Serial- Part 39

            “I’m delighted to see you too, Angela.”

His chilling laugh made Angela’s skin crawl but she tried her best to show no fear. She was still trying to wrap her mind around why a person would snap the way he had, all the while trying to clear her brain of drug-induced cobwebs.

            “What did you do to me?” She demanded. “I know you must have given me some kind of drug because I have no recollection of how I got here and why…why me? What did I ever do to you?”

            “Unfortunately for you, you didn’t do anything, per se. You are an unfortunate cog in my grand scheme. I needed you for my plan to work. You see, I have no intention of getting caught—ever. With you out of the picture, fingers will point to someone better suited for paying a debt to society. You see, my work is important. I am doing a public service.”

            “A public service? You’re not performing a service; you’re a homicidal maniac! You kidnap people, torture, and then murder them. How is that a service? What makes you think you have the right? Sure, Trevor was rude and Kendra was…Kendra but that’s no reason to kill a person. And what about those two?” Angela shrieked, pointing to the mangled remains of two bodies haphazardly tossed to the opposite side of the room. “Who are they and what did they ever do to you?”

            “Perhaps you ought to rethink that judgmental tone, my pet.” He growled.

            “No, don’t you dare; I am NOT your pet! Apparently, you had a pet. You branded it into her flesh and then you killed her. You will address me as Angela. Got it?”

The tone of her voice never once betrayed her. She kept hidden the immense fear that held her tight within its clutches. Angela closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and waited for the pain. She’d seen what he’d done to his victims and expected to feel a searing hot blade slicing through her flesh at any second. Instead, a belly laugh filled her ears.

            “I had you pegged all wrong, Angela. I’m glad to see you showing some backbone.” He replied as his fingers ever-so-gently brushed against her cheek. “Truthfully, I expected you to roll over and play dead. You seemed so sweet and passive at the morgue but you’ve got fire in you. We’re going to have so much fun together.”

His pledge, to have ‘so much fun together’, made Angela’s stomach roil. Somehow, I seriously doubt that his idea of fun and mine are even remotely close, she thought. In spite of his thinly veiled threat, she refused to give in to fear and despair. If there was a way out, she was going to find it but until then, Angela knew she needed to play nice. She forced a smile to play across her lips and struggled to remove the judgmental glower from her eyes.

            “I need a favor from you, please. Since I seem to be an integral part of your plan, it would be a sign of good faith for you to meet this one request.” She requested in her most polite voice. He said nothing so she continued. “Please, whoever those two are, please they need a proper burial and whatever it is that they did…or didn’t do; their families need closure.”

His eyes narrowed as he listened to Angela’s plea. He was stunned that her request had nothing to do with herself. He’d expected her to beg to be set free or to let her call friends or family to say goodbye. It was a credit to her character that she requested something for complete strangers. I almost wish I didn’t have to kill her, his inner voice sighed. The world is a better place with her in it but she is the cornerstone of my master plan.

            “I was going to reject your request but it actually will help put my plan into motion even faster so I’ll say yes. I will make sure the police find the remains of your room’s previous inhabitants. Happy now?”

            “Thank you,” whispered Angela.

She could not manage to say anything more; whatever medication he’d slipped to her to take her captive, the one that prevented her from causing a scene, had worn off and her heart was breaking.