good afternoon, Ms. McKay. I’m Kevin White, leader of the Lazarus League. I’d shake your hand, but you seem to be indisposed.” He chuckled at his own wit.
    Karina wasn’t amused. “Why am I here?” she asked.
    Kevin ran his hand gently through Karina’s short hair and smiled. His touch sickened Karina. “You’ve been a very naughty girl,” he replied, continuing to stroke her head. “You’ve killed one of my men.”
    “Fred,” Karina said with venom.
    “Yes. He wasn’t my favorite lackey, but he had his uses. And now I’ll have to find someone else to take his place. Do you know how difficult it is to find someone who is both completely loyal and completely malleable?” Kevin tightened his grip on Karina’s hair, holding a tuft of it in his fist.
    Karina winced in pain but said nothing. Kevin released his grip and resumed stroking her hair. “You’re here to make up for his loss,” Kevin said, answering her earlier question. “You will take over his duties.”
    “I will not.”
    “My dear, you don’t have a choice. I don’t need your permission or your cooperation for what I require of you.” Kevin turned to the man in charge, dismissing Karina as he would dismiss a dog. “Take care of her until we’re ready.”
    “Of course, Mr. White.”
    Kevin left and Karina felt a needle pierce her shoulder. She drifted back into unconsciousness.
    This time she awoke on a comfortable bed. She was alone in a large bay with a high ceiling. She sat up and looked around. The parallel shadows of thick steel bars stretched across the floor as sunlight streamed through tall windows. She went to one and looked out, resting her head between two of the bars. The city lay spread out below her. She moved to the next wall and looked out those windows. The city lay at her feet. It was the same on the other two sides. She laughed despairingly at her ridiculous predicament. The men had imprisoned her in the tallest building in the city. Here she stood, locked away in a tower by an evil king, with no prince to rescue her.
    She looked around for a door. There were two regular doors and an elevator. She tried the first door, finding a bathroom. The second door revealed a closet. She went to the elevator and pushed the button on the wall next to it. A screen with a keypad above it lit up. “Please input password,” scrolled across the screen. She slammed her hand against the keypad in frustration and turned away. She wandered around the room, looking for another way out. The windows were out of the question; even without bars, the room was too high to exit through them