Chapter Five
Rex
T he time it takes me to fly to where I can store my helicopter closest to where I believe Dre is being held doesn’t take long in the grand scheme of things.
It feels like I arrived in the blink of an eye.
This was definitely the fastest and best option at my disposal.
I want to do some reconnaissance as soon as possible and see if my hunch is right.
I need visual proof that this is where Beau and Annmarie are hiding out and therefore where they’re holding Dre.
If I’m wrong, then I need to go back to the drawing board and figure out where the fuck they could be.
Deep down, I feel like this is it. That this is where they’ve been hiding away.
Where they’ve made their base to continue on with their crimes and exploiting humanity.
As soon as I have my helicopter stored away, I’m in one of the tricked-out SUVs that’s kept at every location The Khaos Group has access to.
Looks are deceiving when it comes to our vehicles.
You wouldn’t know by looking at them that they’ve all been modified with reinforced steel, bullet-resistant glass, run-flat tires, and a self-sealing fuel tank, just to name a few of the upgrades.
Then there’s the mini-armory hidden under the backseats of every vehicle that can only be accessed using a biometric scanner.
The vehicles are all upgraded this way to ensure every operative in The Khaos Group has every possible advantage for whatever they could be facing.
If there’s one thing we all know, it’s to be prepared for the unexpected.
Even the easiest of cases and missions can take a turn for the worst at the drop of a hat.
You never know how someone is going to react to our appearance.
We take the safety of every member of The Khaos Group seriously.
We live and work in a dangerous world, where more often than not it’s a fight for not only our survival but also for others who don’t belong in our world.
I’m driving at a steady pace towards the location I believe Dre has been held all this time.
During my deep dive into Beau and Annmarie, I uncovered a location that they had been in the process of buying before they faked their deaths.
The thing about that property, though, is that it’s still up for sale all these years later.
The sale fell through with Beau and Annmarie’s untimely demise.
Well, what everyone thought was their untimely demise.
Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is that the property is supposed to be empty.
For all intents and purposes it’s considered abandoned.
The elderly owners moved away to Hawaii before they originally put it up for sale, and nobody has been interested in the property since Beau and Annmarie.
So, would someone like to explain to me why when I checked satellite footage of the place, making sure I covered all my bases, there was more than a little bit of movement not only around the grounds but also inside the house too?
As well as the fact that there are utilities being used there too.
I looked into that after I saw that it wasn’t empty on the satellite footage.
I wasn’t going to risk missing anything; I knew I needed to cover all my bases, and I’m glad I fucking did.
Clearly someone is using that property when they shouldn’t be, and my gut is telling me it’s Beau and Annmarie.
It would make sense that they’d set up somewhere they’re familiar with, somewhere they knew would be empty.
Somewhere off the beaten track, and this place is definitely that.
There are no neighbors close by, and it’s surrounded by large trees and foliage, keeping their movements from any prying eyes that might catch sight of what they’re doing.
Well, prying eyes in the normal sense. I doubt they expected anyone to use satellite footage the way I have to check out the area.
They have no reason to suspect that anyone thinks they’re still alive.
Not after all this time. Not with having a mole within The Khaos Group who has no problem with warning them of any problems that could be heading their way.
None of them would ever expect me to be searching for Dre and uncovering the truth.
It’s not like I have any real connection to him.
The only reason I even began my search is because of Wreck, and the details of everything that happened there have been kept close to the vest. Very few in The Khaos Group know anything about what happened.
Even those that are in the know don’t know Wreck’s legal name.
I’ve never been more thankful for someone going by a different name than I am right now.
There’s no chance anyone will catch wind of the connection between me, Wreck, and Dre.
There will be no warning for any of them for what’s to come.
Each and every person involved in Dre’s disappearance and Beau and Annmarie’s faked death scheme is in for one hell of a surprise when I get my hands on them.
Roughly two miles away from my target location, I pull over into an overgrown hidden road.
The only reason I know it’s here is because I did some research on the area before heading out.
If I hadn’t done that, I’d have never known to look for this road.
It’s extremely well hidden. It’s an excellent place to leave my vehicle out of view of passersby as I make the rest of my way on foot.
There’s not a chance in hell I’d risk getting any closer than I currently am using a vehicle; that’s like waving a sign telling them I’m coming.
I can’t be having that. I have the element of surprise on my side right now, and I refuse to ever give up such a massive advantage.
I’m not some fucking green newbie who’s never done surveillance and reconnaissance before.
I have years of experience on my side, and I plan on using all of it to my advantage.
Pulling out my reconnaissance pack from the back of the SUV, I double-check I have everything I might need, from my night vision scope and goggles to tracking equipment and high-tech cameras, before strapping on my favorite weapons.
I never go anywhere without my trusty SRK, the knife that tends to be favored by Navy Seals, and my Sig Sauer M18.
They aren’t the only weapons at my disposal though; I also happen to have a Barrett M82 sniper rifle on hand too.
This may just be recon, but I’d never go anywhere without making sure I’m armed to the teeth.
You never fucking know what you might uncover, and when you might need to defend yourself or someone else. Being prepared is always for the best.
The wind starts to whip around me as I travel at a steady pace towards my destination.
Even with all the added weight I’m carrying, this feels like a walk in the park.
Considering I’ve made worse treks than this throughout the years while carrying an injured teammate over my shoulder, I’m not all that surprised this feels like nothing.
Some of those fuckers were heavy and close to my size.
I’m not exactly a small guy, standing at six foot five and having a muscular build from all my training.
A pack and some weapons weigh nothing compared to carrying someone with a similar build to that.
The additional weight I’m carrying also doesn’t impact my stealth.
I’m still light on my feet and am hardly disturbing my surroundings as I move.
There’s no chance anyone is going to discover my approach now or in the future.
Reaching the outskirts of my destination, I stay hidden in the large trees as I carefully place my pack on the ground so I can pull out my night vision goggles.
I want to have them close to hand in case I need them.
I’m hoping I won’t have to stay out here doing surveillance for too long.
I want to catch sight of my targets sooner rather than later so I can take action, but I know that’s not always the case.
Sometimes it takes a hell of a lot of patience and time to get the proof needed.
I’m prepared for that if that’s the case.
I’ve got enough small high-tech video equipment to set up around the area so I don’t have to stay out here for god knows how long it takes to catch sight of who I need to.
I might be determined as hell to find and rescue Dre, but I’m still only one person, and I need time to rest in a safe environment.
Staying out in enemy territory won’t give me the option to shut down and rest in any way, shape, or form.
I’ll always be on alert. There’s no one out here to watch my back like there normally would be.
I’m currently a one-man show. I can’t afford not to get the necessary rest that I need to be functioning at my top level.
Not when Dre’s freedom hangs in the balance.
I might not have ever met the man, but he’s become really fucking important to me as I’ve searched for him all this time.
I’m invested in a way I never have been before, and I won’t risk not being at the top of my game.
Not when I’m what stands between him staying in the hands of those pieces of shit and having his freedom.