Chapter 14
Race Against Time
Wire
I didn’t get to bed until early morning.
Every part of our plan needs to be perfect, which means scrutinizing every detail all over again.
I hacked into the traffic system, just in case it’s necessary to manipulate the lights for a quick change in the route.
The plane’s manifest is ready to go, along with fake passports for Falcon, Bull, and Rebel.
The van is secured, and we have a man ready to deliver it directly to the airstrip once the guys land at the private airport.
The team leaves Storm at eight, and each man will always wear an earpiece.
Phoenix and I won’t be leaving the office until our brothers come home.
Each of us spoke to our women because we want them close.
Kailyn would want to be with Phoenix during the mission, and surprisingly, Sadie and Maya were quick to agree to coming along with us, wanting to be near when it all goes down.
It’s safe enough for the women to hang out at Falcon’s apartment.
They’d be close without being in the way.
I wasn’t sure Remmi would be as willing because she’s struggling to get her work completed by the deadline, but she was, and in return, we’re all going to pitch in to make sure we help her meet her commitments.
Remmi and the other ladies are hanging out in Falcon’s apartment.
When he constructed the building, he added an apartment for himself.
Falcon owns the building and the property, but we’ve all got money invested in the business.
The rest of us wanted to put some space between our work and home.
That’s not the case with Falcon. He’s always on duty.
He feels the weight of responsibility for Storm Enterprises and for all of us.
It’s not because we expect him to have all the answers, but because he puts the pressure on himself.
I’ve tried talking to him about it, and he always says that this is an instinct that comes naturally to him.
It’s what he needs to do. I backed off, but I’ve kept watch, just in case the weight becomes too heavy for one man to carry.
Rebel, Bull, Phoenix, and I have spoken about Falcon taking on the bulk of the strain of the business.
We’re keeping an eye on him, but Falcon’s never wavered once since we started Storm.
While Phoenix and I are holed up in the boardroom, the others are on their way to Maria. I connect with her online to let her know that help is on the way.
“Hold on for six more hours, then you’ll be on your way to America,” I tell her.
She’s sitting with Franco on her lap. He’s a cute kid, but it’s obvious that he’s scared by the way he clings to his mother, his little arms latched around her neck.
I can see that this is also taking a toll on Maria.
From the dark circles under her eyes, she’s obviously not sleeping, and her face looks thinner.
She manages a wry smile and says, “I look forward to it.” She looks to her son. “Franco, we’re going on a plane. Are you excited?”
Franco nods furiously. “I want to fly like Superman,” he says, waving his arms around like a plane.
“Are you eating?” I ask Maria, as she seems much more frail than the first time we connected.
“We’re making do with what we have. I’m heeding Falcon’s advice and not leaving the room,” she responds, avoiding my question. Reading between the lines, I’d guess they’re running out of food, and she’s rationing what they have left, feeding Franco and doing without.
“We’re almost there, Maria,” Phoenix says. “Won’t be long now.”
Maria shuffles her son off her lap, handing him his crayons and a book.
“Can you go color a pretty picture for our new friends?” She urges him to sit on the bed and waits for Franco to immerse himself before leaning closer to the computer.
She lowers her voice. “More people have been coming to the motel lately. It could be nothing, but I thought I heard the maid Iva talking to another maid who mentioned that a couple of men asked about a mother and child staying here. Iva shut her down and told her we left several days ago. Iva doesn’t know what’s going on but has surmised that we’re on the run.
I’m thankful she didn’t give us away, but what if they come back before Falcon gets here? ”
“I’ve got Google satellite view of the motel, and Phoenix and I are going to be watching. If we think there’s a threat, we’ll get in touch, and you’ll make a quick exit and meet up with the team. Make sure you have a bag ready to go,” I tell her.
While we’re talking, I’m already accessing other views of the motel and the roads leading to it. I have several screens up, each with a vantage point. Phoenix’s gaze is fixed on the screens, while the minutes tick away.
Falcon checks in midway through the flight. I update him on the news from Maria, and I’ve already explained that Phoenix and I are watching every movement around the motel.
“Do you think they were convinced that Maria left?” Rebel asks.
“No way to tell, man,” I answer.
“She’s ready to bug out at a moment’s notice. Wire has already found a country road that leads to a village where you can meet up if we’re forced to change the plan,” Phoenix says.
“A few more fucking hours is all we need,” Bull mutters. Bull hates to deviate from plans. He’s good at it, but he’s never liked modifying a plan that we think is solid.
“I’m more worried about her state of mind,” Falcon comments.
“For her son, she’ll do whatever it takes to make him safe,” I say.
Three and a half hours later
Wheels are on the ground, and Falcon’s racing for the waiting van. Bull is the wheel man, Rebel is in the back of the van, and Falcon’s in the passenger seat. The van is kitted out with guns, ammunition, and everything else they’ll need in case they run into trouble.
“Any movement at the motel?” Falcon asks.
“Nothing, and we haven’t left this room. Eyes have been on the screen at all times. How long before you get to them?” I ask.
“Forty-two minutes,” Bull says. “I’d floor it, but the last thing we need is to be pulled over by the local cops.”
I message Maria to let her know we’re close. She responds by telling us she’s ready to go. We watch the minutes ticking by on the clock. This part is always the worst, waiting. Thirty minutes. Twenty-two minutes.
“Shit!” Phoenix exclaims.
Immediately, I focus on the screen that Phoenix is staring at. “What is it?”
“That’s not the same maid, is it?” He points to the screen.
I blow up the image and let out a growl of frustration. “No!”
The woman doesn’t knock on the door; instead, she peers through a thin opening in the curtains to peer inside.
I can see that Maria and Franco are at the far end of the room, on the bed, from the video camera she left on for us.
From this angle, it’s hard to tell if the maid can make out who is inside.
I hold my breath and wait for her next move.
When she moves away from the room, I breathe a sigh of relief, but that’s short-lived when she pulls out her phone and makes a call.
“Christ! This is bad,” I curse.
Phoenix doesn’t waste time and calls the team. “We’ve got a problem.”
“Give it to me,” Falcon commands.
“The snoopy maid just looked into their room, followed by a phone call. We may be in a race to see who gets to her first. What’s your ETA?” Phoenix asks.
“Bull!” Falcon calls out for him to answer.
“Seven minutes,” Bull answers curtly.
“I got a view on all the incoming roads to the motel,” I tell them. “Just appeared on my radar: a dark blue SUV traveling faster than the others and maneuvering around other vehicles. At this speed, he’s ten to twelve minutes away,” I inform them.
“We’ve got to make the decision. Do we have Maria leave and meet up with you at a different location?” Phoenix asks.
“We can make it,” I hear Rebel say.
“We’ll have three minutes tops,” Falcon says. “If they get to her first, there’s no guarantee we’ll be able to find her or Franco.”
“We can do this!” Rebel insists.
He then speaks to Bull, “You get four minutes to get us there.”
“I’m fucking with the traffic lights. I’m putting red lights in their path to try and slow them down,” I tell them.
“Smart move,” Phoenix says, watching the view of the SUV racing toward Maria and her son.
We can see our team’s van and the SUV approaching the motel from different directions.
They’re racing to get to Maria first. I’ve been able to delay them at several lights, but not for long because the driver seems to know the area well and is bobbing and weaving through side streets to avoid the lights.
When they finally get caught at a light, I’m able to take a picture of the two men in the driver and passenger seats.
It’s a job for later, but I hope to identify these guys and find out who they’re working for.
“They’re gaining ground.” I relay the information to Falcon. Phoenix and I are both relieved when they pull into the motel parking lot.
“You’re going to have to ditch the van earlier than expected. I’m getting our contact to find another car and meet you,” Phoenix adds, then takes his phone out to make the call.
I call Maria’s cell. “Falcon, Rebel, and Bull are there. Grab your stuff, including the computer. They’re not going to have time to do anything but get you and Franco out of there,” I warn. I hear her shuffling around the room.
“We’re ready,” she replies.
I hear the knock on the door, and Falcon calls her name. “It’s them. Talk to you when you get here.”
“We got her and the kid,” Bull says. I look at the screen and see them coming out of the room on the top floor of the motel, and the SUV pulling in. This is going to be tight.
“They’ve arrived. Stay alert. You need a distraction,” I tell the team.
“On it,” Rebel says into the earpiece. I see him go back to the van, then walk along the edge of the parking lot.
He ducks low and is probably going to take out the tires.
Once he’s done, he creeps along the side of the building to the front.
I can’t see him from this angle. Rebel’s a master at what he does, and he knows how to handle himself.
Suddenly, I see him running and motioning for Falcon and Bull to make a run for the van with Maria and Franco.
I watch as they climb in, Rebel being the last to jump in the back, and they take off faster than a bullet.
Meanwhile, the two men emerge from the main office and run up the steps to the second floor to the room that Maria and Franco just vacated.
“Hell, yeah!” I let out a whoop of excitement.
“Maria and Franco are good. Now we have to ditch the van and get to the plane,” Falcon says. “Where are we going, Phoenix?”
“Roger Matthews is coming straight for you. Remember him?” Phoenix asks.
“Yeah, I do,” Falcon returns.
Phoenix says, “He’s bringing a buddy. Calvin Jester is going to take the van in the opposite direction and dump it. Roger is taking you directly to the plane.”
“Right,” Falcon replies.
I can hear Franco talking in the background. “I want to fly like Superman.” Then I hear Rebel chuckle.
“Let’s take a plane ride first, kid,” Rebel replies.
Phoenix and I stay glued to the screens until we see them boarding the flight and the plane taking off. That’s when we take the earpieces off and sit back in our chairs.
“Fuck me, that was close,” Phoenix says.
“We’ve been through worse,” I remind him.
“True enough, brother. It’s fucking hard waiting for it all to go down. How do you do it?”
“We all have our specialties. I know that sometimes it makes more sense for me to be at the computer, since this is where I’m needed the most. I accept that. But to be honest, when it was Remmi being held hostage, there was no way I wasn’t going to be boots on the ground,” I confess.
“You have a hell of a talent, Wire. This all came because you were searching and didn’t even know what you were looking for. Then, bam! Maria sends you a message, and now they’re on their way to safety.” Phoenix slaps me on the back. “Never take that gift for granted, man. We rely on it.”
“I’m mentally wiped,” I admit. It’s been a long fucking week, and the final race against time was killing me.
“Me too,” Phoenix says. “Let’s go let our women know everyone’s safe.” He stands and waits for me to follow. I have no doubt the women already know the good news. Bull and Rebel would be calling or texting as soon as they were able because they know their women are worried.
Phoenix and I move across the courtyard to Falcon’s apartment. We can hear the laughter; they’ve already started celebrating.