Revenant by Allan Leverone

Author:Allan Leverone [Leverone, Allan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rock Bottom Books
Published: 2012-06-29T07:00:00+00:00

22

Earl Manning had never been the sharpest knife in the drawer or the brightest bulb in the lamp. He understood that. Growing up, his father made a point of telling him how stupid he was every chance he got, and even his mother had once scolded, “Earl, if brains was butter, you couldn’t grease a pan.” His own mother!

But he had always possessed a measure of animal cunning, more than once wriggling out of tight spots with the Paskagankee Police—often involving excessive alcohol consumption followed by a high-speed joyride in his ancient F-150—with a more or less believable lie or story that didn’t stretch the credulity of the officer who had stopped him too badly. He had spent plenty of nights in a holding cell but had mostly avoided legal trouble on a larger scale.

It was that innate sense of cunning Earl was counting on now to save his ass one more time. He didn’t know exactly what The Fucking Devil Max Acton had in store for him, but he could sense his body beginning to decompose at a faster rate. It didn’t take a genius to conclude his usefulness to his “god” had pretty much ended with the kidnapping of Brett Parker and the recovery of the man’s precious Codebreaker software.

Acton was preening and posturing, two activities Earl had already discovered the man lived for. They had herded Parker into the basement, the thumb drive with Parker’s software secured in Acton’s pocket, and the guy was lording it over the terrified software designer, taunting and intentionally frightening the man.

Earl stood at the base of the stairs. Raven was positioned directly in front of him, hanging back as usual, both fascinated by and afraid of Max Acton. Standing in front of her was Parker, perhaps the most reluctant house guest ever. And at the very forefront of the group Acton stood holding court, approximately one-third of the way across the basement, like an actor commanding the stage.

The moment Max addressed Parker and began telling him he had been brought here as an insurance policy, Earl knew what was coming and began readying himself for action without thinking about it in any specific terms. It was not an easy tightrope to walk. It was also, he knew, his only chance, and he was determined to make the most of it.

Finally the moment he had been waiting for arrived. Max smiled like a game show host telling the lucky contestant what he’d won. “As my insurance policy, it’s not completely clear yet how much of your assistance I will need, if any, but rest assured, Mr. Parker, that while you’re with me your living quarters will be adequate to your situation.”

He hesitated. “Well, not living quarters, precisely, but . . . ah, it’s difficult to explain. Perhaps a visual demonstration would be more appropriate. Mr. Manning, would you kindly show our guest where he will be bunking for the foreseeable future?

Acton indicated the industrial floor freezer at the other end of the

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