I looked at our handlers.
Juan is driving, while Julio sits in the passenger seat, looking back at us through the mirror on his visor—smirking. If I had a knife on me, I wouldn't think twice about stabbing his eyes out; that's how pissed off I am. They're speaking to each other in Spanish. Fuck if I understand what they're saying.
I'm sure it isn't anything pleasant. I lean my head against the grimy glass again, enjoying the distance between us and the two idiots in the front.
Suddenly, I feel exhausted. My lids are heavy and drooping. I can barely keep them open. I feel myself dozing off, and I welcome the darkness, wanting an escape from the horror we will soon face.
Chapter 3
The Hunt
Atlas
When we landed, a black bulletproof SUV was waiting for us at the airport. It was delivered without question. It came with a secret compartment to hide the small arsenal of weapons we needed to complete this mission. Once everything was secure, we headed to our destination.
Jacob and I weren't sure what to expect when we arrived, so we parked far from the facility. We snuck around the parameters and cut all the wires to the cameras. Our faces were covered, concealing our identities.
The plane touched down at 9:30 p.m. The sun had set long ago, leaving us to find the girls in darkness. I was so wired and upset that I forgot the night goggles.Two sets are stored at my place in Mexico, along with other weapons and ammo. My residences are stocked with everything I need to carry out an assignment anywhere in the world.
It was still warm in the Texas desert, even though it was wintertime. We changed into our army fatigues on the plane.
I felt the sweat gathering around my eyes. I swallowed hard, hoping that Kitten was here.
Two cars were parked along the side of the building, warning that there might be occupants inside.
The place looked like it had been in a war zone: white, skeletal, and plain ugly against the vast desert. There were no signs or windows, just cold concrete, steel, and a dead silence surrounding the area. I stood before the double doors, Jacob beside me, both of us heavily armed and ready for battle.
I gently turned the handle. Naturally, it’s locked. My fists tightened, and my jaw ached from the tension in my neck. Saving my sweetheart and murdering every motherfucker who put their hands on her consumed my thoughts, bringing the evil monster buried inside to the surface.
"Looks like we'll have to blow it off its hinges," Jacob said, scanning the outer edges of the heavy steel.
I looked at him with fire in my eyes.
"Yeah, be ready, because if anyone is inside, they're going to hear a lot of fucking noise, giving them time to either escape or attack." I looked around the area one more time before speaking again.
"The GPS signal went dead right in this very spot. They either removed the tracker or accidentally scrambled the signal by covering it. I'm betting there is a collar around her neck. I know how these criminal rings work."
My insides burned like acid.
I was totally pissed off.
The love of my life, the only woman who got under my skin and made me fall in love with her, was gone, taken from me; stolen right out from under my nose.
I glanced at Jacob while aiming the high-powered rifle at the door.
He followed suit.
I nodded.
"Are you ready?"
My partner winked, smiling.
"I sure am, boss. Let's go kill some motherfuckers!"
I sprayed the steel with multiple bullets, tearing through the metal, blasting the handle right off the damn thing. I pulled it open so hard it slammed against the building, making a loud screeching sound.
We entered quickly, guns drawn, boots echoing across the concrete floors. The lights were dim, giving the place a somber appearance. So far, there wasn't a living soul anywhere. We moved along the corridors, but still, there was nothing. The building was empty, but not abandoned.
