CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Bull stopped the truck, and JJ and his team, along with Eagle, Smoke, and Gramps, hopped out of the back. It had been a tight fit, but they’d wanted to take as few vehicles to the area as possible. Once they got the women out of the cabin safe and sound, they’d call in the chopper to take them to the nearest hospital.

They’d stopped and picked up Eagle, Cole, and Meat on their way, who hadn’t wanted to be up in a helicopter while the takedown was happening, and right now there were twenty deadly, well-trained men ready and willing to do whatever it took to neutralize the enemy and rescue the hostages.

The remaining men were in the two trucks behind Bull’s, and they all convened at the edge of the woods.

“It’s a mile-and-a-half straight-line distance northeast to the cabin,” Rex said, pointing in the proper direction. “We know Ryan’s truck is farther out, but we also know he’s going to want to be within eyesight of that cabin. I’m not too concerned about running into him before that. So we’ll stick together if we can until we get within a half mile. Our team will head to the west, while Logan’s crew will head around south. Bull, you and your guys go north. We’ll surround the cabin and let JJ and his men walk straight in along the road. Everyone keep your eyes peeled for this asshole. If you find him, let the rest of us know, and we’ll converge on your location.”

Everyone nodded, and they all did radio checks. The small transmitters in their ears would let each of them stay in contact.

“Keep your eyes in the air as well as on the ground,” Logan reminded them. “The trees around here are big enough to hold an adult, but considering the amount of time he’s spent in these woods setting those explosives, he could’ve also built some sort of underground bunker.”

“It’s possible he’s set up cameras too,” Bull added. “I wouldn’t put it past him.”

JJ’s blood ran cold. If he had, and Ryan realized it was more than just the four of them, their entire plan could blow up around them . . . literally.

“Just stay alert,” Gray told them. “Let’s not give this guy any more credit than he deserves. If anyone sees any kind of trail cam or gets a sense that they’re being watched, inform the rest of us, and we’ll go to plan B.”

They had no plan B, as far as JJ knew, but he nodded anyway. They were all very aware that their time was ticking, just like the bomb that may or may not be under the cabin.

The men made quick work of the first mile before the groups separated, disappearing into the wilderness around JJ and his team. As they continued on alone, he could feel the thumping of his heart, and every step he took sounded loud in the silent woods. None of the men spoke, each lost in his thoughts about the love of his life and what she might be going through.

“We’re getting close,” someone said through the transmitter several minutes later.

JJ held up a closed fist, indicating his men should stop. He turned to his friends. “Whatever happens, get to the women. They’re our objective.”

Chappy, Cal, and Bob all nodded without hesitation.

“You talk to him,” Chappy said quietly. “When he makes himself seen, I mean.”

“Agreed,” Bob said. “You’ve always been the best at talking Tangos down, or at least distracting them.”

“I can’t think about anything other than June and the pain she’s in,” Cal said in a shaky voice. “I’ve been perfectly fine in much more dangerous situations, but I literally can’t think straight at the moment.”

The trust his men were showing him was almost overwhelming, but JJ nodded. He had no problem talking to this Ryan guy. Ever since he’d learned April had been kidnapped, he’d been on edge. Furious, but mostly controlled. Losing it now wouldn’t help his woman, and that was all that mattered.

Taking a deep breath, JJ continued toward the coordinates of the cabin the men in the chopper had given them. The other teams were comforting background noise in his head, talking quietly through the radios, informing the others of their locations.

“I’ve got the cabin in sight,” someone said.

“Same with us.”

“No sign of our target yet.”

One second, JJ and his team were walking along the dirt tracks that passed for a road, and the next, they’d stepped into a clearing. As their eyes in the sky had said, the ground was mostly dirt in a wide perimeter around the small cabin, with very little vegetation. As for the structure itself, it looked as if one strong gust of wind would take the thing to the ground.

JJ fought the temptation to run to the door. Knowing April and the others were right there, so close and yet so far, made him desperate to get inside and see for himself that they were okay. Unhurt. But he forced himself to stand still.

“What now?” Bob asked quietly.

Looking around, JJ didn’t see any sign of Ryan, but he knew he was near. The hair on the back of his neck was sticking straight up, and his sixth sense told him that the man was watching them carefully.

“Ryan Johnson?” he called out, careful not to speak too loudly, because he had no idea if the explosives the asshole had planted were sound activated or not. April told him Ryan had already detonated a bomb, so probably not . . . but he still wasn’t willing to take chances.

“You wanted us to find you, so here we are!” he announced.

He could hear Gray and the others checking in, letting him know they didn’t have eyes on the man either.

“Maybe he left,” Chappy suggested.

But JJ shook his head. “No, he’s here. He’s meticulously planned this for years.”

Just then, a new sound echoed in the quiet around them.

The cry of a very unhappy baby erupted from inside the cabin.

JJ automatically reached out and grabbed Cal’s arm, keeping him from taking more than a single step toward the sound.

“Easy, Cal,” he told him.

“That’s my son,” Cal said quietly, sounding as if he was in a trance.

“Crying is good,” Chappy soothed. “Means he’s breathing. And I have to say, he sounds like he’s breathing really well.”

Prince Maximilian Redmon did not sound happy, but JJ couldn’t keep the small smile from forming on his face. April had done it. She’d successfully brought June’s baby into the world. He knew Carlise and Marlowe had undoubtedly helped too, but he was certain his mother hen had taken the lead role.

Then . . . a slow, methodical clapping sounded from behind them.

All four men spun to face the threat at the same time Bull’s voice echoed in their ears. “Target located. Repeat, target located.”

JJ had a second to think to himself “No shit, Sherlock” before all his attention was centered on the man coming out from behind a large tree. He had no idea where the man had been hiding or how sixteen men failed to spot him before he simply waltzed into the clearing, but at the moment, nothing mattered but ending the threat to the women and to all their futures.

Studying Ryan, JJ realized he looked nothing like he’d pictured in his head when he thought about April’s kidnapper. First of all, he looked so damn young. Even younger than the twenty years Tex had mentioned.

Secondly, he looked . . . normal. From his haircut to his clothes, he in no way looked like a terrorist. Which was a stupid notion, because JJ knew more than most that there was no stereotypical “look” for terrorists. They blended into whatever environment they inhabited, just as Ryan had done.

“Congrats on being a daddy,” Ryan told Cal in only slightly accented English.

JJ had the brief, irrational thought that it was almost a shame this man was going to die. Because he was obviously very talented, very smart. He could’ve done a lot of good in the world, but instead he’d let hatred fill his heart and his head.

“Another royal Redmon, how exciting,” Ryan said as he lifted a hand and pointed a pistol at Cal. “Too bad he won’t meet his dad.”

For a second, JJ thought Ryan was going to pull the trigger, just shoot Cal right then and there, but he kept talking.

“I’ve waited for this moment for longer than you know,” Ryan growled.

Grateful the idiot wanted to talk, JJ stayed silent, letting him say what he felt he needed to say. All the while, he could hear the men around them, their backup, talking to each other through the radios and quickly and silently moving into position to surround Ryan before making their move.

“You killed my brother!” Ryan accused dramatically.

“Which one was he?” JJ asked in a bored tone, as if he was talking about something as inconsequential as the weather.

As expected, Ryan’s anger was instant.

“He was innocent!” Ryan spat. “He was there to carry water, to bring you assholes food. He wasn’t involved in the kidnapping.”

JJ’s eyes narrowed as his gaze ran over the kid in front of them. When Ryan’s head tilted defiantly, as if asking JJ what he was looking at, a memory of another man doing the same thing exploded in his head.

Except back then, the man had tilted his head to study JJ, just like that, before using a knife to carve into his skin.

“I remember your brother,” JJ said as he straightened, no longer looking or sounding bored. “He was about your height, smelled like body odor, and always wore black pants and an old T-shirt with a picture of the Twin Towers in New York before they were taken down by terrorists.”

Ryan’s mouth dropped open in shock. He immediately regained his composure, but the lapse was enough to tell JJ that he was right.

He felt his teammates shift next to him, as if they’d remembered the especially sadistic man who’d tortured them as well.

“And you’re wrong about him being innocent. He was involved in every step of our captivity and torture,” JJ said.

“No, he wasn’t!” Ryan insisted. “He told me that he was just there to earn money, to buy food and clothes for our family—”

“He lied!” JJ yelled harshly, wanting to shake Ryan so badly, he’d let down his guard. He just needed him distracted enough that Rex or one of the other men could get to him. “Your brother was a terrorist. He hurt people. Probably raped women, hit little kids, and spat on every tradition you and your countrymen ever held dear!”

“No,” Ryan said, shaking his head. “He was saving money to get us out! To bring us to the city where I could go to school.”

JJ laughed. It was a mean sound. “He was never leaving. He wanted to work his way up the organization. He craved attention. Notoriety. Wanted to be in charge. Eventually, he would’ve sucked you into that life with him.”

Ryan stared at him for a beat, then shook his head. “You’re lying to try to save yourself. It won’t work.”

JJ crossed his arms over his chest, curling his lip in disgust. “And you’re a bitter asshole who’s more like your brother than you know. You kidnapped four innocent, defenseless women, delighted in their terror.” He heard Rex telling the others to stand back, that he was moving in.

“Thank you for the compliment,” Ryan said almost calmly, clearly not as rattled as JJ had hoped. “I’ve spent my life learning everything there is to know about explosives, to avenge my brother and make him proud. I’ve rigged the cabin and everything around it with every different type of bomb there is. You might be able to beat one, but you’ll never get around them all.

“Your women are going to die,” he said flatly, as if killing four women and a baby was nothing to him. “And you’re going to watch. Then I’m going to kill you too. Finish what my brother apparently started all those years ago. If you say he was part of the group that tortured you, then he had a reason. And I say good for him. I will complete his mission . . . and join him in the afterworld.”

“Oh, you’ll do that all right,” JJ said—before Rex exploded out of the trees behind Ryan.

The young man spun, but it was too late. Rex hit him dead on with a powerful punch, knocking him flat on his back.

The weapon he’d been holding went off, and JJ jerked, praying neither Rex nor anyone else had been hit. In seconds, Rex easily disarmed and subdued the smaller man. And from behind him, Ro, Arrow, Logan, Blake, and Bull appeared.

To JJ’s surprise, Ryan laughed. It was a maniacal sound, almost unhinged.

“You think you’ve won. But you haven’t!” he crowed. “Your women are as good as dead! You can’t get to them! If you walk up to the door, you’ll blow up. If you bring in a helicopter, the vibrations will make some of my explosives detonate. BOOM! The entire cabin will go up in the biggest blast you’ve ever seen. It’s going to rain body parts! There’s nothing you can do to stop it. To stop me. I’ve still won!”

He laughed again. Even as Rex grabbed his shirt and wrenched him to his feet, he didn’t stop his insane laughter.

It wasn’t until Rex punched him in the face again that the sound stopped.

“I’ll take care of the trash. You get your women,” Rex said as he turned, shoving Ryan in front of him and fading back into the forest, with three of his men following.

JJ turned back at the cabin. It was almost a serene sight. All it needed was some smoke rising from the fireplace. But instead, all he saw was danger.

“What’s the plan?” Eagle asked.

For the first time in his life, JJ had no idea. Ryan may or may not have been bluffing about the chopper. The force of the wind from the blades could set off particularly sensitive explosives . . . but he’d already demonstrated one of his devices for the women, clearly without causing a mass explosion. He was either lying about their sensitivity or perhaps lying about the number of bombs buried. Regardless, JJ wasn’t willing to risk their women’s lives on a guess.

They couldn’t drive or walk up to the cabin, for fear of potentially setting one off. They could call in specialists, or bomb robots, but it would take too long for them to get there. They had no idea if Ryan had rigged a timer to any of those bombs.

“I don’t know,” JJ finally admitted in a whisper.

He turned to his team and saw the same look of frustration and despair on their faces that he assumed was on his own.

“What if we used the trees? Climbed them and jumped onto the roof? We could tear through the roof to get inside,” Gramps offered.

“Then what?” Ryder asked. “I’m sure the women are motivated to get out, but June just had a baby.”

“What if the chopper stayed high, so the downdraft wasn’t strong enough to set anything off?” Arrow asked.

“Maybe,” Blake said skeptically, “but the wind is picking up. Anyone on the end of a line would be whipped around like a ball in a pinball machine.”

“A crane? It could lift someone over to the cabin,” Cole offered.

“Or an explosives K9?” Gray suggested.

“There’s not enough time,” Cal whispered, sounding broken.

JJ stared at the cabin. There had to be some way to get the women, and baby Max, out of the cabin without setting off the explosives around and under the building. But at the moment, there were far too many unknowns for his liking.

The thought that Ryan might win after all made him want to throw up.

Then he heard April’s voice calling his name. “Jack?”

He jolted slightly at the sound and had actually taken a step toward the cabin before he felt a strong hand grab his arm, holding him back. Shit. Yeah. He couldn’t risk getting any closer because no one knew how far back Ryan had set the explosives.

“I’m here!” he said.

“Who are all those people?” she asked.

JJ wanted to smile at such a normal question. “My friends. They came to help.”

“Oh, okay. And the big guy with the tattoos who took Ryan away? Are we sure he’s good? Ryan won’t escape?”

“Ryan won’t escape,” Ro reassured her from somewhere behind JJ.

“Rex and his teammates will take care of him, don’t worry,” he called out. He couldn’t see her, only hear her, and the sound of her voice made his heart hurt even more. If he and his friends didn’t think of something, pronto, she could be lost to him forever.

“Cal, June had her baby. Max is perfect! Ten toes, ten fingers, and lungs that work extremely well.”

“I heard,” Cal said.

“He’s beautiful,” April told him.

“Of course he is. June is his mother,” Cal responded, his tone shaky.

“Right, so . . . it’s very nice to meet you, Jack’s friends,” April said. “When can we get out of here?”

JJ frowned and took a step closer, even though he was pushing his luck. His toes brushed against the disturbed dirt a couple of dozen yards out from the cabin. He crouched down and studied the area. “We’re workin’ on it, sweetheart.”

There was a pause, as if she was digesting his words. Then, proving how smart his woman was, she said, “You can’t get us out.”

“I didn’t say that,” JJ protested.

“We aren’t stupid,” she said a little huffily. “We’ve been brainstorming in here ourselves to try to figure out how to help. And I have an idea.”

JJ tensed. He had a feeling he wasn’t going to like this. Not one bit.

“I can talk you through how to get to the door the same way we did. Ryan picked up the markers he used, the ones we stepped on to get here . . . but I think I remember where they were.”