“Stay with us, Nic. We’ve got people in Nebraska right now trying to help the farmers. Grant and Morgan were already there causing damage but we’ve thrown a wrench in their plans.”
“Oh, God, you’re going to start a war with my uncle! You can’t win this war. You can’t!” he cried.
“Calm down, Nic. There won’t be a war unless your uncle wants one. But he’s damn sure not going to get away with what he’s done.” Gator stared at the others, then reached for the man’s arm, forcing him to look up. “You do understand that you will be on trial for your part in this.”
“I know. I deserve it. If for no other reason than my aunt’s death. I deserve whatever comes.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Holy shit,” muttered Sniff. “We’ve dealt with Santori before. That guy is into pain. For others. He gets off on watching it and hearing about it. A total sadist.”
“They’re sending another team up here,” said Sebastian. “Leif, Brix, Forrest, Sor, Garr, Saint, Hayes, and Wyatt.”
“Hayes? Why Hayes?” asked Chief.
“Because he’s fucking brilliant and we need him. Apparently, Victoria was going to come with him. Two geniuses for the price of one and we might be able to figure all this out quicker. But she’s needed there. We’ll figure it out anyway,” said Sebastian.
“Let’s hope so.”
“Where are they now? Grant and Morgan? Where are they?” asked East.
“Someone saw them leave the diner earlier and they drove out of town. They could be going to Iowa or another area to check on things. Why?” asked Major.
“Well, they’re staying at a little place in town, let’s go see if we can put some ears and eyes on the situation,” smirked East.
“Brother, I love your evil brain,” laughed Bone. “I’m with you.”
“Alright, you two go see what you can find and set some devices up. If we can get them recorded, we’ll be able to solve the issue. But it won’t help those in other states that might be fighting them right now. We need it all recorded. We need to find a way to stop Santori once and for all.”
“Let’s do it,” smirked Bone.
The small house they’d been staying in was just on the outskirts of town. Just far enough to be away from prying eyes if necessary. It was designed to show the modern detail that they could provide in their new, modern neighborhood.
The problem was that no one in this farming community was overly concerned with their homes being ‘modern’. They liked their farmhouses, the rustic look of their homes and properties. Contrary to popular belief, they lived in very modern homes, with very modern amenities. Necessary amenities. No farmer was interested in buying contraptions and devices just so they can tell everyone that they possessed them.
Yes, some of the homes were built a hundred years ago. But they’d been remodeled, updated, and certainly modernized. Beautiful kitchens and bathrooms, functional spaces for big families, and much more. This wasn’t some old western movie.
“Xander could pick this lock,” frowned East speaking of his young son as he focused on the door of the home. “It’s pathetic. The doors feel like cardboard. One good winter and people would freeze to death out here.”
“I don’t think they give a fuck about people freezing to death. These are nothing more than pre-fabricated homes slapped together in a few weeks with shitty materials.”
They opened and closed cabinets, noticing that they were all loose, practically falling off the hinges. What they’d done, in an effort to attract people, was filled it with fancy furnishings and electronics. Again, not something that was going to appeal to these people.
“East? Over here,” said Bone. “Look at these maps.”
Scattered across the dining room table were maps of at least five states. Big red circles surrounded specific counties and towns. They carefully photographed each one, sending the data back home. Placing each one back in its exact location, they moved into the living area, putting the small bugging devices in corners and behind books.
“Cameras,” said East. “We need to place them in this room, the dining room, kitchen, and one near the bedrooms. It doesn’t look like they’re sleeping together but I don’t want to hear it or see it if they are. These are strong enough to hear whatever is happening from outside the hallway. Especially since the walls are paper thin.”
Bone placed several along the frames of the doorways, easily hidden from sight unless you were eight feet tall. As they were prepared to leave, they noticed the stand-alone freezer near the back door. Bone stared at East and they both nodded at one another.
“If there are bodies in there, I’m going to lose my shit,” he frowned.
“Same.”
Opening the top lid they immediately noticed that the freezer wasn’t turned on. It wasn’t cold. Instead, they stared down at dozens of neatly packed containers of what appeared to be cocaine.
“Well, well, well. A side hustle,” smirked East.
