Chapter 27 #2
“I’m going with him,” I insist. “I don’t really give a fuck what the lot of you say.”
Dad looks at me, and I can see his irritation. I’ve never seen it directed at me before. “You need a better plan than just running in blindly, Voss. You have a kid, and I don’t want to lose one of mine. Do you understand me?”
My breath catches, and my eyes flicker to Axl, still sleeping soundly, now in Ellory’s arms. I take a deep breath and nod. “Yeah.”
“We all understand how terrified you are,” Dad says quietly. “We are too. That’s why Azlan is the answer to this plan. Isn’t he?”
“A psychopath doesn’t feel fear?” Oakley asks.
Loren is already shaking his head.
“Azlan has a very specific set of skills,” Dad says.
“Ones that are necessary for something of this scope. Whatever we’re walking in on isn’t going to be a backyard operation.
Your fear for and desperation to find Brek alive is going to get you killed, Voss, and that’s not acceptable.
Like it or not, your first thought needs to be your son. ”
My chest hurts. My gut twists. I’m getting a headache as everything wars within me. Dad’s right. But losing Brek isn’t something I can live with, either. What kind of parent will I be if I’m left to live with the devastation of losing this man?
Already his absence feels crippling.
We work in silence for a long time. Far longer than I’d hoped this would take. Hours pass. An entire day. I’m getting desperate and cranky, frustrated. My fear is making me snappy.
It’s midday, twenty-four hours before delivery, when Uncle Noaz crosses the room and sets their laptop in front of me, right on top of the one on my lap. He takes Axl from my arms and points at the site.
Dad joins me a minute later as I begin clicking through it. Wild game sanctuary. The animals are safe and completely off limits. The game you’re hunting is on two legs.
Anything goes. Anything you want to do with the prey you find. They run. They fight. They’re in good shape, so it’s a challenge. Like hunting animals.
When you’re finished, you leave the bodies for the wildlife. You come in anonymous and leave anonymous.
Located in northern Colorado, in the middle of protected land where there is no accidental human interference.
“That’s it,” I say as I stare at the drone image of the property. I know it well. I’ve stared at the satellite view many, many times. “That’s what we’re looking for.”
“What is it?” Jessica asks.
“What did you find?” Levis asks at the same time.
“They hunt them like they’re wild game. Animals.” Chills cover my body. “They’re let loose in the woods and hunters… hunt them.”
“Oh my god,” Jessica says, covering her mouth. “Brek won’t survive that!”
I close my eyes as a heavy feeling settles over my chest. We need to go now. I can’t wait for the next truck. I don’t care if that means storming the fucking property. I need to—
“No,” Dad says, his hand gripping my arm again. “We’re all going to need to have a little confidence in Brek and stick to the plan.”
“We don’t have a plan,” I hiss.
“We do have a plan. You and Azlan will be among the next shipment. You’re going to break Brek out from the inside.
We’re going to use the next day to prepare.
That means we need you at your best because you’re going in unarmed.
Time to get techy, Voss. This is your department and not something the rest of us can do,” Dad says.
I close my eyes. Bringing my hands to my face, I scrub against my skin until my glasses nearly slide off my face. I don’t know what to do. The sense of urgency, of being too late, is sitting heavily on my chest.
There’s no time. There’s no time. There’s no time.
“What kind of tech?” I ask.
“Something to track you to start with,” Dad says. “I need to know where you are.”
“Something to monitor your vitals,” Myro says. “Let’s get Doc here so he can interpret the numbers we see on the vitals.”
Dad nods. “Yes. Good. What else? Can you somehow arm yourself without it being visible?”
I need to think clearly, but it’s fucking difficult. Brek is on a wild game preserve as the fucking game to hunt! That man is not built to survive in that kind of environment.
I’m startled when Uncle Noaz takes my chin and forces me to look at them.
“I know what it’s like to be faced with losing someone you love with all your heart.
I know you feel the clock ticking down inside your chest. I understand the way your fear is screaming at you, drowning everything else out.
What Brek needs right now is you on your game, Voss.
You need to beat the clock, but in order to do that, you need to be clear-headed. ”
I take a breath and glance at where Emerson is playing on the floor beside Briar. Uncle Noaz didn’t rescue their day-old son by storming a place in terror. They went in with a plan and came home with their new baby boy.
“Okay,” I say and sit up. “Learn what you can about this place. Get in contact with the people there and act as if you’re scheduling a… hunt. I’m going to see what I can figure out for undetectable weapons or something.”
“That’s my boy,” Dad murmurs.