by Cara Carnes
20
Vi jolted awake. Cold air brushed across her exposed skin.
Memories flashed through her mind, striking like bullets. She rubbed her neck as she looked around. “Jud?”
Dread settled in her gut as she crawled off the mattress. A lone piece of paper floated on the breeze and landed on the ground. She stumbled out of the bed and fell to her knees. She grabbed the white paper with trembling hands. Shock seeped into her bones. Her entire body quaked.
We’ll be in touch. Them for HERA.
They’d be in touch? How? And who the hell was them? Jud. Oh shit.
They had Jud.
And someone else.
Mary?
No. No. No.
She didn’t want anyone to be missing, but it couldn’t be Mary. Not again. Tears burned her eyes.
Vi scrambled up to the back of the truck bed again and fumbled around until she found a small cell phone. Likely an untraceable cell, but she’d work her magic when she got to Command Central. She shivered as the cold wind struck her again. The fuckers took her clothes and the blankets.
Her emotions swung a treacherous pendulum. Terror. Anger. Revulsion. Shame. Guilt.
They had Jud.
They’d penetrated their defenses and taken Jud and someone else.
Jud had brought her out here to make the night special and someone…
Someone knocked her out, and…
Don’t. Don’t you dare fall apart and make this about you. Get your ass back to the compound and find Jud. Figure out who else they took.
Make them pay.
Vi clutched the anger, fed it every pissed off thought she could to shake off the fright. They hadn’t taken her. Why the hell not?
Because they wanted HERA.
How had they bypassed security?
Jud had taken them to one of the far back pastures of Mason property, one not in use. But they’d secured the entirety of their land with drone surveillance after the attack.
Fuck. The attack.
Someone had remained behind after the attack, hidden. Waited.
This was her fault. She should have done a head count, scoured every inch of Mason land for heat signatures to make sure no one was hiding. Hot tears filled her vision, but she took a deep breath.
No. There was no way she could’ve known they would do that. This wasn’t her fault, but it was her problem.
Get your shit together. They have Jud and no telling who else.
She crawled out of the bed of the truck. Sticker burrs stuck in her bare feet, but she didn’t give a damn. She got into the truck. Please let there be keys. She glared at the empty ignition a moment, then leaned over and opened the glove compartment. She snagged the gun and set it in the seat beside her and rifled past medical gear and extra munitions until she found the extra set of keys.
Too bad there weren’t extra clothes in the damn truck.
Vi ignored the fact she was naked and started the vehicle. Her hands trembled as she drove her way toward the compound. Hopefully she’d remembered the route correctly from the night before.
Memories of their lovemaking the previous night assailed her thoughts. Jud was beyond amazing, the best lover she’d ever had. To top it off, he gave a damn about her—really cared. They’d regaled each other with stories between bouts of sex last night. The entire time had been amazing. Then some assholes caught them both off guard and soured the entire experience.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out. She glared at the phone on the seat beside the gun. She wouldn’t use it, not when she was close to the compound. Someone was probably monitoring it, listening. A shudder rolled along her spine.
She needed a plan. No way in hell she’d give them HERA, but she wasn’t about to let them keep Jud and whoever else they’d taken. Whoever did this would pay.
Her head ached, her mouth felt like she’d swallowed an entire desert of sand. Relief overwhelmed her when the buildings came into view. She aimed for the compound.
Almost there.
Her mind siphoned through everything she had to do, patterned everything into manageable bullet points to try and organize the chaotic thoughts drowning her. She braked in front of a cluster of bodies, her brain too busy to identify who. It didn’t matter. She was back at The Arsenal compound. That’s what mattered.
She tumbled from the truck.
“Jesus.” The voice rose. “Get Logan out here. Now!”
Vi blinked as the voice became a body. Jesse. Well, this was more than embarrassing. She was naked, a mental mess and all sorts of confused. Other faces fell into view as people clustered behind the man now crouched in front of her.
“Vi. Look at me,” Jesse ordered. He grabbed her face and directed her semi-focused gaze. The tremble in her hands intensified. “What happened?”
“Jud. Someone took.” She grabbed his shirt and yanked him closer and she forced out the muddled thoughts. “Someone else taken.”
“Get Cord on tracking everyone down,” Marshall ordered as he crouched beside his brother. “Let’s get something on you, sweetheart.”
Oh, right. She nodded and mutely held up her hands as the two men put a shirt on her like it was commonplace to dress naked women outside their compound.
“Where were you?” Jesse asked.
“Jud took her out to the northeastern pasture to stargaze,” Marshall said. “Dylan shifted patrols to semi-cover the area. He’ll know who was closest to the area.”
“Dallas,” Dylan said. “He’s not answering his cell.”
“Fuck,” Jesse growled. “Where is Logan?”
“En route,” someone clipped behind Marshall.
“Vi!” Mary’s voice rose from behind the cluster. “Move! Move! Get out of my way!”
Her best friend fell to her knees on the other side of Marshall. Vi returned the fierce hug and sank into the security of everyone around her.
“I think they kept a team, or a couple people, on site after the attack. That was their final phase,” she whispered. “They took Jud and someone else.”
“Cord’s running a roll call. Can you stand? Did they hurt you?” Tears formed in Mary’s eyes as she asked the last question.
“No.” Vi shook her head fiercely, determined to assure her friend she hadn’t been raped, even though she couldn’t know since she’d been knocked out. “I’m okay, just dazed. The fuckers left me naked.”
“Surprised they didn’t take you, too,” Marshall commented.
Vi motioned toward the truck. “They left a cell and a note. They’ll give back Jud and whoever else they took if I hand over HERA.”
The men cursed. Jesse and Marshall helped her stand. Mary wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her toward the building. Although Vi didn’t want to waste time in medical, she figured she had a better chance scaling Mount Kilimanjaro than stopping this freight train of concerned friends guiding her toward a checkup. Her heart swelled.
Mary had been right all along. This was her family, too.
Doctor Logan greeted them halfway down the corridor. “I was on my way.”
“She’s zoning,” Jesse said. “I think they gave her something.”
“In my neck. I didn’t have time to fight. Jud didn’t either. He’s going to be so pissed they got the jump on us.” Vi’s voice broke at the last statement.
Jesse hoisted her onto the exam table. Vi was glad the shirt Marshall had removed and given to her was long enough to go down to her mid-thigh. At least things were covered now.
“What can I do? Give me something to do, dang it.” The woman’s voice pitched higher in frustration at the end. She was short with purple hair with pink tips. A diamond nose ring glinted. Her red lips were downturned into a grim expression.
Who the heck was she?
“Woops, sorry. I’m Zero D.” The woman rocked back on her wedged platforms. “Zoey.”
Right. Vi had been so busy with everything else she’d forgotten about the newest recruit, the one who’d saved
Fallon’s team overseas. Something else she’d let slip through the cracks.
“Cord could probably use some help accounting for everyone,” Mary said. “Thanks, Zoey. And welcome, I know you got in late last night and haven’t been shown around or introduced to anyone. Things are nuts right now, as you know.”
“I’m glad to be here. Put me to work.”
“Wait. Where’s Jacob?” Vi grabbed Jesse’s arm. “Is he here? Is he okay? Someone has to tell him about Jud.”
“We will, once we know what’s going on,” Marshall assured. “He’s with Cord right now. He’s fine.”
“Okay, everyone without a medical license, get the hell out,” Logan growled.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Mary stated firmly as she grabbed Vi’s hand.
The doctor regarded the stubborn woman a moment, then nodded. Everyone else filed out. Vi forced a deep breath and steeled herself for Doctor Logan.
The former Army Ranger turned CIA operative slash doctor had almost died trying to save Mary a while back. He had no business working yet, but he was almost as stubborn as Vi and Mary combined. He settled a stethoscope into position and studied her with a half-hooded gaze. Some of the calm she’d felt while surrounded by Jesse, Marshall and everyone else earlier disappeared in the silent room.
“I’ll take some blood, to identify what they gave you.”
“I’m fine. I’m not the one who got taken.”
They’d just spent hours making love. Vi wanted to say fucking, but her brain refused to lie. It’d been way, way more than just sex.
And some asshole tainted what they shared. Invaded their privacy.
Her skin crawled. Had they heard? Watched?
Logan flashed an obnoxious light in her eyes. She squinted and looked away, but he persisted. “How long were you out?”
“I’m not sure, probably not long.” She sighed her frustration as he prodded along the side of her head. “I’m fine except for a headache and a dry mouth.”
He tossed a glare, but put away the light and went over to a small table. “I’ll draw some blood, then you can be on your way.”
“No.” Mary shook her head. “She was out. She doesn’t know what they could’ve done. You need to check her.”
“I’m fine,” Vi argued.
“Strangers infiltrated our compound, hid out and waited until they could catch you unaware. They knocked you out and left you naked in the back of a truck bed. What part of that is fine, Vi? Because I’m honestly not seeing anything at all fine with that situation.”
Well, okay then. Vi glanced at Logan, who’d frozen at her best friend’s raised voice. Mary clenched Vi’s hand in a vise-like grip.
The phantom screams from Vi’s nightmares echoed in her brain, a waking reminder of what her best friend had endured. She grabbed Mary and held on tight. “I was so scared they got you.”
“I’m okay. We’re okay.”
Vi nodded, unsure whether the statement was true or not. It felt as though a part of her had been ripped out and stamped on. Pulverized.
They had Jud.
“Check her,” Mary ordered. “We aren’t leaving until you check her.”
Jud woke up suspended from a large meat hook. He wished it was the first time he’d woken up like that, but it wasn’t. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady as he listened for voices, footsteps, anything to clue him into what the fuck was going on.
The last thing he remembered was Viviana. Losing himself in her. Literally.
He’d spent over two decades in the most dangerous environments on the planet and survived because he never, ever let his guard down. But he’d lost himself the first time Viviana’s warm heat settled around him and she locked her arms and legs around him like letting him go was impossible. For a few hours he’d been nothing more than a man making love to his woman.
And there was no doubt Viviana was his.
Once he killed the fuckers who dared mess with her, he’d make sure she knew. Jud was bare chested, but someone had put his pants on. Bare footed.
Voices rose in frustration from the left.
“Where the hell are you? They’re both coming to. We’re not getting paid enough for this bullshit. Do you have any idea how close we came to dying? Jesus, he went through everyone like they were standing still.” The voice paused. “Yeah, well good. Me and Mike deserve triple pay. We need more men here stat. If they aren’t here and these two rouse, we’re outta here.”
“What’d they say?”
“Marla and four teams are en route, three minutes max.”
“Good. That’s good. That’ll be enough, right?”
Fuck. That wasn’t good at all.
“Yeah, that should be enough, Mike. Keep watch, we don’t need anybody showing up uninvited. I’m going to do a walkabout.”
“Yeah, okay. Good. That’s good.”
Jud was more than pissed off at himself for letting an idiot like Mike get the jump on him. He waited until the thud of the door echoed in the distance before opening his eyes and looking around. Dallas hung beside him, eyes half open and focused on where the voices had come from. He was also bare chested with a pair of pants. Bare footed.
“You okay?” Jud asked.
“A little sore and lot pissed off. You?”
“About the same.” Jud glanced up at the handcuffs and chains securing him to the hook. “Fuckers are idiots, but they aren’t taking chances.”
“No shit. I think we’re in San Antonio. I came to earlier than they expected. It took a while to secure you so my drugs must’ve worn off faster than expected.” Dallas’s voice lowered. “This isn’t going to go well for us, man.”
Jud didn’t bother replying. The Collective had them. They both knew what that meant because they’d been on the other side, Jud more than anyone. How many people had he detained and questioned for The Collective? Hundreds? Thousands? Probably. He knew what’d go down over the next several hours. They’d start by the book. Beatings. Water boarding. Electrical shock.
Then they’d get creative.
Not that it’d matter.
Jud accepted the fact he’d die long ago. He’d even accepted it’d probably be slow and painful, a last penance for the things he’d done.
That was before Viviana, though.
He hung in the empty warehouse and focused on her, the things they’d shared, the stars they’d named. He smiled when he remembered the poodle. What was her name? Phoebe. Yeah, that was it.
“You are one sick fuck,” Dallas grumbled. “We’re hanging like meat waiting to get pulverized and you’re laughing and smiling.”
“It’ll throw them off their game.”
“If we’re in San Antonio, teams will be here as soon as they figure out I’m missing, too. Vi and Mary chipped everyone, like we’re fucking dogs.”
Ha. Jud couldn’t help but laugh. She was totally a pet person, she just didn’t realize it yet. A tracking chip meant a rescue would be faster than expected, which meant all they needed was to hold out for a few hours.
No problem.
Jud focused on the high-heeled footsteps clacking against the concrete floor. The bitch couldn’t help but show up. She’d likely waited for this moment for years.
Marla entered the room with a smug grin. Twelve men fanned out in the room. Jud personally thought that was overkill, but noted the nervous glimpses between the men as they took a few steps backward. Their gazes remained on him. Jud grinned smugly as he tracked their movements.
“If you wanted a meeting, all you had to do was call,” Jud said.
“Funny, you weren’t very polite last time we chatted, Jud. You were downright hostile.” She strode forward and scraped a nail down his bare chest. “It’s been a while, boys. You’ve both been very busy. And naughty.”
Jud looked over at Dallas. Face red, lips thinned, the man looked like he was about to spit nails. To say he had a strained relationship with The Collective handler was an understatement. They’d been hot
and heavy the first couple years he came on board, but things turned sour enough for her to order a hit on him.
Marla stood in front of Dallas and slapped him. The strike echoed through the room. Dallas laughed.
“Nice seeing you again, sweetheart. I see you’re still a viperous bitch.”
“You owe me, Dallas. You were sight lined years ago, but I rescinded the order.”
“Funny, I’m pretty sure I rescinded it by refusing,” Jud commented. “You can’t use The Collective to take out all your boy toys who refuse to play hide the candlestick with you anymore.”
Dallas chuckled.
Marla spun and clacked back to Jud. “This is all your fault. All you had to do was take out the Quillery Edge and get HERA. It was a simple request.”
“One you knew better than issue as a direct order. No one touches the Quillery Edge unless they want to take me on.”
“Well that’s hardly a threat right now, is it?”
Jud had several ways to extricate himself from the situation, none of them without a vast amount of pain. Broken hands. Wrists. Dislocated shoulders. The escape strategies listed in his mind, but he remained still. Lethal calm drifted through him.
The bitch wasn’t walking away from this.
“Now, Dallas. You and I have some unfinished business. I’m thinking we need to pick up where we left off. Little DJ needs a brother or sister.”
Son of a bitch.
Chains rattled beside him. Marla cupped Dallas’s cock and squeezed. A sinister smile formed on her face. “Oh, I forgot to tell you about our son. He looks just like you. So precious. Dallas Junior, but I call him DJ for short. He’s learning to be a cowboy, just like his daddy. Sadly, little DJ thinks you died. I guess that was a prediction on my part.”
Jud thought back to the time Dallas pulled out of The Collective. Marla had been AWOL for a few months before that, operating mostly remotely. Which made sense if she’d been pregnant. Son of a bitch. Jud remained silent, let the shock wave of her pronouncement fill the room.
When she didn’t get a reaction from Dallas, she continued. “He’s turning four soon and such a smart boy. I don’t see him as often as I’d like, but he’s well taken care of.”
