by M. Tasia
“Yeah. I’m told you’re exceptionally responsible.”
Ross didn’t know if that was a shot or not. “Someone has to be.”
“Hey, I’m not knocking ya. I’m responsible for all these people. I understand the feeling of wanting to be free to make choices without using logic and preparing for all possible scenarios.” Before Ross could respond, Jack said, “Back on track, we’re here to talk about James.”
“Have you been diagnosed with ADD?” Ross had to ask, what with the way the guy was bouncing around subjects.
“Funny. Funny,” Jack replied. “James will have a hard time talking you in circles. Now, what’s the game plan?”
“Game plan?” Ross took the last swig of beer from his bottle and took another out of the cooler. He needed alcohol for this conversation.
“Yeah, so what are you going to do to keep James around after this blows over?” Jack asked as if Ross somehow had the magic answer.
What was he going to do? Did he want to do anything? This was supposed to be temporary. He had no long-term plan. Hell, Ross didn’t have any plans past catching Avante.
“Well, I can see you need some time to think about it,” Jack said before emptying his beer. “I’ll leave you to work it out. I’m sure you’ll come up with something.”
Jack stood and started back down the porch stairs without saying another word, leaving Ross to think about shit he didn’t want to tackle.
CHAPTER 12
“How is it possible for Avante to still be on the streets?” Ross asked no one in particular.
His frustration at the situation was riding close to the surface. His sister and niece shouldn’t have to hide out indefinitely.
James, Wallflower, Ross, Jack, and Jac sat around the kitchen table while Wallflower’s seventeen-year-old sister, Rainbow, was out playing with Becca at the small playground on the other side of the settlement.
Ross was stunned as he read through the reports laid out in front of him. It had been almost a week since they’d gone into hiding and it seemed the LAPD were no further along in apprehending Avante. It seemed as if someone was dragging their feet, and given what had happened with Sparks, corruption up the chain was possible. But Avante had been “disowned” by his mob boss, stripped of his money and power. What benefit would anyone yield in keeping him alive and on the streets?
Ross been in contact with Bev who told him they were close to figuring out how far the corruption had spread, but not having Avante in custody, or even a clue where he was, appeared to imply something completely different.
Wallflower, hacker extraordinaire, had given him more information than Bev had, or shared, which led to the sick feeling building in his stomach.
“Do you honestly think she had anything to do with this?” Jac asked Ross. She had to know how devastating that would be for him.
“I don’t know. It’s possible,” Ross was loath to admit. “But I haven’t spoken with her in a few days. Maybe things have changed.”
Since Avante was still at large, nothing much had changed.
“We should prepare for worst-case scenario just in case,” James suggested. “I don’t want to be an asshole, but I would feel a hell of a lot better if we consider Bev as an unknown at this point.”
Had his oldest friend betrayed him? Had Bev been working with Sparks to help Avante get away? Were they hunting them even now? Questions piled up with no answers in sight. This day couldn’t get much worse.
Wallflower’s phone rang.
She looked down at it and said, “Wonder what Rainbow wants?” She pressed the answer button. “What’s up, sis?” Wallflower asked. Ross noticed her demeanor change almost immediately and her face drained of blood.
He went on alert at the same time as James.
“He wants me to put the call on speaker,” she said.
Shit. Ross nodded and Wallflower tapped the button with a trembling finger as tears began running down her cheeks.
“Hello, Ross. Bet you thought you’d seen the last of me?” Avante’s voice rang out with an air of self-satisfaction.
Ross wanted to be the one to jam his fist right down Avante’s throat.
Jac gasped and began to cry knowing Becca was with Rainbow.
“What have you done with Rainbow and Becca?” Ross demanded. He needed more information and to keep Avante talking.
James and Jack were making hand signals to each other as if they were having a conversation. Ross could hear the wind and birds in the background of Avante’s call, but nothing solid or specific to give him a sense of where they were.
“Straight to the point. You were never one for subtlety, Detective. Becca is safe, and will remain happy and healthy for now. As for Rainbow, she appears to be doing much better now that we’re here, considering she’s the one who led us to you.”
“Rainbow?” Wallflower asked in disbelief. Her voice shook as she stared down at her phone. “You’re lying.”
Abruptly the voice on the phone changed to that of her sister. “Honestly, Wallflower. Aren’t you the smart one, the hacker with all the moves? Bet you didn’t see this one coming.”
“But why?” Wallflower asked.
“Do you think I want to hang out in the middle of nowhere digging holes and planting gardens? That’s what the supermarket is for. You and Dad brought me out here without ever asking me if I wanted to become some messed-up survivalist. I want to be in the city, go to parties, and dance in clubs and wear stilettos, not rubber boots. Thanks to you leaving Avante’s information lying around, I found the perfect way out and the money to fund my own life wherever I want to live.”
Ross had met Rainbow only a couple of times, but never would’ve suspected the teenager was capable of this. By the look on Wallflowers face, neither had she.
“You see, Detective,” Avante said, “I couldn’t get to you because of all those yahoos with guns around. So imagine my surprise when one of them offered to bring the kid to me.”
“What do you want?” Ross asked, barely holding onto his anger and terror.
He needed to face this logically if he was to get Becca back.
“To start, you begging for your life,” Avante growled like a caged animal. “You’ve cost me too much. Now I’m going to take it out of your flesh, pound by pound. There will be a vehicle waiting for you on the main road at highway marker sixty-eight. Don’t be late. And Detective, do come alone. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to that beautiful niece of yours.”
The line went dead and the room fell silent.
Ross looked at his sister who was softly crying in Jack’s arms. “I’ll get her back, Jac. I swear it.”
They needed a plan. Avante would have his crew with him, so Ross would need more people. But it was one thing to ask these people to hide them here, and another to ask them to risk their lives.
As if reading his mind, Jack said, “I’ll start asking for volunteers to go with us to get Becca back. That won’t be a problem.”
“Their lives would be in danger. I can’t ask that of them.”
“Who says you were asking? Some of these folks are itching to get a chance at Avante. Everyone’s fallen in love with that little girl and will want her back,” Jack explained while still holding onto Ross’s sister.
“Okay, but they have to be doing this for their own reasons.”
“Done,” Jack agreed as he led Jac over to a large cushioned chair in the living room. “Wallflower, get Jac a bottle of water, please.”
Ross looked over at James who was already staring at him.
“I have to go, unarmed. It’s the only way to keep Becca safe until you guys get her out.”
“I will find you,” James stated through gritted teeth.
“I never had a doubt.”
***
James watched as Ross rode off on one of Jack’s ATV’s to meet up with Avante. No matter how many times he’d been reassured, James couldn’t help but find flaws in the hastily developed plan. Avante had f
ull advantage, and at this point and there were too many opportunities for Ross and Becca to be killed.
Once Wallflower snapped out of her shock, she outfitted Ross with GPS trackers hidden in the soles of his boots. The small red dot on the screen confirmed it was working, but did nothing to calm James. Sure, they could track Ross, but James feared it would be too late by the time they got to him. Ross had said he was willing to take the risk if there was any chance of getting Becca back, and James understood that. He didn’t like it, but he would’ve done the same thing.
While the spotters kept watch and the sensors tracked Ross, James, Jack, and a half-dozen men and women from the community, climbed onto their ATV’s. With Jack’s knowledge of the area, they hoped to be able to follow Avante and his men back to where ever they were hiding without being seen. James figured Avante couldn’t go near any populated areas knowing there was a manhunt on his trail. He and his minions had to be hiding somewhere up in the mountains.
It infuriated him that Rainbow was able to take Becca on a supposed ATV ride without supervision. Nevertheless, what was done was done. Avante had made his move. Now it was James’s turn.
From a tablet, they watched the visual sensors set all over the area as Ross neared the highway marker where a black SUV sat waiting for him. Ross stopped a few feet away from the vehicle and got off his ATV. The front passenger door opened and a large bald man got out with a handgun trained on Ross. James’s stomach clenched.
After the guy took a long look around him, he opened the back passenger door. Avante stepped out and took the gun before approaching Ross. James could see that a few words were exchanged, and by all indications, Avante was not happy with what was being said. James couldn’t help but grin, knowing Ross would be defiant even in the face of that psycho’s wrath.
Without warning Avante raised the gun and pistol-whipped Ross across his head. Ross collapsed and lay unmoving on the ground. Everything inside of James demanded he take the bastard out. If he had a sniper’s rifle, he might considered it, but they needed to get Becca back first.
“We will get them back,” Jack said, and up until that moment, James hadn’t realized he had been growling. “That bastard is mine.”
First, he would assure Becca and Ross were safe, and then he would rain death down on the man who had terrorized his family. There was no time to analyze that shit right now, but he was damn certain of how he felt.
Ross had given James a part of his life back. They may not have had the chance to finish their discussion, and perhaps James had been avoiding it, but he had to admit Ross had made him look at his past differently. That didn’t mean he James felt he was innocent of blame, but it helped him to see the events more clearly.
“They’re on the move,” Wallflower announced, sparking everyone into action.
Each person was armed and carried first aid kits. Half of the people living in the community were retired military, which made James more hopeful that all this would end without any innocents being hurt.
Using the GPS, they followed Avante at a distance, making sure to never be within sight of the vehicle. The entire time James seethed as the vision of Ross being thrown into the back of the SUV like a bag of garbage replayed in his mind. There would be no place Avante could hide. James would never stop. Jac and Becca deserved to live in peace, and he would make sure that happened.
After thirty minutes, the signal stopped moving. They abandoned their ATVs and closed in on foot. The sun hung low in the sky by the time they reached the location where Avante had made camp.
There were three tents tall enough for a person to stand up in. A few of Avante’s men milled around the two vehicles while others stood guarding two of the tents, making it easier to determine that Becca and Ross were in either one of them.
The plan was to get Becca out of there long before things heated up, but they weren’t sure which of the tents she was being held in.
A soft hiss had James turning his attention back to Wallflower who was staring at the vehicles. Movement caught his eyes as Rainbow came walking out from behind the third tent.
They were still too far away to hear what was being said, but by the way her arms were slicing through the air it was easy to tell she was pissed. One of Avante’s men yelled something and pointed to the furthest tent with Becca’s backpack in his hand. The teenager stomped her foot, ripped the bag out of the guy’s hand, and stormed her way over to the tent before flipping him off and going inside.
“Now we know which tent Becca’s in,” Jack confirmed what James had already been thinking.
“Rainbow is mine,” Wallflower said softly. “It’s one thing to not want this kind of life. It’s completely another to sacrifice a child as a means to go about getting it.”
“We get Becca first,” James said. “Whatever goes on between you and your sister is your business. But if she comes between me and Becca, I will remove the threat.”
He didn’t like the idea of shooting Rainbow, but knowing the teenager had sacrificed Becca for her own benefit assuaged some of his guilt.
“Understood,” Wallflower agreed.
“Good. Let’s go.”
The team broke up into two groups. One led by Jack, the other by James. Jack’s group would stay out of sight while surrounding the area and waiting for the signal to attack. James and Wallflower would go for Becca while the rest of their group covered them.
As soon as the sun had set, they made their move. They neared the back of the tent they hoped held Becca, their black clothing helping them blend into the darkness.
“I want my mommy,” Becca’s angry voice surprised James. He would have figured she would have been too scared to demand anything. Then again, she was her mother’s daughter, and Jac could kick ass.
“Your mommy isn’t here and if you ever want to see her again you better be good,” Rainbow threatened in a sickly sweet voice. “I don’t have to put up with your shit.”
“You said a bad word,” Becca was quick to point out.
“Like I fucking care, brat.”
James could see Wallflower’s hands clenching into fists as she listened to her sister threaten and swear at a small child. He reached out, placed his hand over top of hers and shook his head. Wallflower had to push her emotions aside until they got Becca out. She nodded her understanding and flexed her fingers to loosen them.
“I’m thirsty,” Becca was not giving Rainbow any breaks. James loved that kid.
“So,” Rainbow spat out. “What do you want me to do about it?”
“You have to get me something to drink,” Becca explained as if she were talking to a younger child then herself.
James couldn’t help but wonder if she got her calm demeanor from her uncle.
“Too bad, kid. I’m not in the mood to take orders from you.” Rainbow laughed as if the thought of getting the kid a bottle of water was hilarious.
“I’m thirsty…I’m thirsty…I’m thirsty,” Becca chanted.
“Stop it,” Rainbow growled.
“I’m thirsty…thirsty…thirsty.”
Go, girl. It couldn’t be said enough how much he loved this kid.
“Fine. I’ll go get you some water, just shut up,” Rainbow hissed.
A chair creaked and her footsteps headed away from the tent. Once he heard the tent flap close, he pulled out his tactical knife and sliced into the back of the tent like a hot knife through butter. He hoped that he didn’t scare Becca into making a noise to alert the guard.
Thankfully, she didn’t make a peep as James crawled through the cut fabric. She was sitting on a small blow-up mattress in the far corner clutching Puppy in her arms. James raised his finger to his lips and Becca smiled wide before running over and jumping into his arms.
Without saying a word, silently, he backed out of the tent. Wallflower crawled inside to wait for her sister. All they needed was for her to sound the alarm before they made their move.
James held Becca close to his chest and disappeare
d into the darkness. When he reached the rest of the team, he finally loosened his hold to look down at the little girl.
“I knew you and Uncle Ross would find me. Rainbow isn’t nice.” Becca frowned.
“No, she isn’t,” James agreed. “These people are going to take you back to Mommy, okay?”
“Okay. I miss Mommy,.” Becca said as she squeezed Puppy tighter.
“Mommy misses you, too.” James hugged her close before handing her over to Peggy, the wife of a fellow Army soldier.
Becca was safe. Now it was time for him to get his man back.
Wallflower returned moments later with a bound and gagged Rainbow in tow. The fat lip she was sporting evidence that Rainbow had not come easily.
“Okay, let’s—”
James began but was cut off by a vehicle coming over the hill and nearing Avante’s campsite.
Everyone hunkered down and watched as the last person James had ever expected, stepped out of the car.
“This complicates things.”
CHAPTER 13
Ross shook his head trying to clear the fog from his brain, only to come away in more pain than he’d started. Avante hadn’t held back when he’d hit him with the butt end of that gun. Ross had only regained consciousness a short while ago, and suspected he’d been kicked in the ribs a few times while he’d been out. He was having a hard time taking a deep breath and straightening his back.
His hands were tied behind his back and he was secured around an old fence post. Ross had not seen Becca and hoped James and the team had already gotten her away from here. Ross had been working on the ropes since he woke up and was finally starting to make some headway with the razor blade he had hidden in the band of his watch.
The risks of this plan were becoming all too real. As he had predicted, Avante would try to cause Ross as much pain as possible while Ross held out until Becca was free. If he had to use his dying moments to ensure Avante did not walk away from here, Ross would gladly do it. His family deserved none of this.
If there was one thing Ross knew for a fact, if he should happen to fail in stopping Avante, James would not. He had sworn it to Ross before he had left to meet up with the psycho. Even though he hadn’t wanted to discuss the possibility of being killed, the reality of it was staring him in the face.
