Master No (Masters and Mercenaries, #9)(124)

“I’m sure Ten will look back on what seemed like weeks of torture kindly.” She nodded to the bloody sheets. “Someone got the real thing.”

Her father shrugged. “Sometimes your sister doesn’t listen to sound advice. Anyway, she’s off the island now and gone to greener pastures, as they say. She’s got new toys to play with, but I have to stay here for a while and deal with you. You’ve been a very naughty girl, young lady.”

“This isn’t a joke.”

“It’s not. I’ve been remiss in bringing you in line, Faith. I made a mistake with your mother, and I’m not making the same one with you.” He stopped in front of her. “You know I love you. You look just like her. Hope took after my side of the family in looks and demeanor. But you, oh, you are as sweet and kind as your mother was. I loved her, too. So much I haven’t taken another woman since.”

Yes, his monogamy was so valiant. “So much that you had her killed.”

“I wasn’t happy to do that. It was necessary, but I’ve lived with that guilt and pain ever since.” He held up a needle and smiled her way. “Luckily, I don’t have to make the same mistake with you, princess.”

Faith took a step back. “What is that?”

“This? It’s your sister’s miracle. When coupled with the right therapy, she believes it can be used to reprogram a mind. I’m going to use it to erase all the bad memories. We’re going to our place in Munich for a few months. We’ll tell the press you’ve gone into rehab after that horrible incident at your clinic in Africa.” He tsked, shaking his head. “Really, sweetheart. You were drinking so much you didn’t recognize you gave those patients the wrong drugs and then tried to hide it. You’ll lose you medical license, but it’s all right. I’ll make sure you have a job helping out your dear old dad.”

“Why?” Her hands were shaking. How far away was Ten now? Had they already gotten him on a plane? How would she ever find him? He’d seemed certain Taggart and his crew were alive, but her father seemed awfully good at killing people. How many more people would die today? “Why would you take away my career?”

“You’ve left me with no option. They’re asking too many questions, and Kronberg stock would take a hit if it was known they’d supplied those vaccines that made people sick. It’s the media’s fault. They make a big deal out of everything. They can’t see the point of true innovation.”

“Apparently it’s drugging your child so she turns into some kind of lobotomized automaton.”

“Now that’s not at all true,” her father corrected. “I love you the way you are, Faith. But you’ve seen too much. You’ll be in therapy until the memories are wiped cleaned, and then you’ll be on the drug for the rest of your life. Can’t have those memories resurfacing, can we? No torture, princess. I promise. According to your sister, we can wipe your memories out and you’ll get to start over. How many people get that kind of chance?”

He was insane. Completely insane. Or completely amoral. He clearly had no idea that what he was doing was evil. Not that it mattered. He had to be stopped. Her sister had to be stopped.

“So Hope’s gone back to Kronberg headquarters like a good little psycho.” She backed up again because he was still holding that needle.

“I believe your sister has gotten everything out of Kronberg that she can. After how close that Agency f*cker came to outing us, they declined to fund her further experiments, but it’s all right. I have plenty of money stashed all over the world and we’d planned for this. She’ll join us in Munich when everything cools down. I need her to help retrain you.”

“I’m not going to let you do this to me.”

“Oh, princess, you don’t have a choice.” He started toward her but that was when she heard the explosion.

It was enough to make her father turn around, and she picked up the nearest object she could find—an IV pole—and clocked him with all her strength.

He cursed and the needle slipped from his hand, crashing to the floor.

“Faith, don’t make me hurt you.”

She tried to get around him, but he’d kept himself in decent shape. He put an arm out, curling it around her waist.

“Not going to happen,” he whispered in her ear. “It’s time we get out of here. Guards!”

She fought, but her father was quite strong. Within seconds, two guards had joined them and one handed her father a pistol, which he immediately put to her forehead.

“Very fatherly of you.” She hated him. All that teenaged angst she’d had over an absentee father melted in comparison to the loathing she had for him now.

All the people he’d killed. All the lives he’d ruined. He’d done it all for money and power.

If he took her memories, she wouldn’t have Ten. Even if they never saw each other again, she would have the memory of loving him, of being in his arms.

Her father wanted to take that away from her, too. She couldn’t let him. She couldn’t forget Tennessee.

“What the hell’s happening?” Her father pushed her toward the stairs.

One of his hired guards got in front of her while the other brought up their rear.

“Apparently the Chinese didn’t manage to take out Taggart,” the guard in front explained. “I told you we should have handled it ourselves. Actually, I believe I told you we should have left the minute we figured out who the hell we killed the other night. Ian Taggart wasn’t going to leave his brother behind, and he won’t give a damn that his brother was shooting at us.”