Lyon's Den

by Jordan Silver

  “Okay thanks.”

  “Are you coming in?”

  “Nah I got some stuff to take care of.” I hung up with her and turned back to the other one.

  “Okay kid, tell me how to do this.”

  “You can use any part daddy, but the leaves are the best. If you take too much it’ll kill you. But if you take just a little bit it’ll make you think you’re dying you’ll be so sick.”

  I picked some of the shit and put in a bag making sure not to touch it because the way she talked sounded like this shit would do me in if I even inhaled too deep.

  I kept a wary eye on her as we drove back home. She was clutching the bag with the poisonous shrub in her hand even though I told her to put it in the backseat.

  She carried on a running conversation about the best ways to use the shit. According to her you could use an extract but it wasn’t so easy to get since it was so toxic.

  “Gimme that.” I took it from her when we reached the house. “Don’t tell your mother about this. In fact don’t tell anyone.” She nodded her head and waited for me to come get her.

  “This mean you owe me daddy.” Well I knew that shit was coming.

  “I feed you, I don’t owe you jack kid.”

  “Okay!” Now I see why her mother’s afraid of her.

  Somehow that easy acquiescence did not make me the least bit comfortable. I was proved right as soon as we walked through the door. “Mommy, guess what.”

  I pulled her ass back by her collar. “Fine, what is it that you want?” This fucking kid is gonna end up on somebody’s most wanted poster. I refuse to swallow in front of this kid.

  “I’ll think about and tell you later daddy. Daddy.” She looked up at me with big eyes. “What is it baby?”

  “Don’t forget, don’t let any of that get near your mouth.”

  “Roger that.” I high fived her before making my escape and letting her get back to whatever the hell she was up to earlier.

  I didn’t waste any time texting Jared and asking him for an update. Obviously they would’ve called had that been the case. But it’s one of those things we do.

  After hearing that there was no movement from the perp, I turned my mind to ways to bypass his booby-traps. If I get a nail in my foot I’m likely to kill the fuck before I get the chance to question him. That shit hurts like a bitch on meth.

  I stayed awake long after everyone had gone to bed; big whoop, nine-thirty is the cut off time in this house for all but Kat and I.

  It was about ten when my boys were on the move. I saw the tracker on their truck start to pull out five seconds before I got the text.

  I ran upstairs to kiss my wife and tell her I’d be back. Thank fuck her ass was half asleep and she didn’t know what the fuck!

  “Where is he headed?”

  “We’re heading towards the Dairy Queen.”

  “Okay stay on him do not approach.” I fiddled my thumbs as I headed in their direction.

  Ten minutes later I got the call that the hump was heading back to his place. “Cut him off, don’t let him get back onto his property.”

  I heard the squeal of tires and saw the confusion of headlights up ahead when I turned the corner onto the street before the turnoff to asshole’s place.

  Thank fuck the area was pitch black and the homes were so nicely spread. The neighbors might’ve had heart attacks if they looked out their windows and saw the two men dressed in black shoving another one into the back of an SUV.

  Chapter 13

  I rode up and around them and headed back the way I came with them following close behind. We didn’t need to talk, we all knew where we were headed. I got there before they did and opened the security gate.

  I turned on only the bare bulb overhead light leaving the rest of the room in shadows. I kicked a chair into the middle of the room and waited.

  They dragged him in kicking and screaming. “Who are you?” He focused on me before I throat chucked his ass and pushed him down on the chair.

  I opened my little bag of treats and shoved two leaves in his mouth. Mengele wasn’t lying that shit worked fast. It started out slow, maybe taking thirty minutes before the first sign of distress.

  “What is that, what did you give me?” He eyed the bag in my hand and asked after I stopped holding his mouth together. “Where’s the kid? You tell me that and I’ll let you live, you don’t, you die.”

  He put up a good fight that dragged on for damn near three hours. That’s when the fun really started. He lost control of his body, his head slumped forward and he started screaming.

  “Open.” He fought not to open his mouth but that wasn’t gonna work. “Okay-okay I’ll tell you.” We were halfway out the door before he was done talking.

  I didn’t even stop to ask if the place was booby-trapped as well. My only interest was in getting to the kid. We reached the border of the property less than an hour later and moved in.

  I heard movement like someone running through brush on the other side of the cabin and rushed the door. There was no doubt what my first priority was.

  It was the frightened little girl on the dirty mattress in the corner. I’ll catch up to the asshole that just escaped later. That shouldn’t be hard since the other asshole had spilt his guts.

  “It’s okay Amy you’re safe now. We’re here to take you home.” My crew and I were getting way too good at this shit, once too many times facing this

  ugly shit.

  I approached her cautiously, keeping my voice low and nonthreatening. She flew into my arms, breaking my heart and I hated having to lay her in the back of the SUV to go with the others while I hopped back on my ride.

  I called my father in law on my way and told him to meet us at the hospital. I had to give him a quick rundown because he thought his kid had gone into labor.

  He had half the damn station at the hospital entrance when we pulled up and the local asshole news reporter was there already with her shit. “Move that shit before I feed it to you.”

  Kat’s gonna have my ass if that shit goes live. Like I care that this hag is a female. If you see me carrying a terrified child in my arms get the hell out of my way.

  I passed the kid off to the medics who came running and looked for Drake in the crowd glaring at the other camera crews that were rapidly approaching. Who the fuck called them anyway?

  “I know I have to give a statement so let’s get this

  over with. Did you send your guys out to that place?”

  “Yeah they should be there by now. How did you know where to find her?”

  “Just a hunch.”

  “Colton…”

  “It’s like I said, just a hunch. I have to get back, your daughter’s about to pop any second.” It was a half dick move I know but it’s also the best way I know to get him off my ass.

  “What do you mean? I thought we had another month at least.” Five pregnancies and he still breaks out in a sweat over his little girl. What a chump.

  “Yeah well you know how that goes. If you need me to come down to the station…”

  “No-no go on ahead you’ve already given me the name and the location my boys know what to look for and the copter’s out there.”

  I whistled for my boys and we lit out. My part of this was over for now. I needed to get home and put eyes on my kids and wife so my heart would stop beating me to death.

  I eased back into my home, disarmed and reset the alarm and made my way up the stairs. I started breathing again when I stood over Caitiebear and watched her sleep.

  I had to cover my mouth to hold back the emotion. I know the women around me don’t understand why I’m the way I am, and maybe I go a bit overboard when it comes to my kids and wife, but I’m fucked if I’m gonna change that shit.

  I made the rounds until I came to Catalina’s room. My terror had kicked the covers off and had one leg hanging off the bed.

  I placed my hand on her little chest as it rose and fell with each breath and hoped like fuck
the little girl I just took out of hell would heal. If I could I’d bring them all home with me because sure as fuck I’d do my best to keep them safe.

  I took a quick shower and climbed into bed with my wife. “Colton?”

  “Yeah baby go back to sleep.” I put my arm around her and pulled her back into my chest until she rooted around and got comfortable on my chest.

  I thought I’d be awake all night but I was out in a

  matter of minutes. Just the comfort of having her in my arms was enough to erase the horror for now.

  In the morning I paid extra attention to my kids, held them a little longer before letting them out the door to get on the bus, then went back to my wife.

  “You did something, what did you do?” This fucking woman is always in my shit. “I don’t know what you’re talking about lady. Waddle your nosy ass over to that chair and put your feet up.”

  The best way to get her mind off of my shit is to piss her ass off. “I don’t waddle you beast.”

  “Sure look like it from where I’m standing.” She flipped that shit on my ass.

  “Don’t do that shit Kat.” I pointed at her as she sniffled and her eyes welled up with tears. “You know damn good and well I was playing come ‘ere.”

  I pulled her into my chest and her son tried to pop me one for making his mom cry. That’s my boy. I had to placate his mean ass too. I kissed his head and hers and rolled my eyes over them.

  “Do you need anything before I head out?” She shook her head against my chest and wrapped her arm tighter around my waist and I knew I wasn’t getting out of there anytime soon.

  It did me good to spend the morning with the two of them, helped smooth out some of the rough edges and get the taste out of my mouth left over from the night before.

  By the time I left she still didn’t get what she was after but she was no longer crying and my son was no longer giving me the stink eye. I’ma have to watch that kid.

  I checked in with Drake to see how the little girl was doing and to learn whether or not they’d caught their man, which they hadn’t.

  I hadn’t forgotten the other asshole I’d left in the warehouse but I was in no hurry to check on him. I hope the temperature reach a hundred and ten before noon and cook his ass.

  My boys weren’t getting shit done at the shop and I couldn’t blame them. After dealing with this shit it usually takes us a few days to get our shit together.

  “You boys wanna take a ride out to our place? I got

  a hump that needs a work up.” No one answered and they were all looking at me like some fuck had happened that I didn’t know about.

  “What? You tell me that fuck got away Jared I’ll shoot you.”

  “Colt, have you seen a picture of these kids?” The fuck?

  “Which kids?”

  “The ones that were taken.”

  “Not really no. It was dark in the hut last night and there was never a picture of the poor little one we lost. Why what the fuck is going on?”

  “I think you should take a look.” What’s up with his squirrely ass?

  He showed me his phone and everything inside me went cold. The coloring, both hair and eyes were all Mengele.

  I felt my arms and legs start to shake and my head could’ve blown off my shoulders it got so light. I had to remind myself that these freaks usually had a type and this didn’t mean my daughter was a target.

  Still that didn’t make me feel much better. I

  wanted to head to the school right away and make sure my kid was okay. I could hear Kat’s shit about me overreacting so I satisfied myself with calling the school.

  Once I was sure she was safe it was time to get some work done. A little before noon my phone started going nuts. Kat!

  “What’s up baby you okay?”

  “Uh-huh! Just saw you on the morning news. Quite the night you had there huh.” Well shit. I should sue those assholes for putting my face on their shit.

  “I’m proud of you Colton, thanks for being such a great guy.”

  “You’re welcome.” She’s not going to think I’m so great when the next broadcast is about me choking the shit out of that annoying ass reporter.

  For the next few days it’s all I heard about. By then they’d found the half dead asshole that we’d released two days after taking him.

  He might do a lot of shit in his future but since his dick was in a wood chipper there was no fucking way he’d be getting up to his usual.

  He had no idea who’d mutilated him or so he’d told the authorities who found him in the field where we’d left him. I hope his friend sees that shit and knows what he’s got coming.

  We’d been hitting the streets every night after dark patrolling and looking for his ass. The word had spread that we were on the job along with some friends who likes to join us on these little missions.

  At least our neighbors and the people in the neighboring county could sleep a little better at night and not have to worry about their babies being harmed by these fucking monsters.

  “I think I’m gonna call it a day boys.” It was about a week after the whole ordeal. Work was pretty much done on our latest and it would be a few days before we had to get going on the new orders.

  “You guys should head on out as well, maybe we’ll do something this weekend it’s supposed to be nice out.”

  “Sounds like a plan…oh wait Colt we can’t. The women are going to be busy.”

  “Busy doing what?” I tried to remember if Kat had mentioned anything to me but nothing came.

  “The shower’s this weekend didn’t your mom tell you?”

  “Shit I forgot. I guess I’ll be seeing you fools either way then.”

  Damn, that means Elena’s gonna be riding my ass from tonight with her errands shit. I checked my watch. Fuck! It was too late to rush home and steal a piece before the rugrats got off the bus.

  Oh well, I can still steal some alone time with my girl. It’s been a while since I spent any length of time just kissing her and feeling her up.

  She likes that shit the freak. My phone rang on my hip and I pulled it before getting on my bike. I heard the others leaving the shop behind me as I read the screen.

  Speak of the devil. I smiled and answered. “Hey baby, I was just thinking about you.” Is she crying?

  “Kat what the fuck, what happened?”

  Chapter 14

  “Colton something’s wrong, Catalina didn’t get off the bus.”

  “What the fuck are you saying? Where are the others?”

  “Everyone else is here except her.”

  “And they didn’t notice that she wasn’t on the bus?”

  “They did but the driver refused to stop the bus.”

  I’d already pulled my little gadget. “I’m on it Kat no worrying.” I hung up and called for my guys as I headed for my bike.

  My heart started beating right again when I saw the little red dot that showed me where she was.

  “Someone grabbed my kid let’s go.” They mounted up and we headed out.

  There were no other thoughts in my head, only getting to her and dealing with whomever the fuck had taken her. I knew it wasn’t anyone we knew, because no one would take one of my kids without me, or their mother knowing.

  Just who it could be was making me sick in the gut. I clenched my hands around the handlebars and willed myself to breathe. The warmth of my blood turned ice cold. This fuck is dead!

  I heard my guys talking to me in my headset, could feel the rumble of their bikes blended with mine. I refuse to let panic set in, did not let myself think or imagine what my little girl was feeling.

  We were five minutes away from wherever the fucker was and I couldn’t get there fast enough. I saw the old beat up truck up ahead and pushed my bike even harder.

  I went around and turned, heading back for him while my boys closed in from behind. He didn’t have any choice but to stop when I pointed my glock at him through the windshield.

  He swe
rved and ran into the ditch. I dropped my bike still running and ran for the truck. Pulling the door open I slugged the fuck in the face and threw him to the ground.

  She was laying in the backseat covered with an old blanket. I pulled her out and held her close while my heart beat me to death.

  “Daddy?” she was groggy, half asleep. Motherfucker drugged my kid. “Daddy’s right her baby. You’re fine now, you’re safe.” I cleared the tears from my throat and squeezed her.

  When my brave little warrior hiccoughed and whimpered in my arms, I fought back the tears. I turned to the asshole that looked like my boys had already started in on him.

  “Take him to our place I gotta get her to the hospital. I called her mother as I headed back to my bike. “Kat, baby, I’ve got her, I’m taking her to the hospital. Stop crying baby fuck! I can’t do this if you’re gonna go soft on me.”

  “She kept crying and I knew she was barely hanging on by a thread. My pregnant wife! “Listen to me, the only time you’re allowed to be soft is in my bed. Under me, over me, in front of me. You get it? Now pull your shit together and think of my kids you’re carrying.”

  She sniffled one last time and took a deep breath. I held my own hoping that she could hang in there until I got to her. “What do you need me to do?” Thank fuck! Thank you!

  “Call Daniel, call the hospital let them know we’re coming.” I hung up because right now she was freaking the fuck out, my kid was in danger, and I couldn’t be there to comfort her. Not a good place for me to be.

  I didn’t tell her to call Drake because I’m gonna handle this shit myself. His ass was dead the second he put hands on my kid. I don’t need the nosy ass law in my shit.

  Fuck I was on my ride and she was out of it. How the fuck was I gong do this? In the end I took my leather off and put her behind me, wrapping her in it and tying the sleeves around my middle to tie her onto me.

  “Hold onto daddy tight baby, just lean into me.” I was super aware of her weight pressed into my back, but I still asked my boys who were following behind.

  Someone had thrown their bike in the back of the truck and was leading the asshole to await his fate. Every once in a while Jared or Tommy or one of the others would assure me that she was still hanging on.