“How long are you giving us?” He asks as I take my seat.
“24 hours.”
“Will we be able to capture them in that length of time?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re fucking nuts.”
I grin over at Lazarus. He knows as well as I do we need to get this fucker as quickly as possible. “Have you slept any?” I ask Lazarus.
“Hell no. Tango had me running around the fucking jungle looking for the bodies of our team mates.”
It wasn’t supposed to happen that way. No one was supposed to die, well our members weren’t anyway. “They knew we were coming last time. I know information was leaked. No damn way was it coincidence.”
“I agree. William knew we were coming.” Vegas says taking his seat.
“Who all knows about this mission?” Lazarus asks sitting straight up.
“No one. Tango made sure of it.” Vegas answers.
“So just us and Tango?” I ask.
“Yes. As far as I know.” Vegas states.
I don’t say anything. Sitting back I close my eyes. Then it dawns on me. “Marco.”
“What?” Lazarus turns toward me.
“Marco. Where is he?” I repeat.
“The doc said he had to rest for a few days.” Vegas looks at me confused.
“What does Marco have to do with anything?” Lazarus asks just as confused as Vegas.
Chapter 6
“He was on our last mission. Do you remember he kept asking questions? Things he shouldn’t have even been concerned with.”
“Now that you mention it. He was asking where we were going to put William once we caught him.” Lazarus sates.
“Do you think he’s the leak?” Vegas asks.
“Fuck! Get Tango on the phone now.” I point to Lazarus.
Opening the file that I never destroyed. I flip through the pages looking for any clues that might tie Marco to William or Vancard. Something is defiantly off. I just don’t know what. “There’s nothing in here.” I say off handily.
“Could he go by a different name?”
“It’s possible.”
Vegas is now on the phone with Tango. He doesn’t look happy with what Tango is telling him. He even looks like he could punch a hole through something. “How the fuck did he get his hands on her?” Vegas shouts. My head snaps up. The first thing that pops in my mind is Sara. “He isn’t going to be happy. You know he’s a dead man when he gets his hands on him.” Chills run down my spine at Vegas’s words. “You know that will never happen…fine…I’ll tell him.” Vegas hangs up turning to me. I know its bad news as soon as I see the look in his eyes.
“What.” That one word holds all the cards of what I do next.
“Braxton escaped and he took…Sara.”
I swallow hard. “Where?” Meaning where the fuck did he go.
“Tango says he beat Maggie badly and took Sara. He’s still in the city. Tango wants us to continue with the mission. Says he will catch Braxton and keep Sara safe until we get back.” Vegas says grimly.
I stand up going to the cockpit. Knocking on the door. The pilot opens the door and I instruct him to turn the plane around we are heading back to Mexico. “Sorry Ty. I have my orders. Tango just informed me that the mission is still a go.”
“You don’t have a choice.” I inform the pilot.
“Sorry. I have my orders.” He repeats.
“Lazarus!” I yell.
“What are you going to do?” I pilot asks nervously.
I punch him in the face knocking him out cold. The plane heads down in a nose dive. I pull the pilot out of the seat. Lazarus replaces him taking over the controls. He straightens the plane out. “Where to boss?” Lazarus laughs.
“Mexico.”
“This is going to be fun. I always wanted to fly this baby.”
“How quickly can you get us back?”
“Ten minutes okay?” He takes a side long look at me. “Have a seat. You might want to fasten your belt.”
I don’t have to think twice about it. Vegas pokes his head in. “What do you want me to do with the pilot?”
“Fasten him in.” I say.
Vegas looks over to Lazarus. The man is smiling from ear to ear. Vegas doesn’t waste time doing what he is told. He knows Lazarus well and if the guy tells you to take a seat while he is flying. Then you better do as told. I hear belts click and Lazarus starts pushing button. Before I know it we are sailing across the sky. Lazarus turns the plane completely around and we head back toward Mexico. I’m never apprehensive, but this time I am. I don’t know what Braxton will do to Sara. I don’t trust the guy. For some damn reason he wants her. We land in no time at all, exiting the plane.
Tango comes running toward us. “What the fuck?” He yells.
“Do you have a lead on him?” I ignore Tango’s outburst.
“I swear to god Ty. If William and Vancard get away this time. I’m holding you responsible. You were supposed to be heading to Vegas. I’m going to have your ass for this.”
“Which way!” I raise my voice.
Tango’s face is red with anger. “I fucking told you I would catch him. Get your asses back on that fucking plane.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I find her. Now which fucking way?” I’m in his face now. Vegas and Lazarus both step in between us.
“Get back on the fucking plane, Ty.” Tango sets his jaw.
“Fuck you!” I shout.
“Ty.” Tango says in warning.
“Which way?” I ask more calmly. Shouting at each other isn’t going to solve our problem.
“He took off on foot in that direction.” He points to the south.
“Fuck. Who’s on him?” I ask whipping around facing Tango once again.
“Marco. Why?”
“Marco?” Lazarus and I say in unison.
“We think he’s the fucking leak!” Vegas shouts.
“Where the fuck is Ash?” I ask.
“He’s out looking as well. What the hell do you mean Marco is the leak?” Tango sounds desperate.
I don’t have time for this. “I’m going after him.”
I run in the direction on the black sedan with Lazarus on my heels. “Wait up man.”
I don’t slow down. I need to find her and fast. “We can search the highway. He has to cross the road.” I peel out of the parking lot. Looking through the mirror I notice that Vegas and Tango are also running toward the hummer.
“How the fuck did this shit happen?” Lazarus says.
“I don’t know. Here,” I hand him my watch, “I planted a tracker on Sara. Just in case.” That was the best decision I have ever made.
Lazarus looks at me then back at the watch. “Fucking genius.”
“I didn’t trust tango wouldn’t call Cassie. I had to know where she would be.”
“This little girl has stolen your heart man.” Lazarus says more to himself than to me.
I have to get her if I don’t Braxton will have her out of the country and to god knows where. I can’t let that happen. Sara is a part of my life whether I like it or not. I have to keep her safe. Her parents sure as hell couldn’t. The same damn question keeps playing over and over in my mind. Why the hell does Braxton want Sara? How the fuck did he know we had her? It all pointed back to Marco. He knew about Sara and Braxton. He knew we had them both. When I get my hands on him. I let the thought die. I need to stay focused on finding Sara.
Getting to the highway I slow down looking to the side of the road for any indication that Braxton may be hiding in the bushes. Lazarus is looking on the other side. He couldn’t have gotten far. Lazarus is looking at my watch and back to the side of the road. I can hear the sound of the tracker. They are close. I know Marco is on Braxton’s side, well I think so at least. Ash is the only other man out there looking. The rest are on vacation or on mission. If Marco and Braxton are together. Then Ash doesn’t have a chance.
“Here?” Suddenly Lazar
us throws his door open. I screech to a halt. I don’t have to ask what’s going on. I already know Lazarus has spotted Braxton. Thanks to my tracking device we didn’t have to look far.
Throwing my door open I run in the woods behind Lazarus. Braxton is surrounded. Ash is on one side and Lazarus and I are on the other. He isn’t going anywhere. He has a knife to Sara’s throat. He just signed his death warrant. I’m going to kill him right where he stands. Ash has a gun pointed at his head. Braxton is pale and he knows he isn’t getting out of these woods alive. I don’t see any signs of Marco. But that isn’t saying much. The bastard could be anywhere.
“Braxton. Let her go.” I point my gun at his head.
“Fuck you.”
“Sara sweetie are you okay?” I ask calmly. She doesn’t say a word. Tears streaking down her face. I think she’s in shock. “Sweet heart. Everything is going to be fine.” I reassure her.
“Braxton. You just messed with the wrong person.” Ash laughs.
“I’m not afraid of you.” He says to Ash.
“It’s not me you should be worried about.” Ash says quietly.
“Fuck you.”
“Daddy.” Sara looks at me with trembling lips.
Holly shit! She just called me daddy. She is defiantly in shock. She is remembering the shit she had not long ago gone through with her father. “Sweetheart don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine.”
“If you come any closer I will kill her.”
“Braxton. Why do you want Sara?” I have to keep him talking. I inch closer to him without notice.
“Don’t you know? She’s worth a lot. Now that her whore of a mother is dead and her father. Well she is worth a fucking fortune. She belongs to William now. He will pay me a pretty penny to get this one back. The exchange was supposed to have been made, everything went fine until you idiots came along and ruined everything.” That explains a lot. That’s why Sara was in the fucking jungle all alone. She ran away from them.
“Braxton.” I warn. I’m closer to him now and inching forward.
“Get the fuck back! I’ll kill her.” He holds the knife to her neck and a drop of blood runs down her tender little neck.
Braxton steps back away from me. I slightly nod to Ash. He moves closer. “Braxton let her go.” I say as calmly as I can.
“Not going to happen. She is my ticket out of here.”
“Daddy.” Sara whimpers looking to me.
“It’s okay sweetheart.” I assure her.
“Braxton you know you’re a dead man.” Lazarus states matter of fact.
“If either one of you come any closer. I’ll cut her.”
Those words just cost the man his life. I raise my gun pointing it at his head. “Sara sweetheart close your eyes tight.” Suddenly Ash makes a move driving his fist in the back of Braxton’s head. He doesn’t even have a chance. Braxton looks at me confused then crumples to the ground. Sara comes running to me. I take her in my arms hugging her tight.
“I knew you didn’t want to shoot him in front of her.”
“Thanks man.” I would have if I had too. I’m just glad that I didn’t. She is already traumatized and I don’t need to be adding to it.
Tango and Vegas comes stalking through the woods to where we are.
“Did you kill him?” Tango looks to me.
“Don’t worry boss, I only knock the fucker out. He’s a lucky man. Ty was going to kill him. I don’t think Ty had a rationally thought in his head. Braxton had a knife to her throat. Ty would have put a bullet in his head.” Ash answers for me.
Emotion is clawing up my throat. I never get emotional over anything. This is new to me. But when Braxton had a knife to her throat I knew I was going to kill him. I still may. If it weren’t for Ash I would have. Picking Sara up and carrying her back to the car without a word to anyone. I place her in the back seat and sit next to her. Lazarus and Ash take the front. Making sure her seat belt is buckled I hold on to her. She is trembling. The poor kid has been through enough to last a life time. Sara ducks her head in my chest crying softly. It breaks my heart that anyone could hurt this little girl. I don’t know what Tango will do with Braxton. If I get my hands on him he will be begging for me to kill him.
“Sara sweetie. Lazarus is going to take you to see Dr. Bailey. I’ll be right here if you need me. I have to talk to Tango for a minute.” I tell here once we are back at the base.
“Don’t leave me daddy.”
“Hey there little one. It will be alright. We can raid Dr. Bailey’s candy bowl.” Lazarus smiles at her. She looks up at him with those big green teary eyes and I can tell he is a goner as well. The big tough guy is putty in the little girl’s hands. She shies away from him holding tightly to my neck.
“It’ll be okay honey. I’ll be right here. I won’t leave you.”
“Okay.” She says shakily as I sat her down. Lazarus takes her by the hand leading her to the infirmary. She looks over her shoulder a few times and I smile at her.
“Ty. What do you want to do?” Tango asks once we are inside his office.
I have no idea. I haven’t seen Maggie, but I know she’s in critical condition. Braxton had beat her badly. I will trust no one with Sara. We know William will go through great measures to get to her. “I’m going to kill them all.” I state.
“How are you planning on doing that when they are in Vegas when you’re here?”
“I’m going to Vegas and I’m taking Braxton with me.”
“I don’t advise that. No you will take the girl with you. Flush them out.”
I don’t remember much after that statement from Tango. I whirl around punching him in the face. “Those son of a bitches will never get that close to her again.”
Marco pops his head in the office looking guilty. I suck him inside the office door beating the hell out of him. Wrapping my hands around his throat squeezing. I repeatedly punch him in the face. I hear voices that sound distant. Hands grabbing onto me. Ash’s face comes into view. “Calm down Ty.”
“It’s you!” I shout at Marco.
“Man, what the fuck?” Marco moans.
“Get him out of here!” Tango shouts.
Ash and Vegas drag Marco out of the room. I whirl around on Tango. His lip is split where I had punched him. “I will not put her in harm’s way again.”
“What the hell are we going to do with her while you go to Vegas?”
Tango has a point. There is no one to watch her. Then it dawns on me. “You.”
“Me? What the hell do you mean?”
“Keep her safe. If you want William and Vancard then you will keep her safe until I get back. If you call Cassie I will kill them.” I hate threating my team members. But I know how tango thinks. As soon as I’m off the ground he will call Cassie and I’ll never see Sara again. Leaving the room I head toward the infirmary. I don’t give Tango time to say any more.
Sara is sitting on the bed while Dr. Bailey looks over her. “Ty.” Dr. Bailey says.
Sara jumps off the bed before Dr. Bailey can finish checking her over and runs in my arms. “Hey there how are you feeling?” She clings to me trembling. “It’s okay honey. I’m here no one is going to hurt you.”
“Don’t leave me.” She cries.
Chapter 7
We are on the private jet. Sara is sitting in the seat next to me. Tango is looking at me like he wants my head, Lazarus is looking amused and Vegas is sleeping. I decided I didn’t want Sara that far away from me. So Tango is playing babysitter while the rest of us go after William and Vancard. Tango and Sylvia will take her to Lazarus’s place in the mountains. It’s still in Vegas and it isn’t that far away. Lazarus has one hell of a security system. If the lions doesn’t get you first and you manage to get past them, then his damn land mines will. The man is paranoid. Like the rest of us.
“Daddy.” Sara whispers.
“Yes honey?”
“Do I have to stay with him?” She peaks a glance at a scowling Tango.
&n
bsp; “Only for a few days. You remember the lady I told you about, Sylvia.”
“Yes.” She whispers.
“She is going to be there as well. You are going to have so much fun.”
“What about the lions. I heard you talk about them to Azarus.” She is so cute when she doesn’t pronounce her words correctly.
Smiling I ask. “What about them?”
“Will they eat me?”
“You don’t have anything to worry about. You will be inside and they can’t come inside. Lazarus has a fence around his place.”
“Will the bad guys come get me?”
“No one is going to hurt you sweetheart. I promise.”
“Okay.” She snuggles into my side and I wrap my arm around her.
Tango shifts his gaze out the window. I can’t help the smile that plays on my lips. I can’t imagine a tough guy like Tango babysitting. This will be fun to see. “Lazarus why the hell do you want to live where damn lions can eat you?” Tango asks out of the blue.
“Tango if I didn’t know any better I would swear that you’re afraid.” Lazarus laughs.
“No. Just curious.”
“They happen to be a magnificent animal.”
“Until they have you for dinner.”
“Whatever man. You’re just scared.”
“Fu… shut up.” Tango catches himself.
None of these men have been around kids. So it’s hard for us to keep it PG some times. Tango is trying I can tell, But he isn’t happy about his new job title.
“When will Sylvia arrive?” Vegas asks on a yawn.
“This evening.” Tango answers.
“You say it like you would rather be somewhere else.”
“I would.”
“Come on Tango, how hard can it be to take care of a kid?” I ask.
“They poop, they pee. You always have to feed them and watch them.” Tango actually looks ill.
I burst out laughing. Lazarus and Vegas hold their sides laughing. Tango looks serious as if he really doesn’t know what to do. “It’s not funny.”
Secret Ops: Ty's Revenge Page 5
