by Louise Dawn
Unable to see past her grief, Pearl bent over, and wailed into the sand. Rajin now had what he came for—his child. He’d won the war, and she’d lost her precious baby. Screaming out her pain, she clutched at the ground and swore vengeance. Revenge that would never come. She’d be killed and discarded along with Antonio. Aysha would grow up by her father’s side, and her mother would become a distant memory.
Chapter Twenty-One
At first glance, Antonio knew who ran the fucked-up show—the middle-aged dick dressed in custom camo gear. He looked like he camped out at a hunting store when not parading around, making a multi-layered camouflage fashion statement. And could Elmer “Wannabe” Fudd fit any more knives on his designer leather belt?
Betting that the asshole had never used his “blade bling,” Antonio concluded that his employees’ respect stemmed from their fat paychecks. Yeah, he wouldn’t get his soft hands dirty, but he was the brains and money behind this operation.
Now on his knees, Antonio shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears. Someone had punched him in the temple, and his shoulders ached as a guard pulled on his restrained arms.
Seeing Pearl grieve in the dirt broke his heart, and he swore vengeance to the heavens. There weren’t many times in his career where he’d been in this type of FUBAR situation. Without resources or escape. He should be patient and wait for an opening, but time may have run out, and his failure at protecting his girls crushed his soul.
Bronco moved quickly, kicking Pearl in the side with his steel-capped combat boot.
“You son of a bitch!” Antonio lunged and an arm wrapped around his neck, pinning him in place. His wrist’s strained against the zip ties, and blood trickled between his fingers.
“What did I say?” Bronco turned to face Antonio. “If anyone acts out, a pretty lady will pay. Look what you did to Pete’s knee. He’s a good soldier.”
Antonio ignored the injured man who’d limped away. His entire focus was reserved for his woman, who moaned in pain.
“Well, this is a rough start.” Elmer Fudd walked over to Pearl. “Welcome to my new vacation spot. You both should feel honored as you’re my first guests. And I’ve prepared comfortable accommodation. Of course, you won’t be staying long—once you give me what my client wants. My name is Harland.” Kneeling, he stretched out his hand.
“Do you want a handshake or perhaps a Boy Scout badge?” Pearl sneered. “You look like the poster child for Mustard Gas.”
Fear rose at her brave words, and Antonio stiffened, waiting for Harland to strike out. Tears tracked down Pearl’s dusty cheeks, and despite his dread, Antonio felt fierce pride for the defiant woman.
Cocking his head, Harland’s mouth turned up. “I can see why Rajin divorced you. Such a bitter attitude serves as a disability.”
“I left him, you prick. Not the other way around.”
Antonio winced. He knew that she was angry, but these weren’t reasonable men.
“I’m trying to be courteous and you’re making that difficult. How about a tour of the facility, and you walk off your hostility?”
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Bronco spoke up. “I’ll take them straight to holding cells.”
A tour sounded like a great idea to Antonio as he’d get an idea of the layout and logistics. Harland was a proud fool who seemingly wanted to show off his accomplishments. Being a well-trained operative—like Antonio—Bronco knew that a tour was a bad idea.
“Let me have some fun—new pets in my shiny new cage.”
Pets? A cold sweat broke out, and Antonio pulled in a breath.
“That agent is a formidable soldier and probably the most lethal man you’ll ever meet.” Bronco looked nervous, and rightly so.
“Exactly. Agent Torres is the perfect guest.” Harland almost rubbed his hands together in glee, and Antonio’s pulse picked up.
Whatever this pompous dick had planned wasn’t going to be pretty, and Antonio’s stomach knotted in dread.
“Sir, I don’t think—”
Ignoring his right-hand man, Harland turned back to the compound. “Let’s get moving. I have a meeting at five.”
Forcing both their prisoners to their feet, Bronco’s men shoved Antonio across the clearing. Pearl fell in behind, and he could hear her ragged breaths as she struggled to keep up.
This was the closest they’d been together in hours, and when the rabble of men paused at the access door to the sprawling edifice, Pearl leaned her head against Antonio’s damp back. He stood frozen as time slowed. His eyes burned, and he swallowed past his heartache. Every cell in his being wanted to reach back and pull her into his arms.
“Your wrists,” she whispered as her fingers traced his hand. “Your poor wrists.”
For a long moment, they stood in dusty chaos, and the cruel thugs surrounding them disappeared. All he could feel was her warmth at his back. Her slight shuddering as her tears dampened his shirt. With a tiny step back, he tried to touch her waist. When she huddled closer, he gave in and turned. For the briefest of moments, she rested her head on his chest before he was slammed back.
“Face forward, Snax.” Bronco shoved him away. “Do you need a hug? Like this?”
Pulling Pearl to his side, Bronco grinned. “Or this?” He grabbed her neck and dragged her to his front as she fought his embrace. “She feels good.”
Red rage clouded Antonio’s vision as he zeroed in on his target. “I will kill you, and it will be in this life.”
“If you survive the next forty-eight hours.” Bronco shoved Pearl away.
They entered the building and walked down a narrow passage into a spacious lobby. Leather sofas took up space, and Harland directed them up a set of stairs. Cameras and surveillance littered the walls and ceiling, and more guards stood at attention as they passed. Entering a state-of-the-art security room, Antonio paused. Not like any typical room he’d seen before. The space spanned the breadth of the building—an apartment in and of itself.
Screens took up an entire wall, and a conference table sat near vast windows which looked out onto the wilderness. Taxidermy head mounts decorated a wall, and Antonio noted the rare animals that filled the space. A snow leopard, a rhino head, a gorilla head, and a red panda. Who fucking hunts an endangered panda—the dickhead standing to Antonio’s right. Harland smiled proudly at his grisly collection.
“I’m guessing you love hunting.” Antonio clicked his neck and rolled his shoulders.
“You have no idea.” Harland walked over to the window. “Have you seen my town?” He gestured to the distant buildings. They looked derelict, and instead of complying, Antonio studied the monitors taking note of camera locations and angles. He noted a holding facility and guessed that those would be their new quarters. There was also surveillance of the raggedy, abandoned town, and that piqued Antonio’s curiosity.
The other highlighted feature was the secure fencing running the entire perimeter. The layered protection seemed like overkill—cameras, electric fencing, and barbed wire. Harland didn’t want anyone getting in or out. The only way they’d leave was either in a body bag or in a vehicle. An image to the far left drew Antonio’s interest. It looked like a helipad in a clearing. Was there or would there be a bird on the property? Antonio could fly a helicopter.
“Pay attention.” Bronco stepped in the way and swung Antonio around to face Harland.
“I may not look like much, but I’m a good shot.” Folding his hands behind his back, Harland rocked back on his heels. “I get bored with animals and find them too predictable. I prefer intelligent prey. So do my friends.”
Antonio finally understood the man’s depravity. He was Rajin’s soul mate.
“You interfered with my client’s family, and he very much wants revenge, and I want to play. I’ve always wanted to track a human—a well-trained rabbit. Instead of traveling to Africa to hunt lion, my hunting comrades can remain in the States and hone their skills on you, Agent Torres.”
“You sick bast
ard.” Pearl stepped in front of Antonio.
“You can hunt me, as long as you leave her alone. Let her go free, and I’ll participate in your depraved sport.”
“A noble sacrifice.” Bronco sat on a leather sofa and crossed his legs. “But you don’t get to make the rules. Relax… The hunt only starts in a couple of days. First, we need the USB drive. Pearl, if you’d do the honors.”
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Bronco leaned forward. “Such a liar. It was with the tapes—the camcorder tapes that you stole from your ex-husband’s desk.”
“I swear. All I took were the tapes. There was no flash drive.”
“I don’t believe you. Did you give it to your friends back in Sri Lanka? Chantal Durant or the ambassador?”
“No, because I have no idea what you mean.”
“You watched the footage. Didn’t you? You know the significance.” Bronco stood, and Antonio stiffened. There were still too many guards in the room, and Antonio’s wrists were firmly secured.
Pearl stood silently as Bronco circled her like a hungry wolf. “Your dear husband and the President of Sri Lanka committing murder and killing a British reporter. You watched the footage, didn’t you?”
Pearl’s eyes widened, and she shook her head.
“Did it excite you? Like it excites me?” Bronco grabbed her neck and pulled her close. When Antonio sprung towards them, Bronco drew his weapon and aimed it at Antonio’s chest. “We’re having a conversation.”
The room fell silent, and Pearl whimpered when Bronco squeezed her throat. “That naughty journalist was trying to expose the corrupt president and his affairs. He paid with his life. Do you want to end up the same way? A tortured and broken sack of bones? Such a pretty face, and God, you smell like sweet berries.”
“I… swear… I don’t have a USB drive.”
“We’ve searched your condo and the cabin, and I think you’re lying. Don’t worry, we have time.” Releasing her, Bronco stepped back. “If you care about him, you’ll tell us where it is.”
“Don’t,” Antonio growled. “They’ll kill me anyway.”
“I’ll give you time to think about your answers.” Harland gestured for the guards to lead them away. “Rest, because we have lots of fun activities planned.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
The holding facility was a separate building, set about five hundred yards away. A much smaller building with a heavy iron door with a fingerprint lock. They were thrown in individual cells which shared a barred wall. At least Antonio could see and touch her while they waited for their fate. He looked around the sparse space for a weapon. Only a mattress sat in the corner, along with an empty bucket for ablutions.
The thick walls and sturdy bars held no weakness, and Antonio cursed soundly. The room felt warm, and both guards left and stepped outside. Two cameras sat just outside the cells, and Antonio assumed they’d rely on those for surveillance.
Tearing fabric drew his attention, and he turned, watching as Pearl tore at the hem of her shirt. Her hands shook yet were surprisingly strong.
“What are you doing?”
“We both don’t have laces—on our shoes.” Pearl glanced down at his Adidas running shoes.
“I know. My running shoes are the only ones I have without damn laces.”
“That’s okay. I’ve got you.” Using her teeth, she ripped at more fabric. When she had three narrow strips, she tied a knot and began to twist and plait them into a thin string.
“Let me guess, we’ll use the friction to break my restraints.”
“You got it. I saw a video online once that showed this technique for silver tape. I’m not sure if it will work for zip ties.”
“It should,” Antonio stated. “As long as you don’t pull too hard. Don’t rush.”
“Won’t they stop us?” Pearl asked.
“They might, but this cell is secure, so I don’t think they’re too worried.”
“Slide your hands as close to the bars as possible.”
Antonio did as asked and Pearl used friction to try and break the restraints, running the twisted strand along an individual zip tie. She had three restraints to work through, and she took her time. Antonio’s wrists were a torn mess, and her heart pounded as Pearl thought of what they’d both just lived through. She couldn’t think of her daughter at that present moment without going insane, so she focused on the task at hand.
“How are you not falling apart? I can see that you’re barely holding on.”
Antonio’s words had her pausing. “If I fall apart, I don’t get my daughter back. It’s up to the two of us to rescue her. And rescue ourselves. First.”
“Well.” He shifted a foot, and she knew he was in pain. “I have the best partner in the world, but I hate that you are involved in any danger, and there’s nothing I can do. I won’t stop fighting until I’ve taken my last breath and promise that I won’t let it get to that point.”
“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep.” Pearl sawed away, and the first restraint broke. Antonio grunted as she slipped the string under another.
“We’re not in a good situation. I wanted to fight Harland’s men, but you were both in the line of fire.”
“First, let’s worry about your hands. One step at a time, right? Do you think they’re watching us?”
“Oh, they’re definitely watching.” Antonio glanced up at a camera.
Rubbing the thread back-and-forth, she created enough heat to slice slowly through the second restraint. “This may not hold for the last restraint. Why did they use so many zip ties?”
“Because I’m strong enough to break just one.”
“Not in this condition. Don’t you dare.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Antonio strove for some levity, wanting to erase her pain.
Finally, he was free. He turned and rubbed at his chafed wrists which ached as blood leaked back into his hands.
“Cielo, did you hurt yourself?” he asked Pearl, glancing at her reddened hands.
“No, that was easy. But look at your wrists.”
He shrugged. “I’ve had much worse in the field.”
After dropping her thread on the mattress, Pearl walked around her cell. Her torn shirt revealed a sliver of her waist, and Antonio wanted to cover her exposed skin.
“Wear my shirt.”
She shook her head. “It’ll get cold tonight, and you need the warmth.”
“Pearl—”
“I said no. If you get hypothermic, then you’re of no use.”
“You’re so stubborn.”
“What do we do now?”
“Not much that we can do,” he admitted. “At least not for the moment.”
She sank to the mattress. Antonio did the same, first scooting the bed up against the bars. They twined their fingers together as they considered their fate.
“I feel like a zoo animal, reaching through the bars.” Pearl stroked his knuckle.
“That’s their aim—to dehumanize their prisoners.”
“Have you ever been captured before?”
Her question triggered traumatic memories from his early military career when he was captured by insurgents in Afghanistan. “Once. For three days. I was rescued by Delta Force, but sadly my teammate never made it.”
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“You can always ask me the hard questions.” He squeezed her hand. “It took time, but I recovered from that trauma. I won’t recover from this if I lose what’s most precious to me.”
“Antonio—”
“You have to live. Promise me that no matter what, you fight to survive.”
“Do you think we will be separated?”
“Divide and conquer.” He swiped a hand over his damp brow. “I don’t care what they do to me. And I don’t like the way that Bronco looks at you. How did I not see the evil? I’ve known him for almost a decade.”
“He seems like a smart man—a sociopath? He
molded himself into the perfect soldier. Why do you think he joined the military in the first place?”
Antonio shook his head and stared at the ceiling. “Some men—a small percentage of soldiers—enjoy the killing. And they’re trained into killing machines. The Army and Navy served their purpose. He’s a deadly bastard who served as a Navy Seal.”
Antonio’s expression turned sober as he twisted her way. “Don’t ever take him on—not physically. You’re no match when it comes to his fighting skills. If you can, run as fast as possible and hide. That will buy you time.”
Pearl ran hands through her now curly locks. The humidity in the cavernous space had her sweating, and he wished that they had water. Her lips looked parched.
“We will escape, and I will rescue Aysha.”
Antonio rubbed her thumb in agreement.
“Do you ever regret meeting us? And escorting us back to the States?”
“Not for a second.” Antonio offered a tired smile. “I found my tribe.” His ribs throbbed, and he shifted to get comfortable. “There are moments that are stuck in my head. Like when little Aysha handed me her damp teddy and climbed up beside me on the flight. I was a nervous wreck.” He chuckled.
“No, you weren’t.”
“I was. Kids were like alien beings to me, and she seemed so tiny and delicate.”
“And feisty. Aysha gave you a hard time.” Pearl grinned.
“Coloring with her? Drawing rhinos on her sketchpad? I hadn’t smiled that much in a very long while. I’d forgotten what innocence looked like. I was wrapped up in military ambitions and DS politics. I was war-weary and self-absorbed.”
“You were never self-absorbed.”
“I was in many ways. And then, two precious angels stepped into my world.” He felt tears gather as he stared at the woman he loved.
“Don’t cry.”
He wanted to reach through the bars and pull her into his arms. “Get some sleep. We both need our strength before morning comes.”
