Page 12 of Cowboy (Fury Vipers MC: Dublin Chapter #4)

COWBOY

I pace the floor of Travis’ apartment, my mind racing.

It's been three days since we last heard anything about Caoimhe's whereabouts. The bastards who took her have been jerking us around. The phone calls I’ve received have been distorted voices that have pushed the date and time back each and every time. I’m at my wit’s end and ready to tear the fucking city apart to find Caoimhe.

The fake USB drive is ready, but we still have no solid lead on where she's being held. I’m about ready to lose my fucking mind. The longer they have her, the more danger she’s in. I can’t keep sitting here, twiddling my thumbs while we wait for information.

"Anything?" I ask Travis for what feels like the hundredth time.

He shakes his head, frustration clear in his eyes. "Nothing concrete yet. Melissa's still working on tracing that video call, but whoever these people are, they're good at covering their tracks."

Jer, who's been quietly observing from the corner, speaks up. "We might need to consider other options. My boys have been asking around, and there are whispers of increased activity at the docks. Could be related to our situation."

I turn to him, hope flaring in my chest. "What kind of activity?"

"Unusual shipments, extra security. The kind of thing you'd expect if someone was moving valuable... cargo," Jer says, his voice grim.

The implication hits me like a punch to the gut. "You think they're planning to traffic her?"

Travis nods slowly. "It fits their M.O. If they can't get the information from her, they'll try to profit from her in other ways."

Rage boils up inside me at the thought of Caoimhe being sold like property. "We can't let that happen," I growl.

"We won't," Travis assures me. "But we need to move fast. Jer, can your boys get us more information about these shipments?"

Jer nods. "Already on it. I've got Maverick and Emmanuel down at the docks now, keeping an eye out."

Just then, my phone buzzes. It's a text from an unknown number.

UNKNOWN: Time's up. Bring the drive to Warehouse 17 at the North Wall Quay. One hour. Come alone or the girl dies.

I show the message to Travis and Jer. "This is it," I say. "We need to move now."

Travis nods, already pulling out his phone to alert his team.

"Alright, here's the plan. Ciarán, you go in with the fake drive. Keep them talking; buy us as much time as you can. Jer, have your boys create a distraction at the south end of the docks. My team will move in from the north and east. We’ll call Pyro on the way and see if he can spare some of your brothers to help scope out the place. "

"What about Caoimhe?" I ask, my heart racing.

"Finding her is our top priority," Travis assures me. "Once we've secured the area, we'll do a thorough sweep. If she's there, we'll find her."

I nod, trying to quell the fear and anticipation churning in my gut. "Let's do this."

As we gear up and head out, I can't shake the feeling that we're walking into a trap. But I don’t care. Right now, my main priority is Caoimhe. I need to find her. That’s all I want.

I head out on my bike and call Pyro once my Bluetooth is connected.

“Cowboy, you good?” Py asks the second he answers the call.

I quickly fill him in on what the message says, along with Jer’s information. “I’m heading to the North Wall now. I know there’s not a lot of time, but I’m wondering if you or any of the brothers are free to help?”

"Of course," Pyro replies without hesitation. "I'll send Tank and Wrath to scout the area. They'll be there in fifteen minutes. Be careful, Cowboy. These bastards are dangerous."

"I know," I say grimly. "Thanks, Py. I'll keep you updated."

I end the call and focus on the road ahead, my mind racing. I’m worried about Caoimhe and what state she’ll be in when we find her. Will we even find her at all? I push the doubts aside. I have to believe we'll get her back. I have to.

As I approach the docks, I slow down, scanning the area for any signs of trouble. The place is eerily quiet, with only the distant sound of waves and the occasional cry of a seagull breaking the silence.

I park my bike a short distance from Warehouse 17 and approach on foot, the fake USB drive heavy in my pocket. My hand instinctively moves to the gun at my waist, making sure it's easily accessible.

As I near the warehouse, I spot Tank and Wrath in position, blending into the shadows. They give me a subtle nod, letting me know they've got my back. It's a small comfort in the face of what I'm about to walk into.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever comes next. Then, with one last glance around, I push open the door to Warehouse 17 and step inside.

The interior is dimly lit. Stacks of crates and shipping containers create a maze-like environment. My eyes scan the area, looking for any sign of movement.

"I'm here," I call out, my voice echoing in the cavernous space. "I've got what you want. Now where's Caoimhe?"

For a moment, there's only silence. Then, a voice speaks from the shadows.

"Ah, Cowboy. Right on time."

A figure steps into view. It's the same man from before, his cold eyes fixed on me.

"Where's Caoimhe?" I demand again, my hand inching toward my gun.

The man smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "All in good time. First, the drive."

I pull the fake USB from my pocket, holding it up. "Let me see Caoimhe first. Then you get this."

The man's smile fades, replaced by a look of irritation. "You're in no position to make demands, boy. Give me the drive or the girl dies. It's that simple."

My heart races as I weigh my options. I need to buy more time, give Travis and the others a chance to find Caoimhe.

"How do I know she's even still alive?" I ask, stalling.

The man sighs, pulling out a phone. He taps the screen a few times then turns it toward me. It's another video of Caoimhe, but this time she looks worse. Her face is bruised and she’s holding yesterday’s newspaper.

“That’s not proof of life,” I snap. “How do I know she’s alive today?”

He shakes his head. “You’ll have to take my word for it. Now, give me the USB drive.”

I resist the urge to punch this fucker in the face. "You'll get the drive when I see Caoimhe," I say firmly, standing my ground. "That was the deal." I’m not leaving until I know she’s alive.

The man's eyes narrow dangerously. "You're trying my patience, boy. Perhaps you need some motivation."

He snaps his fingers, and suddenly I'm surrounded by armed men, their weapons trained on me. My heart races, but I force myself to stay calm. I can't show weakness now.

"Last chance," the man says coldly. "Give me the drive, or things get very unpleasant for you."

I'm about to respond, when a loud explosion rocks the warehouse. The man's head whips around, his eyes wide with surprise. I seize the moment of distraction, drawing my gun and diving behind a stack of crates.

Gunfire erupts, the sound deafening in the enclosed space. I hear shouts and the pounding of feet as chaos breaks out. Through the mayhem, I watch as Jer's team moves in. There’s no hesitation. They take out everyone who’s in their way.

"Ciarán!" I hear Tank's voice through my earpiece. "We've got movement on the east side. Looks like they're trying to escape.”

"I'm on it," I reply, already moving.

I weave through the warehouse, using the crates as cover. The sounds of fighting fade as I make my way toward the east exit. As I round a corner, I see four men running toward a car. They’re alone. No women, no children, and no Caoimhe.

Fuck. Where the hell is she?

“We’ve got these,” Travis assures me. “Go check out the warehouse and see if you can find any evidence of Caoimhe being here.”

I don’t need to be told twice. I turn on my heels and race toward the building, but I stop when I hear the laughter of one of the men. “You’ll not find her, Cowboy. She’s already gone. Long gone.”

My blood runs cold at his words. "What do you mean, gone?" I demand, grabbing the man by his shirt and slamming him against the wall. "Where is she?"

He laughs again, a cruel sound that makes my skin crawl. "Shipped out, pretty boy. She's on her way to her new owner as we speak."

Rage and fear whirl inside me. I pull back my fist, ready to beat the information out of him, but Travis' hand on my shoulder stops me.

"We need him alive, Cowboy," Travis says, his voice tight with barely controlled anger. "He's our best lead."

I release the man, stepping back as Travis' team moves in to secure him. My mind is reeling. Caoimhe was shipped out? The thought of her being trafficked, sold like property, makes me sick to my stomach.

"We need to move, now," I say to Travis, my voice urgent. "If she's been shipped out, we might still have a chance to intercept."

Travis nods, already pulling out his phone. "I'm on it. Melissa, I need you to track any shipments that left the docks over the last twenty-four hours. Focus on anything unusual or off the books."

As Travis coordinates with his team, I pace the warehouse, searching for any clue, any hint of where Caoimhe might have been taken. But the place is empty, devoid of any sign that she was ever here.

"Cowboy," Jer says as he comes to stand beside me. "We've got something. One of my contacts just reported a shipment leaving the docks over twelve hours ago. It wasn't on any official manifest."

Hope flares in my chest. "Where was it headed?"

"Looks like it was bound for the Port," Pyro replies. "Could be they're planning to move her out of the country."

“Twelve hours ago?” I hiss. “That shipment could be fucking anywhere.”

Jer puts a hand on my shoulder, his voice calm but firm. "We'll find her, Cowboy. We've got every available man on this. If that shipment's still in the country, we'll track it down."

I nod, trying to push down the panic threatening to overwhelm me. "What about the men we captured? Have they said anything useful?"

Travis shakes his head, frustration evident in his eyes. "Not yet. They're trained, probably ex-military. It'll take time to break them."

"Time we don't have," I growl, running a hand through my hair.

Just then, Tank approaches, his expression grim. "Cowboy, we found something you need to see."

He leads us to a small office at the back of the warehouse. Inside, pinned to a corkboard, is a map of Europe with various locations marked.

"Look at this," Tank says, pointing to a red pin stuck in the south of France. "It's marked 'Next Shipment'. Could be where they're taking Caoimhe."

Hope surges through me. It's not much, but it's a lead. "We need to get there, now," I say, already moving toward the door.

"Hold on," Travis says, grabbing my arm. "We can't just rush in blind. We need a plan."

I spin to face him, anger flaring. "Every second we waste is another second Caoimhe's in danger. We need to move!"

"And we will," Travis assures me, his voice calm but firm. "But we do this smartly. I've got contacts in France. Let me make some calls, see if we can get some local support."

I clench my fists, wanting to argue, but I know he's right. "Fine. But make it quick."

As Travis steps away to make his calls, I turn to Jer. "I need a favor."

"Name it," he says without hesitation.

"I need a plane. Something fast, that can get us to France ASAP."

Jer nods, already pulling out his phone. "Consider it done. I've got a guy who owes me a favor. We can be in the air within the hour."

"Good," I say, feeling a small measure of relief. We're not out of this yet, but at least we're moving in the right direction.

As Jer makes his arrangements, I step outside for a moment, needing some air. I look up at the sky, thinking of Caoimhe. Is she scared? In pain? When I find these fuckers who’ve done this to her, I’m going to kill them slowly.

I close my eyes, pushing down the wave of emotion threatening to overwhelm me. "Hold on, Caoimhe," I say, hoping that somehow she’ll hear me. "I'm coming for you. I promise."