by Eva Andrews
Lying on the ground he heard Michael crying in his arms, Luke looked behind him to see Alastair and both of their right hand men with their pistols drawn protecting his back.
The three men who were chasing Michael lay face down in pools of their own blood, trying to hide Michael from seeing the gore, he lifted the weak boy into his arms as he stood. Sheltering Michael from seeing the bodies beside them.
“You have to save her Luke, they’ve hurt her so badly. She made me escape, I didn’t want to leave her, please save her Luke, she needs you.”
Trying to control his emotions, Luke asked “Where is she Michael, where is Genevieve?”
“I didn’t want to leave Luke, I wanted to stay with her and protect her! She made me leave!” Crying at the thought of abandoning his sister to those blackguards. Alastair had signaled for the carriage to be brought up to where Luke and Michael were standing, he signaled for Luke to load the child and himself into the carriage.
Stepping inside, Luke set Michael down on the padded seat and made room for Alastair.
“Michael, you did as your sister told you, no one is mad at you son, now tell me where she is at so I can rescue her, please?” Luke begged, trying to calm him down as Alastair directed the driver to the St. George home.
“I ran so far, I tried to look at the building as I ran away, it had a giant red star with a green circle over the bay doors, across the street was place called The Sea Clam,” he stated in a weak voice, exhaustion racked his little body. His little chest heaved in and out with labored breathing from running so far.
Looking over at Alastair, Luke nodded, “I know exactly where that is, we’ll get Gideon after we drop off Michael to his parents, this ends tonight!” His words dripped with anger.
Wrapping his arm around Michael, he leaned his head back and thought of the woman he loved in pain and scared, everything in him wanted revenge, he wanted to see those who hurt her suffer.
Alastair knew his friend was at his breaking point, all of the men hoped that Genevieve would be spared because she was a gently bred young lady. The news that her captors had tortured her like they would a man was sickening. The fair Genevieve was a genuinely kind woman, she was innocent and they treated her like a prisoner of war. They would pay for every mark they put on her. What Luke didn’t retract in vengeance, he would.
Alastair agreed with his friend, tonight it ended, “We’ll deliver Michael to his parents, pick Gideon up, arm ourselves accordingly and go directly back there,” looking at Michael, “Where exactly do they have your sister Michael, is she in a room?” He asked the young boy.
Sitting up straight, Michael replied, “Back office, locked behind a metal door with no windows deep within the warehouse, I slipped out when Rossdale brought us dinner, Vieve hit him with a stool so I could escape, I could hear her screaming as I left the building,” swinging his gaze over to Luke, sadden at the thought of abandoning his sister.
Shutting his eyes, Luke swore to kill every single one of the bastards with his bare hands, clenching his fist he struck the side of the moving carriage with such force, the paneling splintered.
Michael flinched as he watched him explode with rage in front of him adding, “The red headed lady is who kept hurting Vieve, they kept her tied to a chair so she couldn’t fight back, they taunted her, and questioned her for hours upon hours about you. She spit in that bitch’s eye, that is why she got her ribs broke.” he explained, taking a deep breath he continued, “Vieve never suffered an attack, even with Rossdale touched her!”
Cutting off Michael’s story, Luke asked through gritted teeth, “What did he do?”
Michael looked from Alastair to Luke a few times before explaining; “He blackened her eye when she refused to answer their questions. She was so brave. She sat before both of them like a queen.”
Trying to defuse his friend growing anger, Alastair offered as the carriage stopped, “We’ll get her back Luke, you know we will,” looking at Michael, “Let’s get you inside and back to your parents, Luke and I have much to do.” Alastair opened the door as the carriage stopped in the street before the townhouse.
Both Luke and Alastair descended the carriage, followed by a quickly recovering Michael, the three walked straight into the house, not even bothering to knock.
As soon as he was across the threshold Michael yelled for his parents, “Mother! Father!” Seconds later, Lady Selina came running down the hall dropping to her knees in front of her youngest child, hauling him into her eyes as she cried. Seconds later, Phillip burst out of the library followed by Annabelle who joined Selina on the carpeted foyer rug, wrapping their arms around both of them.
Lady Selina looked up at Luke and Alastair who watched the reunion, “Where is she?” Noting the worry in their faces.
“Michael just escaped, he has informed us where she is being held. We are collecting Gideon and going right away, we will bring her back safe Selina, I promise,” Luke vowed, instilling all his commitment and pride into his vow.
Lord Phillip stood up and uncharacteristically hugged Luke, hard, “Thank you my son, please, go, bring her back to us.”
Luke stood there, momentarily in shock, no one other man besides Gideon had hugged him since his own father had passed away. Shaking off the thought, Luke nodded to the older earl and turned to walk away with Alastair.
“Luke! Wait!” Selina begged, as she scrambled to her feet and ran to the door where he stood beside Alastair, the Duke of Blackstone.
Running up to him, she cradled his face and looked him in the eyes, “As a mother, there is no way I can ever repay you for bringing him home to me safe. I know that no matter what happens tonight that you’ll bring me home Vieve as well, I have faith in you my son, Genevieve has faith in you, and she has courage to withstand anything they put her through, trust in her Luke, she can endure this,” she said cryptically as she reached up and gave him a light peck on his cheek, “God speed gentleman, make those bastards pay for what they’ve done.”
Choosing to keep silent, Luke nodded to Selina as he looked over her shoulder and locked eyes once again with Phillip, nodding to him as well; Luke and Alastair took their leave quickly in search of Gideon.
Hustling down the stairs of the St. George residence, Luke and Alastair flew into the carriage and hailed for them to be taken to the Duke of Montrose’s immediately. Luke ran his hands through his hair, putting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward, “You know there is no way I can let either of them live, I refuse to let them sit in a cell and await a trial Alastair! Rossdale and Jade deserve to die by my hand!”
Sitting back, Alastair thought over the years he’d spent with his best friend, hunting down traitors and watching them hang, he knew Luke was right, if they had indeed harmed Genevieve in anyway, they were as good as dead.
Alastair leaned his blonde head back against the rumbling seat and mentioned, “They’ve had a death sentence for years my old friend, and tonight justice will be served. Do not think you’ll be alone, your brother and I will be with you, we wish for justice just as much as you. Do not think I’ve forgotten the innocent lives Jade and Rossdale have murdered, nor the soldiers they betrayed in return for coin.”
Leaning back, Luke peeked out of the window as they arrived at Gideon and Helena’s home, “I hope to God he’s home, otherwise we’re going without him, I’ll not waste anymore time.”
“Agreed, now let’s go see if he’s home and be on our way, I fancy a good fight coming on tonight my friend,” Alastair slapped Luke on the shoulder and the two exited the carriage, running up the stairs, the door opened before they reached the top.
“What happened?” Gideon asked as the men approached him.
Luke locked eyes with his brother, “Michael escaped only moments ago, and we know where she is.”
“I’ll get my guns,” he said, the tall duke turned back into the house and marched into his library, ripping off his fancy evening jacket and throwing it across the room. He walked aro
und his desk and knelt down, opening the safe under his desk and armed himself with numerous guns in seconds. Luke and Alastair followed him in, also pulling out their guns, rechecking their weapons as Gideon prepared.
“She’s being held north of the wharf, Red Star Line warehouse, she’s in bad shape. She made Michael leave without her, he thinks her ribs are broken,” Luke quickly debriefed his brother as they secured their weapons.
Walking up beside Luke, putting his hand on his shoulder, Gideon looked at his younger brother, “It ends tonight Luke, I’ll have that bitch’s head on a plate by the time tonight is done with, and Rossdale’s balls dangling beside it.”
Luke was inwardly pleased that Gideon didn’t press for Jade and Rossdale to be taken alive. Luke motioned for the door and the three men exited the library, and back out the door into the dark night, the three men jumped into the waiting carriage and took off in rush.
Fear laced through Luke as he thought about Genevieve, her illness could be debilitating for her, even life threatening, closing his eyes he willed her to live, to just hold on.
He thought of all of the moments they’ve shared these past weeks, countless precious moments flashed through his brain of her laughing, smiling or how she would naturally gravitate to his side while in public. Everything she did mesmerized him, enchanted him, and made him fall deeper in love with her.
The thought of her in pain because of him, made him feel as if he failed her already, he had no idea what condition she’d be in when he found her. Too many scenarios ran through his head, he had no doubt that Jade and Rossdale’s black hearts would have no trouble torturing an innocent.
Luke snapped out of his haze upon hearing Alastair’s words, “She’s alive Luke, stop torturing yourself, we will get her back.”
Picking his head up, he looked across the carriage at Alastair and Gideon who both watched at him, snapping back to reality he went into solider mode, “What is our plan of attack?”
The corner of Gideon’s mouth kicked up in a smirk, he was happy to see his brother get his mind prepared for battle, “How long ago did you find Michael? How long do we think he escaped?”
“I’d say he’s been gone less than an hour,” Luke offered as he cracked his knuckles and watched his brother ponder.
Alastair leaned forward, the moonlight bounced off his golden hair as he spoke, “We assume they have either moved operations, or are in the midst of doing so,” taking a flask out of his jacket pocket, he spun the cap off and took a drink, “Not much time has went by for them to entirely vacate a full stocked warehouse, I am going to assume we are going to find them in the middle of fleeing,” handing the flask to Luke.
Luke took a long pull of the silver flask and handed it to his brother as he explained, “We know the missive was a lie, and we also know the treasure is real, and to be delivered tonight from what Alastair’s men had recovered today, with Michael gone, they’ll take Genevieve with them as protection so they can escape.”
Gideon glanced over at Alastair and asked, “What else did your men discover today, we haven’t had time to sort out the new facts?”
“The treasure is to be delivered and transferred to a ship called The Sea Witch, from what my men discovered, The Sea Witch is docked in the northern harbor, close to the warehouse we now know Vieve is being held at. The ship is prepped and ready to leave for the colonies as soon as the Jackal gives the word,” Alastair laid the facts out as he received them, combined with what they now knew.
“I have my ship, The Interceptor docked and ready with crew if we need to give chase, it is the fastest ship in my fleet, and most likely this country,” Luke mentioned as the carriage slowed to make a corner.
Gideon pulled back the curtain to see they were almost at their destination, “We will slip out, and stick together, at all times. We check the docks for The Sea Witch to see if she’s still docked nearby,” looking back at his brother and Alastair, “If she’s docked still, we will precede to the warehouse and use any means necessary to secure Genevieve.”
“If the ship is gone?” Luke asked emotionless.
“Then we assume they are less than an hour out of the harbor, Jade and Rossdale will not leave without the treasure, guaranteed.” Gideon stated coolly, “Had they already taken possession of the treasure, they would have already left the shores of England.”
As the carriage rolled to a stop, Gideon looked over at his brother and Alastair, “We stick together, at all costs, understood?” He demanded, staring down his brother most intently. Alastair nodded as he pulled out a gun with each hand, preparing himself to defend the Somerset brothers at all costs.
Luke looked up as he pulled out his pistols and locked eyes with his older brother, he understood what Gideon was implying, Gideon knew him the best of anyone, “I will stay with you two no matter what Gideon, I will not break formation, on our parents’ grave, you have my word.”
“Thank you, there can be no mistakes tonight, it’ll take the three of us to end this,” resting his hand on Luke’s shoulder, “we do this together,” Gideon vowed.
Alastair opened the carriage door and stepped out first, the breeze off the water hit him in the face as the salty sea air filled his nostrils, looking around for activity he saw many people in the street, but no threats. Giving the brothers a hand signal to exit, the men left the carriage behind them and walked towards the wharf where the ships were tethered.
The night breeze blew in their face as they walked down the long docks searching for The Sea Witch as quickly as possible without raising suspicion. On the third dock, they found it docked, completely empty, sitting like a ghost ship.
“Something isn’t right,” Luke stated, as they looked at the ship from a distance.
“To the warehouse gentleman, let’s see what we can find there, be prepared for anything,” Gideon ordered, turning, the three of them walked off the long dock and back into the warehouse district to the location Michael had given them.
Perched by a nearby building giving them access to inspect the building without being seen, they had seen men stationed outside of the doors, but no other movement besides that.
Alastair leaned in and whispered, “Shall we go see what we can find?”
He received a nod from both Gideon and Luke, the three moved in a tight formation towards the guards posted outside of the warehouse, keeping to the shadows the men approached the warehouse carefully.
A scream from deep within the building echoed out into the street, Alastair instinctively wrapped his arms around Luke from preventing him from running in guns blazing, “Easy Luke, we will get her, use your head my friend, use your head.”
Alastair waited until Luke regained control over his emotions; he knew his friend would give his very life to save Genevieve.
Flattening themselves against the far wall, Gideon gave the hand signals for the two guards to be taken out quietly, they didn’t want to risk alerting the unknown numbers inside of the building they were there just yet.
They could hear a flurry of activity inside the building, it sounded like utter chaos, above all else, they could hear Jade’s Irish brogue above the noise ordering her workers around in an anxious hurry, she was on edge.
Luke and Alastair rounded the building with lighting like precision and each took a guard, quickly wrapping their hands around their mouths and neck, with a quick twist Luke and Alastair had efficiently silenced the guards by breaking their necks.
Leaving the bodies where they had fallen, Gideon stepped over the dead men and joined his brother and Alastair, “We do not know how many we face, we need to get a look inside and see what we are facing without alerting them we are here, ideas?” he asked quietly as they stood against the warehouse wall and listened to the flurry of activity inside.
The words were no sooner out of his mouth when the large bay doors were thrown open, the men dashed out of the way as two stage coaches sped out of the warehouse in a breakneck speed.
The carriages r
aced off in the direction of the docked boat they had earlier spied, knowing time was of the essence, Luke shouted, “Move!” when a shot rang out and hit the ground inches from their feet.
Looking up, the three men saw seven fully armed men running out the warehouse with weapons drawn. The carriage raced away out of their view in seconds.
Pulling their weapons Gideon, Alastair and Luke fired responding shots back at the henchmen. A blanket of bullets rained down on them, they moved as one, taking shelter behind an abandoned carriage in the street. The alley they were in had little light; the moon was caught behind clouds, throwing them into near complete darkness.
“We hit two of them, they’re closing in fast, we need to move,” Alastair shouted as they fired back at the Jackal’s men who had posted up on the other side of the alley behind large wooden crates.
Bullets ricocheted off the warehouse wall behind them, ducking; the men reloaded their weapons and devised a plan. They needed to make it fifty meters and hit the side alley that ran parallel with the River Thames, the men nodded to each other as they listened to Gideon’s quick orders, each getting ready to make a run for the adjoining street.
Alastair and Gideon ran straight towards the alley, while Luke held cover for them running backwards so he could fend off the men hunkered behind the crates.
Moving as a team, the three men’s steps echoed off the brick warehouse walls in the night air. As soon as they made a sound, bullets were heard, Luke with his dead accuracy hit two men directly in between the eyes, the rest fell back behind their hiding spot. Running quicker, the men turned the corner as a few bullets grazed the building by their heads.
Running shoulder to shoulder the men dashed down the alley as quickly as possible, knowing their assailants would be fast behind them, “Up to Devon Street, we’ll cross over to the wharf from there!” Gideon ordered as they clipped across the street and took an immediate left. Quickening their pace, the men knew the carriage carrying Genevieve would arrive long before they could stop the ship from disembarking out of the wharf, the tide was coming in, and ships bound for the North Sea, and into the English Channel were all preparing to make their journey out of the River Thames. The good thing was, The Sea Witch was docked at the Limehouse dock north of Luke’s ship. Even if they missed them on the docks, they’d have time, The Sea Witch would have to sail right past Luke’s ship docked at the Royal Victoria docks, which was located closer to the English Channel.
