“Trevor…” I can’t ask him to do this. Either of them. Austin’s engaged. Trev and Dani might as well be.
“Don’t,” he says. “We’re here, and tonight, we’re all leaving this fucking country together. With Domina.”
He says something about catching an hour or two and heads down the hall.
That’s the plan. Find Domina. Save Cortez. Expose Muñoz. And run.
* * *
“Leo? It’s time.”Austin raps on my bedroom door. By the time the sun came up, I was so exhausted, I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. But now, we only have ninety minutes to get to the church.
“Anything from…them?” The last video of Domina came in more than ten hours ago, and I need to see her face one more time before everything goes to shit.
“No.” He tosses me an earbud. “Zephyr and Rip are monitoring the cameras all around the church. If they catchanything, we’ll know in seconds. Get dressed. Wheels up in twenty minutes.”
“I need to loosen up,” I say, gesturing to the PT equipment along the wall. “Give me ten, and I’ll be ready to go.”
Grabbing my phone, I lower myself down to the yoga mat. I haven’t prayed in two decades, but as I shove one of the studded therapy balls under my right ass cheek, I close my eyes. The words I learned in grade school come back to me, and I hold onto them like they’re my last hope.
Once I’m dressed, I join Trevor and Austin in the living room. Six large bags are stacked by the front door, and Trevor passes me a glass filled with a thick, green liquid. “What the hell is this?”
“Energy drink. Bottoms up.”
I choke down three sips before I dump the rest down the drain. “I’d rather drink battery acid than that shit.”
My phone vibrates, and Austin taps his earbud. “Z? Start a trace.”
“Morning, shithead,” I say when I answer the call. “Nice of you to finally return my messages.”
“I have more important things to do today, Mr. Basher. But since you were so insistent…”
Slamming my fist down on the counter, I let my anger boil over. For the first time since I lost Domina, it serves a purpose.
“Listen, shithead. I’m going to die. You think anyone’s going to let me murder Cortez and then just…walk away? I’ll either be shot on sight or locked away in one of those Ministry hell holes where I’ll be tortured until I don’t know my own name. You ever have someone you cared for? Maybe someone you even…loved? Two minutes. Just give me two minutes to talk to her on a live video call. After that, I’ll do it. I know how it’ll happen, and it’ll be a goddamn spectacle. No one in Panama willeverforget the day Manuel Cortez died.”
The man sighs. “Americans love their profanity, don’t they?”
“Give me something to call you besides shithead, and maybe I’ll be a little nicer.”
“You can call me Jefe.”
“Fuck that. Shithead fits you much better. I’ll be at the church in half an hour. Have Domina call me before 1:00 p.m. or not only will I walk away, but I’ll find you and set your balls on fire before I shove those crispy little fuckers down your throat.”
I hang up, and Zephyr’s voice in my ears is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. “Got him. Domina’s phone is on the Avenida Israel heading into the heart of the city. Time to get the drones in the air. “
* * *
Domina
“Get her ready for transport.”
Lying on the floor of the van, my wrists bound behind my back, blindfolded, and gagged, I struggle to focus. I remember nothing after Sergio and Pinzon left me alone.
When they woke me—it could not have been more than an hour ago—Sergio dragged me to the bathroom. I was so dizzy, I could barely walk.“Wash your face and do something with your hair. You are a mess.”
I vaguely remember telling him to go to hell. And his reply.
“Cause any trouble today, and you will get there long before I do.”
