chance she would even tell Flynn, but he couldn’t do anything else. He had to keep his head. He had to do the right thing. Until the custody case had been settled, Larissa played the drum and he danced like a monkey for peanuts. In the past, the state would have helped him with his legal costs, and a decision would have been made by now. Then a newly elected government decided legal aid should be withdrawn from child custody cases. Poor families clearly didn’t deserve justice. Now he had to rely on a shit lawyer who seemed utterly disinterested in his plight. Something as simple as giving a father access to his son, and he had to go skint forever to achieve it. No matter what happened though, he wouldn’t give up the fight for his boy.
***
Bile boiled in Rhys’ stomach and the few mouthfuls of sandwich he’d already eaten rose up his throat. Not only had that bitch ruined his weekend, but she’d ruined his lunch too. After he put his sandwiches back in his bag, Rhys picked his phone up again. His hands shook as he opened his emails and started a new message.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Flynn - What else?
Dear Shannon,
Please find below the latest interaction between myself and Flynn’s mother. She’s cancelled on me AGAIN! That’s FOUR times in the past three months. I’m only allowed to see him once a fortnight as it is! You said I have to play by her rules until we sort this, but I’m finding it damn hard. I should be seeing him more already, but nothing’s happening.
Please push this case through quicker. I’m desperate to see my boy more often!!!!!
Beneath the message, he cut and pasted the conversation between Larissa and himself before he hit send.
Before he’d returned the phone to his pocket, it buzzed with a reply.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Flynn - What else?
SHANNON IS OUT OF THE OFFICE UNTIL THURSDAY THE 24 th . IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS URGENT ATTENTION…
Bile lifted into Rhys’ throat and he couldn’t read beyond that point. It seemed like his solicitor spent more time on holiday than she did at work. Although, with the money she charged, she could probably afford holidays every two fucking weeks. An image of her as she drank cocktails by the pool made Rhys’ blood boil. Before he could launch his phone, he shoved it back into his pocket and looked at the photo of his boy again.
Chapter Six
Frank watched the screen until the lift reached the penthouse.
“Now open the doors.” Although the voice of his captor had moved farther away, Frank had no doubt that the gun remained trained on him.
Frank input the command and hit ‘enter’. The doors to the lift opened.
The family stumbled out and looked around. The sterile environment clearly confused them. Then they saw the scientists… A door separated the family and the diseased. The little girl screamed. The boy looked up from his phone. As one, the family stepped back into the lift and the dad pressed the buttons. The lift stayed where it was.
“They look hungry,” the voice said. “Now let them out.”
“What?” Frank asked.
“Do I need to hit you again?”
When Frank hesitated, the man said, “Think of your family. My men haven’t had sex in a long time. Abstinence keeps them sharp, although I am prepared to let them indulge if I need to.”
Frank typed. He had to work by touch because his vision had blurred through his tears. ‘Enter’.
The final set of doors between the infected and the family slid open. The scientists charged forward.
The dad stepped out and held his arm up in front of him… one last noble act as the protector of a wife and children.
Alice bit a huge chunk from it as she drove him backwards into the lift.
The family screamed.
Wilfred and John crashed into the lift seconds later.
The screams soon stopped.
With the diseased and
***
Bile boiled in Rhys’ stomach and the few mouthfuls of sandwich he’d already eaten rose up his throat. Not only had that bitch ruined his weekend, but she’d ruined his lunch too. After he put his sandwiches back in his bag, Rhys picked his phone up again. His hands shook as he opened his emails and started a new message.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Flynn - What else?
Dear Shannon,
Please find below the latest interaction between myself and Flynn’s mother. She’s cancelled on me AGAIN! That’s FOUR times in the past three months. I’m only allowed to see him once a fortnight as it is! You said I have to play by her rules until we sort this, but I’m finding it damn hard. I should be seeing him more already, but nothing’s happening.
Please push this case through quicker. I’m desperate to see my boy more often!!!!!
Beneath the message, he cut and pasted the conversation between Larissa and himself before he hit send.
Before he’d returned the phone to his pocket, it buzzed with a reply.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: RE: Flynn - What else?
SHANNON IS OUT OF THE OFFICE UNTIL THURSDAY THE 24 th . IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS URGENT ATTENTION…
Bile lifted into Rhys’ throat and he couldn’t read beyond that point. It seemed like his solicitor spent more time on holiday than she did at work. Although, with the money she charged, she could probably afford holidays every two fucking weeks. An image of her as she drank cocktails by the pool made Rhys’ blood boil. Before he could launch his phone, he shoved it back into his pocket and looked at the photo of his boy again.
Chapter Six
Frank watched the screen until the lift reached the penthouse.
“Now open the doors.” Although the voice of his captor had moved farther away, Frank had no doubt that the gun remained trained on him.
Frank input the command and hit ‘enter’. The doors to the lift opened.
The family stumbled out and looked around. The sterile environment clearly confused them. Then they saw the scientists… A door separated the family and the diseased. The little girl screamed. The boy looked up from his phone. As one, the family stepped back into the lift and the dad pressed the buttons. The lift stayed where it was.
“They look hungry,” the voice said. “Now let them out.”
“What?” Frank asked.
“Do I need to hit you again?”
When Frank hesitated, the man said, “Think of your family. My men haven’t had sex in a long time. Abstinence keeps them sharp, although I am prepared to let them indulge if I need to.”
Frank typed. He had to work by touch because his vision had blurred through his tears. ‘Enter’.
The final set of doors between the infected and the family slid open. The scientists charged forward.
The dad stepped out and held his arm up in front of him… one last noble act as the protector of a wife and children.
Alice bit a huge chunk from it as she drove him backwards into the lift.
The family screamed.
Wilfred and John crashed into the lift seconds later.
The screams soon stopped.
With the diseased and
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