In His Power (Beyond Darkness, #1) by Iris Deorre Read Free Book Online Page A

you’ll see your mummy soon.’  She felt it was better than trying to force the child to eat. She pushed the tray with the cold pizza towards Paige, and nodded for her to eat.
    Paige picked up the pizza and ate slowly. Lucia encouraged her with a nod.
    ‘I’ll be back in a few minutes,’ she told her.
    Paige nodded and continued to take small bites of the pizza. Lucia wandered down to the first floor to check on another little girl who was due to be taken. She had to make sure that child was still healthy and fit. The little girl sat on her bed watching the wall. Lucia inspected her, and everything seemed in order. They would soon take her away.
    ‘Hello,’ said Lucia, but the girl didn’t respond, instead she kept her gaze on the wall. ‘You’ll meet your new family soon, and leave this place.’ She tried to stroke the little girl’s hair, but she pulled away. Lucia knelt down, touched the child’s chin and brought her to focus on her. ‘I said you’re going to your new family soon, you should be happy.’
    The six year old spat straight into her face, which took Lucia by surprise. She’d never experienced such action from any of them. With in a second, she slapped the child across the face, and the little girl burst into tears.
    ‘I hope you don’t behave that way for your new parents.’ She wiped away the saliva as she stood up. ‘It’s very naughty of you.’
    ‘It’s naughty of you!’ The little girl splattered. ‘I don’t belong to you! You’re a thief!’
    Lucia grabbed the little girl by the arm. ‘You’re a little too clever for your own good! But that’s going to stop soon!’
    The little girl sniffed, not taking her eyes off Lucia. ‘My daddy is going to find you, and he’s going to shoot you.’
    She grasped her arm tighter.
    ‘Ouch, you’re hurting me!’ she cried.
    ‘Shut up you little brat!’ She let go.
    Lucia stepped back, took one last look at the little girl, and then left her alone.
    ‘My daddy’s a policeman; he’s going to find you!’ She screamed as the door shut.
    Lucia got back to the third floor and back into Paige’s room. The plate was clean, and she’d drunk the apple juice.
    ‘Well done!’
    ‘Can I see her now?’
    ‘Not just yet, there a few things we need to do first, like get you washed up and brush that hair.’
    ‘I want my mummy!’ She cried. ‘I want my mummy! I want my mummy!’
    The whining grated at Lucia! She wanted it to be all over, but the seven figure income that would come her way, kept her at the job.
    ‘You will, we just have to get you all cleaned up first.’ She lied.
    Paige stopped crying a moment.
    ‘We need you all clean and tidy, and get that hair sorted out.’
    ‘Then can I see my mummy?’
    ‘Yes, then you’ll see your mummy.’ The woman smiled and held out her hand. Paige took it happily and followed Lucia out of the room.
    Paige was washed and cleaned. Her hair brushed and put into two pony tails. She looked like the little girl who had been taken from her mother a few days ago. Satisfied, she dragged the child to the waiting car.
    ‘Are we going to see my mummy?’ Paige asked.
    ‘Not yet, but soon.’ She smiled.
    Paige seemed satisfied enough by the answer. But they didn’t stop outside her home. Paige didn’t even understand or realise she was in another country. Instead she was dragged into a studio where pictures of her were taken. At first Paige wouldn’t oblige, but the more Lucia used the lie, that she would soon see her mother; the more she worked with them. Later she was taken to some offices where they dealt with each child, took more photos, filled out paperwork, and then it was back to the warehouse. The moment the door closed on Paige, she let out a loud scream.
    ‘I want my mummy! I want my mummy!’
    But her responses were greeted by the key turning and complete silence.
    ****
    T he first page of the newspaper caught her eye. Victor Adamovich’s theme park had been shut down. She was