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“Well, well, well. I’m impressed, soldier. I thought you would have turned coats and saved your little friend here. You’ve come so far in a short space of time.”
I peer around the crate and see Michael and two other goons approaching Shay and the three soldiers. We’re outnumbered, but we can cope. We always do.
“Stand down, soldiers.”
All three soldiers stand down, turn in my direction, and hold their hands by their sides. I peek around the crate again, only this time, Josh is staring directly at me. Fuck! I curse under my breath. Only, I don’t see Josh reaching for his gun, or alerting the others to me. He nods with his eyes. Don’t ask how I know he’s still in there, I just do. He’ll help us if it comes to a fight. I know he will.
“And we meet again, Shay.”
“Why are you doing this? I told no one about my time in captivity.”
“I doubt that very much. But, to answer your question, I’m doing this because I can. Maybe now your little soldier boyfriend will stop being a saint. This ends today. You’ll be gone and they’ll have nothing to dig for.”
Shay laughs. I want to jump in and tell her to stop. I watch the look on Michaels face fall to one of evil.
“I’m glad you find this funny.”
“No, I find this fucking hilarious. You clearly know nothing about my soldier boyfriend. End me all you want, but this won’t end things. Shawland Security will look for Josh. They’ll look for Keir. They’ll look for every goddamn soldier that’s MIA in your Godforsaken camp. So, I repeat, go ahead and end me. Put me out of my misery, because the guilt I feel over leaving Josh in hell will haunt me forever.”
I watch Josh carefully. He never takes his eyes off the area in front of him, but with every word Shay spoke, his mouth twitched. His fists clenched. He was moved by her words.
“You underestimate me, Shay. It won’t just be one body here for the Shawland heroes to collect.” Michael picks up his gun and fires a shot quickly at Josh. The soldier falls to the floor instantly like a sack of potatoes.
The laughing startles me and I move away from the crate, aim my gun, and fire several shots at the three goons that walked in here like they’re fucking gods.
Lucca shoots down on Michael’s arm and the gun falls to the floor, squeezing his wrist to stem the blood. I walk forward just as Caleb and Chris walk in from the opposite end. Lucca Jumps down from the crates and aims his gun at Michael, the only asshole still standing.
“I might have guessed there would be no show without your little boyfriend.” Michael grits his teeth.
“I have one question for you before I blow your head off. Why? Why do all of this? Why human trafficking? Why selling babies? You’re supposed to care about people, you son of a bitch.”
I’m a few feet away from Michael now, and I can feel Shay’s eyes locked on me.
“You know what it’s like, Clay. Working for the army is thankless. You try putting kids through college on an army salary, giving your wife what she deserves, living a life of luxury. You’d do the same.”
I shake my head. “You did this for the money. You tore lives apart for the fucking money. You can’t tell me that you think this is acceptable. That you’ll get away with any of this.”
“Shay was never supposed to get mixed up with this.”
“But she did. Innocent soldiers have been mixed up in your fucked-up mess. You didn’t need to take her today. You could have let her get her medal of honor and let her walk away. Instead, your men have lost their lives. Innocent soldiers have lost their lives,” I point over at the three soldiers, including josh. “My team member is fighting for her life in hospital. You caused all of this.”
Caleb walks forward with handcuffs in his hand. Chris and Lucca have his back. He pulls Michaels arms behind his back, not even listening to his grunts and protests about pain and bleeding out. None of us give a shit, he can bleed out for all we care. His wife and kids will have to live with this shit for the rest of their lives. The army will never be trusted again. Everyone concerned will have pieces to pick up.
Chris rushes forward and checks Josh over while I rush over and untie Shay from her restraints. Her wrists and ankles are all cut up from the tightness of her binds. I could kill that fucker for this.
“Let me go, Clay.” Shay pushes off me and crawls over toward Josh and Chris. I can see the pain across her face, but I drop down beside her and offer my help and support when needed.
“He’s got a pulse,” Chris says.
Chris has torn Josh’s clothes off and is slowing the blood from the bullet hole from his upper left chest and shoulder area.
“Help is on the way.” Lucca drops down behind Josh’s head. “He’s the only one that has survived. Well, apart from him.”
I look over at Michael, who is being guarded by Caleb. The cuffs are still in place.
I look around the other soldiers scattered around. This was all caused because of greed. I can’t get my fucking head around this. Men have lost lives. Women have lost babies. Families have lost kids.
“That could change the longer he’s in my sight.”
