Chapter 13
Indie
The Grey - Bad Omens
Present day
My knuckles press into my eyes, the pressure squishing the daydream as I stare at the laptop screen.
We’re approaching day six, and not once has there been any sign of life on the feed.
Not a mailman, not even a bird has set off Regina’s motion sensors.
It’s unsettling and causes a knot to form in my stomach.
What if he got spooked from our visit?
What if he’s taken Callum somewhere else?
Regina has been keeping Victoria up to date, letting her know our progress. She’s not as rapid at the replies as she was to begin with, but Regina says she’s out doing her own searches, just in case.
“Did she send any pictures of John?” I shout over the back of the sofa to her.
I usually do an internet search for these guys, the majority of them already having photos out there.
But not John.
He doesn’t seem to be in the public eye as much as the rest of the Sumus members.
“No, just Callum. She gave us a written description though.”
I snort. Unless this guy is unique, that’ll be useless.
The thought causes my heart to clamp tightly, because there’s only one person in the world I’d be able to tell you about every single small detail.
Grey, steel-like eyes, black, floppy hair, and a towering six-foot-six frame with a jawline sharp enough to give a blade envy—
No, Indie.
That’s twice today.
You’re on your last warning.
I’m not allowing myself to dwell on the past any longer. It’s easier said than done, and I know it will take time. I can have blips, as long as I don’t allow myself to spiral.
I physically shake my head, hard enough that my brain rattles off my skull, as if the movement will knock those thoughts out of my head and replace them with some sense.
Regina walks over to me, pulls out the tablet, and reads the description like a shopping list.
She has so many devices, I’ve lost count at this point.
“Over six feet. Very muscular, tattoos from head to hands. Dark hair, closely shaven at the sides and messy on top.” She flicks her gaze up to me. “Does he have an identical twin that isn’t a cunt?”
I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. “What a waste.”
Tattoos never used to do anything for me. I’d admire them from afar, no real desire to add any to my skin. But I got my first one about five years ago—my ribs of all places.
Regina did research and told me that was the worst place for my first time, but weirdly, I enjoyed it. The buzzing of the gun and the feeling of the needle prickling into my skin was therapeutic.
I quietly laugh at myself. Yeah, I’m definitely becoming a psychologist’s dream.
She gnaws her lip in thought. “He won’t be hard to miss anyway, especially seeing as the town’s small.”
“True. What about the kid?” I ask, and she sits down next to me, finger flicking on the tablet screen as she shows me the photo that was sent through.
My heart twists at the little boy.
Dark brown eyes and hair. I hope he’s safe and hasn’t come to harm.
It’s bad enough dealing with trauma as an adult, never mind being exposed to it so young.
I’ll never understand how anyone can harm innocent children, and people would have the audacity to think what I do is fucked up and punishable.
I’m ridding the place of evil, and they’d spend less time in jail than I would, likely getting a second chance to do it all over.
“We’ll make sure he gets home safe,” I whisper, my voice feeling tight.
My phone ringing breaks through my thoughts, and I clear my throat of the emotion coating it, seeing it’s my hyperaware mother.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. How are you?”
Fine, just laying out some plans to kill some corrupt fuck that’s part of a secret society.
“I’m good, how are you?”
Crackles filter through the speaker, like she’s clattering around in the kitchen. “The usual, just wanted to see how my baby is doing…are you out?”
I fix a glare on Regina, a gust of wind blowing through the livestream and filling the living room.
She gently closes the lid on her laptop, slowly manoeuvring herself backwards from the couch.
“Sort of…I’m working.” My voice pitches as a yawn breaks through me, blinking back the tiredness.
No matter what anyone says, stalking a mark is actually quite tiring work.
“At this time!” she squeaks through the phone, and I glance over to see it’s almost 10pm.
“I know, I’m just tidying some things up so I can have a few days off.”
That’s code for, I might be unavailable whilst I plot someone’s demise and act like Rambo to save a child whilst having no idea what the fuck I’m doing on the latter.
“Okay, I’ll let you off.” Her sigh cracks through the phone. “I know you were planning to visit this weekend, but Morgan and I swapped our dates about…I hope you don’t mind, honey.”
Shit, I totally forgot about that.
“Blowing me off for a guy! How dare you, Mother.”
“That’s not—”
“I’m kidding! That’s fine with me, Mom, honestly. Regina and I can make some plans for something fun.”
I can feel my mom’s smile through the phone; little does she know it’s not even in the ballpark for what she’d class as fun.
“I’m glad to hear it. Keep me posted with what you two get up to.”
We say our goodbyes, and I toss my phone along the couch. My eyes feel like weights are attached to them, each blink making it harder to open them again.
A vibration on my lap stirs me awake, and my eyes rapidly blink at the glow from the screen, temporarily blinding me.
Shit, I must have dozed off after Mom called, and it’s dark outside.
Watching the same image for hours on end gets real boring, real fucking quick.
I grab my phone from the side of the sofa. It lights up to show me it’s 1am. I glance over my shoulder, seeing the hue from the upstairs light shining down the hallway.
Something flickers in the corner of my eye, and my head snaps towards the laptop.
Shit.
Someone’s at the cabin.
I shift up to sit, crossing my legs as my eyes blaze at the footage.
The feed wasn’t great to begin with, and now with the added darkness and rainfall, I’m not getting the clearest of views. At least it’s good enough for me to see if Callum gets out of this vehicle.
Someone steps out of the dark SUV, and sure enough, a towering figure stretches out.
Christ, he’s jacked.
Even from far away, he looks like a mountain of muscle.
I don’t know if my years of training could put up against that wingspan he’s sporting. He’d definitely be someone I’d need to shoot a drug-filled dart at to disable, like a damn wild animal.
I make a mental note to ask Regina where we could source such a contraption.
My eyes narrow at the screen, and my heartbeats are pumping wildly, waiting for John to reveal himself in the shot.
He walks around the car, but it’s too distorted to make out a single fine detail, the front porch security light hitting off his side profile.
What I can make out is that he’s dressed completely in black, even down to his boots that make him seem menacing, blending in with the shadows.
He reaches in the backseat, and I lean forward, anticipation spreading through my chest. My fingers grip the side of the laptop lid, the warmth of the processing units heating my skin.
Come on, please let this be the kid.
If it is, I’m dragging Regina out there with me. We need to grab him as quickly as we can. Who knows when we’ll have another chance?
I’m doubting this guy has a regular pattern if he knows his ex is looking for him, but the fact there’s another life at stake here, I’m willing to break our usual precautions. Especially with them being gone for days already.
My shoulders slump when he shuts the door, slinging a duffle bag around his shoulder.
“Fuck’s sake,” I hiss, but then he heads around the other side. I can’t see what he’s doing from this angle.
The SUV’s lights flash as the screen glares red, telling me he’s locked it.
My spine steels straight as I stare wide-eyed, my fingers itching to cross together in hopes that I’ll get the moment I’m waiting for.
But it doesn’t come.
John walks past the car, head tilted down on his phone whilst swinging his keys in the other.
Smug prick.
I throw myself back against the sofa, blowing out the exasperated breath I was holding.
Forcing down a swallow, I switch the camera view to the backyard, but the view is just as fucking terrible as it’s switched into full night vision.
There’s no light in the backyard to help, and everything is in black and white.
He enters the living space, flicking on a lamp, and to my annoyance, it still doesn’t fucking help. If anything, it’s worse; all I can see is his silhouette moving around.
This is all part of the work we put in before I take out a mark, but never in my whole time of doing this have I had so much trouble trying to identify someone.
My focus remains on the screen as I watch his movements; he’s got a lethal grace despite his size. Everything around him looks tiny compared to his brooding height.
I really hope I don’t need to tackle this fucking guy.
The only benefit I have is that I’m quick. My height allows me to duck swiftly in training sessions, and I might be small, but I can be feisty.
My past fuels my fury; at times it used to get the better of me, needing to tone it down. But with the help of my trainer, I’ve learned to control it over the years, in a way that I can switch it on, then switch it off. But this guy?
Yeah, a dart from a distance is going to need to help me.
No Oscar-worthy performance on this one, unfortunately.
I watch him as he makes his way up the stairs, heading into what I believe was the en suite during my visit.
There’s only one window on the upper floor, and the bedroom looked open plan, but the angle from the camera causes an obstruction due to the exterior walls.
Grabbing my phone again, I search the internet for the motel we spotted. Regina is going to be pissed when I wake her from her slumber, but we need to be closer, and we need to leave now.
I’ve never had an urge come over me like this. I’m breaking my self-made rule here. Diving headfirst into danger without properly learning my mark’s movements.
It’s the kid. It’s hitting a soft spot. I’ve never really had motherly instincts—not for a very long time. I keep telling myself it’s because I don’t want them to grow up knowing how cruel life is.
The other reason…was him, the thought of a mini version of us running around. I’d never wanted anything more.
A broken sigh leaves me.
Just another piece of me stolen.