“You finally got one of those kids to talk! We’re so proud of you!” Roz congratulated.
“So, seventeen were still there when you left?” Terrence asked from the front seat.
“Yes, seventeen guests. That doesn’t include Sebastian and his half a dozen or so guards,” I replied as I pulled the sweatshirt over my bloodstained shirt. I quickly draped the lanyard and badge over my head and opened the bottle of water Roz had handed to me. “There’s five, possibly seven kids. Four girls and two boys,” I informed them. Even though I knew they were well-versed with the case, I felt better reminding them.
“Only three confirmed girls and one confirmed boy were there this evening, right?” William, the agent who was driving, asked.
“Technically, yes. But I know A and B are there too. We need to search that whole fucking place,” I reminded them.
“We’ll search it top to bottom and turn it inside out,” William promised.
We drove closer to the building and parked along the street. When William turned the car off, Roz handed me my gun. Rain hammered the car, and as I pulled on the bullet-proof vest, we quickly ran through the plan. Roz and William were going to wait a few minutes before they followed us. Local SWAT teams were in place and ready to assist. Before I got out of the car, I leaned forward and put my gun in the waistband of my pants at the small of my back.
“We’ll see you inside,” I said to Roz and William.
Terrence and I stepped out into the pouring rain and jogged toward the front door. We leaned against the brick wall of the building while the SWAT team busted through the door. As soon as the SWAT members filed in, Terrence and I hurried inside behind them. Knowing Terrence was right behind me, I didn’t hesitate and ran down the stairs of this shit hole for what would hopefully be the last time.
The main room was chaotic, and the second I saw Sebastian try to dart toward the hallway, I took off after him. I tackled him to the ground, and pent-up rage from the past several years poured out of me. I continued to pound my fist against Sebastian’s body until William appeared.
“Garrett.” William pulled on my arm. “Let’s find those kids,” he said. Local police were in the main room now and began handcuffing people.
I led Roz, William, and Terrence down the hallway with the private rooms. The doors to all of the rooms were open, but they were empty. I jogged to the end of the hallway and quickly turned the corner. I hadn’t been down this corridor before, and it led us to another long hallway with rooms and doors in either direction.
“It’s a fucking maze down here,” Terrence murmured.
I hurried past him in the other direction and began checking doors. If they were locked, I kicked them in.Where are you guys?The others began doing the same. There were a dozen or more doors that led to tiny, filth-ridden rooms. With each door I opened, my pulse raced faster and faster. I froze when I heard a high-pitched scream. M!
“Here, guys!” William called out from the doorway of one of the rooms. “FBI!” William held his badge up to the kids in the room.
I sprinted toward him and around Terrence and Roz to get to the room. I had to see M. I had to hold her. As to not scare them, I stepped into the room as calmly as possible. A few of the kids recognized me, and I was sure they were hesitant. They were all naked and sitting close to one another.
“I’m Agent Garrett Losche. I’ve been working undercover for the past two years. You guys are all safe now.” Though I was talking to all of them, my eyes could only focus on M.
I crouched in front of her and smiled. I was seeing her beautiful face, free of the mask. Her green eyes grabbed my soul. I’d had enough training in psychology and trauma to know this situation was delicate, and the five of them needed to be treated with care. Even though I wanted to immediately wrap my arms around her, she’d had enough forced touch since she’d been here. This had to be her choice.
I held my hand out for her to take, and she didn’t hesitate at all. M began to cry hysterically as she moved toward me. I quickly unzipped my bulletproof vest so she could feel some of my warmth. She remained on her knees between my legs and laid her head against my chest. Her arms were huddled close to her chest as she sought shelter in my arms. She was trying to talk, but she was so overcome with emotion that her body continued to shake, letting few words out.
“Shh, I have you. You’re safe now, M,” I comforted her.
Gently, I rocked her side to side. Slight motion helped with trauma victims. I wanted to try to settle her down at least a little. I let one of my knees rest on the ground, and with one of my hands, I guided her to sit on my thigh. She liked that and nestled her head against my chest.
William had stepped into the room and began talking slowly to some of the others, and I heard Roz talking to police in the hallway. Terrence’s main job was to take pictures of evidence we’d found and encountered. I watched everything that took place while I rocked M in my arms. William was holding the girl that I knew as SS, but I’d heard her tell him that her name was Shannon. She was somebody’s daughter and possibly a sister. M’s crying had calmed, and she was silent for the most part.
“You doing okay, sweetheart?” I asked and softly patted her lower back. I felt her nod against my chest.
Roz came into the room with blankets and wrapped them around the other boy and girl who were sitting close to one another. I pulled a blanket around M and continued to look around the room while I rocked her. The conditions these kids were living in was beyond disgusting.
Paramedics arrived, and Terrence suggested they take the young man first. His face was bloody and bruised from the punch he’d absorbed earlier. I didn’t know if he was high or if he had possibly suffered a concussion. Whatever it was, the hospital would help him.
“Can you tell us your name?” one of the paramedics asked him as they carefully helped him onto the gurney.
“Sawt,” he mumbled. He suddenly grew visibly agitated and pointed to his mouth.
“His name is Scott. They hit him, and he bit his tongue,” Shannon spoke up.
I’d witnessed the punch that had probably given him the concussion. In fact, I was still wearing his blood on my shirt.
“Okay, Scott. We’ll take good care of you and get you to the hospital,” the paramedic said as they wheeled him out.
