23. Caden
23
CADEN
D amien arrived and immediately mobilized the men while I worked on pinpointing Reece’s exact location, and finalizing the plan of attack, he had a chip implanted so even if they probably destroyed his phone, I could still see the general area he was in but, I had never been to that part of Red falls so I had to plan everything out with just image maps. The location didn’t show any buildings around, but I figured they were most likely underground, the underbelly of the city, where darkness thrived, and danger lurked.
The plan of attack solidified in my mind, a symphony of precision and calculated chaos. I was a master at predicting people’s reactions rather than their actions. I’ve thought about every possible outcome and a response to it. We would move in at midnight tonight.
I sat in the car as Damien drove us to our destination. As I adjusted my bullet-proof vest. I thought about how, for the first time in a while, I was out of my suit. I had on a black cotton shirt under my vest and black cargo pants. I had been trying my best not to think about Ana and Reece and what was probably happening to them. They would probably be torturing Reece for my location, not knowing that I’d be coming to them thanks to Reece and his quick thinking. Reece could take whatever they were doing to him, I told myself. My jaw clenched. I didn’t know much about the ritual, so I wasn't sure what they were doing to Ana, but I did know that they wouldn't kill her till tonight. My heart clenched at the thought of her suffering, or in pain. It felt as if a vise had tightened around it.
We finally arrived at the point where we had to get out of the car and walk the rest of the way. Damien signaled for the men to break up into teams. Six men stuck with us.
As we ventured deeper into the unknown. Damien's gaze hardened, his eyes scanning every darkened corner.
Silently, we moved through the trees, each step brought us closer to the underground entrance. We got there and as we descended the steps, darkness engulfed us. Only the dim glow of our flashlights cut through the obsidian veil.
As we navigated the labyrinthine tunnels, tension radiated off all of us. I was impressed that not a single man at my back made a sound. They all moved efficiently and quietly. Damien had picked men that frequently went on stealth mission, so I shouldn't be surprised. I followed my instincts, guiding us deeper into the maze. The scent of mold and concrete mingled with the stale air.
Finally, we reached open space. Two men stood at the entrance and without thinking I shot one in the head. My silencer muffling the sound. Blood splattered against the barren walls. I turned to shoot the other man before he made a sound but Daimen had already gotten to him. They both fell to the ground with thuds.
Stepping over lifeless bodies, I pressed forward, my senses heightened to the point of hyperawareness. We entered the open space.
The sound of chains rattling drew my attention and like we all shared one mind. We all drew our weapons and aimed at the sound.
Rage saturated my veins as I caught sight of what had made the noise. Reece was hanging, bruised and bleeding, his left arm bent at an odd angle. I signaled for the men to check for anyone else. I noted the exit on the other side as I walked up to Reece.
“Hey buddy,” I said quietly.
Reece’s swollen eye opened slightly.
“Took you long enough,” He rasped.
“Well, it was a little tough without my right-hand man,” I said as I moved to unhook him from the chain.
Reece snorted, and I forced myself to smile.
Damien walked up to help.
“Jesus, man, you look like shit,” Damien offered.
“Still better looking than you,” Reece retorted. Damien chuckled. I gently guided Reece to lie flat on the ground.
Reece turned to me. “I’m sorry Caden, this was all my fault.”
I shook my head. “No, it's not” Was all I said.
He stared at me for a long moment and then finally deciding that arguing with me was futile.
“They took her away yesterday, but I don’t know where they took her,” He explained.
“It’s okay, we will find her,” I told him.
Right as I said that my walkie squawked, and a voice came, “We found her. There’s some fucked up shit going on here. You better come quick boss”. The man said urgently. I turned to Damien and nodded. I would only trust him to get Reece out of here.
Reece grabbed my ankle, and I crouched.
“Please, get her back,” He said, his eyes glazed over. I could tell he was reliving the memory of his sister’s death.
“I will, I promise,” I replied.
I was going to get her back, no matter what it took. I stood and walked towards the exit.