Agent Undone

by Cassidy Reyne

  “Come on, ladies, this is what you’re here for. Make it good or suffer the consequences! Gentlemen, any girl takes your fancy, we have private rooms for your exclusive use. Just say the word. These women will do anything to make you feel better than you’ve ever done before. And I mean anything!”

  “This is very generous of you, Konrad. The ladies are certainly easy on the eye and look ready to please. I have a feeling this arrangement is going to work out real good for all of us.” Carter pretended to leer at the young women and swayed where he sat to show Konrad his drunken state and depraved tastes. The man only nodded without taking his eyes off the women who were hastily getting themselves organized in the limited space between the tables. Peeters’ men shoved them into position while the music was turned up.

  All the men cheered and got themselves settled in to watch the girls gyrate in front of them. One by one, the women started to sway and strut to the music and all eyes were fixated on their movements. Their skimpy clothes were riding up and showing even more skin, but none of them dared pull them down or adjust them to where they covered a bit more. They’d clearly been warned about it before. Carter watched with what looked like rapt attention, but in his mind the look in their eyes haunted him. He couldn’t help but wonder how much pain and abuse they’d already been through. Seeing their fear shoved thoughts of Madison straight into the forefront of his mind, and he almost reeled at the explosion of feelings it unleashed. He clenched his fists in his lap and kept his gaze fixed on the young girl who was shaking her ass right in front of him. He fought hard to shove his emotions back in their little box. He couldn’t afford to be distracted and put everything they’d worked for during the last few months at risk.

  Through his earbud, Carter heard Caroline’s countdown for the breach, and he knew all his men were ready even if they looked totally focused on the spectacle in front of their eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he kept a watch on Peeters where he sat behind Nate. He wasn’t going to risk that bastard getting to Nate with the gun he knew was holstered in the back of the club owner’s pants. The guy was never unarmed, and by all accounts quick on the draw. They could only hope the alcohol he’d consumed would slow him down and mess up his aim. Although, Nate was sitting so close and with his back turned, a child could hit him square between the shoulder blades without even trying.

  “Three… Two… One… BREACH!” Caroline’s voice came over the comm link as a quiet whisper, but in Carter’s ears it was like a clap of thunder.

  He could feel the breach team closing in on the VIP lounge and listened to the team leader’s instructions through his earwig. When the large doors to the lounge whooshed open, he moved his hand to the weapon under his arm, but instead of armed agents swooping in, one of the club’s security guards rushed towards Konrad who immediately stood up and swiveled towards him. A short conversation took place, and Carter could see a wave of fury sweep across Peeters’ face at his employee’s whispered words. Oh shit. Their cover was blown. The realization hit Carter like a punch to the gut. Time slowed to a crawl as he watched Konrad’s right hand move to the back of his waistband and pull the gun out in one swift motion. Before Carter had time to react and draw his own gun, the weapon was trained at his chest and Konrad stared at him with eyes blazing. The alcohol flooding his system made him sway on his feet, but his hand was steady and unwavering.

  “You fucker! I knew this was too good to be true, I should have listened to my gut!” Konrad spat out. Around them, the girls were still dancing, oblivious to the drama that was about to unfold, but Carter’s men had noticed the exchange and reacted immediately. So did Peeters’ security guards. A moment later, one of the girls spotted the weapons and started screaming. The other women panicked and started to run for the back of the room where the rear exit was. Their terrified cries were swallowed up by the shouts from the men surrounding them.

  Shots rang out like mini explosions, penetrating the sound of the music that was playing and making the large room vibrate from the concussive effect. Soon, the air filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder. One of the guards fell to the floor with a grunt, a red stain spreading rapidly over his white shirt front. It acted as a signal for all the agents to take cover and in the ensuing chaos more men collapsed, bleeding, or dead. Bullets were flying everywhere, and Konrad’s men had taken cover behind some of the larger, upturned tables.

  “Damn it! She’s hit!” Nate swore as he saw one of the girls slump down on a small sofa, a bloom of scarlet across her shoulder. There was nothing he could do and no way for him to reach her. He could feel bullets hitting the small table he’d turned on its side and was crouching behind. The sharp staccato of the guns hit his eardrums in a relentless, uneven rhythm. Splinters of wood stung his face and hands. It was meager cover, but the guards didn’t have anything better to shield themselves with either. He risked a glance over the top of the table and saw his target reloading. Instinctively, he raised his weapon, took aim and squeezed the trigger. The well-practiced action took no longer than a couple of seconds and he felt the recoil of the gun, but the sound got lost in the chaos of the large room. A burly security guard who’d been aiming at one of Nate’s fellow agents collapsed on the floor, his gun kicked out of his hand, leaving Nate to turn his attention to the next threat. His gaze flew around the room, taking in the upended furniture, unmoving bodies, traumatized young girls, and men shooting at each other. This would turn into a bloodbath if they didn’t get a grip on the situation. A loud crack and the heat from a bullet zinging past his ear had him crouch down again. Where the hell was the breach team? Suddenly, the music was turned off and Nate could hear more shots being fired outside in the main area of the club. Clearly, the other team had their own problems to deal with before they could reach the lounge. Nate couldn’t see Carter but knew he would be dealing with Peeters before anything else. At the sound of a gun dry firing, he carefully popped his head over the table to gauge the rapidly evolving situation. He needed to move, or he’d be a sitting duck if a guard decided to make a move towards his position. The sound of a magazine being ejected was music to his ears and he rose from his crouched position to advance on the man who was still trying to slam a new clip into his weapon. It was clear to Nate the security guard should have practiced the maneuver more, but that was to Nate’s advantage and he was going to use it. The guard’s eyes widened as Nate approached with his gun trained dead center.

  “Drop the gun. Now!” He growled. The man’s shoulders dropped in defeat and his gun clattered to the floor. His hands went behind his head as he stared at Nate with murder in his eyes.

  “You’re done for good.” Nate grabbed his arms and pulled them up behind his back before securing them with the cuffs he carried in his back pocket. He was hyper aware of what was going on around him and kept low to stay out of the path of the bullets still flying. He could only hope the team was keeping Konrad’s men busy. Once he’d secured the man, he took cover behind one of the pillars that encircled the perimeter of the lounge. To his relief, he spotted Carter alive and unharmed on the other side of the room. It soon turned to worry when he realized Peeters had his gun pointed right at Carter, who had yet to draw his. The thunk of a bullet slamming into the concrete behind him made him flinch and pull his head back. Damn! I can’t get to Carter. He’d better sort that fucker out before he takes a bullet to the head. If he dies now, I swear I’m gonna find him and kill his damn ghost! Sort that bastard out now, buddy! Nate trusted his friend had things under control and concentrated on what was happening in the rest of the room. The breach team still hadn’t made it through the doors to the lounge, but it sounded as if they were right outside. Across the room, a club security guard had picked up one of the teenage girls, holding her in front of him as a shield. Ice cold anger filled Nate’s veins at the terrified expression on the kid’s face. Tears were streaming down her face as she clawed against the arm holding her tight around her neck. The guard lifted her up like a doll and her legs kicked f
utilely in the air. Nate forced his heartbeat to slow and filled his lungs with air as he took careful aim. He just needed the man to turn slightly and he would have a clear shot. His finger curled around the trigger with steady pressure, and squeezed. He felt the kickback of the gun in his hand, but the sharp crack was almost lost in the chaos that reigned in the room. The guard fell to the floor, taking the girl with him, but Nate saw her crawl to safety before he turned back to where he’d last seen Carter. It seemed his buddy had a handle on the confrontation with Peeters. Spotting movement out of the corner of his eye, he turned towards it. One of Konrad’s men was making a desperate attempt to salvage the situation and moved into the open to get a clear line of sight on a still weaponless Carter. Nate’s heart lodged in his throat when he realized the man’s intent. Without second thought, he fired off a shot and watched as a red stain spread across the guard’s white shirt. He was turning back towards Carter when his leg gave out from underneath him. Taken by surprise, he briefly wondered who had managed to get close enough to pull him to the ground.

  “Give it up, Konrad. You’re finished, you piece of shit.” Carter snarled at the wannabe crime boss as he slowly backed away to be shielded from the rest of the room by a concrete column.

  “Don’t move another inch! You have some balls, Henderson, considering it’s my gun that’s pointed straight at your chest right now. And my men shooting at your guests who probably don’t know one end of a gun from another.” Konrad’s eyes spun desperately around the room as he tried to take in what was happening. Bullets were still flying, and whimpers and cries could be heard from the cowering girls. Carter hoped they kept their heads low and didn’t try to run. He could tell the second Konrad realized the ‘guests’ were more than just that. Hatred darkened his eyes and his grip tightened on the gun. Carter narrowed his eyes and prepared for the worst as the man’s finger curled around the trigger. The sudden burning sting on his cheek and hiss from a bullet hitting the concrete next to him made him flinch and crouch for cover. Peeters used the distraction to make a run for the exit, but Carter had expected it and burst from his crouching position to fly-tackle him to the ground. Behind him he could hear the large doors to the main club area burst open. He sent up a quick prayer it was the breach team having dealt with their problems outside and were coming in to back them up.

  Carter grappled on the floor with Konrad who frantically tried to get his gun up. Carter knew he was a dead man if that happened. There was no way the drug dealer wouldn’t pull that trigger now. He hissed when an elbow caught him in the ribs. An audible crunching sound and a sharp pain lancing through his chest informed him a rib or two had most likely broken. A fist landed on his kidney, then another, and he grunted from the added pain. Peeters was strong and mean, as well as desperate to take control. He snarled like a wild beast and shouted obscenities while desperately trying to pull the weapon out from underneath him where it had ended up when he was brought down by Carter. His other hand shot out and grabbed Carter around the neck while flipping him onto his back. A wave of red hot agony flooded Carter’s body and he was once again staring down the barrel of the gun as Konrad’s free hand closed around his neck. All air was cut off from Carter’s lungs and he desperately tried to suck in some oxygen. It didn’t take long before his vision narrowed, and black and red spots danced in front of his eyes. He knew he had to do something fast before that trigger was pulled and it was all over for him.

  The sudden crash of a body onto the floor next to them was all the diversion he needed to shove Konrad off him and twist the gun out of his hands. It went flying across the floor and slid under a couch lying on its side. Gritting his teeth against the excruciating pain in his chest, Carter got to his feet in one swift movement and pulled his own gun out from the holster in the small of his back. Ignoring the surge of renewed pain from his chest and lungs, he placed his polished shoe on the guy’s chest and pressed down hard. A little too hard maybe as he imagined he could hear a slight crack as Konrad’s face contorted in pain and rage. Payback was a bitch, Carter thought with grim satisfaction.

  “FEDERAL AGENTS! ON YOUR KNEES! HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEADS! INTERLOCK YOUR FINGERS,” Caroline’s voice rang out loud, slicing through the chaos and confusion like a sharp blade. She must have left her Comms position and joined the breach team. One by one, Konrad’s men put their weapons down and obeyed the shouted orders. Two guards tried to make their escape but were soon stopped by an agent covering the door. Both dropped their weapons when they realized their luck had run out.

  “Don’t move, Peeters. You’re finished and will be going to jail for the rest of your miserable life.” Carter sneered the words, feeling his fury building. The large room had gone eerily quiet with the breach team subduing the last of Peeters’ men. Loud sobbing could still be heard amidst the curses and threats spilling from the mouths of the handcuffed guards.

  “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you! It was all too good to be true with all your cash and fancy parties. Don’t think you’ll get away with it. I have connections you couldn’t even dream of, and they will hunt you down. You won’t be safe anywhere! I will kill you!” Spit flew from Peeters’ mouth as he raged against Carter who just calmly secured his hands behind his back and patted him down. His face was a mask of professionalism, but inside he was relieved that it was all over. Konrad Peeters had been getting away with treating women like goods to possess and sell and filling the streets of Seattle with drugs and guns for far too long.

  A single shot split the air, instantly followed by another from a different direction, and then a third before it went silent once again. A stinging, burning pain erupted in Carter’s left arm. He growled out a curse and slapped his hand over his bicep. He’d been shot — again. He hoped the bullet had only grazed him, but his arm was bleeding heavily and felt like it was on fire. From somewhere over towards the main doors someone else grunted in pain, followed by the sound of a body falling to the floor. Carter didn’t want to take his eyes off Peeters, so he had no idea if it was one of his men or one of Peeters’ minions. He had his hands full keeping an eye on the now former drug dealer who was doing his best to try and escape the flexi-cuffs without bleeding all over the place. He was relieved when another couple of agents came and took the man off his hands so he didn’t have to look at the slimy fucker again and he could get his arm seen to. Carter sighed. Another round of stitches and another scar to adorn his body. His mom would raise hell when she saw this new wound after having chewed his ear off over the bullet in his leg. She knew what kind of job he did, the risks he had to take, and understood why he did it. That didn’t mean she had to like it or would keep quiet about it.

  As he made his way across the room where some of the young girls and women were being tended to by his colleagues, he was shocked to see Nate on the floor with blood pooling under his left leg.

  “Nate, what the fuck! Are you ok?” Carter skidded to a stop next to his friend who was lying very still with his eyes closed while a medic was putting a pressure bandage on the injured limb.

  “All good. Just thought we should have matching scars. Also, I didn’t want the fucker to try and take another pop at you.”

  “You shot him? Shit. Thanks man, I owe you.”

  “Yes, you do, and I intend to collect, some day. Just not today, because this fucking hurts!”

  Carter had to agree with Nate. A bullet wound sucked and hurt like a bitch, which his left arm kept screaming at him. His whole body seemed to be in agony, but he didn’t have the time to worry about it now. Carter gritted his teeth while bandages were wrapped around his bicep. Luckily, it was just a flesh wound — not in his shooting arm — and nothing that would slow him down for long.

  “Henderson! Or whatever the hell your name is, you’ve got to hustle if you want to get to the other girls. If Konrad’s message doesn’t get sent in the next thirty minutes, Hugo will be gone.” The bartender vaulted over the bar counter and rushed towards Carter with long strides. He had a
gun in one hand and a badge hanging around his neck. Carter cursed out loud. He’d been so caught up in the aftermath and Nate’s injury he’d nearly forgotten about Madison and the remaining women. His eyes zeroed in on the badge Gary was wearing and realized why the guy’s manners and way of speaking had seemed familiar.

  “You’re ATF? How long have you been undercover?” Carter asked as they left the lounge and continued towards the exit in a hurry. Nate had told him to get a move on and not worry about him as he was being looked after and the girls needed him.

  “I’ve been here three years. Before that I was in Tucson, and before that New Orleans. We’ve been tracking shipments of guns all over the states and I finally ended up here. We still have no idea where they’re coming from, but at least we have a final destination. My name is Jackson by the way, Jackson Reeves.”

  “Carter Hollis.”

  “We need to get to the warehouse fast before Hugo finds out about this and takes off. We’ll never find him or the other girls if he does.”

  “How many more are there?” Carter asked as they jumped into an SUV that was waiting for them at the curb outside the club.

  “Around twenty, I think. Peeters has been collecting them for a long time and selling them to God knows where. It’s been torture knowing how many girls were being abused, and worse, and not being able to do anything about it. I reported the trafficking to my handler, but never heard anything back. Clearly, the message was still getting through.” Jackson held on to the ‘oh shit’ handle for dear life as Carter followed his instructions and threw the large vehicle around the street corners of Seattle’s warehouse district. When they got close, he turned the headlights off and slowly drove through the open gates of a large building. Two big trucks were still parked at the far end of the area in front of the low warehouse which Carter hoped meant Hugo was still here with Madison and the other women. He jumped out of the vehicle with Reeves and four other agents pulling up right behind them. Jackson took the lead as he’d been there a couple of times before and knew part of the layout of the warehouse.