Chapter 20

SAWYER DREW JANIEinto his arms. “Breathe, sweetheart,” he murmured. Hearing that the two men who probably attacked David Moran were members of the gang targeting her had caused blood to drain from Janie’s face.

“This is my fault,” she whispered.

“It’s the fault of the men who beat him. Your lifestyle doesn’t bring you to the attention of criminals. You have done nothing wrong. We need to focus on your brother and his choices. He has a history of gambling, so let’s start there.” He wouldn’t let her take the blame for this fiasco. No way the hijacking and attacks were Janie’s fault.

A man in scrubs walked into the waiting room. “Moran family?”

Sawyer stood and helped Janie to her feet.

“I’m David’s sister.”

The man held out his hand. “Chris Vanderpool. I’m the surgeon who operated on your brother.”

“How is he?”

“Mr. Moran came through surgery fine. I had to remove his spleen. He has several cracked ribs and bruises all over his body, seven broken fingers, and a broken wrist. All of those can and will mend. I’m most concerned about the head injury.”

“How bad is it?”

“Your brother has a cerebral edema. His skull is fractured and his brain is swelling. There’s a real danger of seizures as well.”

“He’s still in a coma?” Sawyer asked.

A curt nod from Dr. Vanderpool. “He’s in the ICU where we can monitor him closely. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to go back into surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. For the moment, all we can do is watch and wait.”

“May I see him?” Janie asked.

“I’ll have the nurse come for you in a few minutes. Although he won’t respond, he’ll know you’re there when you talk to him.”

“What are his chances, Doc?” Sawyer asked.

Vanderpool hesitated. “Depends on Mr. Moran. The longer he’s comatose, the less his chances of recovery. I’ll check on him during my shift. After that, the hospitalist will check on him frequently and keep me informed as to his progress. Do the nurses have your cell phone number, Ms. Moran?”

Janie glanced at Sawyer.

“We’ll make sure they have a number where Janie can be reached,” Sawyer said. “David’s wife may fly in from Chile.”

“Make sure the nursing staff has all current contact numbers.” Vanderpool turned back to Janie. “I know you want to stay with your brother. Since he’s in the ICU, you can see him once an hour for a couple of minutes. Do yourself a favor. Visit your brother when the nurse comes for you, then go home to rest. If his condition changes, we’ll call you immediately. The best thing you can do for him is take care of yourself.” After a nod, he left the waiting room.

Sawyer wrapped his arms around Janie. “He made it through surgery. That’s a good sign.”

She shuddered. “I know you’re right, but it doesn’t feel like enough.”

What he wouldn’t give to have Jesse here now. His team medic, however, was getting much needed rest. Unless Sawyer had misunderstood the surgeon, the chances of David waking up overnight were slim. He’d either update Jesse when his friend woke or ask Zane to hack into hospital records and send the notes to Jesse.

He frowned. Since Zane was already doing several things for him at the moment, he’d ask Simone to hack into the hospital’s computer system. She loved hacking into files to which she wasn’t supposed to have access.

Sawyer was still holding Janie when a nurse came to the waiting room. “Ms. Moran?”

Janie spun. “Yes.”

“Dr. Vanderpool asked me to escort you to the ICU so you can see your brother for a minute.”

They fell into step behind her.

“I’m Heather, by the way. I’ll be taking care of Mr. Moran tonight.”

“I’m Janie. This is Sawyer.”

When they arrived at the room, Heather paused before pushing open the door. “He has several lines attached to him. Some are monitoring his vitals. Others are delivering medicine to keep him comfortable and to prevent infection. You’ll also notice the bruising and swelling is significantly worse since you last saw him. He’s been through a traumatic experience and surgery and it shows. His body is healing and even though he can’t respond to you at the moment, he’ll hear you. Talk to him. Reassure him he’ll be fine and that we’ll take good care of him, all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ready?”

Janie nodded.

Heather pushed open the door and led them into the recovery room. Patients in various stages of recovery from surgery filled several beds. David Moran was in the last bay.

Oh, man. Sawyer flinched. Moran looked rough, almost unrecognizable with his head bandaged and his face bruised and swollen.

Janie gasped.

Heather turned. “You okay?” she whispered.

The woman who clung to Sawyer’s hand like a lifeline straightened and gave a brief nod. “It’s all right if I talk to him?”

“Absolutely. Just a couple of minutes. He needs as much rest as possible. His body is fighting hard to recover from his injuries.” After a quick glance at Sawyer to assess his reaction to the sight of Moran, Heather left them alone with Janie’s bother.

She walked to his bedside and leaned close to her brother’s ear. “David, it’s Janie. Can you hear me?”

No response.

“You’re in the county hospital, bro. The surgeon and nurse tell me you’re doing fine. You need to let your body heal, David. You’ve been through a hard experience, but you’ll recover. Do you hear me? You’ll be all right. I’ll be nearby. If you need anything, tell your nurse. Her name is Heather. She’s very nice. You’ll like her.”

Still nothing.

Janie sighed. “I wish you would wake up and tell me what happened. Sawyer and I found you unconscious on the floor of your room. I hope the other guy looks worse that you do, David.”

A tear streaked down her cheek. “You scared me, bro. Get better so you can snipe at me and give me grouchy answers to all my questions.” She wiped her face with her free hand. “The police will contact Maria. If she’s able to come, we’ll take care of her, all right? You don’t have to worry. She’ll be safe here. I love you, bro. Rest now. I’ll come back later to check on you. Don’t give Heather grief.” After brushing a light kiss against her brother’s ear, the only place on his face not bruised, Janie turned away from her brother and walked from the room with Sawyer on her heels.

Once in the hall, Janie turned into Sawyer’s arms.

He held her close. “You did great in there,” he murmured.

“That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I’m proud of you. Come on.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Let’s go back to the house.”

“What about Brody and Max?”

“They’re waiting in the lobby.”

She smiled. “I should have realized they wouldn’t leave you here alone to guard me.”

“Never. We have each other’s backs. Besides, they’re tasked with your safety, too.” He escorted her to the stairs.

They reached the first floor and walked to the lobby, where Brody and Max waited. The men turned when he and Janie approached.

“How is he?” Brody asked.

“Holding his own. Still comatose. We’ll tell you more on the ride back to the house.”

Soon, they were inside the SUV and heading out of town.

“Sit rep,” Brody said.

Sawyer gave his teammates an update, ending with, “I want to ask Simone to hack into the hospital’s computer system to get a copy of the report on Moran.”

“Do it. Jesse will interpret the medical jargon and help you better understand what’s really happening with Moran.”

“But he’s only a medic,” Janie protested. “Will the information be something he’d understand?”

“Sure,” Max said. “Jesse is almost as well trained as a doctor. He’s the guy to ask if you don’t understand something doctors and nurses are telling you. We all depend on him for medical knowledge and skills beyond patching us up on missions.”

“Do you think Simone will mind if we ask her to do something illegal?”

Sawyer and his buddies burst into laughter. “Oh, no, sweetheart. Simone is all about working against the establishment. Anything to thwart the rule of law. She’s the best we’ve ever seen, aside from Zane. This will be child’s play for her.”

“And she’ll enjoy helping a friend,” Brody said.

“What if she gets caught?”

“She won’t. Simone Kent never leaves a trail.”

“It’s a good thing she’s on our side. Tell her I appreciate her help. Anything she can find out will help.”

Sawyer slid his phone from his pocket and called Simone. When the medic’s girlfriend answered on the first ring, he said, “You’re on speaker with Brody, Max, and Janie. Can you talk for a minute?”

“Hold.” A moment later, Simone said, “Go.”

“I need a favor.”

“Name it.”

He laid out what he needed from the hospital records.

“Piece of cake. Give me five minutes.”

“Thanks, Simone. I owe you one.”

“Nope. No debt between friends. Besides, I’m always happy to do some hacking for a good cause. Later, Sawyer.” Simone ended the call.

Brody chuckled. “Unless she’s busy with something else more important, I think she’ll get back to us in less than the time allotted.”

“No bet there,” Max said. “She thrives on deadlines.”

“Must be nice,” Janie muttered. “I hate them.”

“And yet you still come through,” Sawyer pointed out. “Simone works better and faster while facing a deadline.”

Seconds later, Sawyer’s phone signaled an incoming text. He glanced at the screen and whistled. “You nailed it, Brody. Simone has already sent the information to my phone. She also sent a copy to Jesse’s email. She says Jesse is at home sleeping. He took Goose with him. He’ll look at the report when he wakes.”

Janie shook her head. “I can’t believe she hacked into the hospital records that fast. I can’t wait to meet this woman.”

“You’ll like her,” Max said. “We all do.”

Her eyes widened, and she twisted in her seat to stare at Sawyer. “Is anyone monitoring David?”

Sawyer raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Someone from Fortress will be close twenty-four hours a day. Brent already cleared it with hospital administrators. I wouldn’t have left the hospital unless someone was there to watch over him.”

Not sure it was wise to admit he suspected her brother was in deep with the gang and would sell out Janie in a heartbeat if it meant keeping himself from further harm. The problem was, though, that David was comatose. Guilty or not, Janie’s brother was vulnerable to attack. Sawyer could also be wrong in his assessment of the situation.

Brody glanced in the rearview mirror and frowned. “Heads up.”

Sawyer looked out the back window. “SUV?”

“Yep. For now, they’re staying four car-lengths back.”

“Won’t last,” Max said.

“What should we do?” Janie asked.

“Lose them.” Sawyer squeezed her hand.

“Would you do that if I weren’t with you?”

“No. We’d lose them, then slide in behind them and force them to pull over so we can get some answers.”

“Do what you normally would. This is your opportunity to learn more information.”

“I’m not putting you in the line of fire.”

“You said the Fortress vehicles have extra safety features. Trust them and find out who hurt my brother.”

“This isn’t a good plan,” Brody warned. “Brent will have our hides for risking your safety.”

“I’ll take care of Brent. Now, how can I help?”

“Sawyer?”

He wanted to put his foot down and refuse her request, but she was right. This was the best option for ferreting out information fast. Didn’t matter if she intervened with Brent or not. Sawyer and his teammates were in for a major dressing down by their boss. “Do it. Janie, slide down in the seat but leave your safety belt on.”

When she complied, Sawyer said to Brody, “Go.”

Immediately, the SUV surged ahead, weaving in and out of traffic, taking quick turns, racing to the next corner, and taking another turn.

Suddenly, Brody whipped into a parking lot and raced to the back of a building. As soon as he stopped, he unlocked the doors and Max hopped out.

“Where’s he going?” Janie asked.

“To see which direction the other SUV goes after they pass our location. We’ll fall in behind them, spook them a bit, and when we’re far enough out of town, force them off the road for a chat.” At least, it should work that way. With their luck, the men in the SUV had friends in another vehicle, waiting to join the chase. If that happened, the Fortress operatives might have to regroup and try again another time.

Max dove back into the SUV. “They turned right on Sycamore.”

As suddenly as he stopped, Brody took off again and swung a fast right followed by another right seconds later. “There they are.”

“They’ll rabbit,” Sawyer warned. Sure enough, seconds later, the other SUV took off, and the chase was on.

Brody stayed several car lengths behind them in case the SUV’s passenger fired shots to slow down the operatives. Once they exited Hartman, Brody sped up and closed the gap between the vehicles.

The other SUV tried to shake them and couldn’t, the driver swerving all over the road.

Sawyer scowled. Good thing they were on a country road with little traffic.

“Need to force him off the road soon,” Max muttered. “He’ll cause an accident if we don’t.”

On a long straightaway, Brody floored the accelerator and came up on the left rear panel of the other vehicle. He swerved to the right, forcing the other SUV to go sideways. The other driver slammed on his brakes and came to a sudden stop.

“Perfect,” Max said as he and Brody bailed from the SUV with weapons drawn.

In less than a minute, Sawyer’s teammates had the two men face down on the ground with their hands cinched behind their backs with zip ties.

Brody glanced at Sawyer and gave a hand signal.

“Want to help?” Sawyer asked Janie.

“Absolutely. What can I do?”

“We need to get the SUVs off the road in case someone drives by. We don’t want to attract the wrong attention. If we do, the cops will be on us in minutes. Follow me in this SUV. We’ll park to the right behind the trees.”

He helped Janie into the driver’s seat, then jogged to the other SUV and drove it behind the thick stand of trees where the vehicles would be hidden from view.

Janie parked the Fortress SUV beside the tango vehicle and climbed out. “How else can I help?”

“Stay in the vehicle.”

She gave him The Look.

Yeah, Sawyer didn’t think that directive would fly. He sighed. “Sweetheart, the interrogation won’t be pleasant. We need answers. If these men have them, we’ll extract information however we have to.”

“You won’t kill them?”

“No, but they don’t know that. We do an excellent acting job when necessary. Can you handle it?”

“I’ll deal. Let’s go.” She exited the SUV and walked with Sawyer toward the restrained men, who glowered at Brody and Max.

“Stay at least ten feet away from them,” Sawyer murmured. “If they get loose, I don’t want you too close.”

“Got it.”

Brody glanced at Sawyer. “Call for a pick up. We need these men on ice.”

He motioned for Janie to sit on a fallen log and pulled out his phone. When Zane answered, he told the communications guru what they needed and gave the location.

“Copy that. Thirty minutes long enough to learn what you need?”

It’d have to be. Sawyer didn’t want Janie out here longer than necessary. “We’ll make it work.”

“Injuries?”

“Not yet.”

“Keep it that way.” Zane ended the call.

Sawyer frowned. Z wouldn’t say that if his wife’s life was on the line. Granted, Sawyer and Janie weren’t at that point yet, but he saw them moving in that direction. Janie Moran was special.

He slid his phone away and laid his hand on her shoulder. “Doing okay?”

She nodded. “They aren’t saying anything.”

“They will.”

Brody eyed the two men, who glared at him and the others. “Why were you following us?”

No response.

“Sir.” Max showed Brody something on his phone.

After a quick glance at Sawyer, Brody turned his attention to the two men. “Oscar De La Cruz and Cristo de La Cruz. You’re both members of the local Vatos Locos gang.”

Not what Sawyer wanted to hear. Unfortunately, he wasn’t surprised. At 10,000 members strong, the gang had many foot soldiers to call on for any job.

The thugs straightened and exchanged glances.

“Let me tell you how this is going to go. You either tell us what we want to know the easy way or you can tell us the hard way.”

“The easy way is less painful,” Max said. “Of course, I’d rather you choose the hard way. Nothing I like better than working over a couple of losers. Improves my day.” He smiled, more a baring of his teeth, and flexed his hands as though loosening them for heavy physical labor.

“So,” Brody said. “Who’s going to talk first?” He waited a beat. “No takers?” Their team leader shrugged. “Too bad for you. Don’t say we didn’t offer.”

He flicked a glance at Sawyer. “In or out?”

Sawyer hesitated.

“Go.” Janie brushed her fingers over the back of his hand. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

Taking Janie at her word, Sawyer said, “Stay here.”

She nodded.

He strode to the strangers sitting on the ground. Sawyer knelt on one knee behind the bigger of the two men.

Max knelt behind the skinny guy.

Both men tried to turn to see what Max and Sawyer were doing.

Sawyer smacked the back of his target’s head. “Eyes forward,” he snapped.

“Look at me,” Brody ordered in the harsh cop voice they’d used on the job in Texas. “Why were you tailing us?”

The men looked sullen.

Brody gave a slight nod.

Max and Sawyer clamped a hand over each man’s mouth and pinched hard between the neck and trapezius muscle. Excruciating pain zinged through the thugs’ bodies and they howled in agony, although the shouts were muted.

After a minute, Brody gave the signal to ease up.

Skinny shuddered and sobbed. Big Man glared at Brody.

Sawyer looked at his team leader. The big guy would not talk unless they used a lot more pain and pressure. If they used that kind of force, they’d likely damage the nerves. He shook his head slightly.

“All it takes to stop the pain is answering our questions. Once you do, you’re free to go.”

The two brothers looked at each other, clearly skeptical.

Smart. Sawyer and his teammates couldn’t allow these clowns to walk away. They were too dangerous to Janie’s safety. Also, others would come after Janie when these two failed to check in.

The law of averages said eventually, one team would succeed in kidnapping or killing Janie. Sawyer wouldn’t let either possibility happen.

“Why were you following us?” Brody flicked a glance at Max, who immediately went to work on his target.

After two minutes, Brody signaled Max. The operative released Skinny, who shuddered and wept.

“We can keep this up all day,” Brody said to Big Man. “Your brother can’t. After another round of persuasion, he’ll have permanent nerve damage.”

Big Man sneered. “I don’t believe you.”

A shrug. “You won’t be the one to pay the price, will you?” Texas Team’s leader gave a slight nod.

Max rested his hand on Skinny, who began to wail and beg his brother to stop the torture.

Big Man held out for 30 seconds, then caved. “All right. Please, don’t hurt him anymore.”

“Why were you following us?” Brody asked again. “Last chance, De La Cruz.”

“Not you. Her.” He inclined his head toward Janie.

“What do you want with her?”

A shrug. “Just do what we’re told.”

“What are your orders?”

“Grab the woman and report in.”

“Who were you supposed to call?”

“Carlos.”

“Last name?”

A glare, then, “Noriega.”

“Who is he?”

Another shrug. “Works for a lieutenant.”

“His job?”

An arrogant expression settled on his face. “Fixer.”

Sawyer’s blood heated to boiling. And Noriega was planning to fix the problem with Janie? Yeah, he could just bet how that problem would be solved.

Not happening. Noriega would have to go through him first.