LOVE ABOVE LAW

by Alvarez, Sandy

  The more time slips away the chances of us finding them in time diminishes. To make matters worse, I was ordered by higher-ranking agents to step down; all because I'm too intimately involved with one of the victims. That should be the very reason they shouldn't pull me from the case. Out of any agent or officer involved, I would be more dedicated to finding them.

  For now, my only link between the inner workings surrounding the search for Leyna and Dana is Kai. He has kept in direct contact with Kurt for over an hour now as I pace the floor in my apartment going out of my mind. Kai decided he would be more useful in keeping me from going off the rails and doing something that might jeopardize the case or my badge. Nothing I have achieved up to this point in my life or career means shit to me right now. I will risk all of it; my badge and my life to save the woman I love.

  I stop mid-stride when someone pounds the hell out of my door. Kai glances in my direction with his phone to his ear because he's on yet another phone call with Kurt. Crossing the living room, I swing open the door shocked to see five faces looking back at me. Men I haven't looked at in months. I've met Gabriel more than once, and briefly introduced to the other men back when I accompanied Leyna to her brother's wedding. How the fuck did they get here so fast? It's a seven hour drive from here to Polson.

  "Lex," Jake speaks first. At his left is Quinn and his right Logan. Behind him stands Reid and Leyna's brother Gabriel, whose body language is easily readable with his fist clenched at his sides, nostrils flaring and veins bulging on his neck due to pent up rage. The man is angry. I know exactly how he is feeling.

  The last thing either one of us needs now is to lose our heads, so stepping to the side, I invite the Kings into mine and Leyna's home. The five of them brush by me finding their way through the living room and gather around the kitchen island. Kai walks up and shoves his phone into his back pocket as he takes in the men. "How the hell did you get here in under two hours?" I wait for one of them to answer.

  "Private plane," Logan tells me. I don't dig any further. How they got here is irrelevant. I turn to Kai whose waiting close by for introductions. "This is Leyna's family, Jake, Logan, Reid, Quinn and her brother, Gabriel. Men, this Agent Kekoa." I introduce everyone.

  Kai extends his hand, "Name is Kai," he shakes hands with each of them, minus Gabriel who remains rooted in place with his arms folded over his chest."

  Spreading his feet, Jake widens his stance and folds his arms. "Fill us in."

  I begin by telling them. "The girls were abducted in the mall's parking lot and all their belongings left inside the trunk of the car."

  "Wait—back up a second. You said, women. Leyna wasn't alone?" Quinn asks.

  "Leyna went out for lunch and shopping with her friend from work. At this point, we believe they were both taken at the same time—by the same person."

  At that moment Gabriel finally speaks. "Why the fuck are you here when you should be out there doin' your job?" he growls.

  Before I can respond to his question, Kai jumps in. "Due to his and Leyna's relationship, our superiors turned the entire investigation over to another agent. He's not allowed to assist in any way from here on out."

  "You're shitting us right now?" Quinn shakes his head.

  "Do authorities have anything to go by? Something that might point us in the right direction?" Logan questions.

  I look at Kai. I'm about to throw protocol right out the fucking window and my badge right along with it. With what I have in mind I'm about to break several laws the badge stands for. Kai reads my thoughts. His head lowers, and he stares at the floor.

  "Fuck, Lex. I know what you're thinking, man." His head rises and looks me dead in the eyes. "You sure? Are you prepared for whatever happens after all this is over? Once you cross the line that's it."

  I don't need time to think about it. There is only one answer I can give him. Leyna is everything to me. "I'm getting my woman back—no matter what it takes." I declare making sure the other men in the room hear me.

  Walking off, I go to my office, grab my laptop from my desk, and bring it back to the kitchen sitting it down on the counter. Flipping it open I proceed to access my personal files from work. I have to access the FBI database to get to the records. I spin my computer toward Reid. I don't know everything there is to know about the man, but during our first investigation on the club a few months back, we did a thorough check on every member's background. So, I know their man here has computer hacking skills, and we are about to see just how good he is. "Last public communication we have with who I believe took Leyna and her friend came from this cellphone. Is there a way you can trace those calls back to a location we can work with?" I question him.

  "And what makes you think I can do that?" Reid eyes me with suspicion; as he should.

  I raise my brow.

  Pulling the laptop closer, his eyes scan the screen. "Fuckin' hell," he looks at me, "you're telling me Hugo Diaz has Leyna?" Reid runs his hand down his face then looks at his friends; all of them recognizing the name. Immediately their attention shifts to Gabriel who makes a motion to move in my direction, but Jake stops him.

  "We are not here for that. Suck that anger up and direct it toward finding these women," Jake warns Gabriel.

  "Along with this case against Hugo, we've been dealing with a rash of homicides over the past few weeks. Four women murdered in the same manner, all having physical similarities. Hugo's DNA matched those found on victim number four," I explain further.

  "What does Hugo killing these women have to do with my sister," Gabriel's voice booms.

  "Reid, click the file marked case number 213," I instruct him knowing he'll see the victim's images pop up on the screen. "Every woman murdered share the same features; long black hair, green eyes and tan skin." I let them place the pieces of the puzzle together. It doesn't take them long.

  "They all look like Leyna, brother," Quinn says as he looks from the computer screen to Leyna's brother whose eyes stay glued to the images.

  "I don't have definite proof he killed the other three women. All I've got to go on is instinct and my gut feeling. I believe Hugo is obsessed with Leyna." My stomach tightens at the mention of his name and the thoughts of him putting his filthy hands on her.

  "Let me get to work. Tracing calls made by Chad Ridder's phone is easy. Running down the location of the phone he called might take a little more time." Reid types with speed and determination. I walk away, crossing the room over to the large window overlooking the city. Kai follows stopping beside me.

  "You think you can trust them?" he asks.

  "Right now, it's not about trust. I need to find Leyna and Dana." Turning I face my friend. "I understand the risk I'm taking involving the Kings. I know all the ramifications that come along with taking matters into my own hands, but what choice do we have? You and I both know the rest of the team on this case has nothing more to go by." Kai gives me an understanding look and peers over in the kitchen to see the other men talking amongst themselves.

  "Alright, then I'm with you," Kai tells me.

  Not much time passes before Reid announces, "I've got something. Jesus, we got lucky. Every call was made to the same damn number, and I was able to hack into that phone," he looks up, "don't ask me how; I won't tell you." Looking around, Reid snatches a pen and a notebook I had sitting on the counter and scribbles on it. "This is the address." Making my way across the room, I grab the paper he hands me. "I pulled it up. No clear image is available because it's in a secluded location." Reid spins the computer around so we can get a look at the map. "We want to look here." He points to the dense green coverage on the satellite image. Immediately I recognize the highway parallel to the location.

  "Dammit. This isn't far, maybe thirty minutes and it is undeveloped land with thick forest and vegetation," I tell them. Yanking my coat from the back of the couch, I snatch my keys off the table before it dawns on me, we can't all fit in my car. As soon as I turn my attention toward Kai, he throws me the keys to
the unmarked suburban he drove here. Rushing out of the apartment, seven large men jog down the hallway and cram ourselves into the elevator. You could have heard a pin drop with the silence that hung between us—not one single breath on the ride down to the parking garage. Clicking the key fob, the alarm on the SUV beeps and the doors unlock. As soon as every man is in, I throw the vehicle in reverse.

  Silence falls amongst us. By sheer luck or a higher power traffic is minimal tonight as we make our way through the city streets leaving the downtown area. Eventually, we become the only vehicle on the road as we turn off onto one backroad after another. With no street lights or house lights to be seen, it's pitch black, so I turn the high beams on.

  A figure emerging from the tree line alongside the road causes me to slam on the breaks. Gravel crunches beneath the tires as we come to an abrupt stop causing my seatbelt to lock, digging into my chest. As the dust cloud settles a young woman appears standing in the middle of the road. For a moment I think it's Leyna by the coat she is wearing until she looks straight at us.

  "Fuck, it's Dana," Kai shoves the SUV's door open rushing toward her. Scooping her into his arms he carries her back to the vehicle, placing her shivering body on the seat. Reaching over, I crank the heat to the max and tap the button for the seat warmer. Kai slides his coat off and wraps her in it. "Dana, sweetheart, talk to me. Are you hurt anywhere?" Kai starts looking her over. From what we can visually see she's dirty, wet, and most likely hypothermic. Her teeth chatter when she speaks.

  "We need to find Leyna." She breaks down and sobs. Lifting her small frame, Kai slides in, places her down on his lap, and closes the door.

  "Dana, can you tell me where Leyna is?" I ask her.

  "We escaped and ran far into the woods. Leyna made me hide and she ran in the opposite direction." She buries her face in the palm of her hands. "She was trying to save me by leading the guy away." She lifts her head only to notice five strange men in the back two rows staring at her and her eyes widen. I glance at them in the rearview mirror, and notice Jake's face soften as he speaks to her in a low voice.

  "Didn't mean to scare ya, sweetheart, but we need you to tell us everything."

  Putting the vehicle in drive, I follow the GPS down the road while listening to Dana tell us every detail of what took place. Rage builds inside knowing he hit my woman. Making a sharp right turn onto a narrow dirt road, we roll to a stop when it ends after thirty yards. Up in the distance, barely visible by the headlights shining on it, is a tiny rickety shack.

  "That it—that's where he took us," Dana confirms.

  "You guys go on. I'm staying here with Dana." Kai informs us. The Kings climb out of the SUV.

  "Look in the back; there should be a few flashlights stowed away in the cargo hold," I tell them. I dip my head looking back into the vehicle at Kai. "Call it in," I tell him before closing the door. Grabbing a light, I catch up with the Kings who have already started making their way toward the rundown home. One by one I watch them pull weapons from the inside of the winter coats they each have on. Without needing to give directions, we walk the perimeter before entering the house.

  Once inside we find the small dilapidated space empty. The only evidence Leyna was even here is lying on the dirty bedroom floor near the hole they escaped from—her boots. Leyna is out there in the cold, with no shoes on her feet, no coat to keep her warm and a mad man hunting her.

  "Find anything?" Looking up from the hole, I look to see which one of the guys was talking to me, which happens to be Quinn. The rest of the men file in one by one.

  "She's out there in the woods somewhere. We'll cover more ground if we split up." I look at each man.

  Jake lifts his chin, looks at his men then settles his eyes on me. "Let's go huntin'."

  Heading outside we make sure which direction each man is heading and spread out amongst the tree line. Gabriel whose standing about six yards to my right smirks and a shadow settles over his face. I recognize the look. He's out for blood.

  Taking Hugo in alive isn't an option anymore. I know when I find the motherfucker, I won't think twice about ending his worthless existence and I'll find satisfaction the moment I put a bullet in his head.

  26

  Leyna

  Shining the flashlight in my face, Hugo advances in my direction. Wanting desperately to get away, I begin to crab crawl backward. My attempt to flee is futile. When Hugo reaches me, he leans down, grabs a fist full of my hair and pulls me to my feet. Using both hands, I grasp on to his bicep, turn my head and bite down as hard as I can on his forearm. Hugo lets out a strangled snarl, releasing the hold he has on me.

  "You fucking bitch!"

  I take the advantage, and in a flash, I'm once again on the run. Looking over my shoulder, I see him scramble to pick his flashlight up off the ground. My actions allow me a bit of a head start. With only the moonlight as my guide, I continue to weave through the trees and brush. I pray that by now Dana has made her way out of the woods and can hopefully find some help. At this point, she's my only chance.

  With my energy depleting, my movements become more sluggish. I can hear the heavy footsteps behind me getting closer, but I refuse to give up. Just when I think I can't go any further, I spot a light off in the distance. Pushing through my exhaustion, I pick up my pace. The further I get, the brighter the image attached to the light becomes—a house. My small glimmer of hope vanishes when suddenly I'm tackled from behind.

  "No!" I cry out. Clawing at the ground, I try with every ounce of energy I have left to get away. Only my attempts get me nowhere. Hugo flips me on my back and settles his weight on top of me. "Get off of me!" I scream, scratching and clawing at his ugly face. Balling his fist, Hugo punches me. The blow is brutal, and it causes a throbbing pain to radiate across the left side of my face.

  "You stupid whore." Spittle flies from Hugo's mouth during his tirade. "What made you think you could get away from me?" he continues to spew. "Where the hell is that bitch friend of yours?" he says getting in my face, the wretched smell of his breath makes me gag.

  "Beso mi culo kiss my ass." I sneer then spit in his face. My actions reward me a punch to my stomach. Clutching my mid-section, I gasp for air.

  Not waiting for me to recover, Hugo hauls me up to my feet once again. "When I find your friend, I'm going to shoot her right between the eyes." My gut clenches at his words. Everything is going to be okay. Dana made it out. She's going to be okay. I repeat the words over and over in my head. I have to believe she made it and hopefully will find help before it's too late. Even if she doesn't get to help in time, I feel a small ounce of contentment knowing she'll be okay. If I die, then I'll die knowing I did what I had to do for her to go on living.

  Lost in my thoughts, I try to drown out Hugo's rambling about revenge and all the things he has planned for me. My thoughts are interrupted when a piercing pain shoots through the bottom of my foot, up my leg, and I fall to the damp cold ground. Looking down at my feet, I see my once white socks soaked red with blood. I've been out in the cold for so long I no longer feel my toes. Just as I go to inspect my foot, Hugo grabs my arm.

  "Stand the fuck up."

  I try standing but the moment I apply pressure to my right foot, the intense pain causes my knees to buckle, and I cry out, "Mierda!" With tears running down my swollen and bloody cheek, I peer up at Hugo. Through blurry eyes, I watch as he takes his gun from the waistband of his jeans and points it at me. My life flashes before my eyes. Images of all the things I hoped to have done and seen in my life—all the wonderful things I wanted with Lex I may never get the chance to experience like marriage and a family play out like a movie reel put on fast forward. My thoughts drift to my brother, and the fact we haven't had the chance to fix our relationship. I have too much I want to live for. "Fucking look at you!" Hugo roars waving his gun at me. "You're not even worth this much trouble."

  With my sobs getting lodged in my throat, I raise my hand in front of my face. "Please," I attempt to beg for
my life, but the moment my eyes lock on Hugo's cold stare, I know there is no hope for me. With a shuttered breath I close my eyes and wait for my death. My last thoughts are of Lex and my family. A moment later a gunshot echoes through the forest.

  "Leyna!" I hear my name shouted through the stillness surrounding me. I open my eyes and realize I'm still breathing, then notice the body lying on the ground at my feet with a hole in the middle of his forehead. Hugo. "Leyna!" my name is called again. This time I recognize the voice and strain my eyes looking out into the darkness in front of me.

  "Lex!" I cry out.

  Suddenly, Lex appears in front of me, drops to his knees and scoops me into his strong arms. Overwhelmed with relief, a strangled cry escapes my mouth. I try to summon the strength and wrap my arms around his neck, but it's no use. My arms feel like they weigh a ton and my body goes limp.

  "Fuck," Lex curses under his breath. Hearing several footfalls in the distance, he calls out. "We're over here!" With me in his lap, Lex scrambles to take his coat off. He threads my arms through the sleeves, pulls it tight around my shivering body and zips it. "We have to get you warmed up, baby." Sounds of footsteps stop directly behind us. "Shine that light over here. I need to look her over."

  As soon as Lex barks his order, several flashlights illuminate over us. I'm shocked at who I see. "Hermano?" I blink. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? I start to cry even harder.

  Dropping to his knees, Gabriel palms my cheek. "Shh, Leyna."

  I blink through my tears, then look around realizing they are all here. Lex, Jake, Logan, Gabriel, Reid, and Quinn. "We've got to move," Lex announces not giving me much time to process anything. Turning to Reid, he says. "Call Kai. Tell him we have her and we're on our way." With me in his arms, Lex begins to make his way through the woods. Resting my head against his chest, I let the rhythm of his heartbeat calm my nerves. I focus on the warmth his arms give me and allow his love to dull my pain. When I remember my friend, my head shoots up.