The Tracker

by Leslie Georgeson

  Enrique had amassed a fairly large army, all Hispanic. The gang was called “Sureños” which Tony said meant “southerners.” It was probably a good thing Tony had come along. Since he was Hispanic, he could slip inside easier than the rest of us could, because the other guards would be less likely to question another Hispanic man and might even think he was one of Enrique’s men. Tony could also communicate with them. I was prepared for an all-out war. I wasn’t letting anyone have Jessica. She was mine. I would fight to the death to free her.

  There were several large dorms on campus, not to mention the many other buildings, including the cafeteria, the administration buildings, the library and the classrooms. Finding Jessica and her sister would require stealth, time, and effort. We would have to work as a group and keep in contact with each other to try to locate and then free the girls.

  “I will go in and find her,” Tony offered as we all gathered around and prepared to go in. “I can blend in with the other Mexicans. They will be less likely to suspect me of anything.”

  I couldn’t argue with that.

  This mission was unlike any other we’d ever been on before. We’d never freed innocent people like this before. I decided then and there that I was going to free any women I came across. Turn them loose. I knew what it was like to be a prisoner. If I could help someone be free, I would do so.

  Everyone spread out with their partners, heading for different buildings. Since Jacob and I had both lost our partners, we now paired up.

  Jacob and I reached the closest building and paused by the front entrance, guns ready.

  I nodded at Jacob. He nodded back.

  We rushed at the guards, quickly taking them out.

  Then we slipped inside.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  Jessica

  A hand over my mouth jerked me awake. I gasped, inhaling the rancid scent of sweat and unwashed body. Eliza and I had been locked in our room hours ago. Despite my desire to escape, I’d come to the conclusion escape was impossible. I’d lain awake for hours, vowing to somehow get us out of here, before finally succumbing to exhaustion.

  Not I was being accosted by someone.

  It was dark in the room, obviously still night. Crap. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep. How long had I been out? How could I protect my sister if I couldn’t even stay awake to watch over her?

  Panic surged through me. Was Eliza okay?

  I reared back, trying to break free from the foul hand over my mouth. But the owner of the hand pressed harder against my mouth, making me gag. A big body slid over the top of mine, smashing me into the mattress. I bucked and squirmed, trying to break loose.

  My attacker grabbed my hands one at a time, then held them above my head while he crudely rubbed his swollen crotch against me.

  A soft gasp from across the room made me freeze. Was that Eliza? Were they trying to rape her too?

  The man on top of me moved the hand away from my mouth and slipped it down my pants, groping me. At the same time, he pressed his disgusting mouth over mine.

  “No!” Eliza shrieked. “Please, don’t!”

  Bastards! They were attacking her too! I had to save her! I had to get us out of here.

  I bit down hard on my attacker’s lip. The man jerked back, then slapped me across the face. I opened my mouth and screamed as loud as I could.

  He hit me again.

  I screamed again, louder.

  A final hard slap shut me up. I moaned softly, tasting blood in my mouth. My ear rang.

  Eliza began to sob quietly. “Please, no. Don’t!”

  The door suddenly crashed in. The light from the hallway spilled into the room, illuminating a large presence as a man slipped into the room. He yanked my attacker off me and slit his throat. I let out a soft gasp and scrambled backward on the bed, watching as my attacker fell to the floor, gurgling, blood oozing out of the wound.

  My savior stalked to Eliza’s bed and yanked her attacker off her. In a flash, the other man was dead and falling to the floor.

  Eliza screamed.

  As the man turned back toward me, I saw his face. He was Hispanic, like the others. I did a double-take. Wait a second. I let out a soft gasp as recognition hit me.

  Tall. Muscular. Powerful-looking.

  A dreg.

  “Tony?” I whispered in shock. The Smuggler. He was an expert at concealing things—especially himself—and slipping them into places unseen. Had he snuck inside this building without detection? “What–?”

  He glanced at me sharply, a warning in his eyes. Keep quiet.

  I yanked my mouth shut.

  What was Tony doing here? Was he one of Enrique’s thugs?

  No, that didn’t make sense. Tony was a dreg.

  If Tony was here, then Tracker probably was too.

  Relief swept through me.

  Tracker had come for us. Eliza and I were going to be safe.

  But why was Tony here? Tony hated me. He wouldn’t risk his life to save me. Would he?

  Tony yanked me to my feet.

  “If you hadn’t screamed, it would have taken me longer to find you.” His lips twisted, but it wasn’t a smile. No, Tony didn’t smile. It was more of a snarl. “Let’s go,” he whispered. “Quickly. No more talking. Follow me, and do as I say.”

  Eliza grabbed my hand, obviously too afraid to argue. I swept my gaze over her, relieved that she was still fully clothed. Tony had stopped our attackers just in time.

  Tony glanced up and down the corridor, then motioned us to follow him out of the room. I hurried after him, pulling Eliza along, not wanting to get too far behind him. Tony might not like me, but if he was here, then he was doing it for Tracker. Why else would he be here?

  We reached the main floor. Tony approached the guard at the back entrance and spoke to him in Spanish while Eliza and I hovered together, waiting for Tony’s next instructions.

  “What’s happening?” Eliza whispered. “I’m scared. Is he going to rape us?”

  “No,” I assured her softly. “He’s come to free us.”

  A grunt came from the back entrance. I glanced over in time to see the guard fall to the floor.

  Tony waved us forward.

  We hurried after him.

  “You have to save the other girls,” I whispered. “You can’t leave them behind.”

  Tony scowled. “We don’t have time for that.”

  He shoved open the door.

  And we went out into the night.

  Immediately we were surrounded by large male bodies, who swarmed around us.

  The dregs.

  I was able to make out Nate’s features in the semi-darkness, along with Ryan’s and Noah’s. They led us forward quickly, urging us across the campus grounds toward the road.

  Where was Tracker? Was he somewhere close by? Was he even alive?

  My heart pounding, I glanced around, looking for him. Had he died when the dregs had gone in to save Gordon? Unable to stomach the thought, I pushed it aside. I refused to believe that. Tracker had to be here somewhere. The other dregs wouldn’t have come to free us without Tracker.

  “We can’t leave the other girls in there,” I said again. “Please. You have to save them.”

  The dregs paused, exchanging glances. “That’s what Tracker said,” Luke muttered. “He and Jacob were going to free any women they came across.”

  My heart went wild. I knew it! Tracker was not only here, he was saving the other women, too.

  “We’ll take care of it,” Ryan said. Then he and Luke slipped away to help Tracker and Jacob.

  A male voice suddenly shouted at us in Spanish. Several guards charged across the lawn toward us. Bullets whizzed by, too close for comfort.

  “Get down!”

  I dove onto the grass, yanking Eliza with me as gunfire erupted all around us. Eliza screamed and I wrapped my arms around her, comforting her as best as I could. We huddled there, listening to the sounds of violence all around us. Finally the gunfire ceased. Then the
sounds of a physical fight reached my ears. Grunts, thuds, groans, smacking sounds.

  Thwack thwack thwack!

  I didn’t want Eliza to see, so I put my hands in front of her eyes.

  “Don’t look.”

  She shivered against me, clinging tightly to me, her terror palpable. I vowed once I got her out of her, she would never have to witness any more violence ever again.

  At last the fighting stopped. Big hands wrapped around our arms and yanked us to our feet. Eliza gasped and let out a terrified sob.

  “Quickly. This way.”

  The lawn suddenly erupted with bodies that rushed passed us. I stared as all the woman prisoners hurried away, disappearing into the night. The dregs had freed them.

  Tonight, the dregs had become heroes.

  “Come on. There’s still plenty of armed guards back there. Let’s get a move on.”

  The dregs urged us forward and down the road for several blocks. Most of the street lamps had been knocked out to give criminals the darkness they sought to commit their crimes. I caught a glimpse of several of the women fleeing around the corner of a building as we moved past. Finally, we reached a dark parking lot. I spied Tracker’s silver motorcycle parked in between Nate’s Escalade and a red Camaro, so he had to be here somewhere. But where was he?

  Nate unlocked the Escalade and slipped behind the wheel. Tony practically shoved us inside before climbing into the passenger seat. “Get in the very back,” he ordered.

  Eliza and I quickly scrambled over the middle seat and climbed into the very back of the Escalade, where they’d put up the third seat. Sliding onto the seat, I buckled Eliza’s seatbelt around her, noting her shocked expression. I buckled my own seat belt and reached over to hold her hand.

  “It’s okay, Liza. These guys are here to help us. You’re safe now.”

  She nodded slowly, her eyes wide. “Who are they?”

  “They’re the dregs,” I whispered.

  She let out a soft gasp. “The dregs? But I thought they were evil. Why would they save us?” Her expression changed to terror. “Are they going to hurt us now? Rape us? Kill us?”

  “No,” I assured her, squeezing her hand, wanting to dispel that myth. “The dregs are good guys.” Even Tony.

  Tony grunted from the front seat as if he’d heard that, but he made no comment. Neither did Nate.

  The other doors opened and closed as Noah and Logan climbed into the back seat directly in front of Eliza and me. Then the Escalade sped away.

  Noah glanced back at us. He winked at Eliza. Her eyes widened. She blushed furiously and lowered her gaze. Swallowing hard, she glanced up at him again, eyeing him with big, frightened eyes.

  Logan glanced back at us. “You ladies okay?”

  “Yes, thank you,” I answered, holding my sister’s hand tightly in mine. “All of you, thank you.” I glanced at the back of Tony’s head. He’d gotten us out of that building alive. Being Hispanic was probably what had allowed him to sneak amongst them so easily. We had him to thank for rescuing us. He’d gone into the lion’s den, risking his life to save us. “Especially you, Tony,” I said loudly. “Thank you.”

  He squirmed uncomfortably in the front seat, then slowly turned his head and met my gaze. There was neither hostility nor contempt in his eyes this time. Did he no longer hate me? I could have sworn a light blush stained his skin, but it was too hard to tell in the dark car. Had no one ever thanked him for anything before?

  “Really,” I said. “Thank you.”

  He shrugged and looked away. I’d made him uncomfortable and he wasn’t sure how to deal with that discomfort. That made me smile. Tony wasn’t such a bad guy, after all.

  “Where’s Tracker?” I met Nate’s gaze in the rearview mirror.

  “He’s right behind us,” Nate answered. “He and Jacob had already freed most of the other women when Luke and Ryan went back to help. Hang tight, ladies. We’ll get you home soon.”

  Eliza looked at me with wonder in her eyes. “These guys are really the dregs?”

  I nodded and smiled. “Yes.”

  Her face lit up. “They’re all so big and strong and…hot.” She lowered her voice on that last word, but even so, I imagined at least some of the dregs had heard her. She flushed as she glanced at all of them and then back at me and whispered, “Don’t you think?”

  I chuckled softly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Yes, they are. Big, strong, handsome manly men. Don’t believe the rumors you hear about these guys. They’re not murderers. They’re heroes.”

  Silence descended throughout the vehicle. One of the dregs cleared his throat, though I wasn’t sure which one.

  “Heroes, huh?” Noah chuckled. “You hear that Tony? We’re heroes. You’re a hero.”

  Tony muttered something softly in Spanish. He could deny it all he wanted, but I could tell that even he was affected by their mission that night.

  Rather than heading out to kill people, they’d headed out to save people. They may have killed some of the bad guys in the process, but they’d saved Eliza and me. They’d freed all the women prisoners.

  They’d gone from killers to rescuers.

  They were now heroes.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Jessica

  When we embarked from the Escalade back at the garage behind the mansion, Tracker was there. He didn’t say anything to me, but his gaze swept over me critically, as if he was checking to make sure I was okay. His manner was distant, standoffish, so I didn’t rush into his arms and hug him like I desperately wanted to do. Was he pissed at me for what had happened? Was he angry that I’d been the reason Gordon was dead? Would he ever forgive me?

  He glanced at Eliza then, his gaze narrowing, scrutinizing, before he abruptly turned away.

  “Who’s he?” Eliza whispered, her voice filled with awe.

  I swallowed hard.

  “Tracker.”

  The man I love.

  We all headed for the underground maze. The dregs surrounded us, protecting us even now that we were back on their turf. Tracker led the way as we traveled the few yards across the dark forest to the entrance to the tunnel. Eliza held my hand the entire way, her eyes wide and wary. The ghosts swirled closer, their darkness surrounding us.

  “What is that?” Eliza whispered, a quiver of fear in her voice. Her hand tightened around mine.

  “It’s just the ghosts,” I responded. “They won’t hurt you.”

  He eyes went wide. “Ghosts? Seriously?”

  I chuckled. “Yeah. Ghosts. It’s okay.”

  We all made our way through the dark maze to the dregs’ apartments.

  “They can use Gordon’s apartment,” Tracker said, speaking for the first time. He led us to a door that was three down and across the hall from Tracker’s.

  The other dregs disbursed.

  “Thanks again, everyone. You guys were true heroes tonight.” I glanced at each of them, catching their eyes. “All of you.”

  They all moved off, a few nodding, most obviously uncomfortable with my thanks. Eliza and I entered Gordon’s apartment, glancing around. It was exactly like Tracker’s apartment, except Gordon’s furniture was different. The dregs had removed all his personal belongings, except for a small, potted plant that sat on the kitchen counter beneath a glow light. For some reason, the sight of the little plant made my chest tighten and my eyes fill with tears.

  “Get cleaned up and get some sleep,” Tracker said gruffly. “I’ll bring some of your clothes.” He left, and no more than a minute or two passed before he returned and thrust some clothes at me. Then he went out and closed the door behind him.

  I stared at the closed door, hurt by his abruptness.

  Tracker had saved Eliza. He’d done what he’d said he would do. He didn’t owe me anything and I didn’t owe him anything. Not anymore. I was free to leave. He was free to go back to his life before I’d shown up. I had no reason to stay here anymore. Tracker had no reason to let me stay.

/>   My heart clenched. I knew I should leave, but I didn’t want to. I had to at least talk to him. Would he expect us to leave in the morning? Would he kick us out without even telling me goodbye?

  I shoved my worries aside. I needed to make Eliza comfortable right now, let her know she was safe here.

  Then I’d go find Tracker and talk to him.

  Eliza chattered excitedly nearly nonstop about the dregs and how they’d saved us and how handsome they were.

  I drew her a bath, then left her alone while she got clean. When she emerged about twenty minutes later, I helped her get settled into bed. She needed rest now. Time to recover. She was safe here.

  Slowly, she drifted off to sleep. I sat with her for several more minutes, watching her sleep, so thankful she was alive. Leaving her sleeping peacefully, I slipped into the bathroom and took a quick shower. After drying off, I dressed in some of the clothes Tracker had handed to me earlier.

  Then I checked on Eliza once more. She was still sleeping, and I doubted she would wake any time soon.

  I went to find Tracker.

  I tried his apartment first, but he didn’t answer my knock, so I headed for the workout room, hoping I’d find him there.

  The workout room was alive with activity. Tracker was there, hitting a punching bag. I spied him first, my gaze immediately drawn to him. Nate and Noah were sparring in the ring, dancing around each other, throwing punches and kicks without being lethal. Logan and Luke were lifting weights in the far corner. And Ryan was running on a treadmill. Only Jacob and Tony were missing from the group. It seemed odd to me that these guys would return from a mission and immediately work out. Was that how they rid themselves of the adrenaline?

  I headed toward Tracker. The room grew quiet as the other dregs noticed me.

  I reached Tracker and paused before him. He didn’t even look at me, though he had to know I was there. He kept punching the bag.

  Pound pound pound pound.

  Pound pound.

  Pound.

  One by one, the other dregs slipped out, leaving us alone.