Chapter 7 #2
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around how Rex got away.” Atlas folded his arms on top of the table. “Somehow the drone missed the ATV.”
“It was in a shed at the side of the house,” Rogue explained. “No one saw it. The damn shed was too small for a vehicle.” Guilt flashed across his face.
“Not your fault, man,” Viper said. “We all missed it.”
Rogue grunted. “Well, the good news is we took out a lot of his men. I’m sure he has more, but his protection is weakened.”
“What do we have?” Atlas nodded at the computer.
Rogue spun the laptop to face him. “Street cameras confirm he hasn’t gone near his office building. Not a shock—he hasn’t been there in weeks. Registered home address is clear also.”
“What about your informant?” It’d taken them three and a half of the four weeks they’d been in Panama to secure a contact close enough to Rex’s circle. After paying a large bribe, they’d obtained the location of Rex’s hidden house near Sagreja.
“I’ve called him twice. No answer.”
A feeling of defeat threatened to suck Atlas through the ground.
He heaved a breath. Until recently, finding Rex had been crucial.
Now that they’d taken Molly from Rex and killed his men, their timeline had reduced significantly.
The guy knew they were on to him and if he fled the country, they’d have a helluva time finding him.
And if he was being honest, he cared more about finding Rex to ensure Molly was safe than he did about taking out the biggest drug lord on this side of the equator.
Viper crossed his arms over his chest. “When the guys wake up, two of us will pay the informant a visit.”
Atlas nodded. “Good idea.” He dragged his fingers over the touchpad.
“What are you doing?” Rogue asked.
Bringing up a search engine, he typed in Willy Dunne’s name. “Finding out everything I can about Molly’s boss. We don’t have much to go on right now, but Rex was very interested in what Willy was doing.”
“You guys hungry?” Viper asked. “I’m gonna order room service.”
“You just fucking ate,” Rogue said.
“Whaddya mean? The sandwich I grabbed from the convenience store? That thing was small.”
Atlas snorted. “I don’t know how you don’t weigh four hundred pounds.”
“Two-seventy. Not far off.” Viper grinned as he picked up the hotel phone. “Do you want anything?” he asked again.
Atlas’s stomach growled. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”
Minutes later, Viper had ordered half the menu.
Atlas read a short biography of Willy, the self-made multimillionaire. The guy was a fucking monster in the export industry. He owned several transportation companies, a cargo company, and even container ships.
Fifty-five years old, unmarried and no children, the man had seemingly put everything into his empire. Atlas shared his findings with the guys.
Viper leaned back in his chair. “Well, you don’t get that rich without doing something questionable along the way. I suppose it’s not surprising Rex would have ties with Willy. Shipment gone wrong?”
“Or maybe Willy wouldn’t carry his drugs,” Rogue offered. His phone rang and he snagged it off the table. “It’s Laine. I’ve gotta say goodnight to Emmy. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Say hi for us,” Atlas said.
Rogue swiped and held the screen up to his face. “Hiya, sugar. How was dance?”
Emmy’s cute little voice came through the speaker as he made his way to the balcony.
“Speaking of family, you should call yours,” Viper said.
Atlas furrowed his brow. “What are you talking about? Why don’t you call your own family?”
His friend quickly lifted his hand in surrender. “I just know your mom’s prolly worried. Paige, too.”
Maybe Atlas was being an ass. Viper knew Atlas’s family well enough and when he’d been in the hospital Viper had witnessed how bent out of shape Paige had been.
He was lucky to have his parents, and his sister, who was a pain in the ass but someone he could rely on.
“I’ll call her after we eat.”
Viper grinned. “I’m sure they’ll be happy.”
Before Atlas could ask why he cared so much, Wraith strolled out of the bedroom, his sandy hair shaken loose. “The fuck you losers doing?”
“Just ordered food for your cranky ass,” Viper said. “You need to eat or go back to bed?”
“I need ta get laid, but I’m guessin’ that ain’t on the table, chum.”
“Don’t know anyone stupid enough to get in bed with you.”
“Ha, ha.” Wraith curled his lip.
“Rub the beauty sleep from your eyes,” Atlas said. “We’ve got work to do.” Fatigue was starting to pull at his eyelids. Hopefully he’d get another burst of energy once he’d eaten. He wanted a plan nailed down before he fell asleep.
Minutes later, the food arrived. Reaper and Havoc woke up and joined them, and Rogue returned from his call.
While eating, they went over Rex’s background and where he could be hiding. “Goddammit, he could’ve left the country by now,” Rogue said, throwing down his half-eaten burger.
Reaper shook his head. Certainty flashed in his dark-brown eyes. “No. He’s got unfinished business. Otherwise he would’ve left weeks ago.”
Atlas nodded in agreement. He needed to believe Rex was within reach because he had business with the fucker.
The business of smashing in his face.
“We’ve gotta speak with Harry,” Havoc said. “Who’s coming with me?”
Atlas glanced at his watch. It was just after 8:00 p.m. While he wanted nothing more than to get information from their source, he needed to catch some shut-eye in case they landed Rex’s location tonight.
Rogue pointed at him. “You need sleep. I could use some also. The three most rested guys are going.”
“I feel fine,” Viper chimed in.
Rogue glared at him. “You know the drill. We rotate with shifts and we all need sleep.”
That meant Havoc, Reaper, and Wraith. The guys rounded up their Glocks, tucked them in the waistbands at their backs, then left.
Rogue stood. “Could be a long night. If they get info from Harry, we’re bringing Rex in tonight. I’m gonna rest for a while.”
Atlas stood. “Yeah, me too.”
They all cleaned up the table, then Viper dropped on the pull out. Atlas crossed through the door between their rooms and into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Locating his charger, he plugged his phone into the wall near the bed then dropped down on the mattress.
Exhaustion hit him like a dumbbell to the chest. He rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. Amber irises and angelic blond hair filled his mind. The thought of Molly’s sweet smell and feminine softness tickled his senses.
Need stirred his cock. In the parking lot, all he’d wanted to do was kiss her. To stand there forever and commit every fine line of her pretty face to memory. Molly had ignited desire in him so deep and raw he was certain he’d never fill the emptiness without her touch.
Regret hit him fast and hard. He might never see her again. He’d promised to call her once they’d secured Rex, but that didn’t mean much. Sure, he could ask her out, but they’d have only a small window before his next job.
And he couldn’t stay in Panama.
“Fuck,” he mumbled with irritation. He had to get Molly out of his head because running on fumes and fatigue would guarantee a bullet between his eyes tonight.
He pushed away all thoughts and fell into a dark wasteland of jungle leaves and snakes.