by Rebecca Deel
“On my mark, take out the guards.”
Both snipers acknowledged Nico’s order.
“Shadow will be in position in one minute.” Nico signaled Ben and Joe to follow him. At their designated location, Nico’s gaze locked with Joe’s. “Your only job is to get to Sam. The rest of us will take care of the garbage. Watch your six and use that ice you’re famous for on missions.”
Joe drew in a deep breath, sharpened his focus, and nodded at Nico. He was ready.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Sam woke to the realization that she was sitting in a wooden chair, her wrists cinched to the slats behind her back. The drug Flores shot into her vein had left her weak, dizzy, and sluggish.
She was in deep trouble. If Joe and the rest of her team didn’t arrive soon, she wouldn’t live to share another sunrise with the man of her dreams.
Sam let her head continue to hang and slowly flexed her hands and wrists. Flores had used zip ties cinched tight enough to cut off circulation. Not enough play in the bindings to slip her hands free to defend herself if the drug wore off fast enough. Patience didn’t seem to be high on Flores’s priority list which dropped Sam’s chances of survival even further.
A cold sweat beaded on her back at being helpless again. Sam fought to control her heart rate. Giving in to panic wouldn’t help her rescue herself if her team couldn’t find her in time. At least Flores and his cronies didn’t know they’d grabbed the wrong woman. That was one of the only reasons she was still alive. The moment that changed, Sam would be fighting for her life with her feet and the chair she was tied to.
If Flores learned of his error, the mercenary-minded man might be inclined to take her for himself or sell her at an auction, ridding himself of the problem and still profiting from the mistake.
Her hands fisted. Flores was in for a surprise if he thought she would give up. The Army and Fortress had spent a fortune training her to handle every conceivable situation. She would fight. Hard. Sam wanted the life she dreamed of with Joe Gray and no two-bit Neanderthal was going to take that life from her.
She opened her eyes to slits and blinked at the sunlight streaming into the room. Concrete floor. Sam cut her gaze to the left, then right without moving her head. Scarred wooden walls. Echoing interior. Musty smell of disuse. A warehouse?
Still no sound in the room to indicate she had company in her prison. She needed more intel to formulate a plan. Sam raised her head and took in her surroundings. The room was large and barren of furniture aside from her chair. No bars on the window. If she freed herself from the zip ties, she could escape through the window and run for safety.
Maybe Flores hadn’t confiscated her phone. The cargo pockets were deep. If he didn’t search her while she was unconscious, he wouldn’t know she had access to help.
Sam shifted her leg until the pocket where she’d hidden her phone nudged against the chair frame. Something hard pressed against her leg. Relief had her muscles relaxing a fraction. Thank God. She still had her phone.
What about her Sig? Had Flores and his goons found her weapon? Sam shifted her leg. The holster was empty. All right, then. No gun. She had a knife hidden in her boot. That was something, at least. Not her choice of weapon. Knives were for close contact confrontations. Based on the way she felt, Sam would be better off not engaging in hand-to-hand combat. For now, anyway. Already her head felt clearer. If she had a few more minutes, Sam might be able to take on Flores and company.
Her lips curved. Good thing she had trackers embedded beneath her skin. Sam had no idea where Flores had taken her.
Was the drug in her system habit forming? No need to worry at this point. If he’d hooked her body on the drug, she’d detox her system after she was free. She thought about the plan of treating herself and reconsidered. Might be best to go to Dr. Sorenson’s clinic in case something had happened while she’d been knocked out or Flores had used a dirty needle.
Sam fought down the nausea boiling in her stomach. No. She couldn’t lose it. Everything hinged on her being able to think and act when the opportunity presented itself.
She froze as the sound of male voices filtered through the flimsy door. Flores’s voice she recognized immediately. The second man’s voice sounded familiar but she couldn’t place it.
“Good work.” The second male laughed. “I can’t believe you grabbed her despite the two bodyguards with her. Guess that Fortress group is all hot air, boasting how good they are.”
“I’m better,” Flores said.
“Is the auction set up?”
“Not yet.”
A pause. “Why not? I told you to take care of it immediately. That’s what I’m paying you for.”
“What do you care what happens to the woman as long as she never surfaces again? You paid me to take care of her. I plan to do that. After.”
“After what?” The second man’s voice rose.
“After I take what I want. She’s very beautiful. With my personal training, she will bring a great price if I decide to sell her.” A laugh escaped. “I might keep her for myself.”
“We had a deal.”
“You made demands. I never agreed to them. What’s done is done. The woman is no longer your concern. She is my property now.”
Fury burned in Sam’s gut, blasting away the nausea. She was no man’s property. As for training? Flores was in for a shock. Given the opportunity, she would kill him without an ounce of regret. That sick cretin would rue the day he’d laid his hands on her.
At least he hadn’t killed Joe or Kayla. Sam knew in her heart Joe was coming for her. The skin under her right shoulder blade burned as another tracking tag was activated. The warmth reminded her that Shadow had her back. She had to survive until help arrived or she could free herself from this building and disappear into the shadows.
“If she ever sees the light of day again, I’ll destroy you and throw you on the not-so-tender mercies of your boss. Maldonado and I have a profitable arrangement going. He won’t be happy if something interferes with the supply of women.”
A long pause. “A wise man wouldn’t threaten me. My enemies don’t live long.”
Flores’s voice had dropped and taken on a dangerous edge. Did the other man hear it? Suited Sam’s purposes if there was dissension between the men. Better for Sam if they turned on each other instead of her.
“Take me to the woman,” the second man demanded. “I want to tell her why she’s going to suffer before I get out of this stinking town.”
A loud growl. “Careful, my friend. Los Lobos is my hometown. It is dear to my heart. For the sake of your health, choose your words carefully.”
“The woman. Now.”
“This way.”
The men’s footsteps drew closer. Sam raised her head and stared at the door, mentally preparing herself for the confrontation to come.
Flores threw open the door and stepped inside first. A moment later, Colt Riley entered the room. His gaze swung to her. The triumphant expression on his face faded, replaced by shock, then fury.
He swung around to face Flores. “Is this some kind of joke or a ploy to milk more money from me? It won’t work, Flores.”
Maldonado’s man frowned. “You told me to capture the woman with the baby and take her to a safe place.”
Riley shook his head, his glittering gaze locked on Sam. “This is the wrong woman, you dolt. This is Charlaine’s bodyguard. She’s married to another bodyguard who is as solid as a brick wall and could easily take down both of us without breaking a sweat.” Fear glimmered in the depths of his eyes. “Are you sure her husband didn’t follow you here?”
A snort. “No one followed. My men made sure. We are safe for the moment.” Left unspoken was the threat that they might not be secure for much longer.
Riley was afraid of Joe. Good. Given half a chance, Joe would kill this worm if she didn’t get to the executive first. “Surprise, Riley or whatever your name is. Screwed up, didn’t you?”
“
Shut up.” Riley covered the distance between them in six strides and backhanded her with his fist.
Her head whipped to the side. Pain exploded in Sam’s cheekbone. She blinked back the sting of tears, unwilling to give Riley the satisfaction of knowing he’d hurt her.
She turned back to glare at him. “You’re the one behind the trouble at Hollingbrook Cruise Line.”
Riley smiled. “Very good, Sam. And not only the problems plaguing the cruise line.”
“You killed Janine Hollingbrook.”
“Not directly. My friend, Maldonado, took care of the job for me.”
“How much did you pay his organization?”
A laugh. “Not a penny. We have an arrangement. When I take over Hollingbrook’s cruise line, Maldonado’s people will cruise for free and have a chance to peruse the merchandise.”
Disgust filled Sam. This lowlife would run a floating human trafficking market. “It doesn’t bother you that these women won’t have a life if they’re taken?”
He shrugged. “Won’t be my problem. Maldonado’s men won’t take them directly from the ship. The women will disappear when they’re visiting a port. All kinds of bad things happen when tourists stray from the safe areas of a city.”
“Why kill Janine? What did she do to you?”
“Nothing except have Mike Hollingbrook as her father.”
“You murdered an innocent woman to hurt Mike.”
Fury darkened his eyes. “My father is dead because of him. He was a good man and Hollingbrook destroyed him. I’ll take everything he cares about away from him, then kill him.”
“Who is your father?”
“Kirk Ferguson. Tom was my brother.”
Shock rolled through Sam. According to the research she and Joe had conducted earlier into Ferguson, Tom was his only offspring. “Tom was an only child.”
A scowl marred his face. “My mother had a short affair with Kirk. I’m the result of their fling. My father loved his wife and didn’t want her to know of the affair. He supported my mother and me financially in return for us staying in the background and remaining silent. His name isn’t on my birth certificate because Kirk’s wife wasn’t in good health. He feared the news might kill her. She desperately wanted a second child and her health prevented her from carrying another pregnancy to term. While she was recuperating from one of the miscarriages, Kirk met my mother.”
“Who are you?”
He stared at her a moment. “I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you. You won’t be able to divulge the information to anyone who will listen. Flores knows to keep his mouth shut. If he decides to sell you, you’ll be too broken to spill what you know and your buyer won’t care. My name is Wade Andrews.”
The name sounded familiar to her. She wracked her brain to remember where she’d heard or seen his name. Must have been during Shadow’s research into the backgrounds of their suspects.
The memory piece fell into place. “You were lower-level management at Ferguson Cruises for a while.” Didn’t make sense for Ferguson to give his illegitimate son a job when he’d insisted no one know of their relationship. “Why did Ferguson hire you? If he wanted to maintain that distance between the two of you but give you a break, he should have helped you find a job in another company.”
Andrews laughed. “He did. When it became apparent that I had inherited my old man’s business savvy in the cruise industry, he made a few phone calls and got me a job with Hollingbrook. Didn’t hurt that I’d crossed paths with him several times. Hollingbrook hired me on Kirk’s recommendation and I worked hard enough to earn fast promotions.”
Sam frowned. “Don’t you see what Kirk did?”
His smile faded. “What do you mean? He helped his son find a job. Kirk was a great father.”
A great father didn’t ignore his own son and refuse to acknowledge the blood relationship to the world. “Kirk’s wife died a few years ago. What kept him from acknowledging you then?” She shook her head. “You’re lying to yourself, Andrews. Old Kirk helped you get a job with his competition so you wouldn’t be a threat to Tom’s position in the company. You were the one most like him. You had the ambition. But Tom was the acknowledged heir. Kirk protected his legitimate son over you.”
Andrews backhanded Sam on the opposite cheek with his fist. Great. She’d have matching bruises on her cheeks. Sam blew hair away from her eyes and turned toward the angry executive again. “Feel better beating up on a defenseless woman?”
Flores chuckled, his eyes glowing with heat. “This one, she has spirit. I look forward to taming her.”
“You’re a fool, Flores.” Andrews sneered. “You’ll never train this woman. She’ll die before she becomes your slave.”
Andrews wasn’t as stupid as he seemed. Sam knew her teammates were close. She just had to stall. “Why did you kill Tom?”
“Weak link. He would have talked. I don’t intend to spend time behind bars.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Now, where is Charlaine?”
Sam shrugged. Another blow from his fist rocked the chair. She sucked in a breath. When she was free, Sam would take this abusive jerk down.
“Try again, Sam.” Andrews smirked. “I can keep this up all night.”
“No,” Flores said, voice sharp. “She is my property and I have plans for her this night.”
“After I get answers to my questions,” the executive insisted.
“Why do you want Charlaine?” Sam’s face swelled where his blows had landed.
“Hollingbrook assigned guards for her and still she’s vulnerable. If she’s taken, no one will be safe. The downfall of the man himself and the company he built will be a sweet reward as I avenge my father’s death at his hands.”
Outside the warehouse, two rifles fired.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The second Liam and Trace fired their sniper rifles, taking out the guards at the front and back doors, Joe sprinted for the window near the corner of the warehouse where Sam was being held, Ben and Nico at his back.
He peered through the window, thankful this side of the building was in the shadows cast by the warehouse next door. An enemy soldier would have to walk by the narrow alley and look right at them to see the operatives.
The room on the other side of the glass was empty. Excellent. “Room clear,” he whispered into his comm system. Joe tried lifting the window. Locked.
When flashbangs exploded inside the building followed by shouts and screams, he smashed the glass with his gloved fist. Joe reached up and unlocked the window. Within seconds, all three operatives were inside the room, weapons up and ready in case one of the traffickers pinpointed the location of the noise and raced into the room.
No one came. Bravo team’s distraction was giving Joe, Nico, and Ben the chance to find Sam.
Joe crossed the room and eased the door open a crack. No movement yet. That would change soon. They needed to move. This warehouse was at least 10,000 square feet and Sam’s captors now knew they were under attack. He prayed they didn’t panic, kill her, and run. That possibility was why Joe had been against this plan from the beginning. Riley showing up at the warehouse had forced his hand and those of his teammates. Time had run out to come up with another option.
He eased the door open further. Mission clock ticking in his head, Joe signaled Nico and Ben. The three operatives exited the room. Nico indicated he and Ben would take the rooms on the right side of the corridor while Joe searched the ones on the left. He cleared room after room, growing more frustrated with every minute that passed with no sign of Sam. Fear beat at him. Where was she? He closed the door to the last room, glanced at Nico, and shook his head. “Clear.”
“Same. Second floor.”
Joe led the way to the stairs and stepped into the stairwell. A second later, he saw movement on the landing, aimed, and fired. One of the Maldonado soldiers fell to the floor with a bullet in his heart, his sightless eyes staring into Joe’s.
He rushed up the remaining stairs to the
second-floor landing and eased the door open. Joe grimaced. “Three heading this way,” he murmured.
Nico motioned for Ben to take position on the right wall. Joe took the left wall, bashing the dim light bulb with the butt of his Sig. Shadow’s leader crouched on the stairs, nearly invisible in the darkness. “Ben and I will take care of these clowns. Find Sam. She’s your only priority.”
“Roger that.”
The wooden door burst open and three men surged into the confined space. Nico dropped the first man with a shot to the forehead. Joe shoved the third man toward Ben and slipped into the corridor, Sig up and tracking. He turned off the lights. The operatives hadn’t had time to cut the power with Riley showing up unexpectedly. Turning off the lights made him more difficult to spot.
A grim smile curved his lips. As long as Maldonado’s people left the lights off. The moment the lights came on, Joe would be a prime target with limited places to dive for safety.
He moved swiftly to the first door on the right and renewed his search for Sam. Three rooms later, he heard booted feet running toward him. Not one of his teammates since they were trained to move in silence.
Joe pressed his back to the inside wall of the room he’d been searching, leaving the door ajar to see and hear what was going on. A male voice called out to Ruben as he ran down the corridor to the farthest room in the corner.
His hand tightened around the hand grip of his Sig. Was the thug calling out to Ruben Flores?
A door opened. “Jorge, what is it? What’s going on?”
Joe’s lips curled. He recognized that voice. Was Sam with the sleaze ball?
“We’re under attack. There must be at least fifty men.”
He frowned. How did nine operatives become a contingent of fifty men?
“Do you recognize any of them? Are they from a rival group?”
“No, sir. I’ve never seen them before. They’re everywhere, Ruben. Inside and outside. We’re dropping like flies.”
“Don’t panic, you idiot. Go help Garcia and the others. Keep them away from this room. I want one of them captured alive. The rest you can kill. Maldonado will want to know what group they’re from so he can make them pay for daring to mount a raid in his territory.”
