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“Thank you, Luke.” Tank manages to croak out. “I appreciate you helping us.”
“Anytime.” Luke ends the call, and the room falls silent. Hawk is deep in conversation on his phone. Tank is ready to get on the move. They need to get to this airport in western New York state. From looking at the map, the area is rural with several lakes around it. They could be anywhere, and without more intel, it’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Hawk turns to the room and lowers his phone as he’s punching on the screen. “Tex, you’re now on speaker.” Hawk lays his phone on the table. Tex’s voice comes across the speaker.
“So, as I was telling Hawk,” Tex informs the rest of the team, “Luke and I are searching for any properties that are owned by the dummy corporation that owns the plane and SUVs or any other corporations which are associated with the Russo family. I’ve reached out to friends of mine in the FBI as well. Ones I know can be trusted and got some very interesting, good news.” Tapping can be heard coming across the line, but Tex doesn’t continue right away,
“What news?” Tank demands. He’s about to lose his cool for the second time today.
“The FBI has an inside man who’s gotten very close to Russo, Jr.,” Tex informs him. “I ran facial recognition and noted he’s one of the men who took Ruby. We can rest assured he’ll protect her as best he can, but he won’t blow his cover. He’s been on this case for almost six years. The bureau has spent too much time and money on taking them down for him to disclose his identity to save one woman, but my contact assures me he’ll do his best to keep her unharmed until we can recover her.”
Tank’s momentary elation at hearing the FBI had an inside man is quickly squelched at hearing he won’t blow his cover to save her. This means it’s imperative they find her sooner rather than later. Ace’s phone rings, and after some fancy tech magic by Hack, Tex and Luke are on the speaker together.
“What have you got, Luke?” Hawk asks when the connections are established. “Another corporation?”
“Well, no new corporations, but I found a hunting cabin belonging to Junior’s deceased mother,” Luke says, the sound of a keyboard clicking can be heard through the speakers. Obviously, Luke and Tex are still hard at work, looking for more information. “I believe this is where they’ve taken Ruby. Another private jet is scheduled to land at the same airport in about an hour. This one carrying Russo, Sr. and several of his henchmen.”
“Additionally my contact at the bureau says that Tony has gone dark for the last thirty-six hours,” Tex breaks into the conversation. “He’s been faithful to check in on time, but nothing in the last day and a half. They think Russo may have gotten him. Something big is about to go down. The bureau’s man, who was seen with Ruby, reported Russo, Jr. is about to make an attempt to usurp his father’s authority and take over the family business.” Tank doesn’t care about the mob’s business or their in-fighting. He just wants to get to Ruby, sooner not later.
“Thanks for the updates,” Hawk says into the phone. “Now we need to get to that cabin.”
“I think I can help you with that.” Tex comes across the line. “I have a couple of experimental, top-secret aircraft landing as we speak at your location. It goes without saying, you can’t disclose any information about these crafts. Head out to the tarmac gentlemen. There is additional gear onboard you might find useful as well.”
“Thanks, Tex.” Tank is already on his feet. “But we won’t make it there before the other plane arrives.”
“Yeah, you will.” Tex chuckles. “Like I said, experimental and top-secret. You’re estimated flight time is thirty minutes.”Fuck me!Tank thinks as he follows the rest of them out the door. Aircraft like this will be a game changer in the future if it can transport troops that fast.
Once outside, they load up in the Humvees to head across base back to the airport. Tank’s eyes nearly bug out of his head when he sees the experimental crafts sitting on the tarmac. They’re sleek, black metal with large twin engines which can rotate to permit vertical landings, similar to the team’s MV-22s, but he can tell this new craft is different. The team files out of the Humvee and heads toward the crafts. Two U.S. Airforce pilots are waiting nearby. They approach as the arrives. Tank notices one of them is a female, which isn’t as surprising as it would have been a few years ago.
“Capt. Jackson,” the female pilot greets Hawk as they near the crafts. “Welcome aboard. I’m sure you’ve been briefed to keep this to your team only?” Hawk nods his agreement. “Very well, then climb aboard. You’ll find flight suits and helmets inside. We were in a hurry, but I think we have everyone’s size chosen appropriately based on each man’s last physical. You can dress while we run pre-flight check lists. We’ll be wheels up in fifteen.”
They enter the futurist looking aircraft. Flight suits are a hanging from a bar. Tank wonders how in the world they were able to get all these together so quickly. The suits are labeled with their last names. Hawk begins handing them out. “Evans!” Hawk barks and flings a suit at him. He quickly dons the form fitting suit. Tank also briefly wonders why they need to wear them. He can tell the suits are made from some type of compression material. Perhaps the speed with which the craft moves is the reason. They’ve barely gotten settled into their seats with their helmets on when the pilot comes over the speaker.
“Buckle up, boys,” she drawls as the engine fires up. Tank is more than ready for them to be in the air. The craft lifts slowly then more advice from the pilot, “Hold on to your balls, first time out can be rough.” The craft shoots forward flinging them back in their seats. Tank is breathing hard from the force of acceleration, but he’s damn glad Tex was able to get them this state-of-the-art transportation.Hang on beautiful, I’m coming to get you!
56
RUBY
A cold wind is blowing as Ruby is lead down from the plane. She looks around but can’t tell where they’ve landed. This isn’t New York’s LaGuardia for sure. Carlo has her by her bound hands and is dragging her along. She’s doing her best not to stumble as they descend the stairs. Once they reach the tarmac, he shoves her toward a waiting SUV with tinted windows. She’s forced into the back seat this time, thankfully not thrown into the cargo hold like trash. Jr slides into the seat beside her. She straightens her spine. She’s not going to let him know he scares her.
“Well, Mary Catherine,” he says as he closes his door, turning to look at her. “I have to say the red hair is quite becoming on you, but this hobo working class look is beneath you.” Ruby doesn’t reply she just keeps her eyes forward and head held high, which seems to piss him off. “You’re going to pay for feeding information to the feds.” She turns to glare at him.
“I didn’t feed information to the feds, the police, or anyone else,” Ruby says vehemently. “I didn’t know anything to tell them! I wish I did know something to tell them so I could bring you and your father to justice for all the evil things you’ve done. My mother was a good, loving, wonderful woman and you took her from me, you asshole! I hope you rot in hell.” Jr. raises his hand as if he’s going to hit her but stops, making a fist and gritting his teeth.
“You surprise me, Mary Catherine,” Jr. says after a moment, “I thought you were a little timid mousey thing, but it seems you’ve gotten some claws during your time on the run. Perhaps I won’t need to kill you after all.” He stares at her for several long moments. “Yes, I believe we can still make this marriage thing work. Once I’ve eliminated your father and brother, his men will follow me especially if you’re my wife…yes, yes I think it’s an excellent idea.” Ruby stares at him horrified. The man is insane if he thinks she’s going to cooperate with him. She’d rather die than let him touch her. She isn’t going to tell him this just yet, though. She’s still holding out hope Tucker and his team will come for her. She needs to bide her time, keep Russo happy as long as possible.
“What will Julianna have to say about you marrying me?” Ruby asks. Part of her is curious as to where he stands with the woman. He looks over at her.
“You heard?” Jr. asks in return. Ruby just nods, then looks down at her hands as if embarrassed she listened in on the conversation. “It doesn’t matter what Julianna says about anything. She’s just been a means to an end.” Ruby can’t believe he’s being so callous, but then again, she can believe it. She needs to play the part to keep him talking. She hopes her next comment doesn’t anger him.
“She’s carrying your child. She’s surely expecting you to marry her when your father is no longer…around.” Ruby swallows, allowing her fear to show. She wants him to think she’s still mostly timid as before.
“She might expect it, but it’s not going to happen,” Jr. answers casually. “I’m not the father anyway. She thinks she’s clever, but I know I’m not the only man she’s been screwing behind my father’s back. I’m very careful to not put my dick ungloved into any female. In fact, I always use two condoms to prevent a broken one resulting in an unwanted child. I’m playing her little game, for now, because the intel she gives me is valuable, and she’s a fun fuck.” He looks out the window at the passing scenery. Ruby doesn’t know what to say to that, so she refrains from saying anything at all. After a while, he startles her with his next words. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing the look on her face when I ask for a DNA test.” He chuckles. “I can just see the color drain from her face. Stupid bitch. She knows I loathe disloyalty, yet she sought me out, flirted, and made it obvious she wanted a sexual relationship with me, her husband’s son. I used her to my advantage. She’s been more than willing to spy on my father for me. I know that if the opportunity arose, she would do the same to me, so I hold no loyalty to her.” He turns to look at Ruby. “What about you, Mary Catherine? Would you have spied on me for your father had the wedding taken place? Or better yet, would you have spied on him for me?”
“No,” Ruby states. He raises an eyebrow. “First of all, no one asked me what I wanted. I didn’t know you, still don’t know you, so I wouldn’t have betrayed my father for you even if I’d been forced to marry you. Additionally I didn’t know anything about my father’s business before my mother died, and even after, I had no knowledge about the inner workings of his business. I wouldn’t have helped him spy on you either. Hisbusiness” –She spits out the word business like it’s a dirty word– “is what got my mother killed. I would never help promote it.” She pauses a moment before adding, “I know you and your father believe I was giving information to the authorities, but I didn’t. My only concerns had been my singing and performances, until that was all taken from me.” She turns away as tears sting her eyes when memories of her mother’s lifeless gaze flash in front of her. Jr. doesn’t say anything further. He leaves her to her memories for the rest of the trip.
Sometime later, the vehicle slows, turning onto a side road. Snow has fallen, and Ruby can hear the gravel crunching under the weight of the tires. The road doesn’t seem to have had much traffic on it, recently. She peers over the driver’s shoulder to see the tracks have been partially filled in from the recent snow fall. The drive is slow going. She hears Alberto tell Carlo to put it in four-wheel drive. Shortly after she feels the vehicle slide on the icy, snowy road.
