21. Ember #3
Wood splinters and collapses as the pair drop onto the middle of the debris. Even that doesn’t stop their snarling punching match. Axel’s a legitimate challenge to The Phantom’s savage reputation.
The living room is half-destroyed by the time a loud ring disturbs the pseudo cage fight. Both men hesitate but quickly dive back in to resume beating each other. Warner releases me to check his phone, pulling up the penthouse’s built-in security system.
“We have a visitor.” He clicks the live video feed off. “Wait here.”
“With the cavemen?” I heave.
“It’s no better at our front door, love.”
Hyland grimaces, attempting to wrestle himself upright and failing. I dodge the chaos being caused by the raging fight to navigate my way over, offering him a helping hand.
“Do you need anything?”
“Some peace and quiet,” he complains.
“I’ll lend you my cold packs. Works wonders for a headache.”
“They worked?” He brightens up.
“Like a treat.”
“You can apologise to my self-help book later for ever doubting it.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Heaving up the massive grump takes great effort. Even I’m not strong enough to yank him fully up, especially not now with a new myriad of bruises and scrapes. I manage to turn him, enabling his feet to find the floor alone.
Shakily standing, Hyland jams two fingers into his mouth then unleashes a piercing wolf-whistle. It bounces off the high ceiling and around the trashed room, causing both idiots to freeze mid-fight.
“Are you done acting like fucking three year olds?”
Split lip dripping, Axel lowers his fist. “This fucker has ruined my life!”
“You did that all on your own,” Blaine seethes.
“No! You led him straight to me!”
Another punch knocks Blaine back onto his spine, spreadeagled among splintered wood, broken glass and complete destruction. He lays there cackling like a madman with blood pouring into his eyes.
“Cheap shot, Ax.”
“Do not call me that.” Axel pants for air.
“Couldn’t even finish the job. I’ll never understand why your brother is so desperate for your life. You are pathetic.”
“You’re dead! Son of a?—”
I release Hyland to step forward, straight into Axel’s path. He halts his advance a second before his next punch would’ve landed directly in my face.
“Enough!” My boom carries all around us.
“Ember, move. Let me take the trash out.”
“No, I’m sick of this. Whatever you’ve done, whatever Blaine’s done… put it aside. We have a job to do, and Gracie’s running out of time.”
“He cannot stay! Madden can’t be trusted!”
Blaine wrenches himself to a sitting position. “Says the liar.”
“You’re no better than the monster I’ve spent twenty years forgetting,” Axel blasts at him. “Remember that, Madden. You will never, ever belong to this team or this family.”
He hocks up a bloody mouthful then drops it in Blaine’s lap. Wonderful. I’ve got a team of salivating wolves on my case and zero other options for finding Gracie. Those thugs might as well have shipped me back to Gael yesterday.
Multiple footsteps sound out as Warner returns with company. Behind him, a typically smartly dressed Kade marches into the room accompanied by another, their face open and friendly, with a shock of brightly coloured hair.
“Are we interrupting?” Kade scans over the disaster zone.
“Only these two idiots who don’t know how to use actual words to communicate.” I gesture towards our bleeding fighters. “What is it?”
“Sorry for barging in so soon after the attack, but this couldn’t wait. I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
“We left Brooke at a baby scan with Eli, Jude and Hudson.” The other man speaks up, his interested gaze fixed on me. “I’m Phoenix.”
“Ember,” I reply.
“So I’ve heard.” He smiles cheekily. “Couldn’t you take them both? Spare the poor TV a battering?”
“I decided to sit this one out.”
“Shame.” He chuckles.
“Nix.” Kade nudges him. “Give it a rest. This is urgent.”
“Sorry. Carry on.”
Pulling the leather satchel from his shoulder, Kade drops it on the back of the sectional to pull his laptop free. I help Hyland move over to get a good view, his movements stiff and awkward.
“This was sent to us three hours ago by Mexico’s federal intelligence agency.” Kade taps on a saved video file. “We’ve verified the authenticity. It’s legit.”
His laptop screen fills with the sight of a raging inferno. Numerous fire fighters attempt to tackle the blaze, out of control flames devouring what looks like an arched veranda with colourful Talavera tiles cracking in the heat.
“Oh.” I quickly cover my mouth. “Is that…”
“What we believe to be Antonio Gael’s estate,” Kade confirms with grim certainty. “It’s the right location and description. There’s a strong possibility this was our target.”
“The architecture… It’s familiar.”
He nods unhappily. “I’m sorry, Ember. We’ve been informed that it was torched before a warrant could be issued by the local judge. The whole estate is gone.”
“He was tipped off,” Hyland mutters.
“It would appear so.”
Ignoring Blaine and Axel’s staggering approach, I pull backwards, grappling for air to breathe. After all these months, countless hours of chasing leads, scouring maps, entreating agencies to search their own land… this is how it ends.
In fire and ash.
The decimation of all evidence.
Nothing left. Gone.
“The Gael estate has been destroyed.” Kade sounds distant, locked in a bubble that can’t reach me. “All traces of him are dust.”
“There’s nothing left?” Warner utters.
“Nothing but rubble… And an audio recorder left outside the front gates. The fire crew retrieved it and turned it over to the authorities.”
Minimising the video, Kade clicks on another file. It brings up an image of an old-style, manual voice recorder, the kind used by law enforcement for police interviews. Another subtle jab. Using the very tools of our trade against us.
Fastened to the worn plastic, a yellow note is scrawled in neat, elegant script. I’d recognise Gael’s handwriting anywhere. He signed enough shady contracts in my presence, convinced I’d never live long enough to rat on him if I escaped.
PLAY ME.
“He does love theatrics, doesn’t he?” Phoenix tsks.
Nodding, Kade loads a final file. “We’ve been sent the transcribed text.”
“Read it,” Warner requests.
“The message is graphic.” Kade looks up from his screen, gaze landing on me.
“Em?” Axel attempts to place a hand on me.
I duck out of his reach, needing personal space. The raging fire still plays against my eyeballs, wiping out all the evidence we need to bring the cartel down. All I can hope is that Gael emptied the holding cells before lighting the match.
“Read it.” I somehow locate a calm tone. “Please.”
“Very well.”
Kade opens a text file from his email, so at least I don’t have to endure hearing Gael’s voice again. Listening to his disgusting words read in Kade’s clipped, cool tone almost softens the blow.
“I gave you the chance to come home, 768. You disobeyed me. Humiliated me. Betrayed me. Your usefulness to this operation has expired.”
“Love.” Warner holds a hand towards me. “You don’t have to listen to this.”
“Yes, I do. Please continue, Kade.”
He clears his throat, disregarding Warner’s pinched eyes.
“There’s no deal left to be struck. I will show you no mercy. I’m coming for you, 768. I’ll kill everyone you love in front of you before I grant you the mercy of death. Starting with her .”
“Gracie,” I whimper.
Closing his laptop, Kade clenches his eyes shut. “It would appear that Gael’s patience for games has expired. The failed hit yesterday was his final attempt to get you back.”
“So what now?” Axel dares to question.
“His revenge.”
No one has another word to offer. Axel studies the closed laptop while Hyland massages his forehead. Blaine flexes his swelling fists, seeming to steel himself. Warner stares off out the window, contemplating the night sky like it holds some miracle.
I lick my lips. Preparing. Steeling. Resigning myself for what must be done. We don’t have time to chase a list of leads provided by the world’s criminal elite. Right now, we need fast results. Before this battle escalates into a full-scale war.
“Blaine.”
He looks at me, bloodied and slumping. “Yes, sweetheart?”
“Call The Hunter. Tell him we want to meet.”