AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Harry sat in the driver's seat of his car, parked a discreet distance away from the house where Rose's son, Nathaniel, was staying. He glanced over at Rose and wished he knew how to comfort her.
"You’ll see him soon. I’m waiting for Mick to call and tell me what to do next. They're going to raid all the buildings soon, Rose," Harry said, his voice gentle but firm. "The women will be safe, and the children too. No one will be forced to sell drugs anymore, and no one will be tied up or punished. They are so close to finally stopping these monsters."
Rose's eyes remained fixed on the house where her son was, and she shook her head slowly. "I want to take Nathaniel and run, Harry. I don't trust anyone or anything anymore. These people promised me salvation and peace, and instead they imprisoned us. How can I believe the next people who come along and tell me it will all finally be okay? Whatever happens after those raids, I want nothing to do with it."
Harry understood the depth of Rose's fear and uncertainty. Her experiences in captivity had left her with scars that would take time to heal, if they ever did. He leaned closer to her, his voice earnest. "Rose, we need you. The other women trust and follow you. If you're brave enough to testify, others will follow suit. You can make sure those responsible face justice."
Tears welled up in Rose's eyes as she contemplated Harry's words. "I just want to disappear, Harry. I don't know if I'm strong enough for anything else. And you, what will happen to you? Won’t you be in trouble?"
Harry's grip on her hand tightened, wishing they weren’t in a car so he could hold her properly. “I don’t care what happens to me. I took that job thinking I would be able to do some good. I kept it after I realized nothing was right there. Maybe I should have blown the whistle sooner. Or I should have tried to take out as many of those men as I could before they killed me.”
“No,” she cried. “You did the right thing. If you’d have left us, we’d have had no one there on the worst nights. You brought us food when there was none. You protected us as often as you could. I saw you take every shift available. I saw you distract and redirect the men looking to cause the most harm. Someone needs to tell the people in charge of these raids that you were not part of the problem; you were part of the solution.”
“I think maybe you’d be the best one to tell them that. You were so strong every day. Every night. I watched you protect the other women countless times. You stood up to the worst of the men, shielded the others from harm. You were their leader in there. You can be their leader out here too."
“I was always so scared,” she admitted. “And I still am. Even now while I’m out and safe. I can’t imagine facing them all.”
Harry smiled softly. "I'll be there with you, Rose. I’ll make sure you and Nathaniel have a life beyond this."
Rose's shoulders sagged. He couldn’t fathom the exhaustion she must be feeling. It seemed selfish to imply she had a responsibility to the other women who had suffered alongside her. But what other choice did they have?
She seemed so unsure. “What do you think will happen to them all? Don’t you think these rich powerful people will get away with it? That’s how it always seems to happen.”
“Until there are rich and powerful people on the other side trying to take them down. That’s what I think is happening. Charlize and Mick are a part of something monumental and secretive. I’ve seen them move mountains already to get things done. They make me believe this might finally come to an end.” Harry leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“I want a real life,” Rose whispered. “I’m so tired of fighting for everything I have and realizing I still have nothing.”
“On the other side of all of this, I’ll make sure you have a life you can finally enjoy.” Harry swore this without an ounce of hesitation.
“You’ll make sure because you’ll be part of it?”
“I don’t know what I’ll face after all of this, but if I’m not locked up or dead, I’ll be around.”
“Just what any girl wants to hear.” She sighed as his phone rang; he held her hand and answered it. This would be their marching orders. The beginning. Maybe it was the end.
CHAPTER 33
MICK
Time was creeping by too slowly. The DEA needed time to set up the execution of their raids, and counting the seconds until it happened was killing him. He could picture an impatient Charlize waiting for the same updates as he was. She might not have been briefed yet on what had transpired in rescuing Rose and how it had unfolded. She never did well, waiting to find out if everyone was alright.
Finally, his phone buzzed, and he hastily answered the call from Carmen, his voice tense with anticipation. "Carmen, what's the situation? Did you receive all the files from Charlize you needed?”
Carmen had an edge to her voice that tied his stomach instantly into knots. "Something happened with Charlize. She was in her office on the phone with me, sending incriminating audio files to our secure server. She used the code word, the one we established for distress situations. I activated the tracking device that’s hidden in the seam of her clothes. So far, I’ve been able to track her. It looks as though she's been taken back to the location where Rose was rescued earlier today."
Mick's grip on the steering wheel tightened. He knew the situation was dire, but he couldn’t panic. Carmen would do everything she could to keep Charlize safe and the mission on track. He had to have faith in that. "What do we know about what happened? Was her cover blown?”
Carmen's response was measured. "It doesn’t appear as though anyone in the organization is making sweeping or sudden changes to prepare for a crackdown. They aren’t moving the women or children. No drug stashes seem as though they’re being pulled out of the apartments. If her cover was truly blown, there would be tons of commotion. We’ve got spotters at various locations and there is no change. If she has been taken, there may be a chance they don’t think it runs any deeper than a problem with her.”
“That’s a big risk to take with her life. We can’t leave her with them if she’s in some kind of danger. Whatever it is, she needs a way out.” Mick started to formulate some options.
Carmen paused. He truly didn’t envy her position. The balance between what had to be done and what she wanted to see happen. It must have been an endless struggle. She tried to explain her position. “The DEA is an hour away from being ready to simultaneously raid each location to secure the women and children. They are aware we have someone on the inside who might be in distress. I can preemptively send a team to Charlize, but it would likely undermine the DEA's strategy if we do it before the hour is up."
Mick felt a surge of frustration. It was always about the mission. The greater good. The protocol. He wanted nothing more than to rush in and rescue Charlize, but he knew impulsive action could jeopardize the entire operation. He took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts.
"What do you want me to do, Carmen? I can't sit here and do nothing while she's in danger."
Carmen obviously already knew that. There was no scenario where Mick would think sitting and waiting was the right solution. Another reason he wasn’t in charge.
