by Eve R. Hart
“I’m good. I have a case.”
“Oh,” he said sounding surprised by the reason for my call. “Okay. Harrison is in, I’ll get him on the line for you.”
“Thanks, Trissy.”
It didn’t take long for Harrison to pick up. As he answered, I could hear the stress in his voice, though he was trying to hide it from me.
“I don’t have anything new to tell you,” he said right away.
“I might believe that more if you didn’t sound like you were barking that at me.”
“Lucy…” He let out a long breath and I could tell he was worried about the situation with Burke.
I should have rushed to tell him that wasn’t why I’d called. Maybe I even should have started in on the case I was bringing to him. But I didn’t, because if he was going to tell me something, I was for damn sure going to take it.
“I’m worried about him,” he said after a long pause. “He’s been in over two years. That’s a long time to go under. I know this wasn’t what you were thinking when you brought it to us, and the added development about the trafficking, well, it was something we just couldn’t turn our backs on and I think you would agree.”
“Yeah,” I chimed in honestly.
“But I haven’t really talked to him in a long time and I think this one might be messing with his head.”
I knew that was a real possibility. There was only so long you could live in a false identity and not begin to believe that it was real. I never meant for any of this to happen and I felt like shit about it.
“He got your girl out and to safety, or so he thought. But Savage somehow caught up with her and she’s been taken back. Burke was able to get a message to me, but it didn’t say much. All I know is that he has her again. But the boy isn’t there. Burke said that he heard one of the other guys say that Savage left him behind and wanted him dead, but there was a complication and they couldn’t get to the kid.”
I had no idea what that meant. Was he safe? Was he alone?
“Burke told me that she was being watched over by the Steel Paragons Motorcycle Club. He didn’t give any details as to which chapter though. Reading between the lines, I feel like the club took the kid in and he’s safe. I think maybe that was his plan all along.”
“What…” I sighed. “What am I supposed to do with all this information? What are you trying to tell me?”
“I need this to end, Lucy. It’s gone on too long.”
There was an edge to what he was saying. It was in the unspoken words. In the meaning of what he had to do.
“The FBI is closing in,” he said almost like he couldn’t help himself.
I held back a gasp as my heart did a little skip.
“What are you saying, Harrison?”
“I was given word earlier today. Agent Marks got wind that one of my men is on the inside. He has a location for where Savage is and he is currently putting together a team to go in.”
Harrison was a man of full control. Not because he had some need to have it and show that he had it. It was more like he had to have some great control with what he did. He had men that he had to look after and there were things that men like him didn’t just say. So the fact that he’d let it “slip” that the FBI had a location, well, didn’t get passed me. He wanted me to know. He wanted me to get that address for some reason. Maybe he thought he was helping me or maybe he just wanted to see what would happen.
“That wasn’t why I called,” I said, knowing that I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him. Not that I thought he had more. And it wasn’t like I couldn’t go digging myself. Which I was going to do, just as soon as I handed off the information I had for him.
“Yeah?” he asked sounding surprised. “Go on then.”
I did, talking a mile a minute to get everything out quickly.
“Take care of yourself, Lucy,” he said just before I hung up.
I didn’t even have a chance to set my phone down before it started ringing. I looked at the screen and saw that it was Nadya. I was torn between wanting to talk to her and needing to find out where Savage was. In the end, I answered.
“I’m leaving here soon,” she said. “Probably tomorrow. But then again, I’ve been saying that for…well, since I got here.”
“Oh,” I said unsure of what was going on.
I knew she was working on something, some kind of plan. Though she hadn’t really said, I had a feeling it had something to do with putting Savage down. Only, I was pretty sure she was in the same boat as me, the one where we had no idea where to find the man to put him down.
“I’m killing this phone. I’ll probably pick up a new one tomorrow, but I don’t think I’ll call you. Not until this is over.”
“I…I don’t think that’s a good idea. What if something happens?” I asked a little frantically. But then again, I knew I didn’t need to worry about her.
The amused chuckled filtered into my ear. It made a little smile twitch on my lips.
“I’ll text you, then. But I won’t answer until I’m done.”
“Okay, fine.” It didn’t sit well with me, but I’d take it.
I could have told her that I might have the information she needed soon, but I didn’t want to get her hopes up. What if I wasn’t able to get an address? What if she decided to wait around until I had it for her? I had enough pressure on me already, I didn’t need to add more. So, I didn’t say anything, figuring that when I did I’d make sure I had the location ready to go.
It didn’t take me long. It was almost too easy to find the address. The only thing I couldn’t seem to find was how the hell they figured it out. How did they get that information when that had pretty much been my sole focus, my top priority, for years now?
Harrison said that they were getting ready to go in. I knew it took time to put together a task force and come up with a plan. Not to mention the travel time and set up.
So how much time did I have?
And would Burke be in trouble?
There was no time to think and long hours ahead of me.
I didn’t think as I looked for the best way to get there. I wouldn’t be driving because I didn’t have a car. It’d been a long time since I’d driven anyway. And I honestly didn’t trust myself to do so. A bus would take nearly half a day. As scared shitless as I was to fly, it cut my time down drastically. There was a flight leaving out of Philadelphia in almost six hours. It would take me an hour drive time to get there. That was going to be one expensive cab ride, but fuck it. It wasn’t like I didn’t have the funds.
By tomorrow, I’d be stepping foot into the same town that Allison was in. The same one where Savage was.
I could do this.
I didn’t give myself a choice.
-12-
Don't Panic
Lucy
I pulled the hood tighter around my face. I knew it wouldn’t really help me from being seen but I did it anyway. I was white. The kind of white that was super pasty. The kind that the moon reflected off of turning my skin into a beacon screaming that I was moving around.
I knew too much for my own good. Yet, I didn’t know enough. I shouldn’t have left the comfort of my apartment. I shouldn’t be here, especially not alone. But I was, because she was my best friend and I’d do anything for her. I now realized that my promise also included a kid. One that I really couldn’t wait to meet. It was insane to think about and also extremely sad. She’d been robbed of too many years and that little boy had to endure so much already.
At least, I knew the little boy was safe. Savage had only grabbed Allison.
I had a plan. I was going to figure out how to get past the gate, sneak in, and then get her out. I knew there was most likely an alarm on the gate but I had faith that I could disable it.
It was a good plan.
Okay, fine.
It wasn’t.
And I seriously doubted my abilities to pull it off. Especially because I was shaking like a chihuahua without a sweater
on a snowy day. And I hadn’t even gotten to the dangerous part yet. I couldn’t imagine how much worse I’d be once I was inside.
I had this, I did. Or so I tried to convince myself as I cut through an alleyway. This area was dead. These buildings long abandoned. Which I imagined was why he’d chosen this area to set up shop or whatever. The air was still and the night almost eerily quiet. I waited, hunkered down in the shadows as much as I could.
I took a minute to think of how stupid this was. No one knew I was here. Not Burke. Not Nadya. Not even my cleaner. I was alone. For some reason, I thought it was the best thing at the time. This way no one would worry about me or try to stop me. But as I crouched there, breathing so hard I was on the verge of hyperventilating, I realized that it was the dumbest move I’d ever made.
I could do this. Or so I kept trying to tell myself. The first step was to stand back and get a read on what I was getting into. I had no doubt that there were men patrolling the outside. I’d observed people long enough to know that they all had their patterns, the men protecting the building would be no different.
An hour later, I was ready to make my move, semi-confident that I had just enough time to slip over there and do what I needed to do. Checking my surroundings once more, I jumped to a sprint, darting across the street as fast as I could manage. I wasn’t exactly out of shape, but I wasn’t fit and ready for a late night jog at all.
Damn, I should really add more than yoga to my daily routine.
But then again, I hope I’ll never be in another situation like this.
I got to the fence and my fingers shook as I felt around the keypad for the gate, surprised to find that it was high tech. I wasn’t sure why I thought Savage would just put some shitty security up. Maybe I’d pegged him as more evil than smart. But I knew the man was intelligent enough to know how to evade me and the FBI for so long.
It would take me a minute longer than I’d planned but not a big setback.
I looked up to check my surroundings again. I couldn’t help but gasp and practically jump out of my skin when I locked on a set of eyes hidden in the shadows, watching me as if they’d known I was there the whole time. It was like they were just waiting to see what was going to happen. I could feel his amusement from across the overgrown lot.
My body whipped around and I took off in the opposite direction. My legs carried me as fast as they could while my brain tried to get itself together long enough to give my body a direction to go in. I needed to get back to safety. Right now, my motel room was the closest thing to that. I cut back through the alleyway then through the thick line of trees. His booted feet hit the ground behind me and I could tell he was getting closer. Then there were more. Another set of feet further back.
I ran.
I ran even though my legs were shaking and my lungs wanted nothing more than to give out.
I ran with a pain stabbing me in my side telling me that my body wanted nothing more than to stop right now.
I ran even as the fear and anxiety wrapped their suffocating arms around me.
I ran, dodging roots and trees and never once looked back to see how close they were to me.
I crossed the road without checking for cars. But I had a feeling there weren’t going to be any given the was the area seemed like it had been abandoned long ago. I crossed vacant lot after vacant lot with grass and weeds so high the licked at my hands with a biting sting. The back of the shady motel came into view and I ducked my head and somehow managed to run faster. By some miracle, they hadn’t caught up to me, but they weren’t far behind. I dashed around the side, hoping that I’d be able to tuck myself away in my room before they saw which one I went into.
I pulled my key out and tried to get the lock to turn, but my hands were shaking so hard I wasn’t even sure I was turning the key. Then the door flew open and I stumbled into the room. My knees hit the scratchy, old carpet as I heaved and gasped for air. I didn’t have time to stop. I didn’t have a second to catch my breath.
I pushed the door closed, trying my hardest not to slam it and give my location away. I quickly flipped the lock, knowing it wouldn’t be enough to keep anyone out if they really wanted to get in. That point was proven when not even a minute later the door burst open, hitting the cheap wall behind it and causing plaster to crack and fly everywhere. I screamed, because honestly, who wouldn’t? Two men pushed their way inside, practically tripping over one another. Something kicked in my brain and I jumped and scrambled over the bed to the other side of the room. I came face-to-face with the bat I’d bought to protect myself.
“Gotcha now, bitch,” one of them said.
I flipped onto my back just as his body came sailing over the side. I swung, praying that I’d get a hit in. There was a heavy grunt as the bat made contact with the side of his face. Half of his body covered mine and I wiggled around like a fish out of water until I was free. We both got to our feet at the same time. While I was sure my face was showing all of my panic, his held a coolness topped off with a smug smile. Which made sense because I had a stupid baseball bat while he held a gun.
A third man entered the room, his massive body stopping in the doorway as his eyes raked over the scene. He was cool and calm, his stare pure evil and it sent a shiver down my spine. My eyes darted around the room. Two of the men held guns pointed at me. The one blocking the only exit I had simply folded his arms over his chest as if to say exactly what I already knew. That I wasn’t going anywhere.
“Kill her here or take her back to Savage?” spat the one that I’d managed to get a hit in on. His jaw was already starting to swell and turn colors. As much as I wanted to smile about that, I knew better. I was still at a disadvantage and had no idea how the fuck I was going to get myself out of here.
“She wanted in so bad, I say take her back.” I jerked my gaze to the one that had said that. He was skinny, his fingers caked with dirt, and his hair hung in greasy clumps over his forehead.
“I say we teach her a lesson,” the big and very terrifying one that blocked the doorway said. His voice was deep, dark, and gravelly. But not in a way that was sexy and mysterious. It was as evil as his glare. “Get ‘er on the bed.”
“No,” I breathed out in a scratchy whisper.
Before I could move, the one to my left lunged at me, his fingers grabbing me by the back of my head. Hairs ripped as he pulled me forward, then pushed me on the bed. I fought. I fought with everything I had left in me. My nails raking over skin, tearing it so deep I saw flashes of blood while in my thrashing struggle. I kicked as my pants were torn down my legs. I punched as my hoodie was pulled open and my shirt was ripped in numerous places. I screamed when they pinned me down. I bit when he tried to cover my mouth with his hand. I vowed that I wouldn’t stop, I wouldn’t give up, until I took my last breath.
“Fucking bitch.”
“Gonna show you that you don’t fuck with The Devil’s Kings.”
The words kept filtering into my ears but I couldn’t focus on what they were or which one was speaking them. The skinny one crawled on top of me and I saw black dots sprinkling my vision. He still held his gun in his hand and then he ran it down my cheek as a wicked grin spread across his face.
I don’t know how it happened, how I found the strength within my self, but the next thing I knew, we were tumbling over the side of the bed. He landed with a thump, the air was forced from his lungs, hitting the side of my face with a sticky heat. My stomach churned and I knew I was going to vomit. Somehow, I managed to hold it down as I wrapped my hand around his. There was barely a struggle as I pushed the muzzle of the gun into his stomach and curled my finger around the trigger. I didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I pulled without even flinching. His eyes went wide as he tried to pull his arm back and away from his body. I went limp, my dead-weight pinning his arm down. I pulled again, unsure if it would fire once more. I didn’t know a thing about guns, but I prayed that it wasn’t one that I would have to cock again, or whatever. Another shot rang
out, only slightly muffled by my body. A searing pain burned into my skin where the gun was trapped between us and without warning, I jerked away from him, pulling the gun from his grasp as I did.
Before I could get my bearings straight, I was pulled up by my hair. Then I was flying across the room, my mind spinning just as much as the world around me. My shoulder collided with the corner of the bedside table before I hit the floor with a hard whack. The gun got lost somewhere in the shuffle. I went for the knife that I had right there in the same bedside table that has just wounded me. I ignore the pain and I ripped the drawer out, its contents spilling all around me. A bible. A pen. A phone book.
Who the fuck has phone books anymore?
And my knife.
I snatched it up and staggered to my feet. I only got halfway up before I was roughly flung into the wall.
“I’ll kill you for this,” one of them said. The one that came into the room first. The one that had been watching me from the shadows.
My hand reared back. Then plunged forward, ripping and tearing through skin and muscle. I dragged it sideways with all my might and his roaring growl rang out beside my ear as his body doubled over onto me. I pushed him off of me and he fell against the wall. It only took him a moment to regain himself and stand tall, blood literally gushing from a ten-inch gash on his side.
I had no idea why, but I went for his eye next. I didn’t stop pushing until all six-inches of the blade where buried deep into his skull, the color of his iris no longer visible. His body staggered backward but the blade remained in my tight grasp. I knew it was there, pushed just against the bolster, but I didn’t dare look. The sick wet sound of it ripping away from the socket was enough to have me doubling over and dry heaving for a good long second. I didn’t want to throw up and it wasn’t like I really had time to anyway. There was still one more man there.
