Page 26

Maddox

As soon as the door locks behind Mindy, I turn to Canyon. “What’s wrong?”

“We had two little girls show up a few minutes ago.”

That’s not unusual.

“They look to be about twelve or thirteen.”

A bit young, but again street kids find us.

“They were running from their pimp.”

My hands ball up into fists.

“And they’re positive that he’s going to come after them. He’s found them every time they’ve tried to run away before.”

“You notified security.”

Canyon nods. “They’re with Fiona now. Should I contact Vex to hunt the whole organization down?”

That is his specialty. “No. He just got married. Let’s take care of it ourselves. Tell the council to meet in my office and every other brother is on security. No one gets near the kids.”

“Got it.”

Mindy’s probably pretty upset with me, but I can’t worry about that. “Make sure Mindy gets home safe, then shore up security here.”

Canyon’s face falls.

“If we haven’t left on our hunt before you get back, you can join us.”

“I’ll be back.” He rushes off.

Mindy is in for a ride.

Information is my first priority. I message Fiona.

Me: Can you bring them here?

Fea: They’re pretty upset.

Me: Want me to come there? Because I need information if we’re expecting more guests.

Fea: I’ll bring them to you. They act older, but they’re still just little girls.

Me: Noted

Jacko walks in. “I heard we get to feed the snakes today.”

“Hopefully, the girls can give us enough information.” I open the security wall and put on the exterior feeds. “The girls are sure our guests will visit us.”

“Should we lockdown?”

We haven’t had to do that in years. The world knows we protect our own to the death…theirs. “Let’s see what we’re getting into first.”

Brothers scatter about the edges of the neighborhood, making themselves invisible. Every single one of them is well-armed and ready to take an enemy out. “The girls are coming up now. Would you take the council and prepare for a full assault?”

“Can I bring grenades?”

Why not? “Sure.”

Jacko’s grin would scare the most experienced soldiers. “On it.”

I let Fiona up the elevator as Jacko heads out the back way.

Why is the world like this?

My phone chimes with an incoming message.

Enzo: Camera 8

I move that camera front and center. We already have a guest. A punk with his gun stuck in his pants and more jewelry than anyone should wear, including Louisella, strolls in like he owns the place. Rocky disables him and takes the weapon in a matter of seconds.

Now, it’s time to lock it down. I send out a notification to everyone.

“Maddox.” Fea gives me a warning before stepping in.

I close the curtains and the security wall. Not losing my mind when these girls talk to me will take every ounce of willpower I have. “Hey, Fea.” The tone of my voice stays calm and soft. I sit down in a chair to seem less threatening.

“This is Gracie and Anna. They understand you want to ask them some questions to help protect them.”

Twelve or thirteen. Canyon said they were twelve or thirteen. Those girls barely look ten years old. “If that’s okay with the two of you. When you’re here, you never have to do anything you don’t want to. We will protect you regardless. You’re safe and free.”

Gracie looks me in the eye. “That’s what Fea said. She also said you might be able to help the others.”

“I’ll try my best.” Or die trying.

“There were thirty of us.” Her voice breaks. “They kept us hanging in cages until we had to—” Gracie looks down at her feet.

“You don’t have to explain that. Maddox understands.”

“Do you know where you were being held?” I redirect the conversation.

“At an old mall outside of Urbium. It’s all boarded up. They use the furniture store for the—And they held us in the sporting goods store.”

“You’re doing really well.” Fiona’s countenance stays calm like mine, but her eyes are filled with rage and violence.

“How many men are there? I don’t need an exact number, a rough estimate will do.”

“Fifty,” Anna answers. “Not counting the ones in the hotel. But those men don’t have guns. They’re just there to—”

A hotel! And a film studio! How did they stay off Vex’s or our radar for this long? “That’s all the information I need. Thank you both.”

“That’s it?” Gracie asks. “On the television, the questioning takes forever. And they need to know everything.”

“Television isn’t real life.” And I’m not a cop. These guys aren’t getting a trial by jury or three square meals a day till their execution in ten years. We’re expediting the process. “If there’s anything the two of you need, all you have to do is ask.”

“I want to go home to my mommy.” A tear runs down Anna’s face.

If that woman is alive, she’s about to have the best and worst day of her life. “Fiona will help you find her. And if she runs into any problems, I’ll help.”

“I know her phone number. But I was too afraid that they’d hurt her too if I called her.”

This time I let a little power show in my voice. “You’re safe, and she will be too. Why don’t you go make that phone call?” Fea knows whatever resources she needs are available.

***

Together, the council watches the live feeds from a satellite over the mall where the girls are being held. Enzo tapped into the cameras that the old mall security used to use.

“Do we have enough ammo?”

“To take over a not-so-small third-world country.” Jacko grins.

“How are they getting the johns in undetected?” Dyce asks.

Enzo flips the screen onto a parking garage. “The mall was connected to a parking garage by an underground tunnel. Back when the mall was in use, the employees were supposed to use it. Now it’s a free public parking lot that’s unmonitored except for a handful of unmonitored security cameras that they used in case of any legal action. All the johns have to do is take the stairs or elevator down to the basement level and walk on over. No one ever sees them.”

Pit steps forward with a bag of chips in hand. “We need a plan to ensure none of the girls are hurt. We can’t just go in guns blazing like the cops would. There are way too many exits for us to block all of them.”

“Did our guest give us any information?” He’s already been introduced to the spicy noodles and is enjoying their welcoming bites. I’m picking up Mindy’s funny terms.

“Nothing, the cameras haven’t given us any more detail. Who doesn’t disconnect the security cameras when they're running a prostitution ring?”

“One where the security company is in on it.” Enzo nods to a man in a mall cop uniform making rounds like nothing is going on inside the building. “The feeds run into their building. I have a list of all the employees that are involved.”

We can take them out after we finish the rescue.

This is going to take all night. “We’ll go in as soon as things settle down and the sun sets. Jacko, your team will take out the power lines from the city and the backup generator. Then head into the hotel and clear it out room by room.”

“How are we going to deal with the bodies? There are dozens of johns every night.”

“I’ll see if the Vincentis have a ship that might be sinking in the next day or two. If not, we can set up the pool and deal with them in batches. Not one of these guys walks away alive.”

“The cars might be an issue.” Dyce walks away. “Unless a chop shop was to start picking them up. Which would be much easier if they had keys.”

Dyce and her interesting friends. “That sounds like a plan. Remember, the leader comes back with us for questioning.”

Pit cracks his knuckles. “I want to question him a few times.”

Canyon rushes in. “I didn’t miss the fun, did I?”

“Nope. We’ll catch you up on your assignment. We meet back here at 8.”

The guys file out to get dinner and talk to their significant others.

“Dyce.”

She stops at the door and turns to me. “Yeah?”

“Have fun. But watch your back when you’re going all commando tonight.”

“That’s Ace’s job.” She winks and walks away like we’re talking about a party and not a mass murder.

When we’re alone, I turn to Canyon. “How is Mindy? She seemed upset when she left.”

“Upset is the understatement of the century. That woman is livid. She gets freakishly polite when she’s mad. I don’t know what you did, but it’s going to take some serious groveling to get her to forgive you. I wouldn’t want to be you.”

The question is, why? What happened between last night and this morning to turn her from sweet and cute to a fire-breathing monster?

Why do I find Mindy to be even cuter when she’s angry? What would it be like to kiss her that way?

That needs to happen.

Soon.

Right after we clear this matter up. Which won’t happen until all those girls are free.