“We need to relocate the kids and we’re going to need backup of our own,” he said, voice low.
“What’s up?” Bones asked even as Voodoo got us moving. The vans created another traffic jam, but we were able to slide between. “There’s a bigger transport. Heading toward the port. Full blackout. Doesn’t want to be seen.”
My blood chilled.
“ETA?” Bones asked even as he turned toward us, his gaze flicking over the five children huddled together and Goblin on the floor.
“We have maybe an hour.” Though AB’s tone implied we would be lucky as hell to get that much.
“Get us a secure location for Grace and the kids,” Bones said.
“On it,” AB replied.
Then Bones transferred his gaze to me. The question was in his eyes. We couldn’t take five kids into any kind of combat. They’d also made me a promise, and we were still looking for Amorette. At the same time, this operation needed to be shut down whether we found Amorette or not.
I glanced at the kids then at him as I nodded. “Just leave a weapon.”
“We will.” Bones nodded once. “Alphabet?”
“Secure location acquired, sending you the address.”
My heart slammed against my ribs. The only sound in the SUV was the faint snuffling of the kids, and the harsh sounds of my own breathing.
“Give us the SITREP,” Bones ordered after a beat. “We need to be ready to roll once we’ve gotten the kids locked down.”
I listened as AB briefed them, the whole time, Nico held fast to my hand. One of the little girls had gripped my wrist. We had to burn all of these operations down.
Every.
Single.
One.
Chapter
Eighteen
BONES
The SUV was too full of breathing.
Too many small, uneven inhales. Too many soft, strangled sniffles. Too much fear packed into one metal box rattling down a port access road.
And every sound carved itself somewhere under my ribs.
Still, my head stayed clear. It had to.
Voodoo drove like the vehicle was an extension of him. Lunchbox kept watch out the back window, every muscle coiled. Grace sat in the middle row, kids anchored around her and Goblin like gravity.
I watched all of it. I always did.
Alphabet’s voice crackled again in my ear, cool and clipped. “Sending the final pin drop. Maintenance outbuilding behind an old inspection lot. Cameras are down. No foot traffic. You’ve got fifteen minutes before someone with guns and bad intentions realizes those vans aren’t on schedule.”
“Copy,” I said.
Grace didn’t look at me, but she was listening. She always was.
The smallest kid—little girl with the stuffed toy missing an eye—had her face buried in Goblin’s fur. The dog didn’t moveexcept to give a low, steady thrum of protective noise from his chest. Nico sat plastered to Grace’s left, staring out the window like the world was made of monsters.
