Page 9

Taylor

Turning onto a long dirt road which is nothing but one big puddle, I pull to the only dry patch and kill the engine on my bike.

A drive that should have taken around an hour was cut in half when the skies cleared, giving me a safe and direct path here. But I know without a doubt, I would have still gone full throttle if I was riding through a hurricane. My mind was on a one track mission and a little water sure wasn’t going to stop me.

Boone is right, this may be our one and only chance, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit here and wait for backup to show.

I walk a few hundred yards up the road, the excess rainfall seeping into my shoes, the cold water chilling my feet to the bone. But I don’t care. My only thought is to get to Aries.

As I crest over the top of a small hill, a small, modern, one-story house comes into view. It looks fairly normal, but if I’ve learned anything from my time at Braveheart, I know that this isn’t just some random house in the middle of nowhere. I’ve seen countless places that look innocent or small and easy to overtake from the outside, but once you get inside, it’s like a maze with a convoluted path to destruction. And I have no doubt in my mind that this is going to be the same thing.

Movement from around the side of the house catches my eye, and I dart behind a tree. From the safety of my hiding spot, I watch as a guard, holding a gun, walks the perimeter multiple times before returning to walk back behind the house.

If I was a betting woman, I would assume that if they are guarding that back door or whatever lies beyond what I can see, that is where Ari is.

As soon as the guard disappears behind the house, I make a break for the next line of trees to get a better view. I can feel my phone going off in my pocket, but I ignore it. I know it’s Boone and I know he’s going to tell me to wait.

Sorry Boone, not going to happen.

My movements are slow and calculated because of the unknown. The last thing I want to do is get this far and make the mistake of moving too fast, blowing my cover and causing all hell to break loose before getting eyes on Aries. There is no telling if that guard was one of five or one of fifty. My guess is the latter because there is no possible way the orchestrator of this disaster would keep Aries hostage with a minimal amount of guards.

The rain starts to fall again, and I use it to my advantage to move through the field. The wind and rain drown out the sound of crunching leaves beneath my feet.

My entire body is a ball of nerves and I push down the bile threatening to rise in my throat. I need to be brave. I'm not the scared little girl that I once was.

I can do this. I can fucking do this.

As I reached the side of the house, I let out a sigh of relief.

One step closer. I can do this.

I round the backside of the house, my hand moving to the handle of my gun resting in the waistband of my soaked jeans.

My head is on a constant swivel as I reach the white door and I crouch down so I’m not seen through the glass window.

Slowly, I creep up high enough to peek inside and what I see shocks me.

The same guard I saw walking outside moments before is sitting next to a locked door, fast asleep. His gun is on the ground next to him, his arms crossed over his chest and his head hanging back. I swear I can hear his snoring through the door.

My hand moves to the door handle, and I curse under my breath as it opens with ease.

Quietly, I make my way inside and stare down at the guard who is dead to the world.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is who has been standing in the way for two months?” I murmur.

Don’t let your guard down. This could be a trap.

I nod to myself and clear my mind, knowing exactly what I need to do.

Not giving myself a moment to think, I bend, my hand moving to the sheathed knife I have on my ankle, my eyes never leaving the sleeping guard and my ears listening for any hint of movement.

In one fluid motion, I grip the knife, rise to my full height, and swipe the blade against the guard's neck, flashes of crimson coat my vision. His eyes flash open and he tries to speak, but all he can conjure is a gargle.

I feel a sadistic smile spread across my face as I watch the life drain from his eyes and blood fills his mouth, making it hard for him to breathe.

Once again, I scan my surroundings and see a set of keys clipped to his belt.

I’m coming for you, Ari.

Using the back of my hand, I swipe the blood from my eyes and lean down so my mouth is next to the guard’s ear. “No sleeping on the job.”

My voice is barely above a whisper as I release the keys from his belt and watch the last remaining moments of life drain from his eyes.

Before moving to the door, I make a quick scan of the area. I wait for a hoard of people to come running, because surely this is a trap, but I’m met with only silence.

I make quick work of the door and stand to the side as I push it open.

It would be my luck that I get shot just a staircase away from rescuing Ari.

When I’m met with silence once more, I quietly place my foot on the first step, and allow the door to slightly close behind me.

Creeeeak.

The wooden steps echo in the dark basement and I know for certain if someone is hiding in the shadows, I’ve just given myself away.

Using the small amount of light coming from the crack in the door, I slowly make my way down the steps and as I reach the last step, a putrid smell overtakes me.

Bile rises in my throat as what I can only describe as death fills my nose.

Fucking hell. Where is that smell coming from? And where is Aries? Is this a dead end? It can’t be.

Grabbing my phone from my back pocket, I tap the flashlight and begin looking around the nearly empty basement. Apart from a few shovels and chainsaws, I see nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that could produce that awful smell.

My eyes narrow on a concrete wall towards the back of the room and hurry to the other side of it, plastering my back against the cool concrete.

Please don’t let a hoard of guards be waiting behind here. I may have just taken down Sleeping Beauty upstairs, but I’m no match for a slew of most likely armed men.

The awful smell hits me once more and I beg my mind to fight everything in my body, begging me to toss the contents of my stomach.

I tuck my phone into my jeans pocket and shine the flashlight straight ahead. Moving my free hand to my waistband, I grab my gun and extend my arms as I creep around the corner, ready to fire at the first person I see.

As I round the wall, my heart is racing so fast I feel like it's going to beat out of my chest. My arms drop and I place my gun back in my holster.

Shock. Heartbreak. Fear. Devastation. It all floods me as I catch sight of what lies behind the wall, my feet moving me closer against my will.

Wetness hits my cheeks and my voice cracks. “A–Aries?”

Trapped in a wrought iron cage, chained to a concrete wall, sits a lifeless Aries. His head hangs down, his arms trapped above his head by rusting metal cuffs.

No. This has to be a dream. This cannot be how this story ends.

My hands wrap around the door of the cage and I try to pull it open, but it doesn’t budge.

Fuck!

I search the area for a key, but it’s unsuccessful. I’m about to run upstairs when I remember the key ring I stole from Sleeping Beauty.

My hands shake as I try every key on the crowded ring. “Please work.” My head lifts for a millisecond, my gaze locked on a lifeless Aries. “I’m coming, you big pain in the ass. I’m going to get you out of here.”

Nothing.

Reality sets in and I shake my head, not allowing myself to go there.

I reach the last key and place it in the lock, mentally preparing myself to run back upstairs in search of the right key. But to my total surprise, the lock disengages and I pry the door open; the metal scraping on the concrete floor.

I make a break for Aries; the smell assaulting my nose, but I do my best to ignore it.

Crouching down, my hands move to either side of Aries' heavily bearded face, lifting his head so I can get a good look at him.

Bruises. Blood.

That’s all that I see on his battered face. His cheekbones are more pronounced and rage fills me. And with a quick glance, I do a once over of the rest of his body, especially his mangled wrists. I can tell that moving him is going to be anything but easy and painless.

I’m going to kill whoever is responsible for taking a man that spends his day leading an entire unit of people to nothing but a crumpled heap of blood, tattooed skin, and bones.

Brushing my thumb against his cheek, I lean in close, “Aries. It’s Taylor. Can you hear me?”

Come on, Aries. Give me something.

Continuing my pattern with my thumb, I wait for any sign of life. And when his eyes slightly move, I feel a large breath of air fill my lungs.

“It’s me, Ari. Come on. Open your eyes.”

Aries' eyes flutter a few times before he opens them completely, his dark eyes locking on mine. His eyebrows raise and shock falls over his face. He blinks a few times and shakes his head.

“T-Taylor?”

His voice is nothing more than a whisper and I can hear the strain in his vocal cords, as if he hasn’t spoken in days.

“Welcome back, Aries,” I say, a small smile falling on my face, trying to give an ounce of hope to the man I thought I'd never see again.

“T-Taylor. You have to get out of here. He’s going to come for you and I c-can’t save you right now.” His voice is full of panic, his chest rising and falling at a rapid rate as he tries to pull on the chains above his head. The skin on his wrist tears, blood flowing from the cuts and dripping down his arm.

Aries doesn’t react. Not even a flinch or groan in pain.

I need to get him out of here now.

Not allowing myself to dwell or dissect what he said, I test the keys on his chains. This time, I quickly find the right one.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve rescued someone from chains, so as soon as the cuffs give way, I catch Aries arms, carefully and slowly lowering them to rest at his side.

His battered body slumps and a groan escapes him, his head falling back against the concrete wall.

Looking around the cage, I search for something to lay his head on and freeze. In the corner is a bucket and a pile of plastic water bottles.

Tears fill my eyes as a clear image of what Aries’ life has been like for two months comes into view.

But I don’t have time to dwell on that when I hear multiple footsteps and yelling sounds from upstairs.

Dammit.

I grab my phone from my pocket and crouch in front of Aries, my hand resting on my holster.

My phone lights up with a call from Boone.

Perfect timing, VP.

Glancing over my shoulder, I answer the call, my eyes locked on a horrified Aries.

“Where are you, Taylor?” Boone yells, gunshots sounding in the background.

“In the basement. I got him.”

There is a moment of silence, but it’s quickly filled with Boone yelling at someone else.

“Is he—” he asks, concern and fear melting through the phone.

“Yes,” I cut him off.

More footsteps sound above me and I sink further into Aries that I’m basically sitting on his lap, but I don’t care. If I have to use my body as a shield, I will.

Footsteps grow closer to the basement door.

“Get down here. Now.”

As the words leave my mouth, I hang up, taking a deep breath, readying myself to face the bloodbath that is sure to come down those stairs any minute.

A hand on my elbow causes me to jump, and I glance back at Aries. His eyes are full of fear and I can tell he is seconds from passing out.

“Please go. He’s coming for you. Run while you can.”

My brows furrow, but I shake my head. “Not a chance. Let him come and we’ll see who makes it out at the end.”

A tear cascades down his face and I feel as if my heart shatters. “Please Hellhound. I’m begging you to run.”

Fear encapsulates every inch of my body, and a shiver runs down my spine at his words. Whatever his reasoning is, it has the bravest man I know scared and begging me to leave when he’s moments from freedom.

I go to respond, but freeze when light filters down from the top of the stairs, footsteps flying down them at rapid speed.

Moving my body to cover Aries as much as I can, I glance at Aries over my shoulder. “Stay strong a little longer. I’m going to get us out of here.”

His mouth opens and I snap my attention forward, not giving him a chance to respond.

The footsteps grow closer and I aim my gun straight at the open cage door.

I can do this.

Save Aries.

A shadow rounds the wall and my finger flutters on the trigger.

The figure moves closer, and I steady my shaking finger.

“Don’t shoot. One heart, one purpose, one destiny. For the brave and the fallen.”

My hands drop and I angle my body just in time for my legs to give out, my ass hitting the concrete with a thud instead of landing on Aries as the Braveheart motto replays in my head.

Boone, followed by Indy, Tucker, Zoro, and Tombstone, file into the cage.

Boone advances on Aries and me like we are timid animals. I watch as his eyes grow with fear and anger at the look of his best friend.

And when I look at Aries, I expect him to be staring up at Boone, but he’s not. His dark eyes are locked on mine. An unknown mix of emotions on his face.

I don’t know what comes over me, but I reach out, threading my fingers through his tattered hands. I expect him to pull away, but he does the opposite. His chest deflates, and he grips my hand with every ounce of strength he can muster.

For a moment, his eyes meet mine and I send a quick thank you to the universe above that he is alive.

“Good to see you, brother. I think it’s time we get the hell out of here. Unless you want to stay down here? It seems…cozy.”

Aries’ gaze breaks from mine at the sound of Boone’s voice.

His eyes slightly roll, and he nods. “Get me the hell out of here.”