Ember #2
“Less armed than your men,” I drawl back.
“Nevertheless, my employer insists on total security. Hand over your weapons, please.”
“Like hell.” Hyland takes a step back.
“Yeah, no go.” I watch the men adjust their grips with gloved hands. “We have no assurances those won’t be used. Our security is also important to us.”
“Why would you be in any harm?” Joe’s smile drips with sleaze.
In my ear, the line crackles to life then falls silent. Damn signal. Our backup must be getting closer, though. When it hums to life again, I lock in a relieved sigh.
“Report,” Axel demands.
“We’re approaching from the east.” Blaine keeps his tone clipped. “You’ll have to surrender your weapons to get in. We’ll cover you.”
In any other circumstance, I’d tell him to go to hell. From Hyland’s thunderous expression, he’d have far fewer friendly words. But we have an audience, and the clock is ticking on this little black market deal.
“So? What’s it going to be, Miss Price?”
“We will hand over our weapons,” I spit around clenched teeth. “But your trigger happy friends stay here. I don’t appreciate being treated with suspicion during my business dealings.”
Joe flashes nicotine-stained teeth. “Naturally.”
“Do we have a deal?”
“Seems only fair. Hurry now, the clock’s ticking.”
As I pull my gun from its holster, Hyland follows suit with an equal lack of enthusiasm. Thankfully, our guns can’t identify us. They’re widely available to the criminal class for the right price. As far as Joe and his entourage are concerned, we’re just garden variety thugs like them.
“Thank you for your cooperation.” Joe watches our weapons exchange hands. “Now we can proceed.”
“I want that back in one piece,” Hyland hisses at the masked pair.
“Mr Price, there is no ulterior motive here. Your weapons will not be tampered with. Now,” Joe clears his throat, “If you’ll follow me, we have your product ready for transportation.”
The way he singsongs product like we’re not discussing a real life human being makes me want to throw up all over Joe and his asshole friends. I’m going to take great pleasure in running through them with their own fucking guns.
Bitter chlorine burns my nostrils as we’re escorted into the cavernous pool house. High ceilings strung with half-lit industrial lighting illuminate the space, echoing and full of long shadows cast over the placid swimming pool.
Across the still water, a gaggle of masked assailants await. Apparently, it’s only Joe’s face we’re allowed to see. Nestled among them is a slumped-over body, kneeling at their feet like a chained dog.
Oily black hair obscures what seems to be a female from sight. From what I can see, she appears to be stick-thin. Badly bruised. Stained with a layer of filth. They couldn’t even be bothered to give her more than a bloodied shirt to wear.
“Perhaps you’d like to discuss a bulk discount?” Joe asks conversationally.
“Excuse me?”
“We have plenty of quality product. Is it only females you’re interested in?”
I’m not sure how I avoid swallowing my tongue.
“Primarily,” Hyland answers for me, barely managing to maintain cover by biting his rage back. “But we could be persuaded by a good deal.”
“Entrepreneurial. I approve.”
The nameless men guarding our purchase all avoid looking at us. Perhaps it’s a courtesy in this world. Like Joe said, discretion. I doubt the type of clientele who purchase skin wish to be scrutinised.
“May I inspect the product?” I ask through my choking rage.
“By all means.” Joe motions to the poor thing, huddled silently at our feet. “She is in good condition.”
“She appears to be beaten. You couldn’t clean her up?”
“My apologies.” His words sound anything but sincere. “We had a tight turnaround, getting this asset into the country in time.”
Ensuring Hyland is covering me, I approach the surreal scene with light steps. No one makes eye contact. Just as well, I’m not sure I’ll be able to contain the violence thrumming inside me if anyone dare speak.
Their captive doesn’t make a sound as I crouch down so we’re eye-level. As much as I hate it, I have to touch her without permission, pushing lank hair aside to get a closer look at her face.
Fuck, she’s conscious.
Thick duct tape covers her mouth, cracked and bleeding from the plastic edges. Above that, her almond-shaped eyes are wide, brimming with fear so acute, I can taste it. I’ve felt the exact same terror. The horror of knowing what’s about to happen while being totally powerless to stop it.
When her eyes meet mine, I hold her tear-logged stare. It’s too risky to say anything, but I want her to know I’m here. She isn’t alone. No one is going to lay another finger on her as long as I’m still drawing breath.
Straightening, I force some strength into my voice. “How long has she been in service for?”
“Only a few months.” Joe watches me from next to the pool.
“And she’s trained? We don’t have time for disobedience from our girls.”
“I can assure you, she’s been thoroughly broken in. You’re getting an excellent price.”
“We’ll take her.” Hyland jumps into the negotiation. “Our associates will have the cryptocurrency transferred into your account.”
“Wonderful.”
Through her hair, the girl peers up at me again. She’s young. Mid-twenties, maybe. Though the violent black bruises over her face and dramatic eye bags make her appear infinitely older. She looks so weary. Hopeless.
Just like I did.
Like Gracie.
Like all the women and girls caught in this web of sin.
I don’t just want to dismantle that web—I want it burned, eviscerated, scattered in ash and destroyed beyond recognition. No more exploitation. No more missing persons left to rot in cells across the globe. No more.
Arms folded, Joe scans Hyland from head-to-toe in an unpleasant manner. I watch Hyland tense, his shoulders stiffening into great mountainous planes. Our enforcer’s not one to be physically intimidated, but this creep’s bad energy is off the charts.
“You didn’t want to invite your associates to join us?”
“I’m sorry?” Hyland cooly inclines his head.
“The more the merrier in this little charade.”
“I don’t know what you’re insinuating, but I’d suggest you tread carefully, Joe.”
“I was sceptical, I’ll admit,” he continues without a care. “Perhaps I was too generous in my estimation of your intelligence. It’s not a mistake I make often in this industry.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” My feet automatically shift apart, preparing for an attack.
“Well, Sabre Security has a truly excellent reputation.” Joe shrugs like he isn’t bringing the ceiling down on top of us. “I honestly thought you’d be smarter than this.”
With a click of his fingers, the doors to the room slam open, admitting our gun-toting welcoming committee. Only this time, they have company. The bloodied, writhing variety.
I drag in a startled breath. “You motherfucker.”
“Now, now, Miss Price. No need to make things hostile. Though that isn’t your real name. Is it, 768?”
In one set of burly arms, Blaine lashes his body like a whip, attempting to break free. A thick trickle of crimson pours from his nostrils while his hair stands in all directions, like he had to be kicked into subordination.
The other masked guard drags a limp form. I recognise Warner’s salt-and-pepper locks from here, though his head lolls forward in a lifeless way. As he’s tugged along, fresh blood drips onto the pool house floor.
“Get your fucking hands off me!” Blaine bellows, bucking and thrashing.
“Come along now.” Joe tuts. “No need for bad language.”
“You’re going to regret this!”
“The infamous Phantom is a little uncooperative.” Joe’s pitch is light, almost teasing. “According to my employer, that’s nothing new.”
Both men are wrestled to centre stage at the back of the pool house, guns aimed straight for their heads. I flinch when the butt of one crashes into Blaine’s temple, causing his entire body to judder unnaturally.
My heart thrashes uncontrollably as Warner is dropped to the floor like a sack of discarded potatoes. Not a twitch. They must’ve hit him damn hard. From this angle, I can spot an uneven slash across his forehead, staining half his face bright-red.
“Now.” Clapping his hands together, Joe’s gaze pans between us. “Let’s have an honest conversation, shall we? I have permission to strike a deal in order to avoid more bloodshed.”
“What kind of deal?” I shake out my hands, my palms hurting from my nails digging into them.
“My employer is only interested in regaining possession of his poor lost son. As for the rest of you, he doesn’t care if you live or die. So now is your opportunity to plead for salvation.”
If he thinks I’m going to plead for anything, he’s in for a shock. “You really think we’d sacrifice one of our own?”
“Is this turncoat one of you?” He sneers towards Blaine unpleasantly. “All I see is a stray dog far from home. Not worth losing your life over, believe me.”
“Em.” Blaine hawks up a mouthful of blood. “Don’t f-fight—”
Another smash from the dickhead’s semi-automatic and Blaine hits the floor in a crumpled heap of bones. When I cry out, Hyland moves in a flash to brace his arms around me, ensuring I can’t run to our fallen teammates.
“You’ll be shot on sight,” he mutters.
“Listen to your friend, 768,” Joe taunts.
“Fuck you! What do you want from us?”
“Nothing short of full and total surrender.”
“Tell Madden to face us himself.” Hyland’s barked demand sounds more animalistic than human.
Grinning, Joe unlocks his crossed arms. “He doesn’t have patience for your pathetic time wasting.”
A glance around reveals how outnumbered we are. Even if Warner or Blaine managed to warn Axel, he can’t fight off this horde any more than we can. That isn’t going to stop me from trying, though. Guns or not.
Relaxing in Hyland’s vice-like embrace, I encourage him to gently release me through touch alone. He isn’t stupid. This situation won’t end well for any of us if we can’t fight our way out of here together.
“Bad idea,” he murmurs almost inaudibly.
“Got a better one?”
“Nope.”
“On my mark then.”
“Em—”