CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
“There’s a car coming,” Adam said looking through the binoculars. “A black SUV.”
“Keep an eye on it,” Jack said. “That’s our distraction.”
A slight downfall of rain had started to fall as early evening slipped into darkness making it difficult to see. However, the Hyatt had a dim shine to it. The entrance was lit up like a Christmas tree, and several lights flashed from rooms inside. Outside along the streets, nothing moved only the constant presence of the coming storm. Trenton stepped in through the same door Shift had come. He was dripping wet but barely out of breath.
“Base should be here anytime,” Trenton said. “There’s more.”
“That black SUV just pulled up to the front of the Hyatt,” Adam said.
Ryan stepped over and asked for the binoculars. He put them to his eyes and looked into the night. Jack gestured Summer to take Shift as he stood to his feet and moved in next to Ryan.
“We move in after the SUV leaves.” He said.
“What about the dog?” Summer asked.
“You give good directions?” Jack asked Trenton.
“Yes, sir but…”
“Maybe you should hang back with her.” He said peering out the window at the SUV. The front door opened and a man got out and opened the back door facing the front of the building.
“Riley!” Ryan said suddenly.
Jack turned to his brother and grabbed the binoculars.
“That’s what I was trying to tell you. Base asked me to tell you that Raeburn called Riley. Raeburn demanded a meeting in trade for Eric's life."
Jack stood there for a minute. “Shit!” He whispered.
“What now Jack?” Ryan asked.
Jack pressed the binoculars hard against his face. “She doesn’t know what she’s getting into.”
“Dragon’s intent on killing Raeburn. Maybe he’ll get to him first.” Summer said. As she stepped out of the darkness, it was if the dimmest of lights surrounded her.
Jack looked back at the girl sitting with the dog. “What makes you so sure about this Dragon character?”
“Gut feeling. Summer said.
“How do you know he’s not playing you?” Ryan asked.
“He had to play along to get in. How would you’ve done it?” Summer said sarcastically, but then her face softened. "I just know, and he’s my father."
“You’re father? Okay, I’d play along too,” Ryan said looking over at Jack.
Summer was right. Dragon may become their best asset, but Jack didn't even know the man.
Through the binoculars Jack watched Riley hand something to the driver. Jack got a good look at the driver's face. “Conman,” Jack muttered aloud. “Conman drove her in. If I’m right, there's a few more of our team inside the car."
Riley went through the front doors. Conman moved the car to the back of the building. Jack lowered the binoculars and looked at the others. He and Ryan were the force and behind them stood a sixteen-year-old girl and two teenage boys who’d become men several years ago.
He lowered himself to a kneeling position and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. It was a habit. Something he did when he needed to work things out in his head. Ryan stepped in closer to him and knelt down.
“This is a tough one,” Ryan said gently.
“I wish she hadn’t gone. Raeburn’s bad news.” He said in a soft tone. Jack took comfort knowing his brother was beside him in everything.
“You’ve taught her well Jack. She can handle this.” Ryan replied.
“It’s a trap.”
“And she knows it,” Ryan replied. “Don’t you see? You would’ve done the same thing if it were me in there. She can handle this, and you know it."
Jack knew he was right. The devil himself wouldn't stop Jack if one of his family members were the ones held, hostage. “If he doesn’t break her mentally, he’ll break her physically.”
“She’ll have to be smarter,” Ryan said. “We’ll be ready for it, and I’m sure she is as well.”
“Let’s hope her emotions don’t cloud her capacity to decide. I have a feeling this one is about to get ugly. The Asshole's been playing dead and probably waiting a longtime for this moment."
Ryan patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s go get our people,” Ryan said. “You got a plan or what brother?”
Jack rubbed his temple and then stood to his full 6’3’’ height. “I have a plan.”
The others looked over at him and then gathered. Shift let out a soft whine. I’m going to sit this one out but count me in on the next one. They stood in a moment of silence waiting for direction from the only man they’d want as their leader. Jack looked at their young faces and realized this was the future. They’d be there when he no longer was. Every ounce of what they were experiencing now would take them to the next level and the one after that making one or two legendary. Jack took in the moment and then like the leader he was, he went to work.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Dragon paced inside the hotel room behind a secured and locked door. Raeburn was playing with him. Letting him sit and wait to see if he lived or died. Surrounded by heavy artillery and muscle, Raeburn wouldn’t be an easy target to kill. Somehow Dragon would see to it that Raeburn has a proper devil's funeral and burn in Hell. Disgustedly so, Dragon had come in on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness. Raeburn was a power whore feeding on drama. He’d, passed Dragon over to his biggest bodyguard who landed a punch in his stomach knocking him through a glass table. Dragon, wanting nothing more than to have Raeburn's blood on his hands, hadn't fought back. He wanted to, but it wouldn't have gotten him this far. He’d have to play this one out. He’d humbly picked out the glass shards from his skin and bandaged up what he could.
Hadn’t Raeburn seen his resume? List all interests, hobbies, and organizations. Drama club baby! Because sports hadn’t been in his genetics. Dragon stared at the dead television. He forced himself to remember what it was like to pretend. He'd had no problem finding the strength in his twin self-Theodore who'd been an expert at acting.
Locked in an economy room, Raeburn’s thug stripped him of his weapons. He couldn’t complain too much, the accommodations were free of decaying corpses and drug infested wax people. He sat on the edge of the bed guessing Ray watched and began creating scene one. He pulled a cigarette off the night table lit it taking a long drag. He hadn't smoked since he left the ship. In someways, the nicotine felt good. He breathed out creating small tubular circles above his head. He highlighted the old Dragon’s cocky attitude. He needed that Dragon now because he knew Raeburn was an expert at security. He couldn’t see the cameras, but they were there.
He cracked a beer and guzzled it disliking the taste but deceitfully appearing as though he enjoyed it. He crushed the can and dropped it to the floor. Despicable, he thought. Raeburn loved to watch people and right now Dragon was sure he was the one on camera. The quietness of the room was uneventful making Dragon expectant. He wanted to know whether he had cheated death or not. He wanted out of the hotel chamber. The silence hummed like tiny frequencies in and out leaving him guessing.
His leg ached, but he stood up without any evidence of the pain and began to pace the floor. The nicotine was working as well as the warm beer he'd just drank calming the apprehension and numbing the pain. He never moved to the window because that would be a hint that he was expecting someone. He grabbed another beer and slipped his hand in his pocket withdrawing one of the pain pills Summer had given him. He popped one in his mouth, took a small sip of the beer, and then faked the rest. Raeburn wanted to see is if he'd take the gift he'd left him on the table.
Sometime later, the door to the room opened. A man big enough to pinch the life out of a human with two fingers stepped through. Dragon’s first thought was Mr. Clean because sure as shit, the man’s head was bald, and he had platinum eyebrows. He called on Dragon to follow him. Dragon stepped behind the man following while thinking tattoos mi
ght do his overinflated muscle some justice. Dragon figured he was going to the biggest most luxurious room in the hotel. The Park Capitol Suite, it would be the only place good enough for Raeburn and Dragon guessed they'd expanded even that. However, the top floor of the hotel held a view of Raeburn’s kingdom. There he had the ability to watch over the city as well as the capitol building.
The suite was nothing short of elegant and sparkling clean even after several years of non-use. This room, not special in any way, was standard. Raeburn sat in a chair. His foot propped on the coffee table. Holding an old newspaper while sipping coffee, he looked like a billionaire. Dragon could smell the aroma of the coffee as well as the twist of whiskey. Raeburn turned to face Dragon only for an instant and then set the paper down on the table.
“Sit.” He said.
Dragon hated to obey. He sat down across from Raeburn. The smell of whiskey strengthened by a stream of the hot coffee. Raeburn's face had returned to its normal color suggesting his anger had subsided. Dragon forced himself to focus. He shoved Summer out of his head.
“Raeburn," He said. He sat forward on the seat with his elbows on his knees and his hands slightly clasped. The old Dragon was always eager and always ready to make more money.
“You wrecked my car, took off with my girl, and then lost her. You shot my doctor and then disappeared. How’s the leg anyway?” He asked.
Dragon dropped his head between his hands playing submissive for effect and then looked up carefully gathering the words in his mind. “The bitch grabbed the wheel and crashed the car.” Sorry Summer. Forgive what I have to say.
“How did you end up at Doc’s place then?”
"I had a fucking piece of glass the size of Texas lodge in my leg. I had no choice."
“I feel sorry for you now,” Raeburn said with sarcasm. “Where the hell were you going with her?"
"Someone infiltrated the ship. LIES! I knew her value, so I took her.” Dragon stared at Raeburn and their gazes locked. It was imperative that he held his gaze now. “I was bringing her to you.” He lied. Flawless. She’s my daughter. I’ve been searching for her forever.
Raeburn was silent for a minute and in those seconds; Dragon wasn’t sure which way this was going to go. Had he convinced him?
“Disappointing you weren’t able to get to me,” Raeburn said. “Pretty girl.”
Dragon felt the muscles in his neck tense. He focused on that single muscle and felt himself relax. Mind over matter. What he wanted to say was, “I wouldn’t have taken her to you if you were the last man on earth!” Instead, Dragon reverted to high school and said, “I thought you’d like her.” Never!
Silence once more. Either Dragon had clinched it, or he was about to die. The silence wore on, and Dragon felt his palms begin to sweat. He remained. He had no weapon, and as he kept his gaze locked, he scanned the room behind Raeburn.
“I’m going to do something I’ve never done before,” Raeburn said. “I’m giving you a second chance. I like you Dragon, your concise, you’re ruthless, and you lack emotion. I admire those traits. I saved your sorry pathetic life hoping to have someone who felt gratitude. You feel gratitude?"
Dragon’s inner thoughts screamed through his head, but he contained himself. He wanted nothing more than to slam his fists into Raeburn's smug pretty-boy face. I am nothing like you. You’re the scum at the bottom of a sewage pond. Dragon thought. “I am in debt to you for saving my life that night.” Dragon said.
Dragon without expression said nothing because manipulation was his only way out of this twofold. Submissive and obedient is what Raeburn wanted to see.
“I have a guest in the hotel, and I need her to be ready for dinner,” Raeburn said. “I also have her brother, and several of his team members contained, and I need them to be ready as well. So, you have a lot to do. Let's see if you can do it." He handed Dragon a piece of paper. "You have everything you need right here in the hotel. You won't be leaving. Here's the menu and what I am seeking my guest to wear. I'm confident you can handle this without even one tiny mistake."
Here it was. Dragon had many skills, but cooking was not one of them. Dragon took the paper and waited.
“You can go. Dinner is at, “Raeburn looked at his watch. “Nine.”
Dragon started for the door, but Raeburn's voice stopped him. "By the way since you're on probation, Tiny here is going to be shadowing you."
Dragon exited the suite with the strengthened steroid bodyguard. He looked at his watch. It was almost five PM. Raeburn liked games. He’d given Dragon little information. The kitchen he could find, but his guests were another issue. Guests my ass! He took the elevator and arrived on the bottom floor to find the front desk and a pass key.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
Riley never got a chance to say a word. Walking through the glass entryway to the hotel, two men approached her. They took her gun, knife, and earpiece immediately. Not friendly about their search, she tried to remain calm. She wouldn't have been so pleasant if it wasn’t a life-and-death situation, including her own. Hands lingered in areas triggering a thread of panic. They told her to be quiet. She did as they said because Riley knew Eric's life depended on it.
They took her to a suite upstairs leaving her in a room with one muscle on the inside and one on the outside. Riley found the solitude to be unnerving. Riley stared at the man saying nothing. His black t-shirt made of spandex clung to every muscle in his too large, too much time in the gym, body. Standing with his arms crossed making sure she got a good look at his biceps, biceps that could snap her in half in less than a second. Riley turned her focus on how she was going to handle Mark. She created scenario after scenario to ready herself, but in the end, she knew her strength must persevere.
Riley needed one of those disturbing visions. She was willing to call on another vision save a headache that normally followed. She didn’t have a hint of a revelation and surrendered to a chair at the bar. She knew Eric was somewhere here in the building. Riley could feel it.
Checking her watch, she glanced over at the window hoping the team would be in the building soon. Eager after only fifteen minutes, she started to pace the floor. Mark was viewing her. She doubted she looked like he remembered her. Having lost a few pounds and gaining some scars, she had come to this meeting dressed in all black fatigues. Seemed appropriate at the time and leaving behind any stilettos pleased her just fine. When the door clicked open, and a man walked into the room, Riley thought her executioner had arrived.
“You can wait outside.” The man said to the muscle.
At first, he didn’t move, and then she believed someone spoke to him using an earpiece. She knew then she’d been right. Riley raised her middle finger to her nose as if scratching it and gave Mark the finger. Childish, yes but if you knew him the way she did, you would’ve done the same. She wanted to do so much more.
“Sit.” The man said. “You must be the star guest.”
“Ex-wife.”
“Dragon.” He said. “I’m going to be your, shall we say, assistant, for the night. Sit.”
Riley looked at him taking note of the dragon tattoo then slowly sat on the edge of the chair. Too bad, he worked for Mark because he was good-looking in a bad boy way. He wasn’t the muscle, but his manner suggested attitude she didn’t want to tangle with alone. Mark wised up, not hiring diseased hillbillies to guard his empire. He was hiring healthy men, and it appeared he’d been much more selective here. Dragon man wore a military style haircut and was clean-shaven. The dragon tattoo on his neck reached up to the side of his neck almost to his jawbone. The art was delicate, colorful, and well done. His near aqua eyes flashed when he spoke to her and in the center, tiny flashes of gold speckled the light green. He was only a few inches taller than her, maybe 5'11." She guessed his weight at a trim 185. Traits Riley needed to know in case a fight happened. He wore a dark lightweight Henley under a lightweight black zip jacket, dark jeans and boots all of which, found in Abercrombie and Fitch store.
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br /> “Assistant?” She asked.
He grabbed a pad and pen off the desk and tossed it to her, which she let it fall to the floor.
“Pick it up.” He said.
Riley looked around. “Let’s get this over with Mark.” She said aloud knowing he could hear her.
Dragon looked at her.
“I know he can hear me.”
“Pick up the paper and pen.” He said firmly and then like lightning he was on her. His hand pressed against the back of her neck forcing her down. She knew better than to fight because if she did the tighter he would push. Soon she was on her knees kissing the carpet. While he had her in a hold, she felt his breath in her ear and feared it was about to go wrong. Then he said, "trust me."
In the Shadow of the Tiger (The Fighter Series Book 2) Page 28
