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Chapter 1
Dante
“Boss, you wanted to see me?” I asked my cousin and Don, Leonardo Zima.
“Yeah, we got word of a train about to pull in with human cargo. We think the Dominguez Cartel has found a new partner now that the Callum Family is no longer an option for them. I need you to take men and find out what’s going on. I’ll have the bus and crew on standby.”
I nodded as I listened to his orders. With Hazel, his wife, days away from delivering their first child Leo refused to leave her side. Not that I blamed him. If I ever found someone even remotely like Hazel, they’d be lucky if I ever left their side. “How trustworthy is the source?”
“Seventy-five perfect I’d say but if they’re right…”
“Yeah. I’m surprised the Dominguez Cartel is still tempting fate after Razor’s last vacation south,” I smirked. Razor was a scary son of a bitch. He was Saint’s and the Dragon Skulls’ Enforcer. He was so good at what he did, he’d turned death and torture into an art form. I couldn’t call the man a friend but I would venture to say that we were as close as he would allow.
“He got as close to erasing that evil as anyone has. Ghost says one of the out-of-town cousins took over but he has little intel on them yet.”
“We’ll be careful. Text me if Hazel goes into labor.”
He nodded and as I stood up to get my team and head out he said, “Be safe, cuz. I need you.”
I smirked and gave him my cockiest, “Of course you do.”
His chuckle followed me out the door. Pulling out my phone I called the head of our security. “Giovanni, gather the men. We have a train to deal with.” I hung up as my mind wandered to all the previous times we’d dealt with this situation. Leo refused to allow human trafficking of any kind. It was a nasty business that went against every code ever instilled in us.
I prayed that the intel was wrong, but I knew it was most likely correct. I gathered up my weaponry, carrying multiple guns and knives in my vest and night gear. Suits had their place but not on a job like this.
Heading outside I met up with the men in front of our black SUVs. “The Don received word that the Dominguez Cartel is trying to move back and regain a foothold in our city. A train is arriving that has human cargo. Unfortunately, we don’t have many details but we can’t let them even think they’re welcome.”
The men nodded and scowled. Every man in this team fought alongside Leo and me against the sale of humans. I could trust that they had my back because they’d proven their loyalty. We climbed into the cars and headed to the train yard.
*~*~*~*
Pulling the pin out, I threw a grenade in front of the train, right where the enemy was. They were trying to hide, which was unacceptable. We’d done our research on the Dominguez Cartel. They were abusing, murdering, and raping scum. I felt only satisfaction with each dead member.
I didn’t care if that made me a bad person. If we turned over our evidence and let the authorities handle it, only a few would be staying in jail, and justice wouldn’t be served. The system was corrupt and broken.
I hid around the corner of a crate as the loud explosion went off. The sight and sounds never failed to make me smirk. It pleased that dark part of my soul that enjoyed their suffering. Their groans of pain and shock were all I needed to let me know it was a good throw.
Using the smoke and disorientation, with both pistols in my hands, I walked out from behind the crate and finished off any survivors with a swift bullet between the eyes. I felt no remorse for the demise of these men. They could burn in hell for all I cared.
After several more minutes of fighting, all started to fall silent. The night air filled with the sounds of my men calling out “Clear.”
“I want the entire train searched. The cargo we’ll sort out later. Look for signs of human trafficking. If you find any women, you know what to do. Make me proud.”
“Yes, boss,” sounded in unison as I walked towards the freight car in front of me.
My eyes adjusted to the dark interior to find multiple cages filled with women. I sighed at what this meant. Pulling out my cell I snapped a quick photo and sent it off to Leo. He wasn’t going to be happy.
“Ladies, my name is Dante Zima. My men and I are here to help you. We have no intention of harming you, attacking you, or selling you. I will open the cages and my men will help you off this train to where we can get you medical treatment and hopefully help you return home to your former lives. I swear to you none of my men will harm you in any way. Your captors are dead.”
As I spoke, I opened up the cages with a bolt cutter. The women stood up and looked at me nervously as they exited their cell. They were dirty, scared, and hungry but for the most part, appeared unharmed. I opened up the last cage when one of the women approached me. “Willow… you must save Willow. Please. She sacrificed herself to those men to protect us.”
“This is the last cage in this car. Do you know where she is?”
When the woman pointed to a corner, I looked at her puzzled. As I took a step, to see if I could find this poor girl, the woman grabbed my arm. I glanced at her in surprise. “They weren’t kind to her. They tried to destroy her soul as well as her body. She told me she had no one and wanted to protect those that did. She deserves saving more than anyone on this train.”
The tears in her eyes told me all that I needed to know. Patting her hand, I nodded and turned toward the darkened corner. I pushed a group of boxes out of the way and that was when I found her. A naked girl chained around her neck to the wall. She lay curled in a heap on the floor. I wasn’t sure she was even alive until I heard a slight moan escape from her lips. That sound wrenched open my heart and attached itself to me.
She was too thin, with bruises covering her body. Her dark hair covered her face but I couldn’t tell its color from the dirt in it as well as the lighting in this part of the train car. Using my radio, I ordered, “Giovanni, car four and bring a blanket right away.”
