“Hoss?” Casper calls out, and the two figures lower their weapons.
I wasn’t worried. Okay, fine, I had my gun out and a knife at the ready, but we planned to meet here. This group of OHH operatives specializes in the seek-and-find type of job. They were pulled from another mission they were planning in Asia to do this one. We have plenty of Hounds from the other sister chapters champing at the bit to get involved with OHH. We pulled in the best for this and started training up the second best for the other mission.
Just because my world stopped rotating the second Peaches was taken doesn’t mean everyone else’s did too.
“This way.”
We follow Hoss, the other guy he appeared with staying put before bringing up the rear once we all fall into line. The place looks wrecked except for the staircase leading down. We take it and turn a few times before we come to an open area. Looks more like a bomb shelter than anything else. No windows, cots on one side, a radio mount at the back, and a huge table with maps already on display. Oh, and a wall of weapons.
Either the boys have been busy since they landed, or this was set up by someone else. Maybe we’ve got more friends worldwide than I thought.
Now that I can see, even if it’s a dim light, I take in our team. No need to think too hard on how Hoss got his name. He’s a big-ass dude who might even put Mad Max to shame.
I look around as Hoss motions to the others who are already in the room.
“That there is Switch. He’s our tech guy and can hack into anything like turning on a light switch.”
“Already got a line in,” Switch says. “So far, there’s nothing to pinpoint where they are. Got a call in to Flint, and we’re going to use some other tech to see if we can get a body count from some infrared.”
Casper nods, and I just take it all in. My prez is leading the mission. He’s in charge. But he knows I got one thought and one thought only. Ruby. Till then, I’m keeping my mouth shut most of the time.
“The guy behind you”—Hoss points to the guy who followed us in here—“is Havoc—demolition expert. And these idiots,” he continues, tossing his head behind him to twins sitting on a bed, shining up their guns with a rag, “are Viper and Venom. Where one goes, the other follows.”
They give me a chin lift, and I give them the courtesy of one back. I might not know this team, but I’ve heard of them. Flint even gave us a small history lesson on each member so we know how to play to everyone’s strengths. Just like I’m sure they got one for each of us.
“Right. This is Bulldog, Walker, Jumper, Bass, King, and Kooper. It’s his girl we’re going in to find. And this is Gina and Mike.” Casper points to each of us and then flings his other hand to the other two.
“Big Mike,” Gina interrupts with a smile that wouldn’t be deemed nice but also not cruel. Like one gives a hostess who pronounces the party name wrong when their table is available.
“Right, Big Mike.” Casper lifts his eyebrow at her and then looks back at Hoss. “They’re the ones who provided us with this information.”
“No need to thank us just yet. We’re still not able to confirm if your girl is in there, only ours,” Gina says.
I don’t know if she means it, but there’s a hint of glee in her voice. Something that makes my blood run cold. And the others sense it, too, as we all stop moving, the air seeming to suspend in time above us.
Big Mike stands at her back, arms crossed. Like a warrior waiting to attack.
Too bad for him, I’m about a minute out from breaking everything, including him and her, to get my girl. Nothing will stop me.
Nothing.
Chapter 38—Kooper
“What’s that?” Havoc asks as he comes closer, as do Viper and Venom.
Bulldog speaks for the group. “They’ve got a tracker on the roommate, Natalie. They know she’s there, and we’ve got nothing else to go on till then to assume Ruby isn’t.”
“Might be a good idea to start tracking the whole damn lot,” a voice says from the left, and we all turn to see three others emerge out of what I thought was a bunk area.
“Mickey? What the fuck are you doing here?” Bass grabs him hard and gives him a hug. They got close when we were in Russia for his woman. Now he’s in Michigan, taking on an officer’s position, last I heard from Domino.
“Domino sends his regrets and says me, Lucky, and Rooster”—he points to himself and the other two—“were the best he could do to replace him.”
“Glad to have you,” Casper says with a nod. They’ve worked together before, when he was getting his woman too. The guy gets around, it seems.
Damn, just how many times is the cavalry going in to help get a brother’s woman? Maybe Mickey’s right. Maybe the whole lot needs embedded trackers. Would save us time and solve a few issues before they become them.
“Okay, now that the bromance is done, let’s get to it. Our intel says they have a shift change coming in.” Ginamoves to the table and looks over the maps, pulling up a building schematic.
