Me:
Well, he’s 2 for 2 tonight for pissing people off. Are you good for the first shift?
Machine:
Always.
Me:
Thanks, man. I am going to bring Evelyn and Badge home.
Machine:
Sounds good, compagno!
Tomorrow would be a monumental moment for Evelyn and both our teams. I just hoped it would give some closure that we all desperately needed.
FIFTY-TWO
EVELYN
I walked into RSS with purpose, ignoring the stares from the staff that stood in the lobby.
My usual office attire was long forgotten, and, in its absence, I wore black cargo pants, a tight, black long-sleeve shirt, and combat boots. Instead of my hair in its usual wavy style, it was hanging down my back in two braids. I looked like I was headed to war. Which in the grand scheme of things, wasn’t far from the truth.
I walked to the elevator, pressed the button with more vigor than was needed and got on when the doors opened.
Slowly the elevator glided down to the basement floor. Time seemed to slow as I got closer to my destination. Chief was inside the room with Ricci when I approached the two-way mirror. Buddha and Badger stood in similar attire as me, in front of the glass. Without looking my way, Buddha handed me a steaming hot coffee.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, taking a sip of the liquid gold. I rubbed my lips together before speaking again. “How long has he been in there?”
“He was here before all of us,” Badger responded before taking a sip of her own coffee.
“He’s trying to find out where Ricci is imprisoning the other girls before they get sold off,” Buddha added.
My heart sank. For Badger’s sake, we needed this information. Although she didn’t talk about her reasons for joining the team much, I knew that this particular information would be vital to the closure she needed after someone close to her had been abducted by Ricci’s men.
I could tell by the tick in Chief’s jaw that he was pissed. Ricci had his head leaning on the back of the chair with a smug smile on his face. Even with his entire face swollen, bruised, and bloody, Ricci still presented himself as the victor.
Chief stormed out of the interrogation room and walked toward us. He scrubbed a hand down his face. Badger gave him a pleading look, but a shake of his head was enough to let us know that he had no luck finding out the information she needed.
Chief leaned on the cement wall next to us and crossed his arms over his chest. “Phantom, he’s all yours. Finish him when you are done trying to get the information out of him.”
“Badge, come with me,” I instructed before walking to the door. The sound of the elevator’s arrival made me pause and look over my shoulder. Kade and Machine walked toward us like predators advancing on their prey. I gave them a nod before walking into the interrogation room that smelled of iron, sweat, and decay.
My heart hammered in my chest.
“Well, good morning, daughter,” Ricci sneered before giving me a blood-filled smile.
I stood with a wide stance in front of him, my armscrossed. Behind me, Badger leaned her back on the cement wall, twirling a knife in her hand.
I let out a scoff. “Where is Sarah?” My tone was flat and void of any emotion.
Ricci smiled again. “Ha! How the fuck should I know?” He dipped his chin slightly to motion toward his bound body. “Kinda tied up at the moment.”
I gave him a fake smile in return. “Don’t play dumb. You know exactly where she is.” I paused and tapped my pointer finger on my chin. “I do believe the last time we spoke, you were grooming her to take over your ‘empire’.”
Ricci let out a humorless laugh. “I have no idea where Sarah is, but I can tell you that you and your team better watch out.” He swiped his tongue out onto his lip to wipe off some blood. “I taught my girl well.”
