26. Elio
ELIO
I was going fucking crazy.
The place Romeo and I had followed the fucker Waylen to was empty.
I thought for sure the fucker would have brought Isa back there, but the house had been abandoned. A look inside told us it had been abandoned years ago. Those fuckers had just been using it as a base while they were in the city.
I walked back inside Massimo’s house, where my brothers and Valentino were all gathered, along with Luna and Giulia.
I couldn’t look at Luna and Giulia. It would just make me think of Isa in Waylen’s hands, helpless and hurt and who the fuck knew what else.
“Anything?” I asked.
I looked at Massimo. He shook his head. “I have men sent out to all the known locations the Devil’s Wings usually visit, but there have been no sightings of any members. Not even a prospect.”
“They know we’re hunting them,” I said. “Where else could they hide off to?”
It didn’t fucking make sense. Las Vegas was our territory. We knew every nook and corner of this goddamn place, and yet it was as if they had all disappeared.
They didn’t have the numbers to take us on, but I knew they had at least three hundred or so members spread out over the state.
Where the fuck did they start hiding all of them?
“Maybe they’re not in Las Vegas anymore,” Romeo said.
“So where did they go off to? We have allies north and south of here, and our territories expand out further into the West than anyone realized,” Matteo chimed in.
“No,” I said. “They’re still in Nevada.” I turned to Valentino. He looked like shit. We didn’t sleep at all last night when we realized Isa was missing. “Do you remember anything about a safe house that might have been set up in Nevada?”
A few years ago, we realized safe houses were being built or purchased across the state, with a fictitious owner we couldn’t connect to any real person. We found and destroyed most of the houses, but there might be some that we missed.
Valentino nodded. “Yes, it was mostly in remote areas. I remember there were a few built in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.”
That didn’t fucking help much. Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest spanned over six million acres. Even if that was where they kept her, we weren’t familiar enough with the area to just start randomly looking around.
That would be a waste of resources.
“We can’t just blindly look for her there.”
“But it is four hours away. You will want to be closer when we find the location,” Massimo said.
“I’ll have the helicopter pull up and bring you, Valentino, and a handful of men with you.
I’ll direct other men to meet you there.
The helicopter will cut your travel time by half, but you would still be on your own until backup arrives. ”
It wasn’t a good plan, but it wasn’t bad either. I turned to Matteo. “We need cars to get around once we’re there.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Romeo said. “And I’m coming with you.”
I nodded.
“Matteo and I will be here to work with the tech team. See if we can identify all the safe houses built around.”
“Okay. Send us the list as soon as you have it,” I said, already standing up. We were taking a risk by narrowing our search down to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. It could all be for nothing.
What if they were holding her there?
What if we were wrong?
What would I do if I lost her?
I didn’t want to fucking think about that. We made a move to head out when Giulia and Luna stepped up to me. Their eyes were red and swollen. “Hey. Don’t look like that. We’re going to bring her home.” I looked over at Valentino, who nodded.
We had to bring her home. There was no other alternative.
I couldn’t fucking lose her.
Giulia nodded. “I know you will.”
I cupped her cheek affectionately and turned to Luna.
“Be careful,” she whispered softly.
I nodded.
Then we were off to find Isa. And the next time I stepped foot in Las Vegas, it would be with Isa. I fucking vowed it.