Worth the Risk (COBRA Securities Book 21)

by Velvet Vaughn

  Switching back to the first camera, he fast-forwarded to where the man carried her down the porch steps before bending down to enter numbers in a keypad. Quinn paused the tape and rewound to the point where the man worked the keypad. He zoomed in until he could read the numbers. Four, seven, two, six, two, zero. He committed the sequence to memory.

  The cameras were live feeds, so that meant Vanessa was alone in the basement right now, assuming there wasn’t an unmonitored room where the man was hanging out. It was risky going in without any reconnaissance, but it was one he was willing to take. He needed to get Vanessa out of there. The man would be back, and he might have friends with him.

  Quinn didn’t know how long he had until he returned, but first, he disabled the entire security system and wiped the tapes clean. All the screens went black. Tyler Redmond’s tutorials paid off. The COBRA Securities tech genius taught the agents how to hack into computers, security systems and other electronic devices and regularly held refresher courses as technology advanced and improved. Quinn didn’t think he’d ever need to learn the skill set, but now he was glad he decided to attend the classes.

  Shoving the keyboard back in place, he closed the panel and headed outside. From the glow of the porch light, he found the spot where the hidden bunker was located. Before he opened the door, he checked on Kilo. He was standing guard, ears alert. Quinn gave him a treat and ordered him to stay. Moving leaves and twigs aside, he found the keypad, punched in the sequence he committed to memory and opened the door.

  Descending the steps with his Sig Sauer leading the way, he kept vigilant for any threats. As basic and rustic as the cabin was, the bunker was the opposite: high-tech and sophisticated. Clearly, the house was a cover for whatever activities went on below ground. More monitors, now blank thanks to him, lined one wall. The first room he came to was set up with three video cameras on tripods pointed at a stage with ample overhead lighting. A long table held several computers. The next space resembled a beauty salon with hair washing stations, blow dryers and curling irons and a makeup counter with a large mirror surrounded by round lights.

  An expansive bathroom featured a large walk-in shower that could hold a dozen people simultaneously with multiple showerheads. The next room made his skin crawl. Mattresses lined one wall, and there was a large bloodstain on the concrete floor that looked as if someone made a feeble attempt at cleaning it up. It smelled of bleach and death and fear and unwashed bodies.

  He found the woman from the monitor in the next room curled on her side away from the door. “Hello? Can you hear me?” No answer. He eased forward and rolled her over. Breath trapped in his lungs. It was Vanessa. She was as pretty as he remembered.

  “Vanessa, it’s Quinn Billings. Your dad sent me to find you.” Still no response. He leaned closer until her scent invaded his senses. A mixture of wildflowers and woman. “Vanessa, wake up.”

  She moaned but didn’t open her eyes. Removing a small tool from one of the pockets in his tactical pants, he made quick work of the manacle around her ankle and then sliced through the tape on her hands, carefully removing the strip.

  “Quinn Billings? Am I dreaming?”

  His eyes snapped to hers. Her half-lidded gaze was groggy and unfocused. She’d most likely been drugged. “You aren’t dreaming. It’s me, and I’m getting you out of here.”

  “How did you even know where to find me?”

  “Your dad and Todd.”

  “Figures,” she muttered.

  Hefting her in his arms, he headed for the exit.

  “I can walk,” she insisted. Belying her words, she snuggled against him with a sigh.

  “Once we’re out of here.”

  “Okay—wait!” She jerked upright. Her eyes were now focused and clear. “We need to rescue the other girls, too.”

  A picture started to form in his head. Video cameras, computers, beauty products, makeup, a stage. The bastards were filming girls for online bidding.

  Now he wished he’d tossed some bricks of C-4 in his backpack. It’d bring him great satisfaction to blow the place to hell. Once Vanessa was safe, he’d notify the authorities so they could shut the site down and arrest the perps. Or maybe he’d grab some explosives from his Escalade and do the job himself.

  Resuming his stride, he exited the bedroom.

  “Quinn, please. The other girls.”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, honey. There’s no one else down here.”

  She moaned and dropped her head to his shoulder. “Oh God, what will happen to them? They were so young and terrified.” She sobbed silently.

  Quinn doubled down on his vow to take the bastards down.

  Hurrying up the steps, he anchored Vanessa against him with one arm while slowly lifting the door with the other. The coast was clear. He pushed it the rest of the way open and then made sure to shut it before he carried her to where Kilo stood guard.

  When he placed Vanessa’s feet on the ground, she swayed and grabbed his biceps to steady herself. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Just a little fuzzy, but it’s clearing.” She spotted Kilo and her brows raised. “That’s not the dog I freed.”

  “No, he’s mine. This is Kilo.”

  “He’s handsome, and he looks like he’s in work mode so I won’t pet him.”

  “He is. He led me to you and then kept watch so I could squire you out of the bunker. I parked next to your Jeep, so we should get out of here. Are you okay to walk?”

  “Yes, but what about the girls? This place?”

  “I’ll call it in once we’re safe.”

  “Quinn? They know who I am. They have my cell phone.”

  That could be a problem once they realized she’d escaped. “I’ll keep you safe until the authorities arrest them.”

  She blinked up at him. “You will?”

  “Yeah.”

  Uncomfortable with the look of hero-worship on her face, he snapped on Kilo’s headlamp and then helped her adjust the backpack on her shoulders. Hefting his pack, he’d just secured the straps when lights cut through the trees, followed by the sound of an approaching vehicle.

  “Change of plans. We’re going in the opposite direction.” Slapping a flashlight in her hands, he urged Vanessa in front of him.

  “Hey, you there. Stop.”

  Shit. They’d been spotted. “Run!”

  Chapter Six

  If not for the stinging bite of branches and twigs smacking her in the face, Vanessa would swear she was still floating aimlessly through la-la land. Quinn Billings was here with her! Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined he’d be the one to rescue her from the dark bowels of the bunker. Given her reckless crusade, she didn’t think she would be extricated at all. Who would know where to look for her? Todd might’ve tried, but he was no good at tracking. Her dad would certainly come for her, but by the time he arrived, she’d have been long gone, most likely meeting the same fate as the young girls. It was a sobering thought.

  How did Quinn find her?

  She’d thought of him often over the years, and he starred in most of her naughty fantasies. It was his face she pictured when she closed her eyes and let herself imagine her future husband. He’d been everything she wanted when she was a teenager, but even then, she didn’t really know him. She’d grown up, and with age came maturity, wisdom and perspective. She could admit that it’d been his handsome boyish looks that drew her to him, along with his selflessness at caring for his younger sister. He’d seemed larger than life, and she’d been smitten.

  It’d been too dark for her to get a good look at him now, but she felt the impressive bulk of muscles beneath his clothing when he carried her. He was solid and strong. He could keep the men away from her, she was sure.

  Her head swam from whatever drug they injected her with, and her legs felt independent from her body, but she forced herself to keep going. She managed one foot in front of the other sheerly by muscle memory. The beam from the flashlight bobbed and wea
ved as she blindly ventured deeper into the unknown, having no idea where she was headed.

  Quinn and Kilo were right behind her, but she didn’t know if the men from the cabin had followed them. She didn’t pause to look. She had a feeling that if they caught her again, they wouldn’t bother trying to sell her this time.

  The thought of them harming Quinn kept her going when her lungs started to scream, and her entire body went numb. She’d seen firsthand how ruthless they were. They wouldn’t hesitate to shoot either one of them.

  Despite the danger nipping at their heels, her eyelids started to droop. Feeling woozy, she staggered and veered widely off the path. Suddenly, the ground dropped out from under her, and she was falling.

  #

  Quinn noticed Vanessa wobbling right before she lurched sideways like a drunk college student leaving a kegger. Diving forward, he grabbed her arm before she went over the side of a hill or cliff or a sinkhole. He wasn’t sure which, and it was too dark to tell how far the fall would be. He had no desire to find out. With frantic movements, she clawed at his arm while trying to hang on. He managed to latch on to her other wrist as she tore his watch off. It went tumbling into the abyss. The unwieldy backpack was a hindrance, but he managed to haul her up the incline slowly. Kilo was at his side, clamping onto her shirt to help drag her to safety. Once she was on firm ground, he released her. She flopped to her stomach with her arms splayed wide. He plopped to his butt with a rugged exhale. That had been close.

  It was risky running through the forest at night, especially when she was undoubtedly still feeling the effects of whatever drug they pumped into her system, but they didn’t have a choice. The men spotted them leaving the cabin. He had no doubt they were following them now.

  Staring into the darkness, Kilo stiffened beside him, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Quinn reached for his weapon when twigs snapped. He’d made a critical mistake letting his guard down for even a minute. Alerted to potential danger, Vanessa reared up and crawled to his side. With a calming breath, he prepared to pull the trigger to save her life when a furry brown head popped out of the bushes.

  “It’s the dog I freed,” Vanessa exclaimed as she crooned softly and held out a hand. The dog’s nose lifted as he tentatively crept closer to the human who saved his life. When he was close, Vanessa petted him, and he plopped down against her leg. Kilo nudged Quinn’s hand and then placed a paw against the backpack. Quinn understood his doggie communication perfectly. The dog was emaciated to the point his ribs stood out against his fur. Kilo wanted Quinn to give him some of the kibble he’d packed.

  As much as he wanted to do just that, they needed to get going. He doubted the men would let Vanessa get away without a chase. He settled for grabbing a handful of snacks and holding them out to the dog. He gobbled them ravenously. Quinn saved a couple for Kilo. Instead of eating them, he nudged Quinn’s hand towards the other dog, who eagerly lapped them up. He gave Kilo a healthy scratch on his head. His dog was something else.

  Kilo’s ears perked again. That was enough to let Quinn know they needed to get moving. Standing, he helped Vanessa to her feet and then took the lead this time. “Hold on to me.”

  “What about Rocky?”

  Quinn quirked a brow. “Rocky?”

  “That’s what I’m calling him. He’s a fighter. He needs a strong name befitting of his character.”

  “Agreed. And he’ll follow us, hoping for more food.”

  As he took off with Kilo at his side, Vanessa latched onto the backpack. Rocky trotted after them. Pushing the pace, he hoped to stumble upon some form of civilization soon. He needed to notify the authorities but didn’t want to take the time with the pursuers hot on their tails. He could’ve activated the agent in distress feature on his watch to alert his office to the immediate danger. They would’ve been tracked via GPS, and help would be on the way. Unfortunately, that option was out since Vanessa ripped it from his wrist. But the fault was all his since he could’ve pushed the button earlier.

  “Quinn, stop.”

  He turned to see Vanessa crouched down next to Rocky. She looked up at him. “He can’t keep up. He’s too weak.”

  Kilo started to growl again, and Quinn heard voices in the distance. Quickly sliding off his pack, he opened a compartment and took out one of the weapons he brought with him before shouldering the bag again. “This is going to be loud. Get ready to run like hell. I’ll grab Rocky.” Removing the pin, he cocked his arm back and launched the stun grenade in the direction of their pursuers. He hefted Rocky in his arms and took off before it detonated with a blinding explosion of light and deafening noise, along with knock-out juice in the form of thick gray smoke. The grenades packed a special one, two, three punch developed by the geniuses at COBRA Securities, and they worked like a charm.

  A distinctive fishy aroma alerted him to the nearness of water. The woods opened up to the welcome sight of a boat resting on a small beach. Ushering Vanessa in front of him, he urged her into the vessel and handed her Rocky. Kilo hopped on board. Shrugging off the backpack, he stashed it inside before pushing the boat into the water. It wasn’t a luxury yacht by any stretch, but it included a motor and a steering wheel beneath a small canopy. He waded into the water and climbed inside. Luck was on his side when he found the key in the ignition, and the motor started right up.

  “Hey! Stop!”

  Damn, he was hoping the knock-out juice from the flashbang would disable the men, giving them ample time to escape. The grenades obviously worked better in confined spaces, or else they were further away than he anticipated.

  Gunshots sounded as he pushed the throttle, and they darted away from land. “Get down,” he yelled as he concentrated on the expanse of water in front of them. He kept the lights off so as not to be spotted. Glancing over his shoulder, he could barely make out the shapes of the pursuers as they emerged from the trees. That meant the men couldn’t see them, so they didn’t know for sure Vanessa was on board, but it was a safe assumption.

  Hoping the men didn’t have a bigger, badder motorboat stashed somewhere close, he forced the speed even faster until they were far away from shore. Digging in his pocket for his phone, he reached back and handed it to Vanessa. “Call 911. The code to unlock it is five-four-five-six-seven-seven.” He’d picked the sequence because it spelled out Kilo on the alphabet beneath the numbers, plus his July seven birthday.

  She stood and steadied herself before reaching for the cell. Just as she took it from his hand, Rocky bumped her leg. Her arms flailed, and the phone went flying from her grip. Crying out, she reached for it and almost went over the side. Quinn managed to latch onto the back of her shirt before she ended up in the drink right along with it.

  There went their hope of certain rescue.

  Chapter Seven

  Dean Lodge, or Dodge as he preferred, stood at the edge of the lake and stared with exasperation as a boat disappeared into the night. It’d been too dark to see, and he wasn’t positive their captive was on board, but why else would someone be running through the woods at midnight?

  “Find another boat, now,” he roared. His blood pressure hovered at the boiling point. This is what he got for waking up excited about the day's events. He always looked forward to the auctions, knowing that a hefty sum would be deposited into his bank account by the end of the evening, padding the bottom line. Now it’d all gone to hell.

  Needing an outlet for his frustration, he almost put a bullet in the back of Buck’s head, but they were already down one man. Buck drew his ire because he nabbed a trespasser red-handed who filmed both Reggie’s murder as well as the one Dodge perpetrated. Now she was gone, and so was her cell with the incriminating evidence. Buck had been suspiciously evasive when Dodge asked him where he left the phone. The moron probably put it right where she could grab it on her way out, and he was too embarrassed to let Dodge know about the blunder. Even though Buck was with him when she disappeared, he still blamed the man for her escape, logical or not. It too
k all his restraint to keep from wrapping his hands around Buck’s neck and squeezing till his head popped off like a champagne cork. Only the thought of Reggie kept him from following through.

  Reggie’s death had been a complete shock, but he made a rookie mistake. While herding the stock—that’s what they called the kids—back to their rooms after the live sale, one managed to snatch Reggie’s knife from his pocket and plunge it into her stomach. It was bad enough he let the girl get the jump on him, but he made another critical error in judgment when he grabbed the handle and yanked it from the wound, causing her to bleed out in minutes. She’d just sold to their best customer, a local who went by the moniker Big Daddy for online bidding. The boss would go ballistic. No one wanted to piss off their cash cow.

  While Dodge had been trying to figure out a way out of the mess, Big Daddy, better known as Stefan Bernard, arrived. He always collected his purchases personally instead of relying on the delivery process they’d established with other customers, but today, he’d shown up especially quickly. That wasn’t a good sign. He had to have been bidding from his car or something. Dodge knew they were in for trouble when Bernard stepped from his Porsche, gushing about how he’d waited a lifetime for this girl. Dodge tried to talk Bernard out of going into the bunker, but the man was a steamroller refusing to slow. Like a prisoner headed to the gallows, Dodge reluctantly followed.

  When Bernard spotted the girl lying in a pool of blood, he became very still. Then he spun around and stormed up the steps. Dodge and the others raced after him, thinking they’d sidestepped a bullet. All they’d have to do was refund his money. No big deal, right? Wrong.