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TWENTY-THREE

brUNO

“W here is she?” I screamed at my men as they scrambled like fools all around the place trying to find her.

Why was the border so damn busy? “You’re all fucking useless!

” The pain in my foot radiated from extreme to unbearable.

She was fucking dead. I was going to rip her from scalp to ankle, let her bleed out while I watched, and just before she took her last breath, I’d do the same to the boy.

I limped over to Armondo, who was on the phone. “Well?”

“She was last seen talking to some women who took a bus over the border. Maybe she’s with them?” I whirled and spotted where the buses stopped before they crossed. “ Ey !” I pointed at two of my soldiers. “Go!” They rushed off in that direction.

“ Senor ,” Armondo stepped into my murderous view, “look.” He held up his phone as a video played, and I closed my eyes to steady my rage as I read the headline.

“How am I losing control?” My voice boomed and made a whole bus line of people look at me. “Ahh!” I kicked a trash can and sent things flying. My ears rang from the pain, and it only fueled my temper.

All right. Think. I pressed my palms into my eyes to try to stop the pounding behind them. Okay .

I wiped the sweat from my face and placed a hand on Armondo’s shoulder and moved him closer to me. “I want them found, alive.”

“ Si .”

“No.” I could literally feel my brain start to unhinge, then a sudden calmness went through me as realization came to the surface. “Wait.” I held up a finger in front of his face. “Not just Nicole and that fucking kid, I want them all. Every one of them. It’s time, Armondo.”

“Yeah?” His face lit up as I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text.

Bruno: It’s time.

J: Understood.

“Spread the word, it’s time to wake the embedded.” I shivered as I stood and ignored the pain. “And start in Montana, at Camp Green.”

The End