Bear, p.21
Bear, page 21
He and West had the same mother who West had killed when Flint was still a kid. West’s father had once been a hitman for the mob until he’d fallen out of favor; Flint wasn’t sure why. Flint suspected the man had botched some jobs after he’d become obsessed with their mother after she’d left him for Flint’s dad. At some point, the man had channeled that energy into training West in the art of contract killing before he’d gotten tapped. West had thrown himself into his work, making a name for himself…a name and alternate identity that Colonel had helped him secure.
The man who had once worked for the government and organized their crew of mostly-legal misfits had not only hidden his connection to Xan’s past, he’d cultivated it. Over years. Colonel hadn’t just orchestrated her relocation to this small southern town, he’d done it for The Shadow. The assassin had been pulling all the strings.
Now, Bear fully understood why Colonel had been so hush-hush about his past, never letting anybody know anything unless they absolutely had to…because someone already knew all his deep, dark secrets, and that someone could’ve killed him in the blink of an eye.
The gravel crunched beneath Bear’s feet as he hoofed it to the property. He fired off a quick text to Roc to let him know he was nearing the east corner of the lot, but Hunter spotted him before he pocketed his phone.
“Nobody’s home, but someone was here this morning. There’s still coffee in the pot and the filter’s wet.”
“He could’ve set a timer for it to go off.” Bear wasn’t taking anything at face value.
“There’s also a banana peel in the trash that’s still soft to the touch.”
“Cleaning lady could’ve left it.” He started walking around back to slip into the house.
Hunter quirked an eyebrow as strode alongside. “If it was the cleaning lady, you’d think she’d have taken out the trash and dumped the coffee, but I get your point. Oz sending any deputies out here?”
“Not unless we need backup. They’re all out looking for the van or Roxie, Chad, and Scott. He’s back at the station pumping Flint for intel.” He relayed all the information Oz had just shared while Bear had been en route.
“Holy shit.”
“Gauge called Viola. With kidnapping being a federal offense, she mobilized the local FBI unit. She said she’d inform McMillian. Watch that asshole be pissed we didn’t contact him first.”
“Not our fault he bailed when The Shadow dropped off the suspect list.”
“Yeah, I’m sure he’ll see it that way,” Hunter said sarcastically. “Viola and her team are headed to Roxie’s. Axle booked it to the hospital to check on his sister. Gauge locked up the shop and is headed this way with our gear.”
“Good. Brody took Xan and the baby to Oz’s to stay with Bryn since Oz put some people on her. He’ll meet up with us as soon as he has them safe.”
Hunter and Bear entered through the slightly ajar backdoor. A drawer slamming greeted them.
“Shit, do you have to be so loud?” Hunter asked.
Roc threw him a bored look before opening another kitchen drawer. “Nobody’s here. If The Shadow is worth his salt, then he was alerted the moment we breached this place.” After digging around in that drawer, he opened the next. “We don’t have time to be fucking around, amigo.”
Bear’s phone rang, and he answered it the moment Gauge’s name flashed on the screen. “Yeah?”
“GPS has me about seven minutes out. Shelby called. She’s banged up, mad they got away, and fucking pissed she had too many rules on her computer’s anagram script, which confined the results. She logged in, removed the required link to The Shadow, and got several hits, including West Hodah.”
“Not her fault. Colonel buried any and all electronic traces between the aliases and the assassin.”
“Doesn’t make her happy about it. She also kicked Axle out of her hospital room. He’s going to stop for his sniper rifle and spotting scope before rendezvousing with us at the mystery house.”
“Good. You can pull up at the house. No one’s here.”
He ended the call and helped Roc search the house while Hunter went back to inspecting the grounds. With the exception of an overnight bag in the bedroom, there wasn’t much here. A few dishes, some odds and ends. Nothing that’d help them find Roxie. A couple of minutes later, gravel crunched outside, and Bear peeked out the window.
“It’s Gauge. He’s coming up the front.”
Roc unlocked the door and let their team member in.
“Find anything yet?”
“Nope,” Roc muttered. “Besides some random shit, there’s not much here. For a psycho who probably wears gloves or scrubs every place he steps foot in, he’s either been really sloppy here or very calculating. Even with some clothes and his bathroom stuff, I doubt we’ll find so much as a fingerprint.”
Bear gritted his teeth. The Shadow was too damn good, which meant one thing. “He staged this place.”
“Or he saw Luc’s guy and got spooked,” Roc said, his tone implying how he really felt about the new mafia don. “Fucking amateurs.”
Hunter came running in from the back. “Found something.”
The man turned and jogged the way he’d come without waiting for them to follow. Bear bolted after him, Gauge and Roc hot on his heels.
With his phone in his hand, Hunter continued into the woods several yards behind the house. Pointing into the raw acreage, he said, “Satellite image shows there’s a cabin just over that hill, and these are fresh tire marks.”
Gauge squatted down and followed Hunter’s line of sight. “Looks like a trail hidden behind the brush. It’d be a tight fit, but I bet he could get a small vehicle through here if he didn’t care about scratching the paint.”
“And, hey, look at this,” Hunter said, showing Bear his phone. “The highway curves around, but as the crow flies, this house is less than six miles from Roxie’s straight through the forest.”
“Fuck, he drove into the woods. Wait, zoom in. What’s that?” He pointed at a line that bisected the area in question.
“Beaverdam Creek.” Hunter looked up at Bear. “It’s pretty shallow in places. Easy enough for someone to drive through in the right ride.”
Bear rested his hands on top of his head as he stared unseeingly into the trees. “That’s where he took them. Jesus Christ, that’s where Roxie told the sick fuck she was pregnant.” He backed away from Hunter. “Call Axle. Send him those coordinates. See if he can get a visual with his high-powered toys. Message Brody, too.”
“Where are you going?” Roc asked.
“My car. Let’s go.”
Everyone followed as he made a mad dash for his American classic. He heard Gauge and Roc on their phones, giving the other members the update.
“You think this is a good idea?” Hunter asked.
“Mine’s the smallest out of all of yours.” And when it came to Roxie and Chad, this car didn’t mean shit. He hopped into the driver’s seat. Roc shoved Hunter toward the back of the car while Gauge folded the seat so they could get in.
“Dick,” Hunter murmured, but didn’t hesitate to climb in last and let Roc have the front seat.
Bear gunned the engine, shooting up gravel as he tore down the street and into the side yard, heading straight for the trail.
“Oh shit,” Gauge said as they bounced along the grassy terrain.
Bear had to slow down when he slipped in between narrow openings between trees, branches scraping along the panels.
Hunter winced. “Two months picking out the perfect color.”
They slammed into another rut.
“These shocks weren’t made for off-roading,” Gauge warned as he grabbed the back of Bear’s headrest.
Another limb screeched along the hood.
“Jesus,” Hunter breathed. Bear glanced at him in his rearview mirror, and the guy’s face paled. Then Hunter shook his head as if clearing it. “It’s all right. It’ll buff out.”
“Shut the fuck up.” Roc shot him a glare over his shoulder.
They bounded over the hill, barely dodging trees and spitting rocks and other debris against the chassis. There was a time when all Bear had cared about was restoring this car, returning it to its former glory, but now, all he cared about was getting to spend all his tomorrows with the ones he loved.
He had to find his family. There were no other options. None.
“There it is,” Roc said at the same time Bear spotted the cabin.
They had no reason to pull over and try to sneak up on it like they’d normally do. The headers on his engine had announced their arrival long before they’d arrived.
“Coming in hot,” Bear said as he floored it.
Roc unholstered his weapon, and Bear heard the others retrieving and cocking their guns, too.
He turned the wheel and braked right at the last second to skid to a stop beside the cabin. “Go, go, go.”
They jumped out of the car and split up into two groups to run around the small structure. Gauge checked the window as Bear made his way to the door, weapon in hand. Roc and Hunter met him in front. Roc shook his head, indicating there weren’t any other ways into the cabin from the direction they’d come.
“Window’s stuck,” Gauge said as he rounded the corner. “Looks like it hasn’t been opened in years. Can’t see shit.”
Front door, it was. Bear grabbed the knob and twisted. It was locked, but that wouldn’t stop him. The cabin was old, and he had enough rage to knock the whole damn thing down with his bare hands. He lifted his foot and kicked the door right beside the handle. The wood cracked, so he slammed his heel into it again. The door splintered as it swung open.
He rushed inside, swinging around to make sure no one was hiding in the corner. The guys ran in behind him, all alert and ready for an attack, but it seemed no one else was in the rustic shelter. Bear’s frantic heart seized. What if this was a dead end?
“Window led to a bathroom,” Hunter said, walking through the only interior door.
There was a bed, a table, and a kitchenette in the main area. Bear shoved the table aside and lifted the rug underneath it. He inspected the boards on the floor, but none of them were loose or revealed a trapdoor.
“Got something,” Roc said as he dragged something out from under the bed. It was a piece of luggage.
When Roc hesitated to open it, Bear stepped over to him.
“Could be a bomb,” Roc said.
“Don’t have gear here to check.” Bear looked at his teammates. “Go outside. I’ll open it.”
Gauge scoffed and nudged Bear to the side to open it. “Damn,” he breathed when the lid hit the bed.
Files, paperwork, passports, money. It was a fucking go bag.
“Jackpot,” Hunter said, clapping Roc on the shoulder. Roc narrowed his gaze but didn’t say anything.
“This is shit he’s gonna need when he runs.”
“What the fuck?” Roc said, holding up one of the passports. “What the hell is he doing with Chad’s passport?”
Bear grabbed one of the other ones. “Roxanne Willis.”
“At least he didn’t take them to kill them,” Hunter said. “But why take Scott?”
“Maybe he was with Chad when he was napped,” Gauge said. He looked at the other passports, but they were just known aliases of The Shadow. “Looks like he doesn’t intend to take Scott wherever they’re going.”
“Fuck,” Roc breathed, taking out his phone. “Gotta let Brody know. He said he wanted to know any and everything we learn about Scott, no matter how small.”
Bear lifted his hand to stop Roc and took out his own phone, thinking he should be the one to call Brody. Roc wasn’t the most compassionate of the group, and letting Brody know his son might already be dead was news that should be delivered with tact. But before he could connect the call, his phone rung instead, flashing Axle’s name.
“Tell me you got something,” Bear bit out.
“Yep. Gotta visual on all three and a partial of an unknown male who matches the description of our suspect,” Axle whispered.
“Where?” Bear’s heart raced.
“Southside of the creek. Scott is tied up on the ground. Roxie and Chad are talking to the male. Looks like Chad is guarding his mother.”
Warring emotions of pride and fear bubbled up within Bear, and he locked those down. He needed to stay focused on their rescue. “I’m going to move to the east. See if I can get a better visual.”
“Can you hear what’s being said?” He said to Axle. Then he looked up at the guys and muttered, “Found them at the creek.”
They followed him out of the cabin, Roc toting the damning suitcase. Bear mouthed for Gauge to call Brody to get him up to speed.
“Negative, but they can’t hear me, either. Come in quiet, so the mark doesn’t get spooked.”
“Got it. Stay on the line.” After putting the evidence in the car, they trekked farther into the woods, moving as quickly as they could without making a bunch of racket.
Gauge jogged up beside Bear. “Brody was turning off the highway when I reached him. He’s coming in on foot from the west.”
“We need to contact the feds,” Hunter said.
“Already messaged Vi,” Gauge said. “They’re assembling a team to surround the woods. That asshole’s gonna get hemmed in.”
They were close enough to hear water flowing
“Getting in position,” Axle said through the line. “Fuck. He’s got a gun on Chad and Roxie.”
Giving up the desire to move quietly, Bear took off like a charging bull. “Take him out.”
“I don’t have a clear shot.”
Bear cussed.
“Now, Chad’s moving away from Roxie.”
“Snake,” Bear hissed as he leaped over it.
“If that’s Hunter’s yellow shirt I see, y’all need to veer to your left. You’re about two hundred yards from the creek.”
Looking over his should at Hunter, Bear pointed in the direction they had to go. “This way.”
“Shit, Chad has a gun!” Axle whispered harshly.
“What?” Bear whispered heatedly.
“Goddamn it. The Shadow’s standing behind him now with his own gun pointed at the back of Chad’s head.”
“I see the white van,” Gauge said.
“Chad’s lifting the weapon he has now,” Axle said. “Oh my God, he’s gonna shoot Scott.”
“Don’t fucking let him do it,” Bear roared.
The water came into view, and he dove into it without stopping his momentum, dropping his phone—and his goddamn gun—so he could swim. When he broke through the surface, a loud gunshot boomed, and he prayed and prayed it was Axle.
When he reached the shore on the other side of the creek, he ran up the bank, grabbing tree gnarly tree roots that’d grown through the embankment.
Mud caked onto his shoes, weighing him down, but he fought against the tug of the earth as he hoisted himself over the edge. The sight that greeted him almost brought him to his knees, though.
A bloody Roxie lay unmoving over a frantic Scott. Oh, God, please no. There was no sign of Chad or his lousy father.
Panting, he rushed over. “Baby? Baby?” He turned her over, afraid of what he’d find, but she screamed, fighting against him.
The air whooshed out of his lungs. “Roxie, it’s me, babe.” He rubbed her arms, looking for her wound.
“Shoulder,” she muttered. “I’m fine. Covered Scott.”
She didn’t sound fine, but he wasn’t going to argue with her about that right now. “Where’s Chad?” He looked around, not seeing him or The Shadow.
“He was just here. Chad,” she yelled. “Find him,” she begged, grabbing Bear’s collar.
He slammed his lips to hers in a quick but urgent kiss. “Untie him,” he said, pointing to Scott. “The guys are right behind me.” He couldn’t tell if she was giving him a look of shock or anger, but he didn’t have time to assess it.
Bear took off, scanning the area. They couldn’t have gone far.
Wood splintered by his head a split second after he felt the whiz of a bullet. He ducked and turned in the direction it had come from. An angry shout echoed in the valley, and then two bodies grappled on the ground several feet from him. Chad was on top, but The Shadow easily maneuvered out from under him and quickly got the upper hand. Smoke plumed beside them as Thad gripped Chad’s throat, squeezing the life out of the boy as he bucked underneath. Fuck, did he start a fire?
“Such a disappointment,” the man seethed.
Bear fought the urge to panic, instead homing in on what Chad had apparently succeeded in doing. He’d somehow knocked the gun away.
Fighting back the exhaustion and tapping into the last bit of adrenaline he had, Bear charged up behind them, wrapped his arm around Thad’s neck, and yanked him off his kid. He didn’t give a fuck that this man had supplied the sperm. Bear had claimed the kid a long damn time ago.
With obviously practiced skill, Thad dislodged Bear, but it didn’t matter. The moment he was free, Bear’s fist slammed into the side of his head. However, Thad was quick to return the punch.
The two men fought, no holds barred, as smoke began to billow. With as much rain as they’d had this spring, it wouldn’t spread, but it’d make it hard for Axle to get off a shot if Thad got away.
Bear couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t. It’d been years since he’d fought like this, the last time being the day he’d met Colonel in that fateful barn fight…
Sweat dripped from his brow, slightly blurring his vision, as he sucked in a smoke-filled breath. His eyes and lungs burned, but he ignored all other pain because he couldn’t risk losing one second dwelling on the agony. Any hesitation could mean death, and that wasn’t an option. It never was. That golden rule had been shoved down his throat the moment he’d been able to stand on his own two feet, something he struggled greatly with right now.
