Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Fury
I watched helplessly as the guard led Sienna away, every fiber of my being screaming at me to intervene, to protect her, but I knew I had to maintain our cover. As she disappeared down the dimly lit hallway, I forced myself to turn back to Jackson, schooling my features into what I hoped was a convincing imitation of Dodd’s cocky smirk.
“So,” Jackson drawled, leaning back in his chair, “tell me more about how you two captured our elusive Sienna. I’m sure Arthur will be very interested in the details.”
I exchanged a quick glance with Gavin, silently praying we could keep this charade going long enough to find Venus and get Sienna out safely.
“Well,” I began, channeling Dodd’s bravado, “it wasn’t easy. Girl’s slippery as an eel. But Ralf here had some connections, and we tracked her down at a seedy motel on the outskirts of town.”
Gavin nodded, adding gruffly, “Caught her trying to skip town. Figured we’d bring her straight here instead of risking her slipping away again.”
Jackson’s eyes narrowed, and I felt a bead of sweat trickle down my spine. “Interesting. And you didn’t think to call ahead? Let us know you were coming?”
I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Didn’t want to risk her overhearing anything. You know how crafty she can be.”
“Indeed,” Jackson murmured, his gaze boring into me. “Well, gentlemen, since you’ve gone to all this trouble, why don’t I give you a tour of our operation?”
My pulse quickened. Bingo. This could be our chance to gather more information, maybe even find where they were keeping Venus and the other victims.
“Lead the way,” I said, gesturing for Jackson to precede us out of the office.
As we followed him through the winding corridors of the mansion, I tried to memorize the layout, keeping an eye out for any signs of where Sienna might have been taken. The opulent décor of the main areas gave way to more utilitarian spaces as we descended deeper into the building.
“This is where we process new arrivals,” Jackson explained, gesturing to a room filled with medical equipment. The clinical smell of disinfectant made my skin crawl as I thought about what “processing” might entail.
We continued on, passing by rooms that Jackson referred to as “training facilities” and “merchandise storage.” Each revelation made my blood boil, but I forced myself to nod along, playing the part of the impressed visitor.
As we turned down yet another corridor, a burly guard came rushing towards us, his face red with exertion. “Sir!” he called out to Jackson. “We have a problem!”
Jackson frowned. “What is it?”
The guard’s eyes darted between me and Gavin, suspicion clear in his gaze. “These aren’t Dodd and Ralf,” he said, his hand moving to the gun at his hip. “I just got off the phone with the real Ralf’s lawyer. He’s in custody.”
Time seemed to slow as Jackson’s expression morphed from confusion to rage. In an instant, the hallway erupted into chaos. Jackson lunged for his weapon while shouting for backup. Gavin and I sprang into action, our cover blown but our mission far from over.
I ducked as Jackson fired, the bullet whizzing past my ear. Adrenaline surged through me as I tackled him, driving us both to the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gavin grappling with the guard who’d exposed us.
“Where is she?” I growled, pinning Jackson to the floor. “Where’s Sienna?”
He spat in my face, a vicious grin twisting his features. “You’ll never find her in time,” he sneered. “By now, she’s probably already been... processed.”
Rage clouded my vision, and I slammed his head against the floor, knocking him unconscious. As I scrambled to my feet, I heard footsteps approaching. More guards were on their way.
“Fury!” Gavin called out, having subdued the other guard. “We need to move!”
I nodded, my mind racing. We were outnumbered and outgunned, with no idea where Sienna or Venus were being held. The situation seemed hopeless, but I refused to give up. Not when we were so close.
I radioed Gianni to call the cops, but Gavin and I both realized it was a long-shot they would arrive in time. We’d have to handle this shit ourselves.
“This way,” I said, leading us down the corridor Jackson had been about to show us. It had to lead somewhere important.
We ran, the sound of pursuit growing louder behind us. As we rounded a corner, we found ourselves face to face with three more guards, their weapons already drawn.
“Freeze!” one of them shouted. “Hands where we can see them!”
I raised my hands slowly, my mind frantically searching for a way out of this mess. Just as I was about to make a desperate move, a deafening explosion rocked the building.
The guards stumbled, momentarily distracted. It was all the opening we needed. Gavin and I sprang into action, disarming the closest guards and using their own weapons against them. The fight was chaotic, my worry for Sienna fueling every punch and kick.
As I grappled with one of the guards, trying to wrest his gun away, a familiar voice cut through the din of combat.
“Fury! Duck!”
I dropped to the ground without hesitation, trusting Sienna’s voice implicitly. A second later, I heard the satisfying thud of a body hitting the floor behind me. I looked up to see Sienna standing there, a fire extinguisher in her hands and a fierce grin on her face.
“Took you long enough,” she quipped, offering me a hand up.
Relief and pride surged through me as I took in the sight of her. She was disheveled but unharmed, her eyes blazing with determination. Beside her stood another woman, one I vaguely recognized from the files we’d studied.
“Sorry for the delay,” I said, unable to keep the smile off my face despite the dire situation. “Traffic was hell.”
Sienna shot me a look, but I caught the warmth in her eyes. “Meet Tina. Ex-escort of Ralf’s and a certified ass-kicker. She took out my guard before you showed up.”
With Sienna and Tina evening the odds, we made quick work of the remaining guards. As the last one fell, I pulled Sienna into a fierce embrace, my heart filled with relief and lingering fear.
“Are you okay?” I murmured into her hair, reluctant to let her go.
She nodded against my chest. “I’m fine. But we need to move. Tina told me where they’re keeping Venus and the others.”
I pulled back, meeting her determined gaze. “Lead the way.”
Minutes later, we reached a heavily fortified door, and Tina punched in a code. As the door swung open, we were met with the frightened faces of dozens of women and girls, huddled together in the dim room.
“It’s okay,” Sienna called out, her voice gentle but firm. “We’re here to help. You’re safe now.”
I spotted Venus among the group, her eyes glazed but a spark of recognition lighting up as she saw Sienna. As we began helping the victims out of the room, I could hear sirens in the distance. Our backup was finally arriving.
The next few hours passed in a blur of police statements, medical examinations, and coordinating with various agencies to ensure the victims received proper care. Through it all, I kept Sienna close, unwilling to let her out of my sight again.
As the sun began to rise, casting a warm glow over the chaos of the crime scene, I found a quiet moment to pull Sienna aside. I cupped her face in my hands, drinking in the sight of her – tired, bruised, but alive and triumphant.
“You were amazing in there,” I said, my thumb tracing her cheekbone. “I’ve never been more terrified or more proud in my life.”
She leaned into my touch, a small smile playing at her lips. “We did it together,” she replied. “Just like we said we would.”
I nodded, leaning in to rest my forehead against hers. As I held her close, I made a silent vow to never let her face such danger alone again. But I also acknowledged the strength and bravery she’d shown, the fierce determination that had saved not only herself but countless others.
“So,” Sienna murmured, her breath warm against my skin, “what do you say we get out of here and go home?”
I smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. “Home sounds perfect. But first...” I pulled back slightly, meeting her curious gaze. “How exactly did you manage to cause that explosion?”