Chapter 44
Wizard
A s soon as Bug arrives, we haul ass to the armory. Five minutes later, we’re all on our sleds and headed to the gate. I’m shocked as hell to find Vega and Simmons on police sleds ready for us. They turn on their sirens and we race through the streets of New Orleans.
My thoughts going to our prospects. Not a damn one we sent in the school is military trained. That doesn’t mean they’re going to fuck up. It just means they’re going to have a harder time figuring out what to do.
Last count, there was a team of six gunmen on the campus. I have a feeling that’s not all the forces they are sending. Barnes and Petrov have lost their fucking minds sending armed men into a school to kidnap three teenagers.
We park about half a block away and head into the back of the school grounds. Gambit leads the way, and we march double-time to the school grounds. Our cuts are over our full tac gear. I want those Russian fuckers to know who’s ending their miserable lives.
Each of those low life fuckers is wanted DEAD or alive. I vote dead. Human trafficking filth doesn’t deserve to breathe. Harsh? Maybe, but I’ve seen firsthand via Alena, the woman we rescued. We didn’t get to her before she was raped and prostituted out.
A few of the prospects are zipping by the school on different streets as a distraction, taking time to rev their engines to cover our entrance onto school grounds. The marshals meet us by the back entrance. We speak in hushed tones using our coms.
“No sign of the girls,” Marshal Balke says. “We have infiltrators in the school and headed to the sports complex.”
Gambit nods. “Team Alpha first floor. Delta takes the second floor. Charlie heads to the sports complex. Beta hit the boiler room before floating. Doc, Nay, you’re on triage. Everyone else, spread out. Save lives. Send some nasty fuckers to the crossroads and let's get our girls.”
I head off to the sports complex with Angel, Boomer, and Smoke.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Fuck, shots fired. We race in the direction of the gunfire. There are kids running and screaming in all directions. It looks like there’s at least one class in the complex. I think class size is around fifteen to twenty.
“Shots fired at the sports complex. Charlie team moving in,” Smoke calls over the coms.
Then he signals us to divide into teams of two. Boomer and Angel take off in one direction while Smoke and I head in another. We pass the soccer field, ball-diamond, and approach the first field locker room.
The door is metal with no windows. I look at Smoke and he gives me the nod. I grab the handle, pulling it open. Smoke clears the door. I follow behind him. On silent feet, we search the locker room. First going down the rows of benches and lockers before heading into the bathroom area. There are two rows of stalls. I take one while Smoke handles the other. I look for feet first before opening each door.
Smoke and I meet at the end. He gives the all-clear signal. I nod and mirror the signal. The shower curtains end about three inches above the floor. A large three-foot mirror spans most of one wall of the room. Below is a waist high counter with sinks and faucets interspersed throughout. I look in the mirror and spot several pairs of shoes huddled in the far corner.
“Federal Marshalls, come out with your hands up.”
“Who’s the fifth president of the US?” a terrified voice asks.
“James Monroe.”
Smoke joins me as harsh whispers come from the back shower. About a minute later, the curtain opens, and a teen girl steps out with her hands up. Three others follow.
Smoke speaks up. “I’m calling for backup. They’ll take you to safety. Do you know where the Caruso triplets are?”
One of the girls stammers. “They went to the field with the rest of the class.”
“We were running behind,” another stammers.
“Four need escorts, girls’ field locker. Cerberus last reported on the way to the field,” Smoke says.
“ETA, one minute,” Boomer’s voice comes over the coms.
We walk the girls toward the front.
“Stay behind us,” I say.
“Aren’t you Luci’s new stepdad?”
I smile. Something I didn’t think I would do under these circumstances.
“Something like that. You ladies did a good job getting away from the shooters.”
A blaring alarm goes off. Loud enough I cover my ears. I have them covered for a split-second before my training kicks in. That’s Valentina’s alarm.
“The girls' alarm!”
“Go! I’m right behind you.”
I run toward the sound. It’s in the boys’ field locker
“Cerberus, boys’ field locker.”
I scan the perimeter slowly only when I get to the door. It’s ajar. I listen before quickly popping inside. Head still intact. I take a deep, quiet breath and get my bearings. I hear the girls screaming. They’re in the showers.
I can’t use the com. I hit the silent button and make my way with stealthy speed to the locker room. I find two dead Russians along the way and Crab unconscious and bleeding. I glance long enough to see his chest moving. He’ll need attention. I need thirty seconds.
Please, God, don’t let him die. If my partner were with me, they’d take care of Crab while I continue on. I can’t give myself away and endanger the girls.
“Come with me or I’ll shoot him in the head.” A thick Russian accent yells.
I use the mirror again and survey the scene. Lucia catches my eye in the mirror. I hold up a finger to my lips. Ace is on his knees with a gun to his head. Another dead Russian on the floor behind them.
I pull my flashlight and look in the mirror. Valentina’s looking back and forth. I mimic turning on the flashlight. Then I mimic looking away. I line up my shot in the time it takes for her to turn on the flashlight. I close my eyes. He screams. I pull the trigger. The girls scream.
“Light!” Ace chokes out.
I open my eyes, thankful the flashlight is off, and run to the girls. They throw themselves in my arms. Seconds later, I hear pounding boots. I move out of their arms and put my body in between theirs and the door, M4 at the ready.
Smoke, followed by Blue, Demon, and Wrath, come through the door.
“You’re safe, girls,” I say.
They tackle-hug me again. Ace barely gets the gun out of my hand before the girls swarm me.
“I was so scared,” Valentina says.
“I knew you’d save us,” Lucia says, hugging me tighter.
Francesca silently weeps in my arms. I rub her back as soothingly as I can.
“All clear. We have all suspects accounted for. Either in custody or deceased,” Marshal Blake says over the coms.
“Let’s get you home.”
I lead the girls out of the lockers. Crab isn’t lying on the floor anymore. Someone must have gotten him medical attention.
I look at Smoke.
“Crab?”
“Doc and Nay have him. They’re on their way to the hospital.”
I look the girls over. They don’t have a scratch on them. Ace’s face is bruising and I haven’t seen Flea yet. Charlie will see us as soon as we step out of the lockers.