“You bet your ass it did!” He speaks with proudness, and I can just about see the outline of a grin under his mask. My best friend has always had a bit of an obsession with blowing shit up.
“We should clear the space then grab one of the workers. I want answers.”
Both of us climb over the chunks of debris and bricks, checking the bodies that have been crushed underneath to make sure none of them are Ana. Brain matter sticks to the wooden planks that we lift up and broken bones split through the skins of the workers, each of them bent out of shape. The further we get into the open space, the more I don’t see Ana in all this wreckage which is a good thing, but it also leaves a sourness in my mouth knowing that I’m still a step behind her.
A loud, painful groan echoes through the open space and both myself, and Eli spin on our heels to locate the sound. Instead we’re met with a stray bullet whizzing past our faces from a rogue worker who’s firing aimlessly into the air, his body trapped under a pile of bricks. Bullets smash into what’s left of the walls and in a quick decision, I lift my gun and fire one single bullet through his hand, creating a hole straight through his palm.
“What.. what the fuck!” He cries from under the rubble as his hand shakes, fresh blood pouring from the bullet hole. His gun clatters to the floor but I keep mine steady, aiming it at the worker, he could have another gun that I’m not aware of and I’m not about to let my guard down now.
Dust clouds fly around us from the settling rubble as we make our way over to the worker.
“You really did a number on his hand there.” Eli retorts and I tip my mouth up behind the mask at his words, he’s right though. The heavy bullet has left the workers hand mangled, the skin around the bullet hole resembles a squashed orange. I watch as Eli swings his rifle onto his back, then proceeds to move a couple of bricks away from the flattened worker.
He manages to reveal his other hand and I snap the gun towards his raised hand, my finger steady on the trigger. “Don’t fucking move.” I grunt, keeping my gum aimed with precision.
“Look, don’t.. don’t shoot alright. I’m not armed.”
I give his body, well what I can see of it, a-once over noticing that both of his legs have been crushed by the heavy concrete ceiling that came crashing down. The bones in his shins have pierced straight through his skin and pants, and there’s also a massive slab resting on his chest that’s constricting his breathing.
Eli brings his rifle around to his front again and aims the barrel forward, the flash suppressor pointing right at the worker’s face, and I slip my gun into the holster on my thigh before crouching down, my gaze burning with fury.
“You’ve got five minutes to tell me where your boss, Ricky, is. I have very little patience and I don’t have the time to be fucked around.”
The worker’s panicked gaze bounces from mine to Eli’s rifle that’s currently inches away from his face, beads of sweat gather across his filthy skin.
“I.. I don’t know alright. I just packed the product.” He speaks hastily, his hands shaking in front of him. I turn to face Eli for a moment, frustration simmering low in my stomach before snapping my gaze back to the bullshitting worker.
“So you’re telling me, that you never see him? That he neverchecks on the shit you get up to here?”
The trembling worker nods his head rapidly. I refuse to be taken for a fool. This fucker knows something and I’ll get it out of him.
“You really expect me to believe that?” I ask, tipping my head to the side before wrapping my hand around the exposed bone that’s protruding from his shin. Immediately he wails in pain as I slowly twist it, hearing the flesh squelch and tear. Blood begins to pool profusely from the wound. “Plea.. please! Stop!”
I pause the torture for a moment but I don’t remove my hand.
“You done lying to me?”
“Yes, please, just.. just stop alright.” The worker heaves in a heavy breath as best as he can with the slab of concrete sitting on top of him before bringing his teary gaze back to me. “Ricky visits here once a week, just to check on the product. I overheard him and Nico talking about some girls that he had being shipped in.”
I snap my head to Eli who looks at me with a knowing glare. He grabs his gun tightly before speaking. “What else? Did he ever mention where he’s keeping them?”
The worker swallows harshly and I grip his shin bone tightly again, causing him to cry out in pain. “Hey! Stop! I’m telling you all I know alright!”
“Then keep fucking talking, you’re time is running out.” I snap back, feeling more and more aggravated by the minute.
“He never mentions where he’s keeping the girls, Iswear.I just hear between him and Nico that they get weekly shipments of them. He’s got a warehouse near the docs, that’s where I would assume he picks them up, but that’s all I know alright!” His eyes plead with mine.
“When’s his next shipment?”
“This Friday, seven pm on the dot.”
I release his shin bone and stand to my full height before nodding to Eli, who at my signal releases one single round into the workers forehead. His head snaps back with the ferocity of the blow and I watch as his eyes glaze over as life slips out of him.
Intercepting this drop might be my only chance of finding where Ana is, and in the process, I can stop these girls from falling into the darkest hell. Spinning on my heels, I turn and catch up with Eli who’s already stepping over the bricks and rubble to leave the warehouse, the loose rocks under our boots crunching with every step we take.
“See if you can find any surveillance cameras near the docs, we’re gonna need eyes everywhere for this.” I say as we reach the truck. Eli slips his rifle over his shoulder and lays it back inside its case before turning to me. “On it. I’ll let Cecilia know about the girls, she’s helping out with a friend who runs a hostel for women.”
I watch my best friend’s eyes shine as he speaks about his wife. The girls will need somewhere safe to live, away from all of this shit and I couldn’t think of a better person than Cecilia to provide that.
