Cage

by Madison Stevens

  “I can’t climb, but you can,” he said.

  Ryder crept his way up the crates and looked in the dirty window.

  He held up five fingers. Five guys. They could handle five guys if they planned it right.

  Ryder turned and stepped down from the crates as easily as he had climbed them.

  “Kid’s in there,” he said. He frowned and looked away.

  “Tell me,” Cage said and clenched his fist. He could take it.

  “They have him in a cage,” Ryder said.

  Cage opened his mouth to say something else but stopped as bright lights shot out from the other side of the building.

  They ducked behind the crates and hoped no one came their direction.

  A door creaked open on a truck, and someone heavy stepped out.

  “Let’s get this shit loaded,” a man grunted. He spit loudly.

  Cage strained to hear what was happening.

  Another man laughed nasally. “Yeah, like you got somewhere to be.”

  The other man huffed and shifted his feet on the gravel.

  “Fuck you,” he grunted. “I’ve got a date.”

  The nasally man laughed. “With what? Your hand?”

  “Listen here, you little puta.” The other man crunched across the gravel.

  “Knock it off, you dickheads,” another man shouted.

  Cage shifted where he stood. The weight of his body on his knee was killing him. Gravel stirred near him, and the voices stopped.

  “What was that?” the nasally man asked.

  A beam of light spread out along the side of the building. If they turned the corner, they’d have no choice but to fight. Cage pulled out his gun and waited.

  The light landed on a stray cat, started by the intrusion of light.

  “Little fucker,” the driver grunted.

  Two shots rang through the air at the cat. Cage watched as the cat fell to the ground.

  Bile rose in his throat, but he fought the feeling.

  “No!”

  Cage tensed at the sound of Alex. The cage rattled as shouted.

  “You didn’t have to,” Alex said to the men. The leader was the first to speak.

  “No,” he said. “Tomas didn’t have to shoot the cat, but that’s what happens when you cross the Los Malos.”

  The man spit, and Cage could only guess where it landed.

  “Where’s Roberto?” Alex said. “I want to see Roberto.”

  Tomas laughed. “He wants to see the boss. I say we load him up and take him there.”

  Cage shook his head and looked back to Ryder.

  He held up his hand for Cage to stay in position.

  Cage glared at him but kept still. Coming out now wasn’t likely to help. Three against two with better cover, with additional reinforcements nearby, and the Los Malos had a hostage. At least this way, they knew Alex wouldn’t be immediately killed.

  “Load up,” the leader said.

  They listened as three sets of feet made their way to the truck. Ryder nodded to the road across the way. He wanted them to sprint across to the car before the men drove out.

  Cage nodded.

  With everything he had, Cage pushed his knee further. It shook with each impact, and he only hoped the damage he was doing wasn’t permanent.

  Sweat poured down his face.

  He slipped into the brush as the truck made its way from behind the garage.

  “Get ready to drive,” Ryder said in his ear, sliding onto his bike.

  Cage looked over to his brother. “Don’t let that truck out of your sight.”

  Ryder nodded and started the engine once the truck had passed and tore off after them.

  Cage jumped in his car and kept a hard eye on his brother as he tried to keep up.

  No matter what happened, he was getting Alex the fuck out of there. And if he could take out a few of the bastards while he was at it, so be it.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Cage stepped out of his car and watched as the truck backed up to a warehouse off the pier.

  “We need a plan,” Ryder said.

  Cage stared at his elder brother for a moment before talking.

  “I’m the bait,” he said. “They’d love to finish me off, especially Roberto,” he said. “You need to find a way to take out a bunch of them at once before they kill the both of us.”

  Ryder looked at him like he’d gone crazy. “Can we talk about a real plan? We need a plan that that doesn’t get you shot.”

  Cage lifted a brow at the last statement.

  Ryder sighed. “Again.”

  Cage looked over the building and shook his head. He really didn’t see many other options. They didn’t have the numbers the Los Malos now did, and even if they did, he doubted that his people would be able to get there in time.

  No, it was just them, and they were going to have to make this work, or Alex would never make it out of there alive.

  Cage made his way to the side of the building. He was slightly surprised to find that there weren’t any men manning the door, but Carlos had said that the new crew didn’t really have much experience under their belt.

  He stopped at a trashcan and frowned. Cage lifted the lid. The stench that wafted through made him gag and nearly retch.

  “What the hell is that?” Ryder asked from beside him and covered his mouth.

  Cage looked over the side into the bin. He turned away at the sight of a dead dog.

  “What the fuck?” Ryder said, and Cage could only nod. Whatever the hell was going on, they were killing some dogs. Killing pets and planning to kill a kid. The Los Malos were certainly living up to their name.

  Cage closed the lid and stepped away from the can. He had to clear his head.

  “We need to get inside,” he said and moved to the side door. “We’re never going to know what’s going on if we don’t.”

  Ryder shook his head. “We don’t know what’s on the other side of that door. You could be walking into a firefight you can’t get out of.”

  Cage clenched his fists. The more time they spent out in the alley, the slimmer Alex’s chances became.

  “I’m going—”

  He stopped when the door creaked open a little.

  “You get it,” Tomas said on the other side of the door.

  “Don’t let it touch me,” the nasally man said.

  The Allens hurried to the other side of the trash as the men slowly made their way out.

  They opened the first can, and the stench of rot filled the air.

  “When are they going to pick up this thing?” Tomas grunted.

  The sound of something hitting the pile struck fear into Cage. It could be Alex. Maybe they were already finished with him.

  The nasally man slammed the lid back in place.

  “They were supposed to be here today, but maybe boss got the day wrong,” the nasally man said.

  Tomas chuckled a little. “Don’t let him hear you say that.”

  The nasally man grumbled as they made their way back inside. When the door had clicked behind them, Cage stumbled out of his hiding spot.

  “Let me look,” Ryder said and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  Cage shook his head. “I have to know.”

  He shook off the hand and moved slowly to the can. His hand shook as he lifted up and peeked inside. Another dead dog. He was both disgusted and relieved.

  When he turned back to his brother, Ryder sighed and nodded.

  “Fine,” he said. “Stick to the edges of the building and try to find out what you can. If we can get the boy out before they notice, that would be our best shot.”

  Cage looked to the door and gritted his teeth.

  He looked back to Ryder when he shook Cage’s shoulders a little.

  “Keep your head,” Ryder said. “I’ll meet you on the other side, and for God’s sake, don’t go looking for trouble.”

  Cage nodded.

  He turned and crept to the door. If he could get in without bei
ng noticed, he might actually have a chance.

  The handle squeaked as he turned it, but there was no going back now. If they heard the door, they would already be waiting for him. Cage took a breath and pulled open the door.

  Nothing.

  He looked back to Ryder and gave the all clear. His brother nodded and started toward the back of the building. All they had to do was find the kid. No big deal.

  Cage crept along the wall like his brother suggested. He found that from there he could get a clear picture of what was going on.

  Crates stuffed with dogs lay everywhere. On one wall, several lay quietly in their crates as he passed by. The lack of barking or whimpering unnerved him. None even bothered to wag their tails. After what he’d just seen, Cage wondered if they were even alive.

  The next section explained the quiet state of the dogs. Cage peeked through several of the crates and watched in horror as a man in a white coat stuck a syringe into a dog’s neck that had been strapped to the table.

  The dog yelped once, but within seconds was lying quietly against the metal table. His tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. Without pausing, the man in the coat felt around the dog’s fur. When he stopped, he reached over and grabbed the scalpel from the table. A quick cut to the back of the neck, and he was digging around under the skin. Within a few moments, the man pulled out something and tossed it onto the table.

  He stapled the skin back together.

  “Next,” he shouted.

  Two men sitting near him pulled the dog off the table and placed it back into the crate where it was moved near the wall with the other sedated dogs.

  The man came back and sprayed off the table and tools with a hose.

  Cage took deep breaths as he struggled to keep under control. Blowing his fuse here wasn’t going to do anything for Alex.

  He moved back to the wall and made his way closer to the front of the building. It was a little quieter there.

  “Just like your grandfather,” Roberto said from nearby. Cage ducked down under some large parts that hung from the ceiling.

  Several Los Malos stood around Roberto. Some grinned at Alex. Others looked bored.

  Cage nearly shouted when Alex came into sight. His face was bloodied, and he looked like he might have some black eyes, but he was alive.

  A flash of metal gleamed from the back of his pants under his jacket. Apparently, the Los Malos hadn’t thought of him as enough of a threat to search. In another situation, Cage would have been happy for their sloppiness, but not this time.

  “No, no, no,” Cage whispered to himself.

  He could only hope that the kid had wised up and wouldn’t be able to follow through with his plan.

  “Don’t you talk about abuelo,” the boy said.

  Roberto stepped a little closer and laughed.

  “He wasn’t so smart.” Roberto grinned at Alex and kicked his cage. “Stepping in for the cojo.”

  Cage didn’t know what they meant, but if he had to guess, it had something to do with him.

  Alex placed his hand around his back.

  Cage gritted his teeth. He was out of options. If he started a firefight so near Alex, the boy was likely to get shot.

  “Hey,” Cage said, sliding out from his spot. “Maybe you should pick on someone your own size.”

  He needed to buy time for Ryder. Either way, the boy would be safe for a bit longer.

  Roberto’s eyes widened in surprise.

  Men raised and pointed their guns at Cage.

  Cage tossed his gun to the ground. It clattered loudly and slid out of reach.

  Roberto held up a hand as several men shouted to him in Spanish.

  “Cage,” Alex cried out.

  Cage gave him a half-smile. “Hey,” he said and eyed the men around the room as he spoke to Alex. “Fancy meeting you here.”

  Roberto rushed forward. His pony tail bounced on the back of his head as he moved.

  “Looks like the cojo decided to save the day.” Roberto stopped in front of him and gave him a wicked smile.

  Two men came from behind Cage and grabbed his arms, holding them out to his side.

  “So let me ask you, cojo,” Roberto moved to the side of him. Just close enough to whisper. “How’s the knee?”

  Blinding pain shot through his leg as Roberto smashed his foot into it. Cage cried out, unable to stop himself.

  When he was able to focus again, his eyes found Alex. His hands were around his back. Cage could only guess they were gripping the cold handle of the gun.

  He shook his head a little.

  This time the blow came to the side of his face.

  Cage spit on the floor. Blood tinted the color. He turned back to Roberto and grinned.

  “For a skinny little bastard, you can sure hit.”

  Roberto’s mouth twisted to a dry smile.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said and nodded to one of the men behind him. “Hold him down,” he said and laughed. “I think we’ll have a little fun.” He nodded toward Alex. “A little something to look forward to.”

  The man behind him laughed and punched Cage hard on the side of the head. The world spun for a moments as he tumbled to the ground. More pain lanced through his leg as he landed on it. Another man kicked him hard. If that only gave him a broken rib or two, he’d be lucky.

  Rough hands came on either side of his body and held his arms down.

  He turned to look at Alex, who still had his hand behind his back. Cage struggled to shake his head at the kid.

  “Family bonding moment?” Roberto said from near his feet.

  The flash of the scalpel in his hand sparked fear. This man wasn’t just a monster, but he was insane.

  “Now how about some real fun?” Roberto laughed. His voice was high, and Cage swallowed hard.

  He jumped when a shot rang out and took down the man holding his left arm. Another shot rang out from a different direction, taking out another man.

  “Take cover,” someone shouted.

  Cage pulled away and pushed Alex’s crate out of the line of fire. He leg throbbed like never before, and unlike the other time when he’d pushed it too far, there was no putting any weight on it. He crawled under the heavy machine part he’d been under before and pushed Alex back even further.

  “Here,” Alex said through the slats and shoved the gun through.

  Cage took the piece. He checked the clip and then aimed at the Los Malos. There weren’t many bullets in the gun, and he wasn’t even sure he’d be able to hit much in his current state.

  More shots rang out, and the Los Malos looked around, desperate to respond to their attackers.

  Sirens sounded in the distance.

  “Policia,” someone shouted, and Cage let out a loud sigh.

  He leaned hard against the crate containing Alex. The room faded in and out as he tried to take deep breaths. Each time he did, his battered ribs ached.

  “Cage,” Alex said near his head. His little hand came through the grate and touched his cheek.

  “You weren’t supposed to follow me,” Alex said to Cage, tears streaming down his face.

  Cage took a pained breath. “You are my family,” he said and turned slightly to look at the boy. “I’m supposed to follow you.” He smiled. “That’s what we do.”

  “Clear!” Cage heard someone shout. It sounded like Trent, which confused Cage. He hadn’t even been able to get a hold of the other man.

  “Cage,” Whitney’s voice echoed off the walls. “Alex.”

  His eyes focused as she came running.

  “No,” he said quickly and tried to move but fell limp on the floor. “It’s too dangerous.”

  He stopped and listed. There was no gunfire. The pain clouded his mind, and he tried to figure out why Trent, let alone Whitney, were at the warehouse.

  Whitney knelt next to the cage and picked up the gun he’d dropped to the floor.

  With two hard hits to the lock, it popped open.

 
She pulled out the boy and hugged him tightly. Cage pushed himself up to sitting and hissed as his leg moved with him.

  Moments later, he was being hugged tightly. Whitney hadn’t released Alex and held them both tightly.

  “Neither of you do that to me again.” She shook as she spoke. “I was so scared. I thought I’d lost you both, and it was like feeling my heart being ripped to a million pieces.”

  “I’m sorry,” Alex cried against her.

  She hugged him even tighter. Cage strained to wrap his arms around them both but found the ability somehow.

  “Never again,” she said and looked over to Cage. “You will never again pull that sort of stunt. For as long as either of you live.”

  “Understood,” he said, closing his eyes again.

  * * *

  Whitney sat next to Cage in the hospital. It was the first bit of quiet she’d had in the last twenty-four hours, and despite how things had gone, she knew she was lucky to even be sitting here with him. They had been so close to losing the two of them forever.

  If Trent hadn’t arrived in time or Ryder had failed to take out the men at the back of the building, Cage and Alex would be gone.

  His hand twitched in hers, and she rubbed her thumb over it. He would live. She glanced to his leg and swallowed.

  “Hey,” Cage said and pulled her from the dark thoughts.

  She smiled at him. “Hey,” she said.

  He grimaced as he tried to sit up, and she placed a hand on his chest.

  “Be careful.”

  He lay back against the bed but sat back up in a panic.

  “Alex,” he said.

  She pushed a little harder on his chest.

  “He’s with your parents,” she said and was glad when he relaxed under her hand.

  “Thank God,” he whispered and closed his eyes.

  She watched as her hand on his chest rose and fell. He was still for so long, she started to pull back.

  “Stay,” he whispered. His eyes opened and focused on her.

  Even like this, he still took her breath away.

  “What happened?” he asked. “How did you know we were there?”

  “I came with the police.”

  “How did you get the police there so fast?”