Rebecca headed for the door when he stopped her.
“Wait. They haven’t given the all clear,” he told her.
“I need to see her,” she insisted.
“Then let me go first,” he said, pulling out his weapon and checking the hallway. Cole and Apollo escorted four people down the stairs with zip ties around their wrists. Leo followed with four more.
“We’ll follow them down. Taco and Shadow covered the rear,” he said, taking her hand. The men urged the people to line up in the hallway and sit while they tied their legs. Knight held a little boy by the hand and carried another.
“See? I told you we’d get them,” Knight told the little boy. “Did any of them hurt you?”
The little boy pointed toward an older man wearing a bathrobe. “He did.”
“Do you want to hurt him back?” Knight asked softly.
The little boy’s lip poked out as tears pricked his eyes, and he nodded.
Knight whispered in the little boy’s ear. “Don’t hold back, make him feel how you did.”
Rebecca watched as the skinny kid balled up his fist and approached the man.
Leo bent and tugged on the bindings, “He’s not going anywhere.”
The little boy kicked the man on his side, making him grunt and fall over. He pummeled him with his tiny fists as he cried. Leo rubbed his back gently. “Good job, buddy. Now I’m sendinghim to jail where bullies bigger than him will hurt him like he did you.”
The boy turned and let out a shaky breath before walking to Knight and taking his hand. “Can Tommy kick him, too?”
“Oh, you bet. I might even give him one or two,” Knight answered, sending the man a promise.
“Please, I didn’t hurt anyone,” the man exclaimed. “The boy’s mistaken.”
“Tell it to the jury,” Leo said in disgust.
Rebecca went outside, scanning the van for Megan. “She’s not here.”
“Maybe one of the women will know something. There’s a teen in there who called your name,” Julio said, taking her to the library.
Rebecca pounded on the wood, “Kara, it’s me, Rebecca. Open the door.”
“What’s the password?” Kara asked shakily.
Rebecca turned to Julio, who smiled. “It’s freedom.”
The door opened slowly and Kara lunged toward Rebecca, clinging to her neck. “He came and saved us just like you said,” she said, her voice muffled in Rebecca’s hair.
“Have you seen Megan?” she asked hopefully.
One of the other women spoke up, “Jim brought her here. He made us help him dress them all in pajamas.”
“Then where did she go?” Rebecca cried.
“Where’s Gerard?” Jameson asked, checking the people outside. “He’s not here.”
Leo wrapped a blanket around Rebecca. “We’ll find her. Right now, I have a helo outside. You and Julio need to disappear. The jet will take you to Serenity Mountain, where Kassie and Chase will be waiting with a full team. We’ll follow as soon as Patch determines if anyone needs immediate care.”
“I’m not leaving them. If you send me, you send all of us,” Rebecca said firmly.
Kara huddled close to her, afraid of the huge men, despite the fact they saved her. Rebecca pulled her close.
