44. Oliver
44
Our Uber from the safe house to the island, courtesy of Nicholas Barbier, was a Sikorsky Black Hawk. I’d lost count the number of times I’d been inside this type of helo. Outfitted to fit two pilots, two gunners, and up to eleven seated troops, we’d filled all eleven seats.
Nicholas had sent Carter a not-a-request-request from Stef Soren hours before we set to leave. Basically, anyone who’d been on the ground the day everything went FUBAR in Thailand had to be present, or they wouldn’t show up for the fight. Which meant Mason was also with us.
There was one more passenger on that helo as well, most definitely not on our team, but now back in my life.
Based on Soren’s last-minute ultimatum—or temper tantrum, as the case may be—Carter negotiated with Nicholas to allow my dad to join us. I was still surprised he was really there, but not too shocked he’d gone behind my back to coordinate it all with Mya.
The sun was no longer present in the sky, but night had yet to make its claim, so there was still enough light to make everyone and everything out. As we exited the bird, I noticed the Sorens were already there waiting.
It already looked like we were in a war-torn area. The few buildings off in the distance appeared to be on their last leg, with boarded-up windows and graffiti everywhere. People had definitely once lived, or at least worked here. They’d left their mark on the island by destroying it. Although, it was a man-made island, and we were about to wipe the place off the map for good anyway.
“They’re here,” Mya said as we watched the Black Hawk take off from a safe distance.
Guess no lift home.
She looped her arm with mine, drawing herself up against me as we both stared off in the distance at our enemies, which included her parents.
I’d be having words with her parents at some point, starting with my fist connecting with her father’s jaw. First, though, first I had to deal with Hugo and the others.
Shockingly, Sylvester had lived to see another day. The Sorens were too far away from where we stood for me to see if Sly was roughed up or not, but he was definitely still alive and kicking. I wasn’t sure what that meant for our suspected insider, or what might happen with the Sorens later, but I assumed we’d eventually find out.
Aside from the Vanzettis and Sorens, only the two bodyguards from the hotel were there.
Yeah, you left the rest of your support team on the outskirts for part two, didn’t you? Like Raymond Fucking Pecker.
The whomp! whomp! whomp! of the blades of our two helos continued to chop the air, the Sorens’ birds taking off to join ours back on the mainland.
I faced Mya, checking on her yet again. It wasn’t every day our enemy was related to someone on our team, and in a big fucking way, too. “You okay?” I mouthed.
She nodded. Such a bad liar.
With the Black Hawks farther away, I overheard Jack remark, “Welcome to the jungle.”
I looked up into the sky, catching sight of three small drones buzzing over us. The guests at The Sapphire were already watching us. Probably making bets.
“We really are being thrown into this Hunger Games-style,” Mason said, standing protectively on the other side of Mya.
“It’s Nicholas. He’s calling,” Carter announced. “And I’m in a three-way, presumably with Stef.”
“Yeah, not the three-way I’d like to be in,” Jack joked, somehow staying calm in the face of the storm about to come as Carter placed the call on speaker.
“Dominick. Soren. Building B just near you both is where the arena is,” Nicholas cut to it. “The cameras are already set up inside, as well as a dropdown screen on one wall where your virtual ref is waiting for you with next steps.”
Virtual ref? I didn’t blame Nicholas for not wanting any of his people there, knowing war was on the horizon at the end of round three of the fight, but . . .
“Oh, and, Soren?” Nicholas’s dramatic pause wasn’t lost on any of us.
A reality show. Been there, done that, and here we are again. Based on the look on Jack’s face, he was having the same flashbacks I was.
“Stay on your side of the octagon during the fight. No exchanges before then. Not so much as a breath between you two aside from our two contenders once they step inside the ring. Hugo can have you in his corner, if you wish, as we made an exception for Oliver.”
That “exception” gave me a firm nod of, I’ve got your back, which I appreciated.
“Once the ref watching over the camera calls a start to the fight, there are no rules, aside from stopping at the end of each round when he rings the bell,” Nicholas went on. “Oh, and one more thing, Soren, I learned you attempted to undermine the evening by offering money to Brutus Uri in exchange for hiding your arsenal here on the island in advance.”
Good. Way to call him right out on that. But also, thank God Carter’s resources had discovered that little tryst between the corrupt CIA asshole and Brutus.
“I offered my guests a fair fight, and that’s what they’ll be getting. No underdogs. Which means Dominick was afforded the same opportunity. They dropped off their weapons and left, same as your people,” Nicholas stated, fairly matter-of-factly without the dramatics that time. “Only, Dominick didn’t have to pay the hefty price tag you did with Brutus, and Hugo is automatically losing a point in the fight in case this goes to a decision.”
As long as it made it to a decision and didn’t end with a knockout on my side or my untimely death, I didn’t give a damn about points. All that mattered was Carter pulled this off for us, and we were now even more prepared for part two of the evening thanks to the Sorens’ deception.
“The building where the fight is taking place has been swept. It’s clean. No weapons or explosives inside,” Nicholas noted.
We’d have to trust him on that. Our lives were pretty much in his hands for the fight.
“One last thing before I end this,” Nicholas imparted, the drones flying back and forth between our showdown to get it all on camera. “We won’t stop your people from dropping onto the island from the air, or swimming in, so long as it’s three minutes after the final round of the fight ends. You’ll be provided that short window to get ready, and then you can begin. Keep your fighting on the ground. No easy-way-out missile attacks. Try it and the game ends, and your team automatically loses. And by lose, I mean blown up by us.”
Those rules worked for me. Well, all except one. Wyatt and Teddy planned to sneak onto the island ahead of time, but I trusted they’d pull it off. Wyatt would rearrange the solar system if it meant keeping his daughter safe, so I knew they wouldn’t be caught.
But would the Sorens follow those rules? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
“It starts now. May the best team win.” Nicholas ended the call, and instead of pocketing his phone, Carter quickly sent out a message to our other teams as planned.
The Marines were being led by Michael Maddox. Bravo One, Luke Scott, was in charge of all SEALs as well as Easton.
And the Irish, well, Sebastian Renaud had his people covered.
We had no idea how many the other side had to hit us back with, but I felt confident in our chances.
I looked around at the eleven of us as Mya hung on to my arm, not prepared to let go of me and head inside for the fight. Or to confront her parents. Talk about awkward reunions.
None of us were hiding the fact we were outfitted for war. No suits or jeans. The uniform of the day? Cargo pants, vests ready to be stuffed with magazines later, and the like. We were only missing our night-vision goggles, comms, and of course, weapons.
We’d been thoroughly patted down before boarding our Uber Express, so we hadn’t even been able to hide a stick of gum on us if we’d wanted to.
The Sorens went ahead and made the first move for the building, entering through the main doors, which meant we’d aim for another way in. I wasn’t interested in walking by any of those assholes while heading to the cage.
Sly was noticeably limping as he went inside. Yeah, he’d for sure had his ass kicked by his brother. I had a feeling when we got closer to them, he’d bear the marks of a beating.
“We’re doing this, huh?” Jack asked, facing me.
“It looks that way,” Gray said, patting him on the back. “You’ll make it home to Charlotte, I promise.”
“All of us fighting together tonight with the SEALs, the Marines, hell, even the Irish . . .” Jack’s voice trailed off, almost nostalgic-sounding. “Kind of wild, right? Feels like we’re the Avengers going up against that ugly asshole who was collecting those infinity stones or something.”
“Yeah, part one of that movie didn’t end so well, and damn that cliffhanger.” Gwen smacked Jack’s arm. “No cliffys, please. I hate not having an ending.”
“You’ll get an ending tonight, don’t worry. One way or another.” Well, that was a somber, dark tone from Carter I didn’t want to hear. “We’ll be fine,” he added as if realizing how his words had come across. “And you’ve got this, Oliver. No doubt in my mind.” He slipped his phone into his pocket and reached for my hand.
Mya let go of my arm so Carter could do the unexpected. He pulled me in for a quick one-arm hug on my good side.
“You’re prepared,” Jesse assured me, meeting my eyes post-hug. “You’re a fast learner. Just watch for his tells. Find his weaknesses.”
“And if he doesn’t have a weakness aside from not fearing death?” I shouldn’t have asked that. They didn’t need to know I still had some concerns about fighting Mr. Bloodsport.
“Everyone has a weakness, son,” my dad said, eyes fixed on me.
I swallowed and nodded. “Having Stef in his corner instead of you is sure as hell another one.”