Page 53 of Stay With Me (Griffin’s Den #2)

FIFTY-TWO

Noah

We decide to go in quiet to try and minimize the panic.

The ambulance is down the road, ready to head up here the moment we clear the area.

This is the biggest operation I’ve ever been a part of. I’m pulling from knowledge from the academy and any training we’ve done.

I meet Hunt’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. He’s been after this group of people for years, and he finally has a reason to arrest the people at the top. I just hate that my Luna was caught in the middle of it.

My radio crackles. “Team B is in position, blocking the back road.”

“Team A is pulling up to the front entrance of the main road,” I say.

“Team C is in position on foot in the forest,” I hear.

“Team A is parking and getting ready to go to the front door,” I say as Hunt parks the car and we get out.

“We’re going to walk up and knock on the door. If we can do this without drawing weapons, that’s what I want to do,” Hunt tells everyone.

We all nod, knowing it would be the best outcome if we could do this peacefully.

As we walk up to the main house, the rain starts to fall. The home is worn down and in need of some major TLC, but it looks like sheets are covering the windows instead of curtains. The wood creaks as we climb the steps.

“If I fall through the porch before anything happens, I’m going to be pissed. I’m too old for this shit,” Mike mutters.

I snort because while it would suck, it would be funny to see.

Hunt gets to the door first and looks around as we spread out around the house. He waits about a minute and then pounds on the door. “FBI. Open up!” He knocks again.

I lean down and look under the door. “I see movement,” I whisper.

He knocks again. “FBI. Open up! We know you’re in there!”

Slowly, the door handle twists, and the door opens a crack.

A soft female voice answers. “How can I help you?”

“Please open the door and show us your hands. You are trespassing on this property.”

“We are renting the property,” the female answers, peeking around the door, her eyes meeting ours for a brief moment before looking down at the ground.

“Can you provide the lease?” Hunt asks.

Her face pales. “Umm, I’ll have to ask my husband.”

“Please call for him.”

My heart is pounding behind my ribs. This woman looks terrified.

“I’m right here,” someone says, and a slender man walks into view.

My hand sits loosely over my Glock as he opens the door wider.

“Chris Smith, put your hands in the air. You are wanted for questioning regarding your participation in a kidnapping,” Hunt demands and approaches him with one of his agents flanking him.

“You must be mistaken. I have not taken anyone,” he says with a smirk.

“Video evidence says otherwise. Where are Matthew and the rest of your friends?”

“We are here with our family,” he says calmly as he’s cuffed along with the woman who opened the door.

“Call them out to the main room,” Hunt says.

Chris just stares at him, not saying anything, and then a sharp whistle fills the air.

“What did you just signal?” Agent Thorne asks.

My eyes take in the room beyond the front door, waiting for someone to come out, but there’s no noise.

“Read them their rights and take them to separate squad cars,” Hunt tells one of the deputies.

The deputies comply and lead Chris and the woman away from the house.

Hunt turns back to us. “Alright, it’s time to clear the house. Noah, I need you to radio to see if the other teams have seen anything and have Team C hit some of the outbuildings.”

I nod and get on my radio, receiving updates and giving directives, and then we walk into the house. We go room by room, clearing each. Most are empty, but some women are in a couple of them. In the final room, I see Luna’s dress folded on the bed.

Hunt looks over his shoulder. “That’s what Luna was wearing, right?”

“Yeah,” I respond through clenched teeth.

The window is partially open, and I know she tried to get away.

“If she got away, the rain might work in her favor,” Hunt muses.

I nod. “I never thought I would be happy about a rainstorm during a search. My main worry is the temps dropping as the sun goes down.”

As he goes to respond, my radio crackles. “Matthew has been secured and is yelling that we’re delaying his destiny. We found him with one other male and several women. One woman says they’re looking for someone.”

My heart soars. “Location,” I snap and turn on my heel, racing out the closest door.

“Northwest from the house, about half a football field.”

Once outside, I pause and take in my surroundings. With the sun to my right, I start to run in that direction toward the woods, footsteps from the rest of the team sounding behind me. As I get closer, I hear a male voice yelling.

“You have no idea who you are messing with! I will be the ruler of this land when God condemns you all for your sins. I demand you let me go.”

“No can do, Matthew,” Hunt says as he jogs up next to me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Now let’s make this easier on you, and tell us where Luna is.”

I take the young man in, his face red with anger. His eyes are wild as he puffs his chest out and tries to stand taller with his shoulders back.

“How dare you address me by my name and not the name of Father. I will never tell you where my bride is. She will never be corrupted by the outside world again. She is mine and mine alone . We are destined to be together and bring life to this world after the apocalypse. You poisoned her mind and have led her from her true path.”

I charge forward with my fists clenched, but Mike holds me back. “Don’t do it, kid. I don’t want to have to take your badge even though a swift kick in the ass is what this kid needs.”

Anger pumps through my veins.

“We need him to tell us where she is,” I say through clenched teeth.

“We don’t know where she is,” someone says off to the side, and I whip my head toward the sound.

The small woman flinches as Matthew yells, “How dare you defy my direct orders. I should have left you to die back home. You will burn with the rest of them in the end if you continue to help them.”

“Take him out of here along with all the others, but leave this one,” Hunt says and points to the woman who spoke up.

Matthew is dragged away, screaming the whole way while the rest of the group remains silent.

“What do you mean you don’t know where she is? What’s your name?” I ask as I slowly approach the woman.

She tucks a strand of dirty blond hair behind her ear. “I’m Aspen. I left the window unlocked in the room she was being kept in so that she could hopefully get away. We were looking for her in the woods when you guys got here.”

“Aspen, it’s nice to meet you. I know Luna and Jess will be so excited to see you again,” I say as Hunt gives out orders to search the woods.

Aspen smiles softly. “I can’t wait to see them either.”

Now that I’m closer to her, I see that she’s covered in cuts and bruises.

I pull out my radio and call for Luke and Sam to come this way to look her over.

Once they arrive, I look at Aspen and say, “I’m going to go look for Luna. My two friends here will look you over to make sure you’re okay. They’ll take you to the ambulance to keep you warm and out of the rain. You can trust them.”

She eyes them nervously and then looks back at me. “Does Luna trust them?”

I nod. “Both her and Jess. I’m sure if you ask Sam, he’ll talk about how he thinks he’s her favorite uncle.”

“I am her favorite uncle,” he says with a smile.

“You wish. She loves Am’s farm more than you, so that makes me the favorite uncle.” Luke counters.

Aspen’s eyes go wide and bounce between the two men bantering back and forth before they slip into work mode and start asking her questions. They wrap a thermal blanket around her and guide her out of the forest.

Turning back to Hunt, I wipe the rain out of my eyes. “Alright, let’s search the woods for my woman.”

He gives me a sharp nod, and we walk straight ahead and start calling out for her, hoping she isn’t far because as the sun goes down, the temps will drop much faster.