Chapter 27
CHAPTER 27
TANK
Once Memphis had a lock on Pratt’s location, and we had a solid enough plan that meant we weren’t going to go in guns blazing — though that was my preferred method to be fair — we saddled up for the drive. It took some arguing on my part to get them to let me go. Chance was worried I was still too injured.
After assuring him and the others that I wasn’t too far gone to join the fight, I was allowed out of the building. It helped that I took enough pain medicine to combat the worst of my aches. It wasn’t enough to knock me out, though it was plenty to keep me upright.
Pratt’s location showed to be in a home just outside the city limits in an up-and-coming neighborhood. The space only had a few tenants so far based on the records Memphis pulled. That meant whatever happened, hopefully, we wouldn’t have to convince too many people to keep quiet. And hopefully zero casualties.
I wanted to get this taken care of as quickly and quietly as possible.
The less attention we drew, the better off we were.
Since this was going to be a simple retrieval mission, the team consisted of myself, Godric, Cohen, Takeshi, and Orion. Ronan stayed at the office with the others, including a pissed off Chance.
My boyfriend couldn’t understand why I didn’t want him to come with us. He thought this would be more like the visit to the Linds. I’d had to explain there would be some not so nice methods of getting Pratt to come with us rather than tea and story time. Only then did he agree to stay behind.
“You still good, boss?” Orion asked for the second time as we neared our destination.
Memphis snorted through the comms before I could answer. I shook my head as I replied yet again, “Yes, Dad. I swear it’s good. Whatever happens, we’re solid.”
Our phones all buzzed at once, letting us know we had texts from Takeshi. Since we needed to stay dark on this mission, this became the best means to communicate with him.
Takeshi: Don’t push too hard. We will get him. The end for him is near.
I smiled at the confidence behind the message. It was good to know my team believed things would go well.
While I had high hopes, I also suspected this had gone far too easily. Pratt and Lune had evaded us for months. We shouldn’t have been able to get to this point without roadblocks coming up.
There had been a few, sure. But nothing that spoke to how talented these men had become at hiding in plain sight.
As we turned onto the street one over from our destination, a hush settled over our group. Cohen and Godric shared some sort of look as Orion whispered something to Takeshi. I tried to ignore the feeling of being left out.
It wasn’t often I went on missions these days. Prior to the Gilded Ones bullshit, I didn’t really leave the office other than to do official NightShade business. I’d become a fucking poster boy for the business rather than doing what I’d originally set out to do — protect people.
The fucking bureaucracy of it all made me sick some days. All this shit had served to remind me of what I’d been missing. While I didn’t want to risk my life all the time, I could admit I’d lost touch along the way.
“We ready?” I asked aloud when the silence became too much.
The team gave the affirmative, then we moved out of the SUV with a uniformity that spoke to our training. Dressed in all black, we blended in with the darkness of nightfall. Shifting between stacks of lumbers and construction supplies, we made our way through the small neighborhood towards the house at the end of the street.
Memphis began giving us details of the area. “There are two bodies inside the house based on the thermal scans I’ve gotten. The rest of the area is clear. You’ve got three points of entry. Front door, back door, and a door to the basement. I don’t detect any security systems, though there is likely some sort of alarm to notify them when someone’s close. Use the signal jammers I sent once you’re within fifty feet. Follow protocol and let’s catch this asshole.”
The speech made me laugh as I followed Godric and Orion who held the signal jammers at the ready. Cohen brought up the rear of our group, his gaze sweeping through the dark as if he expected to take on a herd of enemies at any moment.
We made the journey at a steady pace, stopping only when there was a need to put out a jammer or we suspected movement nearby. As the house came into view, Chance’s voice echoed over the comms. “Don’t you dare die on me today, Tank.”
I chuckled softly as I shook my head. The sound of the other guys at the office yelling out their agreements came through. My team in front of me nodded along as well since they couldn’t really vocalize anything without giving away our position. My eyes had adjusted enough to see the various expressions they wore.
No one was dying tonight.
Not anyone from my team anyway.
I had high hopes we’d be taking down Pratt and Lune tonight. It wasn’t a guarantee that the two bodies inside would be them; however, it was possible.
“Godric and Takeshi take the back door. Tank and Cohen move to the front. Orion enter through the basement. Our two heat signatures are shown to be steady in the living area. They’re either asleep or watching something. Let’s move.”
As one we moved to our positions. Cohen grinned at me before he went about picking the lock on the front door with his kit. Within seconds, he had it open, and we were shuffling inside.
“All teams are inside. I repeat, all teams are inside. Move towards targets. Treat as if hostile.” I nodded at Memphis’s instruction, gun in hand and at the ready. Cohen had his lifted too as he led us through the short entryway to the living room.
A television was playing as two men reclined on a couch. Their eyes were trained on the screen, neither having realized we were there.
It wasn’t until Godric stepped into the room from the other entry that they shifted. In a flash, they rose from the couch, hands reaching for weapons.
Cohen shot the one closest to us in the thigh, while Takeshi hit the other in the hand. Both men dropped to the ground crying out in pain.
I moved around Cohen and kicked away their weapons. The closer I got, the tighter my throat became.
“This isn’t Pratt,” I said aloud once I got a good look at their faces. “Not Lune either.”
“Fuck. Any sign of either having been there recently?” Ronan’s voice wasn’t shocking. Memphis was likely already deep into his search. If Pratt’s phone was tracked here, then there’s got to be something connecting him.
Before any of us could ask the men in front of us or reply in some way, Orion said, “You guys need to get down here. Now.”
Godric nodded for us to leave. “I’ll keep watch. These two aren’t going anywhere.”
The two men bleeding out on the floor didn’t speak up or argue. In fact, they were far more silent than I thought they’d be. Something about it didn’t sit right with me.
Instead of following Cohen and Takeshi to the basement, I stepped up to the man who’d been shot in the thigh. One look at his eyes, and I knew exactly what I’d find.
Even so, I grabbed his jaw, squeezing until he was forced to open his mouth.
“Boss, what are you — oh, shit.”
I shook my head. “This is Lune’s work,” I said aloud so the team could hear.
“What is?” Arick asked. It was the first I’d heard from him, and I wondered if the others were quiet because they knew or because they’d turned their focus to something else.
“Their tongues have been cut out. It’s to ensure they can’t tell us anything. They’re decoys.”
At my words, Arick hissed. “That’s fucked up.”
I hummed, though I couldn’t really say much. It’s something I’d have done in his position too. But I wasn’t the bad guy here. And as much as I hated these men were part of this, there was nothing I could do to help them anymore. Not without this possibly coming back to bite me in the ass.
“What are you —” Godric’s words cut out when I put a bullet through the man’s forehead. I pointed to the next and did the same before he could intercept me.
“Their lives have already been forfeited. If we let them leave, Lune would simply track them down and hurt them further. This way, they got an easy, painless out,” I said before he could ask more about why.
Godric shook his head. “It still isn’t right.”
“Maybe not, but we don’t have time to wonder. Let’s get downstairs.”
He followed me somewhat reluctantly. I hated to think he saw me as the villain in this situation. It was worse because the comms were also deadly silent.
Had I been wrong? Should we have tried to get those men help?
No.
I knew I wasn’t off in my decision.
Because the look of relief that came over the guy’s face when I held the gun to his head told me everything I needed to know. This had been a prison for them. A hell they couldn’t escape. Who knew how long they’d been here waiting for us to show?
Maybe tracking Pratt’s device was just another part of Lune’s plan all along. He seemed to be multiple steps ahead of us no matter what we thought.
The basement was the brightest area in the house so far. I easily made my way down the steps with the increased visibility.
“What happened up there?” Cohen asked when we finally made it to the bottom. The space was only an eight-by-eight area, barely big enough for the three of us to stand in.
I shook my head. “We’ll discuss that later. Why is this so small? Where are Takeshi and Orion?”
“I’m only out here to meet you. They’re through here.” He pointed over his shoulder to the only other doorway in the space.
“What’s through there?”
“You’re not going to believe it unless you see it,” he replied.
Without another word, he spun around with the knowledge we would follow him. Not just because of the case, but also because we couldn’t resist knowing what he meant.
And yeah, his words made sense a second later when the short hall opened to a vast area with even more doors.
“Welcome to hell,” Orion said.
“What is this place?” Godric moved around the room, taking in the doors and the plaques above them.
I already knew what Orion was going to say before he spoke. It was obvious to me just how fucked we truly were.
Orion spoke clearly enough for the team back at the office to pick up every word. “It’s a tunnel system. These doors all lead to somewhere in the city. There are also multiple points according to the map I found.”
He held up a large piece of paper that looked worn. It had obviously been used a lot over the years.
“What does this mean?” Damari’s soft voice asked.
“It means that Lune and Pratt have had access to nearly every part of the city. It’s no wonder we couldn’t ever find the bastard. He had his own private transportation system underground,” I answered.
Cohen nodded. “Yeah, and there are way too many of these to search them all.”
“I agree,” Orion said.
Our phones buzzed.
Takeshi: We need to regroup. There is no way we’ll get answers standing here.
“I agree with him. Let’s get back to the office. I’ll get a cleanup crew to come in.”
“Actually, I already called my cousin. Hope you don’t mind, Tank. He owes me a few favors. Figured he could take care of the bodies and then keep an eye on the place in case anyone comes back.”
Mindy’s voice brought a smile to my face. The team with me chuckled at my expression.
Cohen teased, “You just became Tank’s second favorite person. Chance holds the title of first, but you’re in a good spot, Mindy.”
She laughed. “Well, I’m honored. It’s no big. Besides, he’s been a grumpy asshole lately. This will give him something to focus on instead.”