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A king-size bed sits in the middle of a large room. Brown curtains with gold patterns hang heavy throughout the space. A fireplace is lit, and a record player is playing an old Louisiana tune. Candles hang off the wall on dungeon-looking holders. I do spot another pair of handcuffs dangling from the headboard.
I thought I was past feeling fear, thought I’d seen it all.
He places me on the bed. “Now, my love, time to use your mouth in the way it’s intended. Lean back and open up.”
No. I was wrong. This is my deepest, darkest fear.
Cole
Cole checks his watch once again. Every minute that ticks by makes him grow more and more angry. All he can think of is that while this fat fucker sleeps in a warm bed, Savannah is chained to a wall. He senses Mark’s mood is the same. All it takes is one look at him, and they both slip out of the SUV with their weapons raised.
“I was wondering how much longer.” Keith smirks as the rest exit the SUV.
It’s nearly four-thirty in the morning, and darkness surrounds the house. The team moves as if they are part of the night. Cole takes a quick inventory of how many are in the house, and they confirm six. Tim Powers, his three men, the mother, and younger woman.
Daniel moves smoothly as he picks the lock and opens the door for John and Paul to move in. The two brothers are passed out on the couch. Cole and Mark move into the bedroom Tim and the younger woman are in. Cole nods to Mark as he points a gun at the woman’s head. Cole wraps his gloved hand over Tim’s mouth and nudges his rifle hard into his side. Tim’s eyes pop open. He starts to move but stops when he realizes what’s happening. Cole tells him to keep quiet and points to the girl with a gun to her head. Tim nods that he understands.
“Good. Now, get up and walk outside. Our men have everyone in this place covered. We have plenty of firepower, so keep your mouth shut. You try anything, and they all die.”
“Yeah.” Tim shakes his head, then Cole pulls him to his feet and shoves him out the door. Tim moves through the living room, taking in the fact that Paul and John have guns pointed at his friends. Once outside, they hurry him to the SUV. They cuff him, pat him down, and then push him into the truck. A steel divider separates the back from the rest of the vehicle, so Daniel keeps a gun pointed on Tim as they speed away from the house. Within minutes, they’re on the road heading to an open field they saw earlier.
Pulling off the road, Mark hops out and opens the back of the truck, grabbing Tim and slamming him to the ground. The men point their weapons at his face. Green lasers bounce around on his chest. Cole pulls out his flashlight and shines it in his face, making him look away.
“I take it you’re here for the girl?” Tim grunts, shifting his body in obvious discomfort on the rocky soil. “I was waiting for you.”
“So, here we are. Now, where’s the girl?” Cole asks calmly.
“The American has her,” he answers, pissing off Cole. He wants a damn location, not the name of the shit he already knows.
Cole grabs his shirt and sends a powerful punch into his face, breaking his nose.Fuck, that feels good. Tim shouts and slumps forward, hitting his head on the ground. Mark pulls him back to a kneeling position.
“I repeat, where is the girl?”
Tim spits blood on the ground, breathing hard. “I was helping her, man. I was going to get her back to you.”
“Bullshit.” Cole pulls his arm back and glances at Mark. “Kill the brothers.” Mark starts to turn, but Tim shouts for him to stop.
“Please! Don’t!” He curses and squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. “Denton has her at his place.” Cole slowly lowers his hand, waiting for him to go on. “Denton, The American, he has her.Mierda! I’m not lying. He has her. He has many girls in the house. I can take you to him. She’s in the attic. Her mouth got her in trouble, so…” Tim lifts his shoulders in an exaggerated shrug. “I can show you where, but don’t hurt my family. My brothers may behombresestupidos, but they’re all I’ve got.”
“Girl first.” Cole nods to John, who shoves Tim into the middle row of the SUV. Cole calls Mike back at Shadows and fills him in on everything, including The American’s proper name. Mike has arranged for a chopper to be standing by, ready for the pickup. Mike tells Cole that he has established contact with a few Mexican police, friends of a friend, willing to provide support with the mission and to take out The American if need be. Nothing would please Cole more than to kill The American, but they need him alive. They have questions on so many other kidnappings that only he can answer.
They drive for forty minutes down a long desert road, and Cole knows the sun will be up in an hour. Time is running out. Normally, they’d wait until that night, but there’s no way he’s making Savannah stay in that place for any longer than she has to. Cole speaks to the team in French, letting them know how the attack will play out.
“See that light up there?” Tim points to it with his chin since his hands are cuffed behind him. “That’s the house. Denton will either be in the attic with your girlfriend or in his bedroom in the back.”
Cole leans forward to get a better view of the grounds as they get closer. John pulls off to the side of the road, putting on his night-vision goggles, as do the rest of the men. John starts asking Tim about the security system and any triggers around the property. Tim fills them in, but they all take it with a grain of salt.
Finally, after sending the coordinates to Mike, they head on foot toward the house.
Cole signals to his father and Keith to take the west, and to Paul and John to take the north side of the property with Tim. Mark nods to Cole as they sneak up behind one man and his dog. Mark tosses a rock in the opposite direction, throwing the dog off while he wraps a rag around the animal’s mouth, making him fall fast asleep. Cole’s arm slips around the man’s neck, snapping it without hesitation. Mark lowers the dog carefully to the ground and gives him a quick pat.
Moving on, they encounter three more men, killing them instantly. Before they hear the panting, they see the flash of color leap in the air and grab Mark’s arm, sinking its teeth into his flesh. Mark jams his gun in between its jaws, breaking its hold. The dog whimpers as he runs off toward the house.
“You good?” Cole asks, scanning for their next victim.
“The bitch bites me, andhehas the nerve to cry. What the fuck?” Mark hisses, wrapping his wound. “Why can’t people have cats? Really, all they do is sit there and plot your death…is that so bad?”
Cole chuckles as he shifts positions, happy to hear Mark is indeed all right. “Remember that the next time you’re cursing Scoot for getting your pants full of fur.”
