Risky Extraction

Chapter 26

Allyson did her best to keep from panicking. There were still people who needed her. She glanced behind her as Keith headed to the other side of the parking lot. He looked pissed, but who could blame him. Not only were three of his family affected by what happened, but four of his employees as well. Not to mention, there were friends of the O’Connors who had been inside.

Luckily, it wasn’t a busy time of the day, or things would’ve been worse. Rex sat on the ground holding his head, and Allyson crouched to make sure he was okay.

“Are you feeling okay? You should’ve gone to the hospital,” Allyson asked, checking his pulse.

“I’ll be okay, sugar. I have a bit of a headache.” Rex’s Georgia accent was in full force.

“Can I at least recheck your vitals?” Allyson pushed.

“Sure, but I don’t think I got as bad as the rest. When I felt off, I opened the window next to my booth,” Rex assured her.

“Still, I’d feel a lot better.”

“I think Rusty is about to pop a blood vessel,” Adrian said from beside Rex.

Allyson turned when she heard Keith’s voice boom from about ten feet away. It would’ve been comical if the situation wasn’t so serious, but when a man well over six feet is towering over a young girl that barely reaches his chest, and she’s yelling back, it was a funny picture.

Sidney and her parents arrived shortly after the situation at Jack’s Place, and the girl was pissed. She did what she could for the victims and then ranted about how she needed to help fix this.

“This is all because of me. These people got hurt because of me,” Sidney shouted.

“This is not on you,” Keith told the young girl.

“If he weren’t trying to find me, he wouldn’t be killing and hurting people.” Sidney shook her head. “They saved me from a life nobody wants to live only to be tortured and lose their lives.”

“Sweetheart, you can’t think that way.” Roger wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“You taught me everything to protect myself. I can knock a man out with one hand, but you never taught me how to deal with people dying because of me.” Sidney covered her face with her hands.

Allyson wasn’t sure what kind of training Roger could give her. As far as she knew, he was a foster father who had retired from his job.

“She could probably kill someone with one finger if he taught her what he knows,” Adrian said.

“What do you mean?” Allyson asked as she tucked her stethoscope into her medical bag.

“Sandy found out he was part of the Canadian Special Forces. When he retired, he and his wife were recruited to take in children rescued from dangerous situations. His wife was with Canadian Intelligence,” Adrian explained.

“From all over the world?” Allyson asked.

Adrian nodded and tried to stand up. When he staggered, he sat back down.

“There is an ambulance there. Please, both of you, go to the hospital and make sure everything is okay. I can only do so much here,” Allyson begged.

“I think that’s a good idea.” Ian walked behind the men.

When they both nodded, Ian motioned for the paramedic to come over. Allyson turned her attention to where Sidney faced down Keith.

“If you don’t let me go with you, I’ll get my car and find this place myself.” Sidney poked Keith in the chest.

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” Keith glared at the young girl.

“I know how to use a gun, probably better than you. I want to face this asshole.” Sidney wasn’t backing down.

Allyson could see by the look on Roger and Ethel’s faces they knew Sidney wasn’t giving in. They looked concerned but proud at the same time.

“I don’t care if you can use a gun. I don’t want to have to worry about you getting yourself killed while I help my brothers and the rest of the cops bring home my friends. Do you get it? This guy is not like the bullies you face in school,” Keith shouted.

“I’m not stupid. Remember, he killed people I care about to get to me. He murdered my mother,” Sidney shouted right back.

“I don’t have time for this. You’re not going, and that’s final,” Keith didn’t have a chance to turn when Sidney jumped in front of him.

“I’m not a child. I’m a grown woman. So either you let me go with you, or I follow you in my car.” Sidney narrowed her eyes.

Keith tried to step around her and, at one point, picked her up and moved her aside. By the time he pulled open the door to his jeep, she had already jumped into the back seat.

“I’m coming too,” Allyson jumped in next to the girl.

“What the hell is wrong with you both?” Keith yelled.

“I’ll stay in the jeep, but I’ll be there in case anyone needs medical attention,” Allyson explained, praying nobody would need it.

She wanted everyone to be safe, but from what she’d heard when James spoke with his sons, she was worried. Crash was strong, but she’d also seen what this man did to his friends. She didn’t want to think about what he was doing to Crash and Axel.

“For fuck’s sake,” Keith grumbled as he got into his jeep.

Trunk got in next to him, and both men checked their guns before Keith shoved the jeep into drive and sped out of the parking lot. He was silent for about five minutes and then locked eyes with Allyson in the rearview mirror.

“You know if you get hurt, Crash will have my balls in a vice?” Keith said.

“I’ll stay in the Jeep and keep out of sight,” Allyson assured him.

“You don’t need your balls anymore anyway. Emily told Abbie you’re getting neutered,” Trunk chuckled.

“Fuck off, asshole,” Keith grumbled.

The tension in the truck was thick, and Allyson glanced over at Sidney. The girl looked scared, but there was a determination in her eyes. She wasn’t about to let the situation get to her. Allyson reached across the seat and took Sidney’s hand.

“It’s going to be okay,” Allyson whispered.

Fifteen minutes later, Allyson wasn’t sure any of them would be okay as Keith’s jeep bounced over the uneven road leading to where several police cars were parked.

“Stay in the jeep,” Keith ordered as he and Trunk exited the vehicle.

“I…” Sidney stopped as soon as Allyson squeezed her hand.

“We need to stay here. You don’t want to endanger any of them, do you?” Allyson asked.

“No, I already did that.” Sidney moved closer to Allyson.

“You didn’t do anything, Sidney.” Allyson wrapped her arm around the young girl.

She watched the men and women slowly surround the large building a few yards away. She couldn’t hear much but made sure they crouched in the jeep. She could feel Sidney tremble as they clung to each other.

“I’m not as brave as I first thought,” Sidney whispered.

“You’re braver than you think.” Allyson didn’t know what else to say to her.

A few seconds later, shouting and the sound of guns going off startled them. Allyson wasn’t sure who was shooting, but it didn’t matter. Someone was going to be hurt or killed if the police didn’t get the situation under control.

“He’s running,” a police officer shouted.

Allyson looked up as several police officers ran toward the trees. She barely got a glimpse of someone disappearing into the woods. He wouldn’t make it easy for the authorities to put him away.

“Do you think Brent and Axel are okay?” Sidney whispered.

“I hope so.” Allyson swallowed down the lump in her throat.

The jeep door was yanked open, making Allyson and Sidney scream. Ready to fight for her life, she lifted her feet to kick whoever scared them.

“Ally, we need a doctor. Quick,” James said as he held up his hands.

“I’m a med student. I can help, too,” Sidney offered.

“We can use all the help we can get,” James told them.

Allyson was glad she’d had her medical bag with her when she jumped into the jeep, but her heart was thundering in her chest. Crash was in that building, and he’d been there for hours. Was it possible he was still alive? Her eyes filled with tears as she ran behind James toward the large opening of the warehouse.

The police escorted several men out of the building in handcuffs. One stopped and glared at her. The scar down the side of his face was horrific, and she almost missed it when he tried to lunge in her direction. Allyson stepped back, but the guy never got close.

“Do that again, and I’ll handcuff your legs to your hands.” Nick shoved the man roughly.

“In here, Allyson,” James shouted.

On the floor, inside the door, someone lay on their side in a pool of blood. She knew it wasn’t Crash because the guy wasn’t large enough, but she gasped when she turned the man over.

“Witt?” Allyson whispered.

“He was shot because he refused to help with torturing Crash and Axel,” James explained.

“He’s lost a lot of blood, but I’ve got a pulse. It’s weak, but it’s there,” Allyson said as she and Sidney worked on the doctor.

“Ambulance is here,” someone shouted from the doorway.

When the paramedics came running in, Allyson stepped back as she told them what she’d done. Before she could finish, one of the guys shouted that Witt’s heart had stopped.

They worked on him for twenty minutes, but it was too late. He was gone. Allyson tried to keep her composure as they covered him up, but the sob broke, and she covered her mouth with her hands.

“Where’s Brent?” Allyson choked out the words as James pulled her into his side.

“He’s over in the other section,” James guided her deeper into the warehouse.

Allyson pulled in a shaky breath when she finally saw him. He sat against the wall, and his body was black and blue, but he was looking up at a police officer and talking. He was alive.

“Where’s Axel?” Allyson asked.

“He’s refusing to go to the hospital until we catch Emir,” James told her. “But he needs to go. Both of them do.”

When Crash looked up, his eyes locked with Allyson’s, and she sprinted toward him.