Chapter 37

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

SHEP

Four led us straight to where two looming statues of angels stood. They were hunched over, each surrounded by water, tears leaking from their eyes.

"Lying in a pool of tears," Mason whispered.

"Where the angels wept is what the artist calls them," Four corrected.

"You know the artist?" Gabe asked.

"No, just heard people talking about him."

"As cultured as this conversation is," I interrupted. "We need to figure out how to get in. With the twins having no luck or time in figuring this place out, we're stuck."

"You need to walk around the house on the left side. The door is in the back but closer to that side." Four pointed to where we had to go. "If you use the forest for cover, you'll be okay."

"What's going to greet us inside?" Gabe turned in his seat to look at Four.

"People…maybe Weapons. I don't know the schedules, they change regularly."

I quickly called Nick. "Update me. We know how to get in, but no idea what we're facing in there. I'm not good to JJ if I'm dead before I reach him."

Nick cleared his throat. "Right, so, he's unconscious right now. Harper Reese got a bit pissed after JJ ran his mouth. He strangled him, but he's alive."

My skin felt as if it were on fire, yet every part felt like ice. Rage coursed through my veins.

"Did you see where they put him?" I growled.

"They went through the front door, then brought him into some white room. The Zone, I'm guessing. I've kept radio silence, not wanting them to figure out we were listening and watching. But I've also been recording. I got Harper Reese confessing to everything."

"That might help." Mason jumped forward between us. "What if we leak it to news outlets? We can't call the police because we don't know which are good and which are bad."

We didn't have time to try to get the stations to agree, but I had another idea. "Nick, remember when Noel hacked the radio station that time on a dare?"

"Uh, maybeeeee?"

"Can he hack into news outlets? If some locals get it at the same time, it'll spread. And fast—I just know it."

"I don't know, Shep. That's not going to be as easy as you think."

"Then stop talking to me and find out. We have to get in there. I'm either walking out of here with JJ, or I'm not walking out."

"Understood. Keep an earpiece in and I'll let you know when I do."

I disconnected the call and looked at Gabe. "You don't have to come with me."

Gabe snorted. "Like hell I'm not. If those fuckers don't kill me, Mason sure would."

"Oh, I'm coming too." Mason smacked Gabe's shoulder.

"Absolutely not. You need to stay with Four." Gabe slapped a gun and earpiece in Mason's hand. "Someone gets in, you let that be the last thing they ever do."

"Gabe, come on, there are two of you and Lord knows how many in there."

"Babe, please." He cupped Mason's cheek. "I need to know you're safe. I won't be able to concentrate if you're in there, and then it would get us all killed. Please."

I couldn't see Four's expression through the mirror, but I imagined it was either placid or disgusted. I'd laugh if I wasn't so fucking stressed out.

"Fine, I'll stay. But if I start seeing guys running in there, I'm right behind them."

Gabe smiled. "I'd expect nothing less."

After they kissed, they broke apart. "Are you both finished? JJ's life is hanging in the balance here."

I was done waiting. I opened my door turned and tossed Mason the keys, which he fumbled since he had a gun in the other hand.

"If we come out running, you'll need to be ready to drive us out. Get in the driver's seat. Four, no one can see you there—you're safe."

"Shep." He shifted in his seat. "In the basement, there's a red door that leads to the sewer. The red door needs a key; every guard has a set of keys."

"I'll remember that. Thank you, Four."

He dipped his chin and stared out the window.

I'd brought enough gunpower, knives, and other fun things we owned, for Gabe and me to have a variety of ways to take these people out and bring JJ home. I hoped Noel could get Harper's confession out there; it would cause chaos and if it dismantled his empire, it had the capacity to take all the corrupt people who used Harper's services to fall with him.

Gabe and I popped our earpieces in as we raced to where the tree line began and carefully yet swiftly rushed through the woods. We could see the large house from our vantage point, but the brush was thick and the trunks of the trees large enough we could hide behind them if need be.

In the backyard, there were about ten boys of all ages. Some were running, others sparring. It was like gladiator training. One kid, maybe fourteen, was throwing knives faster than I could blink.

About three guards were out there, and sure enough there was the door just like Four said, perched open with a big rock.

"It can't be this easy," Gabe whispered beside me.

"Problem is, we have no idea what's inside, let alone how many of these Weapons boys there are and if they'll attack us if ordered."

Just then, someone stepped out and demanded the boys to line up. It was hard to hear exactly what was being said, but we made out parts.

"New training regimen," and "Perfect for the field," was all I could make out.

"Shep, Gabe," Nick said in our earpieces.

"What?" I answered.

"JJ is still out, but they're bringing him somewhere. Before Harper attacked him, he mentioned letting his Weapons train on JJ."

"That's what those boys are being told." I jerked my chin to where they were being led into the building. "We have to get in there."

"He's being tied to the wall. Best I could tell, they left that Zone room and took an elevator down."

"Basement?" I looked at Gabe. "Four told us about a red door there. Every guard has a key to it and it leads to the sewer."

"I'd guess a basement. There are no blueprints for this house, as if they were all erased or something, but the passageways from the house to the sewer I can find now that we have a location. Just get there if you can," Nick was clicking away in my ear.

"What about the news feeds? Is Noel going to be able to do it?" I watched the last boy leave the backyard and breathed a sigh of relief when the rock stayed.

"He's working on it," Nick answered. "Wes-wannabe woke up, and Angel's working on him too."

"Okay, keep us posted. We're going in."

"Good luck." And then Nick cut off. He'd hear if I called him, but muting was safer in case something could get picked up on the voices.

"I don't see cameras," I whispered as we slipped out of the forest.

We raced to the side of the house, ducking by windows. We reached the door, and it bothered me how easy it had been to get to this point.

Was Harper's arrogance so much that he truly never thought anyone would do what Gabe and I were currently doing?

I peeked through the decent crack in the door, and it was empty. Quietly, Gabe opened the door, I stepped in, guns poised.

"Where the fuck is everybody?" Gabe asked from beside me.

"Shep, you need to hurry," Nick sounded frantic in my ear. "Basement, has to be the basement. JJ's in trouble."

Suddenly, I didn't give a fuck if anyone shot at me. I ran through the house, ready to take out anyone who got in the way.