Brutus sighed. “We don’t have hard evidence that they’re operating in your territory, but we have a working theory that we aren’t the only territory they’re scouring. It’s one of the reasons why we want to get the women out of here and somewhere safe.”
King tilted his head. “I didn’t realize that was part of the plan.”
“I didn’t get there yet,” Cap said as he motioned to Brutus. “Continue.”
Brutus just nodded as he stepped out of his shadowed corner. “Trafficking rings like this always temperature check other surrounding areas, especially when they encounter the kind of pressured heat we put on them.”
“And you know this… how?” King asked.
Brutus just stayed silent before he mowed over the question and continued. “You have that sister of yours. We figured you’dwanna know what pushed into our territory since one of your territorial boundaries sits along the eastern side of the state park.”
“That’s where we know they’re operating from,” Cap said.
King slowly nodded his head. “All right. So. We got a ring snatching up women. They’re clearly not doing a good job of it if a crew can keep them in check even a little bit. What do you need us for?”
Brutus paused. “Depends on the role you want to play.”
King looked down at Cap. “How long has this been going on?”
Cap tilted his head back to look up at the man. “We’ve been battling this for about a month and a half now, give or take.”
“Jesus fuck,” King muttered as he turned his focus back to Brutus. “What’s the working plan you guys have going on?”
I piped up. “I have an estate we’re going to take the women to to keep them safe.”
All eyes turned to me as I sat there in my chair, watching everything unfold in church.
“That’s good,” King said, piercing through the silence. “What do you need us for?”
I shrugged. “For one, it’s in your territory. You know that massive estate on the hillside in your area?”
King just nodded. “Locals call it?—”
“Lookout Point,” I said.
King narrowed his eyes. “You’re the owner of that place?”
“My parents, yes. It’s where I grew up.”
“No shit!” King exclaimed. “Didn’t know you were a Lockhart boy, Doc.”
I just shrugged. “We’re taking the women there to keep them safe for now. We figured if we run into your territory to keep them safe, you should know what we’re keeping them safe from and what potential target that invites into your atmosphere.”
King slowly nodded before he turned back to our president. “Hey, Cap?”
“What’s up, Kay?”
King pointed at me. “He needs to do your debriefs from now on.”
The room barked with laughter, but I just sat there, my mind swirling with a million possible things that could go wrong between our meeting and the time we left to take the women to my childhood estate. They would be concealed enough there, though we’d have to still stay concealed inside of the house. While most of the estate was surrounded by woods and trees, the northern side of the house was exposed. No trees. No cover. No nothing. It was the side of the house that faced town from the hill it was perched on, and I’d have to find a way to secure that part of the house. Maybe even obscure it. If only I could?—
“Doc,” Cap barked.
I whipped my head up. “Hmmm?”
King chuckled as he peeked over at Cap. “You were right.”
I furrowed my brow. “What?”
