Read Seven Unholy Days for Free Online

knife in his chest. His eyes were open, locked in a look of surprise, hands covered in his own blood. He would’ve tried to pull the knife out. Somebody’s going to pay for this.
    “Lady, start talking or I’ll send you where my brother is.”
    She kept crying, but said nothing. Dane took three steps and stopped in front of her. “I’m not a patient man.”
    The sobs were easing, the tears drying up. “I don’t have any idea what happened. I just walked in and found the place like this. And him sitting there like that. Who are you?”
    “Where’s your brother’s laptop?”
    “In my car.”
    “How long has it been there?”
    “It’s been in my car since this afternoon, but I borrowed it about a week ago. Why?”
    “Damn it!” Dane rubbed his forehead. “Let’s ride.”
    “Why do I need to go?”
    “I’m short on time and I figure you know your way around. And trust me, going with me beats the alternative.”
    “What’s that?”
    “You’re not dumb, lady, so don’t insult me by acting it.”
      “All right, let’s ride.”
     
     
    12:40 AM CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (LOCAL)
    YELLOW CREEK
     
    Getting into the GCE control room was easy enough in the middle of the night. The place was so automated that there was only one man on duty to keep an eye on things at night, much easier to deal with than the three-man day crew would have been. Dane did take time out to shoot the security guard at the front gate, but shooting a man was no big deal. He had done it many times before and it came as naturally as getting a drink of water. In fact, he did get himself a drink of water from the security hut right after shooting the old fool who was fumbling with an antique-looking revolver that was stuck in its holster.
    He was prepared to kill the control monitor if need be, but the idiot did himself a favor by being asleep. A sturdy clip to the base of the skull ensured he’d stay that way for an hour or so. Reinstalling the code into CEPOCS proceeded without a glitch but it was a step he hoped he wouldn’t have to do. He checked his watch. We never do jobs alone.
    You can handle him just fine, baby brother. Working in the dim lighting in the control room, he slipped a cordless electric screwdriver from his pocket and removed the screws holding a cover panel in place on the base of the big display at the front of the room. With the panel removed, there was an empty space inside the cabinet large enough to hold something the size of a small footlocker. He stepped into the hallway and wheeled in a dolly with two metal boxes on it. One was a faded green color. The other looked like a giant high-tech briefcase.
                  Jana watched him work the briefcase box into the space in the bottom of the cabinet. She considered running, since she wasn’t tied or handcuffed, but after thinking about the way he killed the poor old security guard she decided to stay put.
    He raised the lid on the case and a chill rippled down Jana’s spine. The device was obviously a sophisticated bomb, the int erior of the case loaded with electronics and a shiny metal sphere. Soft beeps sounded as he keyed in numbers. A long beep sounded and he shut the lid on the case. He looked carefully at his watch, and then began reinstalling the panel on the cabinet, leaving the contraption hidden without a trace.
    “Why are you doing this? What have these people ever done to you?”
    “Not a thing. This is business.”
    “Your business is killing innocent people?”
    “I do what I’m paid to do. I don’t ask why.” He tightened the last screw on the cabinet.
    “Yeah, I’m sure you were ‘told’ to kill Mr. Stevens.”
    “He pulled a gun.”
    “All you had to do was tell him to stop. He was an old man, you cold-hearted bastard.”
    “Can the chatter, lady.”
    “Or what, you’ll kill me too?”
    “I’d rather not.” He winked and smiled.
    “Keep dreaming; you’d definitely have to kill me first.”
    Dane slapped her so