I looked at her determined face and thought back to what Zoey had said about me finding my family. She was right. I did find a family, and whether she knew it or not, she was a part of it the moment she’d become a part of me. Donovan and Rowan were ready to do what needed to be done to get her back for no other reason than because she was mine.
“Thanks.” I nodded to them both, my voice gruff and thick with unsaid emotion.
“You think the judge will lead us to her?” Rowan asked, picking up a five shot revolver from my case of guns and loading the weapon with practiced ease—something Donovan and I taught her to do.
She wasn’t as comfortable with guns as we were, but in a pinch, or if her life was or someone else’s was on the line, she could do what needed to be done. If Rowan was going into this battle with us, she needed to protect herself.
“Yeah. Botello will bring her to the meeting or have Michelsen meat him where he’s holding her, either way. We follow the judge. We find Botello, and if we find Botello, we can find Zoey.“ I confirmed.
“What’s your plan?” Donovan asked, picking up a kevlar vest and strapping it on.
“We could always wait until we have Botello and the judge together and call in the cops. Let them take both of men down.” Rowan offered the alternative to going in, guns blazing by ourselves.
“No.” I shook my head. “Botello is too well connected. The judge may hang by his own robes on that, but Botello will get off and come after Zoey again. We don’t know who all he has in his pocket. A man like him doesn’t run the business he runs without serious backing and cover from high up.
“I’m small time compared to him, but I also don’t deal in flesh, guns, and drugs. If I did, I’m sure there would be a price on my head for running in his territory.”
“Ok.” She agreed. “What do you need from me?”
“You’ll be in the car with your computer and ready to bail if things go south, or to get us out quick if we get to Zoey and need a fast getaway. I also need you to be ready to hack the power grid so you can shut it down if needed or knock out communications if they try to call for backup because we don’t have a clue where the hell he’s keeping her, you may also need to get us pas a security system or two.”
Rowan smirked at me, “Done.”
“Donovan.” I looked him in the eyes. “The judge is yours, but Botello is mine.”
He grinned like I’d just given him season tickets to see the Astros and picked up his long-range rifle. “Agreed.”
“Shoot to kill, Brother. We’re getting bloody on this one.”
“We were born bloody.”
#
The judge pulled intothe same remote parking lot he’d pulled into before when he was meeting with Botello.
“Botello doesn’t even trust him enough to take him to his operation.” I muttered darkly.
“That could mean she won’t be here. We have to be prepared for that.” Donovan stated grimly, trying to prepare me for the worst-case scenario.
“Donovan. I want you to get high and hidden. Get their tires out the second you see and confirm it’s Zoey. If she’s here, prevent them from leaving with her. Once you have the tires taken out, lay cover and protect her.
“I’m going to go there, so I can come at them from a different direction.” I nodded toward the shipping containers stacked along one side of the abandoned lot. They provided cover for the lot from the road, but also provided a place for me to hide and be closer to where they would meet so I can get to her faster and some cover for any return fire. “Rowan, be ready to get the hell out if Donovan or I go down. Don’t wait for us. Get disappeared.”
We knew the plan, and with the cloud coverage, the only light was from the street lamps. The cloak of darkness hid me as I made my way around the lot. Once I was in position hidden partially behind an open container door, I sent a message to Donovan letting him know exactly where I was, stepping out just enough so he could see me.
Got you.He replied, simply letting me know we were set. There was nothing left to do but wait.
We weren’t in place long before Botello’s limo pulled into the lot. Both men quickly got out of their cars and an started arguing. Their words couldn’t be heard, but their faces said enough that we knew they were not happy.
Botello’s face was a stone mask of fury, but the judge didn’t practice hiding his anger. His face was red as and he looked agitated and gestured, angrily shaking his head.
Botello signaled to two of his men toward the back of the limo. All of them were armed I noted as I watched their movements. The car's headlights lit the group up well, making sure our targets were easy for us to see.
Across the street in the alley, Rowan was in the car, hidden in the shadows of the closed, abandoned warehouses. Wherever Donovan was, he was well hidden and could see the group thanks to the scope on his rifle and the high beams of the headlights.
My body tensed as the men reached into the trunk to lift something out. I sucked in a sharp breath when I saw the body of a naked woman. I couldn’t tell if it was Zoey from my angle. I was waiting for the confirmation from Donovan.
The man holding her dropped her hard on the pavement in front of the judge—right at his feet. Two shots in rapid succession took out a tire in each vehicle. I moved from my hiding spot, pulling out my Desert Eagle ready to fire, and aimed it toward my enemies.
