13. Crew
Crew
The heavy iron gate at the back of the property opened with a grating creak onto a trail that ran around the right side of the mountain and opened up into the forest. The guards stationed there secured and reinforced the gate, making sure that no one could enter behind us.
My heart lifted as the site of the bunker came into view.
Being so close to my family put me as much at ease as possible.
But first things first, we needed to get Janelle inside before it was too late.
The SUV that carried Janelle slammed on its brakes outside the door to the safehouse.
Two of our men carefully transported her inside and down to the medical suite, where Nova was.
We watched them carry her in before parking the SUV that we rode in next to the shed where we had been keeping Sabrina.
This is where our new visitors would reside until we needed them.
I sent Nova a quick text to let her know that I was back and would be over to check on her soon.
But first I had to find out what the situation was at the gate.
Halfway up the mountain, security informed us that Valdez had made it to the front gate.
They were curious about why he hadn’t tried to enter or even make contact.
I figured he was deciding what his best options were.
Valdez was too calculated to risk his son being caught in the crossfire if an all-out war broke out.
Before I figured out what we were dealing with I sent the girls back to the compound to look after Nova and the kids.
“There is a panic room under the medical suite. It's two doors down from the command center. The room is set up like a large studio apartment and is equipped with everything you need to survive a month. The room is also water, fire and soundproof, and once the door is closed it can only be opened from the inside using your handprint. If I haven’t returned by the time Nova delivers, I want all of you in there with the door closed until we come for you. If neither of us come, I need you to stay there for two days to make sure no one finds you. On the second night take the stairs at the back of the suite, it leads to a tunnel that comes out in the forest. There is a SUV parked there under bushes and tarps. Inside you will find the location of another safehouse, where you will find money and new untraceable identities created by Blue for each of you. You take it and get my family out of the country. Promise me you’ll protect my family if I can’t” I said, my voice cracking.
“With our lives.” Kema and Mecca said in unison.
“But Crew you know we gonna have to drag Nova in there kicking and screaming. She won’t willingly leave you.” Kema said.
“Let me handle that.” I said.
With that being said we got to work securing our hostages and making sure all the men knew what was required of them.
It hadn’t taken long to meet with the guards that had been tasked to protect the compound, but what had taken the longest was dropping off our cargo.
Valdez’s ex-wife turned out to be a very talkative woman and only time would tell if our conversation would benefit her or us.
We had only come through the garage entrance to the safehouse when we were bombarded by two speeding 3rd graders.
“Daddy. Uncle Crew.” Timberly and DJ yelled.
“I got this. Mommy is not feeling good. I think my baby brother is trying to come out today. Can you go down and check on her?” She asked with a worried expression.
“Yeah, Uncle Crew. I gave her a massage and everything, but I don’t think it helped.” DJ added.
“Thank you for taking care of her for me, both of you. I’m gon go see about her now. I need you guys to keep each other company while we take care of Nova and the baby, aight?”
They both shook their heads with big smiles and ran off to do what I asked.
When I got through the door of the medical suite Nova was on her knees in bed, with her top half supported by three firm pillows as she breathed through a contraction.
Sweat glistened over her skin as she panted, while Tyra rubbed her back.
The moment the contraction ended and she opened her eyes, her watery gaze found mine, causing us both to smile.
“I knew you’d come.” She cried.
“I always will.” I told her truthfully. Because as long as I had breath in my body, I would always come for her.
She looked so beautiful, yet so tired and this was only the beginning.
From what Tyra reported she wasn’t even in active labor yet.
Would I even be here when that happened?
There was nowhere I would rather be than right here to help my wife through this, but I also knew that I would be of better use at the gate keeping the enemy on the other side.
And to do that I had to leave her here. She moaned in pain and the sound pierced my heart.
The pain in her voice did something to me that would make it even harder to do what needed to be done outside.
I walked over to the bed and took Tyra’s place, taking over rubbing her back so that Tyra could assist the medic with Janelle’s wounds. I placed tender kisses on her temple and face, hoping she felt the love and pride I had for her.
“How are you feeling Princess? Do you need anything?”
“Water.” She said, rolling her eyes at my insensitive question.
“You right. That was stupid, of course you not fine. A baby is trying to push his way out of you.” I said picking up her water bottle from the bedside table and bringing it to her lips. She took a big sip, then turned her face away.
“What’s going on? What happened to Janelle?”
“Valdez happened. He ambushed them on their way here and then shot Janelle to force Pops to give up this location. Lucky for him she survived. Pops, Del and the Doc are still outside with him. That’s the reason I can’t stay with you.”
“I know. You have to go and get them. How though. He won’t just hand them over.”
“He will once he sees who we have on this side of the gate.
Even a tyrant knows when to attack and when to surrender.
He will give me what I want because he has to.
Don't worry about that. Your only worry is bringing our son into the world healthy and safe.” I said, kissing her lips softly.
“There's one more thing I need you to do for me.”
“Anything.” She said.
“If I don’t come back, I need you to do what Mecca and Kema tell you.
They will keep you safe. Promise me, no matter what.
You won’t come looking for me. If they tell you to run, you run.
If they tell you to leave, you do it. Promise me Nova.
I can’t do this if I have to worry about y’all putting yourselves in danger. ”
Tears ran down her cheeks in rivulets as she promised me.
“I love you, Princess.” I said, pressing my forehead to hers.
“I love you too. Come back.”
“Always Princess.” I said with another kiss to her lips.
I sat there with her hand in my hand in my lips on her cheek for what felt like eternity before Blue called my name.
“Crew, you need to see this.” He said, pushing a tablet into my hand.
On the screen was an image of Pops, Del and the Doctor standing outside of the gate.
Behind them were armed men aiming automatic weapons at their heads.
A large black hummer at the front of a caravan of trucks and SUVs.
The angle shifted and I saw an older Hispanic man sitting in the passenger seat of the hummer.
When his door opened, I saw that he was a few years older than Pops with a similar build.
Pops was an inch or two taller though. He was walking to the front of the truck with a gun in hand.
And then his voice came through the speaker of the tablet.
His broken English with a heavy Spanish accent was suave and charismatic like a sleazy salesman.
“Mr. Sanderson. It seems that we both have something that the other wants. You give me my shit and I’ll give you yours. How’s that sound?” I said.
“How many guns do we have on them?” I asked Blue. He tapped his laptop before saying.
“We have ten sharp shooters positioned around the top of the gate. They have beads on his vehicles, but his men are blocking a clear shot of him. They’re too close to the gate to get a good shot.”
“Can you patch me into the speaker down there?”
“Of course. Got ahead.” He said after hitting a button.
“I’m on my way.” I said to Valdez and then cut the feed. “Radio Black and tell him to meet me at the gate with Sabrina and the ex-wife.”
“What about the kid?” He asked.
“He stays for now.” I told him. I turned back to Nova and kissed her lips lingering for a moment before I moved to leave the room with a heavy heart. “Take care of my family.” I said to the girls as they crowded around the bed of an unconscious Janelle.
Black and Blue stood outside a hundred yards from the gate where the brick enclosure met the trees of the forest. A cool mist covered the forest floor as I walked towards them.
Each one of them was holding a zip tied woman by the upper arm.
Blue held Sabrina in a death grip, like he thought she might run at any given moment.
While Black held on to the ex-wife of the man that was holding part of his family hostage right outside.
She was dressed in the same type of yoga gear Nova wore when she was working out, with her hair pulled up in a bun that was beginning to unravel from our rough handling.
Sabrina's head lulled to the side as she groaned from the pain, I was sure she was still in. We hadn’t attempted to treat her wounds, only doing the bare minimum to keep her from dying on us before she served her purpose.
She was still wearing the dirty gown she had worn the night of the ambush.
The closer I got to her the stronger the smell of piss and unwashed ass got.
“Damn did y’all even run a hose over her ass?” I asked, trying to breathe through my mouth.