Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
Worry whipped through Pen, causing her to stay silent. She had no idea if the new people who’d shown up were good or evil.
For a moment she thought there was fighting, but it had ended fast. There hadn’t been any gunshots. Maybe her father was dead, and whoever had shown up to buy them had killed him.
Why was she thinking such terrible thoughts?
Not that her father being dead would be bad, but she didn’t want to be sold in the human trafficking market again.
When she’d first been taken overseas, she hadn’t realized how perverse people were.
Now she knew and never wanted to be in that situation again.
“I can’t do this again,” Pen whispered.
“It’s okay. I’m with you this time. We’ll survive and escape. We’ll win.”
“I’m so scared.” Tears gathered in her eyes as she waited for the door to burst open.
They were both quiet, waiting for the worst to come when Pen heard something. It was someone speaking. Did she recognize the voice? Then they spoke again and Willa sat up straighter.
“That’s Cy.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Pen heard more speaking, and she swore it was Foster. Her head felt so light as she opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a whimper.
“Cy,” Willa said beside her, but her voice was low, feathery. Willa drew in a deep breath, her shoulders rising. Then she screamed, “Cy!”
Willa’s actions gave her strength and Pen found her voice. “Foster. In here.”
Foster heard the first scream, and he swore they were calling out for Cy. Then he heard his name echoing around the open space. That was Pen.
Relief melted through him as he followed Jump and Bang to a door at the back of the building. He’d thought that door led outside, but when they pulled the door open, he could see it was a bathroom.
The lights flicked on and he spied Pen sitting next to Willa. He moved to her, flicking out his knife, cutting off the zip ties holding her wrists and ankles.
Then she was in his arms, holding him tightly. Tears filled his eyes and slipped down his cheeks. He had found her. She was safe.
He met Cy’s gaze over Pen’s shoulder, seeing tears on his buddy’s cheeks. They’d both almost lost everything, but they’d found their women.
“Hey,” Wave called from the other room. “We need to head out. The bastard told me some guys are coming to buy them. We don’t want to be here when they show up. Last thing we need is to be suspected of murder here in Mexico.”
Wave was right. Though he might want to stay here and kill the bastards, it would be murder. Not that they didn’t deserve it, but they weren’t in a position to carry out that mission. Not yet. Maybe he would get Tex to deliver some information later and he could take a trip south and take them out.
On the way out, Jump paused. “Hey, boss. I see caps and some blasting putty. Can I make them a welcome gift?”
Wave looked at his watch then nodded. “Sure. Be safe.”
Foster and Cy got the women outside and started moving up the hill to the van they’d rented. Before they’d left the USA, he’d grabbed Pen’s passport and Cy had Willa’s that way they wouldn’t have any trouble getting them back into the States.
They were moving slow and the rest of the guys caught up with them as they approached the trees at the top of the rise.
“What did you all do back there?” Pen asked.
Jump chuckled. “We took your father inside. When the other people show up and go in to meet with him, they will get a little surprise.”
“Is my father dead?” Pen asked.
“Not yet,” Jump said. “Is that okay?”
“Will he die? I don’t want him coming back to haunt me again.”
Jump glanced at Foster then Wave. They both nodded. Pen could take the news.
“He’s passed out on the ground and zip tied to a pole next to the explosives. He won’t make it out.”
“Good,” Pen said. “He hurt my friend, and I can’t have him doing that ever again.”
They were about ten feet into the trees when they heard vehicles approaching. Pen paused and glanced over her shoulder.
She turned back to him, the question plain on her face. “I need to know he is gone.”
Foster turned to Wave and raised his eyebrows. “Do you think we can stay?”
Wave let go a sigh and nodded. “Until the explosion, then we need to get out of here.”
“Let’s move to the van. We can see and hear from there.”
Foster turned back to Pen, seeing relief on her face. “Is that good?”
She nodded. “Yes. Thank you. Thank you all for saving us.”