“Your men are dead,” I remind her.
“Not all of them.”
Once again, I laugh.
“You could have an army out there and I would still kill you if you don’t give me what I want.”
“I don’t think you will,” she quips.
I decide here and now that come sunrise, if she hasn’t given up a location, she will die. I won’t have anyone think they know my moves. I am not predictable.
“That’s on you.”
Pushing up to my feet, I leave the room and lock up. I eventually head down and grab that beer.
Sitting at the kitchen table, in the dark, I wait for the clock to countdown. Effie will die and Ford will return to us. I don’t know how she’ll die, and I have no idea how Ford will come back to us, but both are going to happen.
I finish my beer and toss the bottle in the trash can. Pushing up out of my chair, I glance over the security camera screens behind the bar and not a soul is around.
If she had any men left, they would’ve planned and carried out an attack on us by now to free her.
A part of me wants these so-called men of hers to come at us. I want them to show their faces, if only so we can take them out and end them once and for all. Another part of me wants her to see whoever she has will never win against us. That every plan she’s ever had or will ever have, will always end in failure.
As the sun begins to rise, a sort of peace washes over me. Pope had full faith in me to protect and love Tor. Everything I do, every single day, will keep that faith. Not that I need his validation. I’d do what I had to do in order to protect her regardless.
The first ray of sunshine seeps into the bar and I check my gun. It’s fully loaded and ready to use.
Taking the stairs up to the second level, I bang on each door, waking the brothers. Before I reach Angel’s door on the third floor, his door opens, and he steps out.
“What are you doing up so early?” he questions.
“Effie either gives up Ford’s whereabouts, or she dies. This morning.”
“She won’t give him up.”
“Then she dies, and we figure out how to find him ourselves.”
I head for Effie’s room and then stop and ask, “Why are you up so early?”
His answer comes in the form of Rudi rushing out of their room, slipping her jacket over her hospital uniform.
“Taking her to work then I’ll be back,” he tells me.
I shake my head. “She’ll have to drive herself today. I need you here.”
“I won’t be long…”
“This is going down now.”
He relents and says, “Give me five minutes.”
“Meet us in Effie’s room.”
He goes his way, and I go mine. Everyone else is waiting outside Effie’s door.
“What’s going on, Luc?” King asks.
“Effie’s either gonna tell us where our brother is or she’s going to die, and before any of you fuckers start on at me, she’s only gonna get a bullet.” I look around them, noticing the prospect hangs back. Pointing to him, I ask, “You’re still here so I take it you still want the patch?”
