Chapter 27

Hunter's heart pounded in his chest as they descended into the basement. The air grew thick with the stench of human waste, rot, and decay, a nauseating assault on his senses. A flickering bulb cast eerie shadows on the damp, moldy walls, revealing the squalor in which the captives were held.

The women and children were huddled against the cold, stone walls, their clothes torn and filthy. They were gaunt, with sunken cheeks and hollow eyes that held a flicker of hope amidst the overwhelming fear. Some rose to their feet as Hunter and Thomas approached. They all were trembling, but two older women stepped forward, brave enough to seize their chance and willing to defend the others.

A couple of the others remained curled up on the floor, their bodies battered and broken.

Hunter moved among them, his eyes scanning each face, looking for one in particular. "Aubrey?" he called out, unable to keep the desperation from his voice. "Where's Aubrey?"

The woman they had rescued in the room upstairs stepped forward, her expression somber. "Aubrey isn't here," she said quietly. "She and three others are scheduled for auction today."

Hunter's heart sank. "Where are the auctions?" he demanded.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head.

Hunter wanted to hit something.

Fuck! So close and yet so far!

He turned to Thomas. "Are any of the guards conscious?"

Thomas spoke into his headset. "Kevin? Four of the hostages are missing. Can you come down and lead the others out? Hunter and I are coming up. Roger that. Over."

Hunter didn't hear the reply, nor did he wait. Urgency riding him hard, he took the rickety stairs up, two at a time.

Halfway through the hallway, he ran into Kevin.

Kevin's gaze slid from him to Thomas—hot on Hunter's heels—and back. Giving them a firm nod, he informed them, "Guards are all secured in the front room on the right. Max is watching them."

"Thanks." Hunter didn't slow his steps, but rushed past him toward the front of the building.

Entering the room, Hunter glanced at a dozen unconscious guards strewn across the floor, their ankles duct-taped and hands cuffed behind their backs.

"Max, we need to talk to them."

Thomas entered the room holding a bucket. Before Hunter could ask where he got the thing, Thomas came forward and threw the contents over the guards. Hunter did a hasty step back as he was splattered with the icy water.

Spluttering and cursing erupted as the men jolted awake.

Hunter went to one knee and gripped one of the assholes by the throat. Bringing his face close to the man's face, he demanded in a cold and growling voice. ""Where is the auction?"

The guard next to them sneered, "Why would we tell you?"

Thomas bent forward and pressed the muzzle of his gun against the man's knee. "Because you can get arrested with functioning legs or without. I don't care."

Hunter's blood froze at the chill in Thomas' words and the iron expression on his face.

The man Hunter was holding started to tremble and whimper.

Another guard began yelling, "Shut up, Emilio! Shut the fuck up!"

The man who was risking his kneecap cursed under his breath and glared at his fellow captive. "Fuck off, Donny!" he snapped before turning to Hunter. "The auction... it's on a boat."

Hunter eased his grip as Emilio started spilling information.

Ethan leaned against the doorframe of his apartment, the tension in his muscles easing as the officers from Internal Affairs filed out. As he watched them go, the weight of the past few hours lifted off his shoulders with each step they took away from his door.

Free .

The word felt strange, almost unreal. He could hardly believe it.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and pulled him back to the present. He glanced at the screen and saw Hunter's name.

Ethan answered quickly, anticipation making his heart race. "How are you?"

"We've got them," Hunter said, his voice firm and relieved.

Ethan let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "That's great news. I'm free, Hunter. All charges dropped, and house arrest lifted."

There was a brief silence, then Hunter replied, "That's fantastic!"

"It is. How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay. Safe now. How about you?"

Hunter's tone shifted as the weariness he must be feeling crept in. "We're safe, got maybe forty women and children here. We'll bring them to the safehouse as agreed. Have social services and doctors at hand, because it's bad. Really bad."

Ethan's grip tightened on the phone. "And Aubrey?"

Silence stretched on the other end of the line. "Gone," Hunter finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan's heart plummeted. "What do you mean gone? Dead?"

"No, no. Sorry. Four captives, including Aubrey, have been transported to a boat or ship," Hunter explained. "It's called the Majestic Dawn, sailing under a Panamanian flag. It's posing as a cruise ship, but once in international waters, the guests will bid on the women."

Ethan's mind raced, picturing the bustling ports of Seattle. "Smith Cove Cruise Terminal?"

"Exactly," Hunter confirmed. "It's a smart move. Seattle is the gateway for many Alaska cruises."

"I know. They have over two hundred departures from seven major cruise lines."

"According to my information, the Majestic Dawn will be leaving from Smith Cove Piers 90/91."

Ethan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I know it well. We need to act fast. Dani and I'll get an intervention team out there. You take care of bringing the other women to safety."

"Will do. As soon as I end my call, we're on our way. Can you send arrest units to the warehouse? We've apprehended twelve guards. And can you get the authorities and port security ready?"

"On it."

Ethan gripped the phone so tight his knuckles ached as he dialed the number for the Port of Seattle. Each ring seemed to stretch into eternity. Finally, a calm, professional voice answered on the other end. "Port of Seattle, how may I assist you?"

Ethan drew a deep breath, his words tumbling out in a rush. "This is Detective Ethan Stephenson with the Seattle PD. We have an emergency. A ship named Majestic Dawn, under a Panamanian flag, is scheduled to leave Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91. It's posing as a cruise ship, but it's a front for human trafficking. Women and children are scheduled to be auctioned once the ship reaches international waters. The ship is disguised as a regular cruise liner. It must be stopped before it leaves port. We have confirmation from a credible source. There are at least four captives."

There was a brief pause before the operator responded. When she finally did her voice steady. "I understand, detective. We have The Majestic Dawn on schedule to leave at 5 am. What can we do?"

Ethan checked his watch—3:32. "Please delay the departure. Maybe…" Ethan swallowed hard, his mind racing. "Has anyone from the port been on the ship?"

"Yes, porters helped with luggage and supplies."

"Great. Tell them one of them went home sick and reported a positive COVID-19 test. Tell them we're getting tests for all the passengers. It will also help us determine how many people are on board."

Ethan snatched his jacket from the back of a chair, his movements swift and determined. He threw it on as he bolted out the door, taking the stairs two at a time. His breath came in quick, sharp bursts.

Halfway down the stairs, he pulled out his phone and dialed Dani. The phone rang once before she picked up.

"Ethan?"

"Yeah. Listen up." Ethan quickly brought her up to speed.

Dani repeated the information.

"That's right. I've set up a COVID-19 scam to delay them to buy time before we get there. But I need backup."

Dani didn't miss a beat. "Got it. I'll handle it. What's your ETA?"

"I'm on my way to the port now," Ethan replied, pushing through the stairwell door and heading out into the street. "With the current traffic, I should be there in twenty minutes or so "

"Okay, good. I'm heading there too after I call in. Any news on the other hostages?"

"Yeah, Hunter is heading to the safehouse with the last batch."

"Okay, that's good. See you in maybe half an hour. And Ethan? Wait for the backup," Dani warned. "You don't know what to expect."

Ethan nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "I know. Thanks." He ended the call, while slipping into his car. A grim determination settled over him. They would save those four, no matter what it took.