Chapter 2

2

Tank

H olden's breathing was deep and steady as we waited for River to let us know it was safe to emerge from the woods and infiltrate the building in front of us. Sam was eerily calm on the other side of me. Joey was behind me, still as a statue, but I knew he was just as ready to get in there and get the fuck back out just like I was.

Gin and Link, one of the patched members of the Fathers of Mayhem, were leaning against a huge oak tree, seemingly relaxed, though I knew their muscles were coiled to spring. And Tyler, Joey's road captain, was sitting on the ground, a vape between his lips as he waited. Had anyone else been sitting on the ground like him, I'd have snapped at them to get their asses up. But I'd seen Tyler in action, and I knew how fast he was.

Fucker was there one second and gone the next.

There were seven on my team—eight if I was included in the count. I'd chosen the best we had. Gin and Link had served together in the military. I was pretty sure there was more going on between them than just being battle buddies, but they were tight-lipped and secretive about it if there was. All I cared about was that they worked like a well-oiled machine.

Tyler had actually once been a member of Sons of Death until Joey snatched him out from under Tristan's nose. It was just one of the many causes of contention between the two men when Tristan had been alive, though Adelaide had been their main reason for being enemies.

Tristan and Joey both had loved the same woman… and neither of them had actually gotten her in the end. River had, and honestly, neither of them had deserved Adelaide. They hadn't known how to love her in the way she needed, but River had. And he did so on a daily basis.

Tyler was one of the best snipers I'd ever come across, and he was also an excellent shot in the middle of a battle. He never missed his mark. Ever. I was relying on that since we were going in blind. Alejandro had been able to get us a layout of the building, but we had no idea how many people were inside.

Joey was cold and calculated, and I knew if something happened to me, I could rely on him to make sure the mission was still carried out, my life be damned. And that was what I wanted. Joey was capable of shutting off all his emotions to carry out the mission.

Sam was… a bit unhinged. He liked blood and carnage. And he never grew tired when dropping bodies. It just made his adrenaline surge more and more with each life he stole. He'd have my back and the back of everyone else on this team without question… and he'd probably maniacally grin while he was at it.

Holden was a second-generation Fathers of Mayhem member. His father had been part of the original men who started the club. Holden hadn't grown up around the club, but his mother hadn't been a decent human being by any means. Holden had grown up on the streets and had seen what happened to victims like the ones we were going in to rescue. He treated his body like a weapon, but I also knew he would have the compassion needed when we started trying to get the victims out.

My earpiece crackled a little, and then River's voice came through, saying a single word. "Go."

We moved as one, quickly going through the door one of Alejandro's men was holding open for us. It was dark and eerily silent. The building reminded me of a hospital—sterile and white with the scent of disinfectant hanging in the air.

We split up into four teams of two, and Joey flanked me to the hall to our left, watching my back. A guard looked up, and before he could utter a word, I put a bullet through his skull. He hit the ground, and the noise had doors opening in the hall. Joey cursed, and we both opened fire just as gunshots exploded from the other halls as well.

We ducked into the first room. I slid my rifle across my back, heading to the girl tied to the bed as Joey quickly reloaded his gun in record time and began firing back, dropping bodies. The girl couldn't have been older than twelve or thirteen, and while her skin was clean—clinically so—she was covered in dark bruises, cuts littering her skin. She trembled as I neared her, silent tears running down her cheeks, but she didn't utter a word.

"I'm here to get you home," I said softly. "I promise."

She sobbed then, relief washing over her features. I quickly began undoing the restraints binding her to the bed, and then I directed her to hide beneath the bed frame until I came back for her.

I had a dozen more rooms in this hall… at least a dozen more victims to free.

Fuck .

Were the other halls as filled with them as ours was? My stomach rolled at the thought.

Joey and I quickly began to work our way down the hall. Occasionally, a guard would pop out of nowhere—they were like fucking roaches at this point—and Joey would quickly put a bullet in their skull. I gave each victim the same order—hide under the bed. There were women, children, men; these assholes hadn't been picky in their selections.

When I got to the last room, a guy was working to undo a girl's restraints. She was mostly unconscious, more than likely heavily sedated so she couldn't fight back.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he whispered to her.

I pressed the barrel of my pistol to the back of his head, and he froze, his hands stilling on her binds. The girl moaned, her eyelids fluttering before they rolled back in her head and she succumbed to whatever drug had been injected into her system. All the others had been awake—lucid. Able to follow directions.

I'd been hoping all of them would be like that. But luck wasn't on my side. She was out cold.

"On your fucking feet," I growled at the young man. The guy shakily climbed to his feet, his knees wobbling beneath him, threatening to send him crashing back down to the floor. "Turn," I commanded.

I wasn't surprised by how young he looked when he finally turned to face me, the barrel of my pistol resting between his eyes. Gray eyes met mine, full of fear and vulnerability, but I didn't let it sway me.

"Move away from the girl."

His lips trembled. "I was just trying to save her?—"

"Did I ask a fucking question?" I demanded. I pressed the steel harder into his skull, making him flinch. Tears welled in his eyes. I steeled myself against them. He was wearing the same uniform as the guards; there was no mistaking him for anything than what he was, no matter what he had to say. "I said to move the fuck away from the girl."

Shakily, he finally did as I said. Reaching into my back pocket with one hand, I glanced at Joey out of the corner of my eye. "All clear?" I asked.

"All clear," he confirmed.

"Tie this kid up," I commanded. The boy began crying earnestly now, but I didn't give a fuck about his tears. The girl on the bed was drugged, he had no bruises on his skin, and he looked too well taken care of. No doubt, he was part of this whole bullshit organization, and I wanted to know where the hell he'd planned to take the girl if he got her out of here. "He's coming with us. I want fucking answers."

Joey nodded once and took over the handling of the boy. Turning my back on them, I headed over to the unconscious girl and began undoing her restraints before gently tossing her over my shoulder and leaving the room, poking my head into each room on my way up the hall so every man, woman, and child could follow me out of the building to the vans Alejandro had waiting to transport them to safety.

But this girl and that boy… they were coming with us.