Seeking Salvation: A Shadow Elite Novel

Chapter 14

Reaper rubbedat the stubble on his chin as he and Bishop faced Titan across the small kitchen counter. “So Bás is going to call as soon as he has a new plan?”

“Yeah. It’s not ideal but it is what it is.”

Reaper gripped his shoulder. “You thought on the fly, it’s what we do and don’t worry, nobody is letting you go to prison.”

Titan sighed. “Honestly, it isn’t my first concern. I just need to know Maya and Tyrique are gonna be okay.”

“You really like her?” Bishop asked as he placed his gun on the counter and proceeded to clean it. This was such a normal day for him it was hard to remember that, for others, it was shocking. Did a family really fit into this world?

“I do, and it’s been less than a week since we met. It’s crazy and more than a little scary.”

“I knew the minute I met Charlie.” Bishop smiled as if he had some secret memory in his head.

“Same. Lucia was annoying, sexy, and hated my guts but I knew the second I laid eyes on her that she was it for me.”

“How do you juggle this life with normal life?”

Bishop smirked. “What’s normal? Daytime soaps and a dead-end job you hate? No, thanks. Our life might not be easy or without its challenges but I, for one, wouldn’t change it.”

“What about the dangers though? Don’t they worry you?”

“Of course they do. We run into danger instead of away from it, but so do firefighters and men in the armed forces. Life is dangerous. You could get hit by a bus or, shit, get sick but at least we make a difference even if nobody else knows it, we know in here.” Bishop thumped his chest.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

His phone ringing stopped him from arguing further and he saw Watchdog calling. Instantly, his mind went to Tyrique and he wondered if that was his life now. His thoughts would always be on his son first. “Hey, man everything okay?”

“Your son is fine. Your girl, however, is not.”

Titan’s body stilled, his entire body going on alert. “What do you mean? She’s in the shower.”

“Unless you have a moving shower, then she’s most definitely not in the shower.”

Dread washed over him as his feet began to move for the door. “Where is she?”

“The club.”

“What the fuck?” He felt Reaper and Bishop at his heels, following him into the complete unknown without question.

“Are you alone and in private?”

“No.”

“Find somewhere.”

The urgency in Watchdog’s voice was almost imperceptible to anyone but those who knew him well. Holding the phone away from his ear, Titan relayed the information to his friends.

“The car.” Bishop pointed and they all ran down the stairs, where Maya must have passed just minutes ago, and to the car.

Jumping in, Titan let the phone connect to the Bluetooth in the car. “Okay, we’re in private.”

“I’ve opened the mic on Maya’s anklet. Listen to this.”

“You got some nerve coming here after your boyfriend threatened me, bitch.”

“I want to know what happened to my sister.”

A chuckle came down the line and Titan felt fear and fury blend into an almost explosive cocktail. “Drive, Reaper,” Titan demanded and his friend gunned the engine.

“You think you can come in here and make demands, whore? You think that has-been can protect you from me?”

“Why did you kill my sister?”

A pause on the line was followed by muffles and a gasp.

“Get your disgusting hands off me, you pig.”

The sound of a slap reverberated through the car and Titan grabbed the door handle, ready to jump out and beat Nico to death for touching her.

Reaper grabbed his arm. “Be smart, brother, or you’ll get her killed.”

“Gotta check you ain’t wired, bitch.”

“Just tell me what happened to Rose.”

“Ah, Rose. Pretty, little druggy Rose. Although saying that, I think I’d rather fuck you.”

“I’d rather fuck a rusty spike.”

“That hurts my feelings, Maya.”

“Like I care about your feelings.”

“Bet you fucked Allen real good, didn’t ya. Did he tell you who he really is? Did he tell you he’s killed more people than I ever have? That he was the baddest motherfucka London has seen since the fucking Kray Twins.”

“Then maybe you should stop insulting his girl.”

“That’s the thing, Maya. He was the baddest thing, but now? Now, he’s nothing but a has-been.”

“So you think you can take him now?”

“Oh, I’m going to do more than take him. I’m going to take you. I’m going to make you take Rose’s place.”

Titan’s hand shook slightly with rage as he continued to listen, while Reaper got on the other line with Bás and worked out the best way to get in and out of this club in the middle of the afternoon.

“Take her place doing what?”

“Let’s just say we have someone in power who needs an indentured sleep partner, shall we?”

“You mean a sex slave?”

“If you want to be crass about it, yes.”

“How can it be anything else? You were going to force my sister into becoming a sex slave for some sick old man.”

“Woman, Maya. Don’t assume and be sexist.”

“You people are sick.”

“No, we’re powerful, and the powerful prey on the weak and that’s what your sister was, and that’s what you are.”

Titan heard a sniff and his gut twisted, with rage.

“Why did you kill her?”

“Because of that fucking brat. We worked for months to set this up, drawing her in, and offering her drugs but she didn’t bite. The night she died, things got a little out of hand. She fought us and she hit her head. It was an accident.”

“Bullshit.”

“Truth, Maya. She hit her head and we made it look like suicide with a little help from someone inside the force.”

“You still killed her.”

“Nope, but it don’t matter either way. This works out better. Our client liked you better anyway, so you’re going to take Rose’s place.”

“You’ll never get away with it.”

“Oh, because of your big, scary boyfriend? He’s going to jail or the morgue, I don’t care which.”

A scuffle broke out on the line and then it went dead as Watchdog came back on the line.

“I’m going in.”

“I’m still tracking her. She’s inside.”

“I don’t give a fuck. I’m going in to get her back. You either come with me or leave me the fuck alone.” Titan shook Reaper off and jumped out of the car, heading for the entrance.

“Fucking hothead. Watchdog was just disabling the cameras for us, for fuck’s sake.”

Titan said nothing, only looked at Bishop and Reaper as they checked their weapons, his breathing heavy as his heart hammered in his chest. He’d never faced a mission in this state before, never felt this kind of fear. They were going in without backup, and mostly blind, to face the man who was holding Maya and who’d just admitted to killing Rose. Yet, his friends didn’t hesitate.

Dipping his head in thanks, he moved with them into the side alley next to the club, letting Reaper, as the most experienced, take the lead.

“We go in quiet. I don’t want this to become a bloodbath and this scene is hot as fuck. Bish, you take the lead here, I’m going to come in from the opposite side near the other fire exit. Titan, your only objective is to get Maya out. We’ll take care of the rest. Understood?”

Titan nodded wordlessly.

“Good, now put these in.” Reaper handed out earpiece comms and the second Titan put it in his ear, he was greeted by Watchdog.

“Strike team three, this is Watchdog. Do you copy?”

“Copy,” came the replies from the three of them before Reaper nodded and disappeared like the ghost he was.

“Titan, proceed north to the back of the building.”

With his gun tucked close to avoid alerting anyone he was carrying, he moved with Bishop inside the club. The interior was dark with lots of black walls, and a long bar at the far wall. Dance poles were set up every eight feet and a long stage where five topless girls danced in the middle.

He barely glanced at the suited men who were leering at the girls, though most had to be in their late fifties and the girls young enough to be their granddaughters. Bishop halted as two men across the room spotted them and began to move in fast.

Not wanting a gunfight in a room full of mostly innocent people, they turned on their heels and headed for the opposite side.

“We have company, Reaper.”

“On it.”

A loud clatter rang out, followed by a scream, and everyone, including the men pursuing them, turned. Reaper had punched one of the customers in the face, spraying his blood across his jowly face.

“Motherfucker broke my nose.”

Titan smiled to himself as Reaper let fly again, punching someone else and the two men went after him instead. Moving silently, Bishop and Titan got to the back.

“She’s barely three feet to your right, Titan.”

He saw the closed door to what looked like an office and put his ear to it to listen, hating being so blind.

“I hear three men. We can take them but it’s not without risk, Titan.”

Titan appreciated Bishop letting him make this decision now he was calmer and mission-focused. “On three.”

Titan counted backwards and, with one heft of his size fourteens, he kicked the door until it splintered under his weight. He spotted Maya tied up and gagged on the floor and had to fight the red mist that wanted to slide over his eyes. In that split second, Bishop had subdued Nico’s sidekick, pinning him to the ground and was holding a weapon on another man he didn’t know. Titan lifted the gun to Nico at the same time he lifted a knife and let it fly.

Pain pierced his shoulder but he didn’t let it register, blocking out everything but making Maya safe. “Big mistake.” He walked forward, so pissed off he could spit nails, and Nico backed up to the desk.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. She came here and attacked us. She wanted to sell us your secrets.”

Titan felt his lip curl. “You piece of shit. We have the whole thing recorded. We know exactly what she said and what you admitted.”

With his gun trained on Nico, he moved to Maya as Reaper walked into the room, an extremely unfriendly smile on his face.

“I’ve come to take out the trash. Take her to safety and we’ll deal with this.”

“Bás wants them for interrogation purposes,”Watchdog said down the line and Reaper grinned.

Titan didn’t care. He crouched to Maya and pulled the filthy cloth from her mouth before untying her hands. “Ti, you have a knife in your shoulder.”

Glancing sideways, he saw the hilt of the blade sticking out and knew it would need to stay there until he could get something to cover the wound because it was going to bleed like a bitch. “It’s fine. Let’s go home and you can patch me up.”

He lifted her in his arms and she looped her arms around his neck, wincing at the motion and moving a hand to her ribs.

“You’re hurt.”

“It’s just a bruise. Did you hear? He admitted it.”

“I heard, baby. Now, let’s go. Reaper can handle this from here on out. I’m taking you home.”