11. Crew
Crew
Black sped along the deserted dark road to get us back to the jet.
We needed to get out of town before Valdez found out that we had his precious heir.
I dropped my head back on my seat and wondered what Nova and Timberly were getting into right now.
They both had promised to stay out of trouble and try not to make the guards' jobs harder.
They were there to keep them safe, not chase them down if they left the compound again.
Comms were down until we got back home. We hadn’t done all of this for Valdez to intercept our communications before we got our hostages secured.
The only thing that would come through were emergencies.
We were all on edge, especially since we were out of town in enemy territory.
But I think my unease was more profound, since Nova was so close to her due date.
If we were at home, we would have been cherishing the arrival of our first son.
Instead, I was on my second kidnapping of the month.
“How far out are we?” I asked, watching the scenery fly by as we continued to speed down the back road.
“Ten minutes at this speed as long as we don’t run into any issues.” Blue announced from his place behind me.
“Speed up but try not to get us arrested for speeding.” I said to Black.
“Don’t forget kidnapping.” Kema said from the back.
I was torn between wanting to laugh and telling her to shut up.
But instead, I closed my eyes and practiced some of the breathing exercises that Nova had been learning through her online-Lamaze classes.
Out of the darkness the airfield came into view a few moments later, helping to decrease the tension in my neck and shoulders by only a slim margin.
Something had felt off ever since we left Timberline.
Nova had been too agreeable when I left.
She was never that easy to persuade. Of course, she knew why we had to go but it wasn’t like her to be ok with being left behind. Her ass was up to something, I knew it.
“What does Nova have planned?” I asked her two accomplices in the back.
“Nothing.” Kema said, too quickly.
“Why, what did you hear?” Mecca asked.
“Nothing, I know my wife and she was too cool with us leaving. Is she planning to leave the compound?” I questioned.
“No, seriously. We all promised we wouldn’t do that again.” Mecca said.
“And besides she wouldn’t do that without us there.” Kema said.
I had no choice but to believe them. They had all given me their word that they wouldn’t let Nova put herself in danger again. I would take their words as truth for now.
I was out of the SUV as soon as we stopped in front of the steps of the jet.
I was barely out of the passenger seat before I was radioing the pilot to get ready for takeoff.
Mecca and Kema were out right behind me, making sure that the guards were handling our hostages properly.
As soon as we got them on the plane, we were under way, back to Timberline.
Ten minutes into the flight, Blue received an encrypted message over our private line from Pops, requesting an update.
Normally this wouldn’t be an issue but nothing but emergencies were supposed to come in while we were out of town.
Pops trained me so I know that he wouldn’t break communication for something as trivial as an update.
Something was wrong. But I couldn’t jump to any conclusions until we knew more. Blue sent back an all-clear message and we waited, but no response came.
“What do you think?” Blue asked.
“Stick to the plan, we wait until we land and make contact.” I told him. “We’ll be in Timberline in an hour and thirty minutes, unless something changes.”
“Fuck.” Blue said.
“What is it now?” I groaned.
“I was able to clone the channel the kids’ guards were using to contact Valdez.
The guards at their estate never changed it.
Somebody used it three minutes ago to alert Valdez that his family had been taken.
It looks like when the wife and son’s men didn’t check in at their estate, it triggered an alert.
He’s locking the city down in case we were dumb enough to still be in Briar Ridge. ”
“Any idea if he’s still in Briar Ridge or not.” I inquired.
“My contacts haven’t found anything to suggest it.
Really with the way he moves he could be anywhere.
His people are good at shielding him from prying eyes.
But no matter where he is we’ll find him.
Also, I got a hit on a couple merc operations from Georgia and the Carolina’s, word is that they been seen scoutin’ out the area back in Timberline. ” Black said.
“My instincts are telling me that it has everything to do with Valdez and his hunt for Timberly.” I said.
“It’s only a matter of time before he comes looking for his family. With Sabrina it was a question of if she mattered enough for him to give a fuck that she was missing. His family is another situation entirely. We have his heir, he’s coming. It’s only a matter of when.” Blue said.
“How many men can we gather to protect the compound?” I asked
“Including what we have now and Pops guards, eighty. I can get another 20 to 30 in a day or two but I don’t think we have that long.” Black said.
We all sat in silence for the rest of the flight.
I contemplated moving my family, but the compound was our best defense position.
The mountain provided protection on all sides and safeguarded us from our enemy being able to come at us from behind.
They had to try and attack us head on and with the gate so fortified it wasn’t gon’ be easy.
The jet touched down on the tarmac shortly after the captain's announcement that we were making our final descent to the private landing strip midway between Brookview and Timberline. Our landing was a little bumpy but overall, the flight was smooth, getting safely back to the ground. The wheels had barely come to a stop before I was out of my seat and headed to the door. I holstered the gun I had started keeping with me since this all started and was about to exit the jet when Blue’s worried words halted my steps.
“I can’t reach them. Not over the phone or the radio. It’s nothin’ but static.”
“What do you mean you can’t reach them? Who Pops?” I asked.
“Yeah, I did what you said. I contacted Pops to make sure everything was all good. But I got nothin’. I even called Janelle, Del and their head of security.”
“Fuck, I knew something wasn’t right.” I said, dialing Nova’s cell.
My nerves wound tight as the phone rang. Once, twice, three times before a voice that wasn’t Nova’s answered the phone.”
“Nova’s phone.” Tyra said.
“Tyra, where’s Nova?” I asked, impatiently.
“I brought her to the medical suite for a check.” She said calmly like I was a wild animal, and she didn’t want to spook me. “I don’t want you to worry but I think you should get here ASAP.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nova is having contractions. They aren’t too serious right now, but you never know. When I checked her, she was dilated. But Crew I don’t want you to worry this could take hours or days even. Take your time.” She said, trying to sooth me.
“Fuck that. I’m on my way.”
I was out of the door and down the steps before I finished my sentence.
When my feet hit the pavement, I stalked over to the first black suburban and pulled the guard from the driver’s seat without a word.
I slammed the door behind me, with only one thing on my mind.
My wife needed me now and I didn’t care who I had to run over to get to her.
“Crew, wait.” I heard from behind me as the passenger and back doors opened.
“Nigga, you was really about to leave without us.” Kema said.
“Yeah, what happened to one band one sound.” Said Mecca as the Black and Blue got in the SUV too.
“I have to get to Nova.” I said pulling off and heading towards the mountains. Seven all black Suburban’s followed closely behind us as I sped up.
“The hostages are in the next truck.” Black said.
Good, all of this would have been for nothin’ if I drove off without the people that I have left for in the first place. I had to get my shit together and think smart. The plan still needed to be completed.
“I’m still tryin’ to reach Pop’s, but either his comms are down, which is impossible or someone or something is jamming his signal. If you ask me, it's the latter.” Blue said with his face in its usual spot.
“Scouts up ahead are seeing a fire blazing across the road in about five miles. If we take the next right, we can go around it will add an extra seven miles to the drive but to be on the safe side I think it’s the best route.” Said Black.
“No, we stay on this road. It’s faster. Can they see what’s burning?”
“They say it’s…Shit, it’s four black suburban’s and a sprinter van.” He growled.
I didn’t even think as my foot pressed the pedal into the floor. It had started already. If those were our SUVs it meant that we had no time at all.
Valdez was here.
“Call Tyra and ask when the last time she or Nova talked to Pops.” I said.
Mecca made the call this time and from the one-sided conversation I was able to gather that they had talked to Pops an hour and a half ago, around the same time his message came through to us.
Mecca assured her that we were on the way and that everything had gone as planned.
And then she reached between the seats and handed her phone to me.
“Nova wants to talk to you.” She said.
“Hey Princess. How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I’m fine, a little uncomfortable, but don’t worry about me. Like Tyra told you before these things could take hours or even days. Though I hope that’s not the case. I just want you to get here safely. Ugn…I-I miss you.” She groaned in pain.
“I miss you too. I’m coming Princess. Breathe, just like we practiced. You never have to worry about that, no matter what. Relax, breathe and I’ll be there before you know it. How are the kids?” I asked, trying to distract her from the pain.