What? Surgery? What the hell happened to me? I scan my body quickly moving the dressing to the side and seeing the bandage around my shoulder. Now that I see it I start to feel sore. The pain in my head must have masked the throb in my shoulder. I touch it lightly, causing me to wince.
“You might not remember what happened to you but I’m here to fill in the gaps and let you know what procedures have been done to save you.” I turn my sight back to the doctor as he continues on.
“You lost a lot of blood from a gunshot wound to the head, abdomen and shoulder. The bullet to the abdomen is where you lost most of your blood. The bullet went straight through your body so the damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been but I had to go in and repair some things. There were no complications during your surgery which is surprising with the amount of blood loss you had. We had to also stitch your head where another bullet grazed it but no real damage was done. It didn’t hit your brain, only chipped the skull so all in all you were very lucky it wasn’t a centimeter over or else you would be dead now.”
I didn’t realize that my head had been wrapped until just then. Reaching up I finally notice the bandage wrapped around the top of my head. I figured I probably just hit it or something but with the throbbing it was hard to tell exactly where it was originating form. I don’t remember being shot. I don’t remember anything happening that would put me in the hospital. What happened to get me shot and who shot me? Is Sierra ok? Was she hurt too? The doctor continues on not noticing my struggle with the facts that he just shocked me with.
“There was some swelling of the brain but it has gone down so all in all everything looks good. You’re healing on schedule and you’re awake now. Those are good signs. I will want to keep you for a few more days to make sure that there are no other complications and I want to run a few tests now that you’re awake. Just an MRI, vision and memory tests and as long as you pass those then you will be sent home.”
“Where is Sierra? Is she here? Is she ok?” The look on his face nearly kills me. He looks at me with sorrow and pity.
“I’m sorry. You and one other were brought in but no Sierra. There was no girl found at the house with you guys when the police arrived. But there is a federal agent who will be in shortly to speak with you about the events that occurred at the house.” Problem is, I don’t remember anything. How can I help him if I can’t even remember what happened to me?
***
“Sir. All we know is that you and Sargent Brownsfield were both shot by someone who knew one or both of you. Brownsfield says he doesn’t know the man who shot him because it happened so fast and that the man escaped with the girl.”
“What was Brownsfield doing at the safe house in the first place? He wasn’t supposed to be there unless there was a problem. Did he say he was there for a specific reason? I don’t remember anything except for falling asleep with Sierra next to me. That’s it.”
“I understand sir. I don’t know why he was there. He said it was classified information that he will pass to my superior to look over. You should probably ask him those questions. If you remember anything, anything at all, here’s my card. Just give me a call with what you remember and we will try to solve this puzzle and find the girl. We just have to check all angles when an officer is shot to make sure there isn’t some sort of conspiracy going on. Hopefully that’s not the case this time.”
“Thanks. I will.” I take the card from him and look it over. Agent Shane Little is scrolled across the middle with the company logo in the corner and his cell and office number at the bottom. Simple with little information on it.
Not knowing what happened to Sierra is like a punch to the gut. I hope she’s ok. I doubt it but I hope that wherever she is she knows I will find her. I will rip apart every house, building and town from here to the other side of the country if I have to but I will find her. I have an idea of who it is but how he found her is what I want to know. Someone had to have told him where we were hiding. There was nobody who followed me and only two others who knew of what house we went to which means it’s one of them and I think I know which one.
When I find the bastard who took her from me again, I’m going to kill him. I will break every bone in his body before I burn him alive while I revel in his screams. He has no idea who he’s messing with. He has no idea how far I will go to protect Sierra. I’m his biggest nightmare. I have become the monster and I will be feared.
The nurses check on me like clockwork every hour to take my vitals and see if I need anything. My family hasn’t visited me but not for lack of trying. I’ve been told that until their backgrounds check out I will get no visitors. Apparently I am thought to be dead and the federal agent I spoke to wants to keep it that way so that nobody tries to finish the job. Only my family know I’m alive and the one man who I believe to be the mole we’ve been looking for.
Brownsfield had us all fooled. There’s no doubt in my mind now that he was sending us on a wild goose chase looking for the rat giving away all the Intel that our small team provided him. Does that mean he is in on the buying and selling of girls? I wouldn’t doubt it. That also means he gave the heads up to Jeremy so he wouldn’t get caught. But what’s in this for him? I’ve been to his place before and never seen any evidence of women being held there, unless of course he has place somewhere else. Maybe it’s the place that Jeremy planned to move Sierra when she was at the whore house.
I need to search his house again. I need to go through his house and see what he’s hiding. I need to go through every inch of his office and see if he has something there. Anything to help me get a location on Sierra. There’s no way he doesn’t have something somewhere that can help me find her and when I find the evidence I will take Sierra back and kill that fucker for daring to touch her and then kill Brownsfield. He knew what she meant to me and yet he had a part in her abduction. I always had a bad feeling about him but I just figured it was because he was an asshole. I should have known better.
“Oh my god. Oh my god.” Her voice brings me out of my dark thoughts as Sierra and Damon’s mom rushes to my side and rest both hands on either of my face looking intensely at me with tears in her eyes. She may not be my real mom but I believe she loves me like I was hers. She’s been like a mom to me since the first moment I met her. She treated me like I was one of her own giving me support, praising me and scolding me. She made me a better man than I probably could have ever been had I stayed with my mom or anyone else for that matter.
“Oh my god.”
“Alright, alright. Enough with the ‘oh my gods’ mom. He’s fine. Nobody can take this bastard down ain’t that right fucker.” Ah Damon. Such a gutter mouth but I know that’s his way of saying he’s glad I’m alright. He doesn’t get touchy feely and neither do I. The most I might get is a ‘good to see you’re not dead’ with a man hug.
“Oh hush.” Mom says slapping Damon on the shoulder.
“Awe. No need for that mom.” Damon whines.
“Oh honey I am so glad you’re ok. I was scared out of my mind. I thought we were going to lose you too.” My heart stops. She can’t mean that Sierra’s dead can she?
“Sierra?”
She whimpers as tears fall down her rosy cheeks and steps away. Damon and dad both are looking down with sullen faces. But if Sierra was dead then wouldn’t the agent have told me when we spoke?
“She was taken and there are no leads. They believe that whoever took her probably already sold her or killed her. It’s just a matter of finding the body to confirm death.” Damon informs me.
“How long have I been in the hospital?” Maybe I should have asked that earlier but it couldn’t have been that long could it?
“You’ve been here going on three weeks. You were in a drug induced coma for a week after your surgery and in and out of consciousness since but they informed us after the first week that we couldn’t visit until our background checks went through and because you are now a high risk patient. They put you under a differe
nt name so that whoever did this can’t find you. Nobody is supposed to know you’re alive.”
“Three weeks?” Unbelievable. Anything could have happened to her in that time. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save her.” I choke up and try to hold my tears at bay. This is no time to break apart. They lost their daughter twice and because of me.
“Now son, none of this is your fault. I know you would give your life for our girl. You nearly did. We are just glad you are ok. We couldn’t handle losing her and you. I just hope that we can find her and soon.”
“What’s the name they have me under?”
“James Smith.” Well that’s generic.
“I need you guys to do me a favor and don’t ask questions and don’t argue.” They all look at each other. I know they won’t like what I have to say but I need this. I can’t let them get hurt too. Finally they nod and I go on.
“I need you guys to not come back here again.” They start to protest but I speak over them. “You need to not come back because if you do then someone will know I am still alive. Why else are you coming to the hospital? You’re all ok so they will get suspicious and figure it out.” I pause before making my promise that I’m not sure I can keep.
“I need you to have a funeral for me so people will think I’m dead. I need them to think I am dead because I plan to find Sierra. I can only do that if nobody is looking for me. Hence the funeral. I will find her and bring her home there is no doubt about that.” Taking a deep breath because I know this will be the hardest part for them to hear I continue. “I won’t be home until I find her so I won’t see you for a while and I won’t contact you just know that I am ok.” My family all answer in unison.
“No. You will not endanger yourself like that. Let the police do their job.” Dad’s voice speaks loud and with authority.
“Oh god.” Mom cries putting her face in her hands as the weight of what I just said sets in.
“I’m going with you.” Of course Damon would say that.
“You can’t. I need you guys to act like life goes on. If you go with me then I might not be able to keep you from getting hurt and they need you now more than ever.” Indicating to mom and dad.
“I don’t care, I’m helping you. You can’t stop me.” What the hell. I guess I may need help. Who better than my best friend and Sierra’s brother? I know he will do everything in his power to bring her back and I know he is on my side. Plus I doubt that no matter what he will do it with or without my help but this way I can keep an eye on him.
“Fine. Come back tomorrow by yourself and we will discuss it.” Pointing at each of them to get my point across I say, “I still need you guys to have the funeral. It’s the only way to convince whoever is watching that I am no longer a threat.” Mom is still crying. I know she loves me like I’m her own and this is hard for her to hear but when I find Sierra it will make up for all the bad shit I put them through. Dad knows I will go to the ends of the earth for Sierra and as much as he hates what I am going to have to do I know he understands. I know when I finally come home I will need to explain my self and how I got into all of this. I just hope they understand and can forgive me. At least I was doing it as one of the good guys and not because I was part of the trade.
As much as I don’t want Damon in this mess I do need help from the outside. He can by my eyes and ears while I do the more dangerous part of this mission. Having the sergeant most likely be the mole I can’t trust him. He may even tell whoever is looking for me that I am still alive so I need to figure out my next move with him. Maybe I’ll fake my death so he will think that the funeral is real just like everyone else. Now I just need to figure out how I’m going to do that.
“You know I love you guys but you need to walk out of this hospital and not come back.” My eyes burn. I haven’t cried since I was a child. Not since the day I was taken from my mom. As much shit that she put me through I still loved her then and didn’t want to leave her to go somewhere I didn’t know but I am grateful for them taking me. I wouldn’t have this family now if it wasn’t for CPS which is why I have to blink away the tears that threaten to fall and take a deep breath before I break in front of my family. They don’t need to see how hard this is for me because they are already having a hard enough time as it is. I need to show strength.
“You know we love you and don’t you forget that. Please, please bring our baby girl back. Please be safe. I can’t lose you too.” Mom pleads with me and I nod because I don’t think I could speak without breaking the tight hold I have on my emotions and balling like a baby. I’m supposed to be a man and men don’t cry but if you haven’t been placed in such a fucked up situation you have no idea how this feels. I won’t let them see me cry.
“We love you son.” Dad rests his hand on my foot at the end of the bed and I know he wants to ask questions and say more but he is barely able to contain his emotions. His shaking hand and trembling chin make me think he’s ready to break too. There’s no reason to say more because I understand. Dad holds mom against him as they walk out with her silently crying. Damon stays and I know he wants to say more.
“You need to tell me everything.”
“I know.”
“I fucking mean it. Somehow you knew where she was and about all that underground shit. You’re hiding things from me. Fuck. You’re my best friend and your hiding shit. Are you a buyer? Seller? Is it drugs? Women?” Damon runs his hands through his hair roughly in impatience and frustration. I feel bad for not telling him my secret but it was something I couldn’t afford to fuck up.
“Sorry man. Look. I will tell you everything but right now just trust me when I say that it is not as bad as you think. I’m one of the good guys. I was trying to help catch the bad guys. When you come see me tomorrow I won’t be here...” Damon interrupts me.
“What the fuck? You’re not backing out now. I’m fucking helping find Sierra with or without you.”
“I know. I was going to say I won’t be here so wait for my call because I will contact you with a time and location to meet me. I am supposed to be dead so why would you come back here?” He nods in understanding rubbing the back of his neck as a sign of stress. “I will call from an unknown number so answer it and I will give you the location and explain everything then. We will make a plan from there.”
“Alright, alright. But how do you plan to leave since you’re still hurt and you’re supposed to be dead. Won’t someone see you leave or something?”
“Yeah. About that. I already have a plan and someone I trust to pick me up. I won’t be signing out because that leaves evidence. I will just walk out.”
Blowing out a relieved breath he asks the one question I hoped he wouldn’t? “Is Sierra going to be ok?”
I want to lie to him and tell him yes but the odds are against her. Who knows what happened after Jeremy took her this time. Maybe he thought she was too much work and sold her to someone else. Maybe he killed her for leaving. If he still has her and she is still alive, I could only imagine what sick shit he’s doing to her now. There are too many bad case scenarios that I can tell Damon and be truthful but I know what he wants to hear and that’s the answer I will give because I can’t stand the look on his face if I told him the truth.
“Yeah man. I’m sure she’s going to be fine. This guy really wanted her and convinced himself he loved her. At least that’s what she told me he said. So I don’t think he will hurt her too badly where she can’t be helped.”
“Ok. That’s good. God I want to kill the fucker.”
“I know. Me too. If I wasn’t tricked then he would be dead.”
“How do you know you were tricked?”
“The only person who knew where we were was my sergeant. So there is only one option. I was shot by two different guns meaning the man who shot me first would have been someone I trusted. I may not remember what all happened but I can piece it together. I probably let the sergeant in and he shot me. The second shooter might have been with him or come in after I w
as shot. Since my bullet was in the sergeant I most likely got a shot off and hit him but he said I aimed for the other guy and missed… I never miss.” I wish I could remember how everything happened and as much as I try my mind is blank but I know I’m not far off from my conclusion.
“I don’t know if I shot the guy who took Sierra or when he shot me but based on what I was told that’s the only conclusion I can come up with. If the sergeant tries talking to you or if anyone else tries talking to you just say you don’t know anything. If they suspect you do they may try to kill you.”
“I won’t tell them shit. This whole situation is fucked up.”
“Yeah I know. I’m sorry. I wish things didn’t turn out this way but I promise I’ll make it up to you guys.”
“Fuck man. You’re my best friend and I don’t want anything happening to you either. I’m fucking helping you and we will take these fuckers down like a blaze of glory.” And that’s why he’s my best friend. No matter the situation he’s all in like me. We’re going to make a great team.
“Fuck yeah. Now get the fuck out asshole.” I grin at my banter.
“See ya fucker.” Damon leaves my room but not without flipping me the bird and I gotta laugh. It’s good to be a team again and know I don’t need to hide this shit from him anymore. I hated always lying about what I was really doing when I knew I could trust him but I couldn’t deal with them getting into shit that could get them hurt. So much for that though seeing as Sierra is in it now.
After we get through this I’m done. No more undercover. I am turning in my application and becoming an officer of the law. Where I want to go in the department I’m not sure. I think I’d be a good detective but who knows and I think Damon will end up joining me when this is all over. There’s no way he won’t. We’ll be a team just like we were in school. We’ll take on the world one bad guy at a time. Too bad I have to turn into a bad guy first because that’s what it will take for me to find and save Sierra. I will need to become a hunter, enforcer and killer. One or many will die at my hands but I will finish this.
Save Me (Taken Series Book 1) Page 19
