17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
MADDOX
My phone lit up and I managed to silence it before it rang. Clare was fast asleep. She’d eaten the lasagne and salad I’d made with what seemed like enthusiasm, and we’d chilled out and watched a couple of movies. I sent an acknowledgement text to Dion and left the bed, shrugging on shorts and padding downstairs to the kitchen. Clicking on the coffee maker out of habit I then called Dion back.
“Hey.”
“Blakeny just got picked up in a car and Eric says it’s likely heading to Orlando Executive Airport. There's a private plane registered to Rice that’s just filed a flight plan to Dallas. Our eyes on Eagle Reserve are telling us there’s something going on. Lots of high-end cars are rolling up.”
I glanced at my phone. It was eleven pm. “Thoughts?”
“I spoke to Eric and it’s classic signs there may be an auction happening. And as we know, they collect whatever they purchased. Whatever girls get sold will be gone tonight.”
“Fuck,” I swore.
“Yeah. We’re too far south to get the Denver guys there in time, but it means we need you.” Shit. “We’ll be sending the helicopter in thirty minutes. The houses will be protected but Abby’s in the apartment over Salvation as that’s where they were when we got the call. Gideon wants to know if you want Clare with Abby? We can send Liam for her and bring her to Salvation to be safe.
“Okay, let me sort it out.” But it meant I would have to leave before Clare did and I hated that. The trouble was, we had a small window in between the buyers seeing the women and the auction starting. It was our only time to rescue them.
I jogged upstairs, hating to wake her, but having no choice.
I sat on the edge of the bed, gently brushing Clare's hair away from her face. She looked so peaceful, I hated disturbing her, especially after the emotional day she'd had.
"Princess," I said softly, stroking her cheek. "I need you to wake up, sweetheart."
Her eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding them momentarily before recognition set in. "Daddy?" she murmured sleepily.
"Hi, baby. I'm sorry to wake you, but something's come up." I kept my voice calm despite the urgency I felt. "I need to go away for a day or two. It's work."
Clare sat up, instantly more alert. "Is it...is it about what I told Anna?"
I nodded, seeing no point in lying to her. "Yes. We think there might be an auction happening tonight at that location you helped us identify."
Her eyes widened, and I saw a flash of fear cross her face before determination replaced it. "You're going to help those girls?"
"We're going to try," I confirmed. "But I need to keep you safe while I'm gone. Abby is in our apartment over Salvation. Gideon’s going to send a car to collect you so you’ll both be safe there together."
Clare bit her lip, processing this. "I don’t want to go, Daddy. I want to stay here."
I brushed her hair away from her eyes. “I need you safe, sweetheart. It’s easier to guard one place.” And Salvation was the safest place.
“When are you going?”
"Soon.” I started yanking on clothes. “The helicopter will be here in about twenty minutes." I reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. "I wouldn't go if it wasn't important, princess."
She pouted, sitting up. “Who will be driving the car?”
“Liam. He’s worked for us for years. He’s a good guy.”
Her bottom lip wobbled, and I pulled her close. “Princess, I’m sorry. I just need you safe.”
“And you promise you’ll be safe?” My heart squeezed. She wasn’t worried for herself. She was worried for me.
I stared at her in desperation. I had to get my kit together.
“I don’t want to go where you aren’t.”
I leaned in, grabbed her, and clutched her tightly. “Are we clear on who you belong to? Daddy needs you safe.”
Clare’s features softened and she nuzzled my jaw. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Good,” I grunted and let her carefully down. “When I get back, we’ll pack all your stuff so you can move in properly.” I tapped the end of her nose. “I think as well as a playroom you need a studio where you can paint.” I loved the way her eyes shone, and I brought a small clear plastic case out of my pocket.
Her lips parted. “Daddy,” she breathed.
I smiled. “Your popsie’s all clean and ready if you need it while I’m away.” She threw her arms around me and hugged me tight. I carefully fastened her teddy necklace back on as I’d taken it off for the bath, and I knew this would make her feel safer as well.
That made two of us.
Twenty minutes later, even though I hated it, I’d left knowing Clare was going to be picked up by Liam, one of our usual drivers, and I was in the helicopter with Dion, Maddox, and Walker, who was finally back from Destin. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Liam; I just hated trusting Clare to anyone else.
“Good to have you back,” I said to Walker. He nodded but didn’t offer any explanation or comment on his Gran, and I knew better than to ask. I looked at Gideon and tried to get my head in the game. “What’s the plan. We haven’t had time to scope this. How are we going to get the women out without alerting them? This place will be like Fort Knox.”
Gideon turned to face me, his expression grim. "We've got satellite imagery of the compound. You're right—it's heavily fortified with guards posted at regular intervals." He pulled out a tablet, bringing up a detailed aerial view of a sprawling estate nestled against a mountain backdrop. The main house was massive, with several outbuildings and what appeared to be a helipad.
"Eric's been able to hack into their security feed," he continued. "The auction appears to be happening in this building here." He pointed to what looked like a renovated barn some distance from the main house. "We've identified at least five potential buyers already on site, with more arriving."
"What about the women?" I asked, studying the layout.
"Based on thermal imaging, we believe they're being held here," Dion said, indicating a smaller structure near the main house. "Consistent heat signatures suggest approximately eight to ten individuals."
Walker, who had been silent until now, leaned forward. "I've been in contact with some local assets. There's a back road that leads up to the eastern perimeter that’s surrounded by woodland and is less heavily guarded. If we come in that way, we might have a shot at extracting the girls after the viewing but before the auction starts."
I nodded, processing this information. "What's our timeline?"
"Based on previous intelligence about these types of auctions, they typically begin with a 'viewing' period," Dion explained. The actual auction doesn’t begin until three am to give the potential customers plenty of time for booze and drugs. There’s always certain entertainment as well.”
I could tell by the way Dion clipped out the last sentence what he meant.
"And the extraction plan?" I asked. "We can't exactly walk out with potentially a dozen traumatized women through miles of forest."
Gideon answered me. "We've got three teams positioned around the perimeter. Once we secure the women, they'll bring vehicles to designated extraction points." He pointed to several locations on the map. "If everything goes to hell, we've got two helicopters on standby."
I nodded, mentally running through contingencies. "And Rice and Blakeny?"
"Secondary objectives," Gideon said firmly. "Getting those women out safely is our primary mission. If we can grab the bastards too, great, but not at the expense of the extraction."
"Agreed," I said, checking my weapons one final time. "What about local law enforcement?"
"Too risky," Gideon replied, confirming my suspicion. "We don't know how high this goes or who might be compromised. Better to get the women out first, then provide anonymous evidence later." I nodded grimly. We'd seen too many cases where trafficking operations had protection from people in positions of power.
The helicopter began its descent toward a clearing several miles from the compound. As we touched down, I couldn't help but think of Clare, hoping she was settling in okay with Abby. I pushed those thoughts aside—I needed to focus completely on the mission ahead. And yes, the four of us had done this a dozen times even if Clare’s extraction was our first out of uniform. We each knew how the others worked, and we knew how the guards would respond. It was the women that were unknown.
We moved silently through the forest, our night vision goggles illuminating the path in eerie green light. The four of us, plus the additional teams already in position, were all dressed in black tactical gear, faces obscured.
"Alpha team in position," came the whispered confirmation through my earpiece.
"Bravo team ready," another voice confirmed.
"Charlie team set," came the third.
We approached the eastern perimeter of the compound, pausing behind a dense cluster of pines to observe the security patterns. Two guards patrolled this section, moving in predictable intervals.
"I count two tangos on the east fence," I murmured.
"I see them," Walker whispered back. "Ten-second window between passes."
Dion silently signaled for us to hold position as the guards approached our location. We waited, perfectly still, as they passed within fifteen feet of our position, completely unaware of our presence.
"On my mark," Gideon breathed into his comm. "Three...two...one..."
We moved as one, crossing the clearing to the fence in a silent rush. Walker and I took the lead, our weapons at the ready as Dion worked on the electronic lock securing the perimeter gate.
"Thirty seconds," Dion murmured, his fingers flying over the small device he'd attached to the lock.
I scanned our surroundings, every sense heightened. The compound was eerily quiet except for distant music coming from the main house. Through my night vision goggles, I could see figures moving between buildings—more security personnel.
"We're in," Dion confirmed as the lock disengaged with a soft click.
We slipped through the gate and immediately took cover behind a storage shed and removed our goggles. According to our intel, the building holding the women was approximately two hundred yards ahead, positioned between the main house and the converted barn where the auction would take place.
"Alpha, maintain perimeter security," Gideon ordered quietly. "Bravo, move into position for extraction. Charlie, be ready for a diversion."
We moved forward in a staggered formation, using the shadows between buildings for cover. As we approached, I positioned myself to breach the door while Gideon signaled Charlie team to attack the main house as a diversion. We all heard the flash bang grenades detonate and rushed in.
The space was dimly lit, with a long hallway stretching ahead. Small doors lined both sides, each with a narrow viewing window—cells, not rooms.
"Clear left," Walker murmured, sweeping his weapon across the entrance.
"Clear right," I confirmed, moving deeper into the building.
A guard appeared at the end of the hallway, startled by our sudden entrance. Dion dropped him with a silent shot before he could raise the alarm.
"Move," Gideon ordered, and we advanced quickly down the corridor.
The first cell contained two young women huddled together on a thin mattress. When I appeared in the doorway, they shrank back, terror evident in their eyes.
"We're here to help," I said softly, holstering my weapon to appear less threatening. "We're getting you out of here."
Their expressions remained fearful, and I realized they might not speak English. I tried again in Spanish because it was the only other language I knew, then made universal gestures of rescue. The taller of the two women finally nodded, cautiously standing.
"More girls?" I asked, making a counting motion.
She held up seven fingers, then pointed down the hallway.
We worked methodically, cell by cell, freeing the captives. Seven women in total, just as she’d indicated, and got them all to the vehicles. We were ready to signal Bravo to cease when one of the women called to me. “There’s one more.”
Dion was closest. “Where?”
“The guard took Emily to the bathroom.” And I knew the second Dion turned and Gideon swore that it could be the Emily that had gone missing.
“Take them,” I waved to Gideon and followed Dion back.
“Get your fucking hands of me,” a woman yelled, “or when I get my hands on a knife your balls will be the first to go.”
Dion and I moved so quickly the guard barely had time to raise his hand, probably to pistol-whip her. I knocked the guard out while Dion grabbed the woman, and we ran.
The second the last vehicle cleared the estate Gideon put in an anonymous call to the cops, but we could already hear the sirens.
Dion didn’t move far from Emily, and yes it was Emily Carter. I recognized her from her picture. All our people still had face masks on and after the debacle with Clare and me, we wouldn’t take them off.
We dropped all the women off with a contact that would ensure medical care, safety, and transport home, then the four of us piled in our helicopter.
“Boss?”
The pilot—Carver—turned to Maddox. “Miss Abby needs you to call her urgently.”
My heart nearly punched its way out of my chest and I almost fumbled my phone as I tried to call Clare. I met Gideon’s eyes as he listened to Abby, but I knew. I knew when there was no answer from Clare’s phone. “Clare hasn’t arrived and we have men on route to Liam’s car. It’s showing as stationary seven miles from the house.” Then Gideon’s phone rang again and he listened, said we were on our way and to send coordinates. “I don’t know how,” Gideon gritted out “but Liam was ambushed. Eric got it from the dash cams. Four men in masks. They took out the tires, then shot Liam in the head. They took Clare.”
They took Clare.
It was Blakeny. I was going to get Clare and then I was going to kill him.