Page 29

Pippen

November 3, 2024, Soulless Sinners’ clubhouse,

When I woke up this morning, I knew something was wrong.

I could feel it. I just didn’t know how to describe it or what it meant, but whatever was coming was about to change the fabric of everything I knew. For weeks, Danny had been distant, barely speaking and avoiding eye contact. He was unusually quiet, his eyes distant and clouded, and though something clearly troubled him, he refused to talk about it. Each time I tried to bring it up, he skillfully deflected the conversation by either ignoring me, steering it in a different direction, or he would fuck me senseless. I didn’t mind the last part, but that subtle unease blossomed into a suffocating dread that squeezed my heart, stealing my breath and filling me with a chilling fear.

He was pulling away from me.

I knew it.

I just didn’t know why. The only thing I knew for certain was his unwavering commitment to others, as he spent hours upon hours working diligently at his computers, tirelessly ensuring that everyone else’s needs were met before his own. He’d often take off on his bike for hours when not working, enjoying the feel of the wind, and return exhausted and worn out. What he did or where he went during those times, I didn’t know.

Something had to give soon because I couldn’t take much more. Inside the clubhouse, a palpable tension hung in the air as everyone, on edge and jittery, nervously awaited the inevitable next event. They felt it in the hushed whispers and hurried glances—something significant loomed, yet the absence of a clear objective made any preparations feel futile. The club persistently bombarded me with questions to which I had no answers, and even if I possessed some information, I was unsure of its trustworthiness and validity. I wasn’t like Danny. I didn’t have access to the resources he did. My area of expertise was more focused on practical, hands-on technology rather than complex, analytical algorithms. I was able to research and dig into a number of different avenues, but it took me a significant amount of time to uncover the actual truth. Unlike Danny, my brain processed information differently, and instead of seeking help from the one person with the resources and expertise, the Soulless Sinners exhibited a blatant and unacceptable refusal to cooperate.

Okay, well maybe not all of them, but one did.

From inception, Montana had to have things his way. Although it was possible that his inherent disposition played a role, the fact remained that even an animal confined to a cage showed a capacity to adjust to its surroundings over time.

Not Montana. It was his way or the fucking highway.

I understood Montana didn’t trust Reaper or anyone really, for that matter. In Montana’s mind, his motivations and the actions he took were entirely justified; however, the reality was that he was far more akin to Reaper than he had ever realized or admitted to himself. Neither man exhibited honesty nor forthrightness; in fact, both were demonstrably dishonest and evasive in their dealings. Driven by their own unique agendas, each president was prepared to use any method, no matter how questionable, to secure their goals. The problem was their callous disregard; neither man showed an ounce of empathy for those caught in the crossfire, their suffering unnoticed amidst the chaos and bloodshed. At the rate they were going, when the dust settled, there would be no one left.

There was no winner in a war. Oh, they could win a battle, but both would lose the war, and even I knew there was a war coming. All the signs pointed in that direction, and if the two presidents didn’t get their heads out of their asses soon and find a way to work together, this war would cost them more than they ever bargained for.

Shouting from the main room got my attention as I clearly heard Montana spewing vile threats, “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing in my clubhouse!”

Moaning, I closed my eyes trying to drown him out when my door burst open.

“Intern, get your ass out front. The fucking FEDs are here, and Montana is losing his shit. What the fuck did you do?” Payne asked, while I slowly stood.

“Nothing,” I replied, walking around my desk. “I haven’t done anything.”

“Well, you did something.” The big man huffed when I walked past him. The closer I got to the main gathering room, the more I heard Montana’s venomous words, each syllable dripping with spite. If brownie points were his goal, his approach was about as subtle as a slap in the face.

“Get the fuck out of my clubhouse before I shove my boot so far up your fucking ass, you’ll be able to taste my leather sole!”

“Threaten me again, Mr. Stone, and I will arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

“I’d like to fucking see you try it,” Montana sneered.

“Warrant is legit, Montana,” Fury noted, handing the document back to the FED. “We can’t stop him.”

“The fuck I can’t!”

“Boss,” Mercy whispered. “Don’t do this. Let them take the kid, and we’ll get the club attorney on it fast. Intern will be out on bail in a few hours. You don’t want to tangle with the FEDs.”

“They ain’t taking him.”

“We don’t have a choice,” Fury replied, standing firm, squaring his shoulders for a fight as three more federal agents walked into the clubhouse.

Walking right over to the head agent, I took a deep breath and calmly asked, “I’m Dante Sharp. May I please know the charges I’m being accused of?”

The agent wasted no time turning me around, as he reached for my wrists and quickly placed cold metal cuffs on them. “Dante Sharp, you are under arrest for unauthorized access, data theft, and cyber espionage in accordance with the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can’t afford one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them?”

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Montana roared. “Kid didn’t hack shit.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Stone.” Another agent smiled. “This kid hacked the Hoover Building last night and wasn’t very smart about it either. Left a trail of breadcrumbs that led us straight to him. But don’t worry. We’ll be back for the rest of you soon enough.”

The air crackled with tension as Mercy and Malice lunged to restrain Montana, who was on the verge of killing the motherfucker.

Looking at Payne, I barely had enough time to shout as the federal agent gripped my upper arm tightly and yanked me forcefully out of the clubhouse. “Call Danny!”

After shoving me into the back of an unmarked dark cruiser, I quickly turned and looked out the back window just as Malice walked out of the clubhouse and stood there with a scowl on his face as two agents jumped into the backseat with me, while another slid into the front passenger seat. The arresting agent sat behind the wheel.

Something wasn’t right.

There were too many agents in the vehicle for what I was being accused of. I wasn’t a serial killer or a known terrorist. Yet, there they were, crowding me into the middle of the back seat as if I was some hardened criminal. With no choice, I turned back around and faced forward, sighing as I tried to make sense of everything.

I didn’t hack into anything, and surely not the fucking Hoover Building. I wasn’t stupid or fucking smart enough to do that shit. I mean, yeah, technically I could do it but fuck, I liked my freedom too damn much.

Saying nothing, I watched as the cruiser sped toward downtown when I realized we were going in the wrong direction. Looking out the side windows, I said, “Uh, guys, you’re going the wrong way.”

“Shut up,” the large fucker next to me growled.

“I’m being serious,” I added. “The federal building is the other way.”

“I said shut up,” the man sneered, looking at me.

Gulping, I asked, “You’re not taking me to the federal building, are you?”

“No, Mr. Sharp, we are not,” the driver admitted. “There is someone who would like to talk to you.”

“Who?”

“You’ll see soon enough.”

November 29 , 2024, place unknown,

Time seemed to stand still.

I didn’t know if it was day or night or how long we had been in this room. All I knew was that one minute federal agents were escorting me into a waiting plane, and the next I was thrown into a stark white room with a metal table and four chairs to find Danny with his feet up on a table, head thrown back, snoring.

Sometime later, the door opened, and two men shoved Phantom into the room with us. And there we stayed. In a room with no windows. No clock to tell us what time it was. No two-way mirror. Nothing.

Plus, it was fucking cold.

We walked around the room to keep warm, never really saying anything. I didn’t need to be told that whoever had us was listening. All I cared about was where in the hell we were. This place wasn’t like anything I’d ever seen before. When the plane landed, I quickly scanned the area and knew this place wasn’t just any federal prison facility. The heavily armed men and the extreme security protocols to even get in the building was enough to tell me that, but as time passed, and the more they made us wait, the more I became worried we were never going to get out of this place.

Leaning against the cold wall, I slowly slid down to the floor and pulled my legs up, wrapping my arms around them to keep warm as my stomach grumbled. I had a feeling we were going to be in here for the long haul. Turning my head, I laid my head down on my arms and closed my eyes when something occurred to me.

Slowly looking around the room, I got up and really took a look at the room I was in. From the naked eye, it was a non-descript room that gave nothing away. But if this was the facility Danny told me about, then I knew somewhere in this room there was a camera.

All I had to do was find it.

And that’s what I did for what felt like hours, days, weeks even.

Running my hand across the cold concrete wall, I took my time, trying to find any imperfection when the door opened and in walked the same heavily armed man carrying a tray. Throwing it on the table, he did an about-face and quickly slammed the door.

“Fucking bologna sandwiches on white bread again.” Lena groaned, shoving the tray away. “What I wouldn’t give for a slice of pizza.”

“I could eat a fat juicy burger slathered in onions and fries,” Danny stated then added, “Dante, what the hell are you doing?”

“Looking for the damn camera.” I huffed loudly, tired of all the pretense. I knew those fuckers were watching us. They fucking knew what I was doing. They just figured I wouldn’t be able to find it. Well, screw that. I wanted out of this fucking room just as much as Phantom did.

“There isn’t one.” Lena groaned, laying her head on the table. “We already checked.”

“It’s here. I know it. It’s the only reason I can think of as to why they are keeping us in here together. They figure we’ll eventually break and say something incriminating.”

“If I eat another bologna sandwich, I’m gonna say a lot more than that,” Lena muttered, then shouted, “You hear that, motherfuckers. Bring me another goddamned bologna sandwich and see what the fuck happens! Bring us real fucking food!”

“Well.” Danny chuckled, reaching for her sandwich. “If you’re not gonna eat yours.”

Before he could grab her sandwich I snagged it, throwing the bologna on the table, and spitting on the slice of white bread.

“What the hell, Dante? I was gonna eat that!”

“Do you know what they put in white bread?” I asked, turning back to the wall, spitting on the bread again. “Gluten. And do you know what gluten is also used for?”

“If you say pizza I’m going to strangle you.”

“Glue.” I continued talking while I mixed my saliva with the bread, turning it into a thick paste. “Gluten is a good bonding agent and is used for many things, including disrupting sound. Did you know that when wet gluten adheres to any surface, it hardens, distorting sound waves, making it nearly impossible to hear anything?”

“Awesome,” Lena snarked. “Thanks for the science lesson.”

Ignoring her, I separated my fingers and smiled at the thick creamy consistency before slamming my hand against the wall, smearing my hand all over it, making sure to shove enough of the paste in the tiny crevice I found. Turning back to the table, I took the remaining slice of white bread and placed it directly over the wet goo, then leaned against it.

“Now that’s taken care of, I figure we’ve got about three minutes before they come in here.”

Sitting up, Lena looked at Danny, who was smiling from ear to ear. “Took you long enough.”

“Yeah well, in my defense, it was fucking hard to find.”

“Getting your eyes checked the moment we get home, babe.”

“It’s a fucking white room, Danny!” I shouted. “I dare you to find a fucking snowflake in here. It’s damn near impossible.”

“Whatever,” Lena moaned. “We need to hurry. You sure this is the facility because I am not going home empty-handed?”

“Yeah.” Danny stretched his arms over his head. “Saw fucking Reed Scott when they brought me in here, and if my math is right, we’ve been here too fucking long. Which is more than enough time for the cavalry to figure out how to break into this fucking place and secure them both.”

“While I got love for the both of you, they better fucking hurry,” Lena snarked. “Because I know Dylan. The longer I’m here, the more agitated he will become. And none of us wants to see what happens when Dylan finally loses his shit.”

She was right about that. I had heard horror stories of what Dylan Franks or the man known as Bullseye was capable of doing. The man didn’t get the name Bullseye for nothing. That was for damn sure.

Wiping my hands down my jeans, I took my seat next to Danny just as two armed guards stormed in, taking up residence in the corners of the room.

“What’s the matter, shit for brains, no patience?” Danny sneered.

One of the guards stepped forward. “How did you do it?”

“Do what?” Lena smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes like some helpless woman in distress. I would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

“Just tell us, bitch,” the guard sneered when she chuckled.

When the guard standing in the far corner growled and stepped forward, Lena rolled her eyes and groaned. “What’s the matter, fucknuts? You look constipated. You better not stink up this room.”

The door opened and the man we’d been waiting for walked in. The second Danny laid eyes on him, I saw the small quirk of his lips. He blinked several times as he took a seat across from us, placing three files before him.

Sitting back in my seat, I whispered, “Let the games begin.”

Listening while Reed Scott droned on and on, thinking he had the upper hand. All I kept thinking about was my daughter. She was in this facility somewhere, and I prayed that Ace and Harbor Security were able to secure her without scaring her too much. She was only a small girl, barely two, and I knew seeing some stranger could frighten her. I didn’t want that. Bad enough she was going to go home with two men she’d never met before. No matter what I did, I couldn’t forget the pain of what I put her mother through. She was so young and should have been at school hanging out with friends, laughing with her family, anything but being a forced captive at the Trick Pony. To make matters worse, my daughter would never know what her mother endured for her, how she suffered, giving up her life to bring her into the world. But I wouldn’t forget.

I would never forget.

Lena’s laughter brought my attention back to the present when I heard her say, “No you don’t because, Agent Reed Scott, you are a liar. You are not even the assistant director to diddly squat. You are, however, the son of Devlin Scott. Or is he your grandfather? Offsprings of incest are so confusing.”

“Seriously, dude, your family tree doesn’t fork. It just goes straight up.” I snickered.

“Unlock this fucking building,” Reed Scott seethed, his face turning a bat-crap-crazy shade of red. “You have five seconds or I’m going to order these men to kill you.”

All three guards in the room smiled, aiming their weapons at us.

“Like I said before, we can’t leave yet.” Lena smirked.

“Why not?”

“Because I haven’t finished my nails,” she retorted, blowing on her unpolished nails.

“Uh, Reed?” one of the guards said, capturing his attention.

“Yeah?”

“We got company.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know, but the sensors are going off like crazy.”

Smirking, I heard Danny whisper, “Three… two… one…” just as the door burst open with a loud bang. Diving under the table, Danny reached for my hand when someone landed on the table above us.

“Well, that was fun,” someone said, and Lena gasped.

“Reaper would like a word with you, asshole,” I heard Matthew Law snarl as Ace shouted, “DANNY!”

Crawling out from under the table, Danny growled, “Was she here?” Ace grabbed his brother and hugged him tight.

“Yes. She is waiting for the both of you.”

Not needing to be told twice, I ran from the room with Danny right on my heels.

The idea of actually meeting my daughter in person had never fully registered with me before; I hadn’t truly contemplated what that would feel like. I’d seen pictures of her, countless images, but none truly prepared me for her presence. I knew she was my double, blonde hair, light brown eyes, and all, but nothing could have prepared me for the overwhelming rush of love when I finally saw her—a feeling both intense and deeply familiar, like looking into a mirror reflecting my soul.

In the middle of a room stood Zach Walsh. He held my daughter close, his touch gentle as he soothed her silent tears, the rhythmic rubbing of his hand on her back a calming presence. Her beauty was so striking that it transcended anything I had ever encountered in my lifetime; she was, quite simply, the most beautiful person I’d ever seen. Lost in her gaze, all I wanted was to stand there forever, the warmth of her presence filling me. Her perfect, tiny form was heartbreaking as silent tears streamed down her face.

Slowly approaching, Zach turned and frowned.

“We watched for five days before we entered. I refused to wait any longer. No one showed her any attention or affection. The nurse that was supposed to be caring for her only showed up three times a day to feed her and change her. That bitch never even talked to her, Danny. When I entered, she was quietly sitting in her crib crying while she played with her stuffed teddy bear, but the moment I picked her up, she latched on. Poor peanut is starved for love and affection.”

“Where is the nurse?” Danny growled as I walked closer to her.

“Bitch didn’t make it.”

“Danika?” My voice was barely a breath as I gently moved her long blonde hair from her face, watching as her eyes fluttered open to meet mine, her eyelashes like a soft veil. Our eyes locked, and a powerful punch to the gut left me breathless and reeling. I could barely breathe.

“She hasn’t spoken a single word, Danny. Not sure if she even knows how. But she knows her name.”

“Can I hold you, Babygirl?” With outstretched hands, I pleaded, my voice cracking with emotion, and when she willingly came to me, I wept with relief. Holding her close, I was shocked by how little she weighed; her bones were practically poking through her skin. Looking at Danny, a gentle smile on his face, he walked over and gently brushed her hair from her face.

“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll take care of everything. I promise. You just take care of our little girl,” he said cryptically.

Nodding, I allowed him and Zach to escort us out of the building.