I wouldn’t call it that considering Koby and Ryder had to go into the physical server room and wire it up to give us remote access: without triggering any security alerts during both the breaking-and-entering part and while interacting with the system remotely.
Since I’m not a tech whizz, I left that part of the plan in Ryder’s capable hands. Koby’s driving him. Broadway’s by my side, hiding in the shadows after throwing a few raw,sleeping-pill-spiked steaks over the fence to sedate the two huge Rottweilers guarding the perimeter.
Apollo’s goon suggested bullets between the dogs’ eyes.
He’s fucking lucky I can’t kill him or he’d be bleeding out on the damp forest floor right now.
The mansion stands in the distance, unusually dark. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it’s a trap. I’ve been a guest here twice over the past four years whenever Dante had a meeting with Blaze Noretto. They’re not allies. They don’t work together or socialize, but Dante’s shipment channel between the US and Europe was something Noretto needed for his dealings.
Dante indulged him until the fucker turned to human trafficking a few months ago.
Both times I’ve been here the place has been buzzing, full of people, women, drugs, music... Blaze is young. At twenty-three he’s loud, ostentatious, and loves to party, which makes him downright dumb sometimes. He took over after Noretto Sr. was shot dead by none other than Rhett Willard as a settlement of debt.
Talk about twisted bonds.
The fact Blaze is a party boy with no moral compass works in our favor tonight. He’s out, and so are most of his men. The last Saturday of the month is reserved for Blaze’s underground auction, selling the girls he’s smuggled into America to brothel owners.
Though I hear he’s been allowing private buyers lately.
Broadway’s voice breaks the tense silence. “They’ve left her lightly covered. Eight guards, by my count.” He lowers his binoculars, eyes sharp. “Three at the main door, two on the rounds, and three upstairs on the left.”
“There’ll be more inside,” Apollo says, stopping by my side. “After all the trouble he went through to get her, Blaze wouldn’t leave her with eight men.”
“Agreed. That’d be fucking childish.”
Her memoriesare too precious.
She’s too fucking precious to leave with minimal security. Soon enough, she’ll be on the radar of every boss my father wronged—if she isn’t already—even though there’s no concrete confirmation Hailey knows where Alex hid the evidence.
All Rhett said was“I have reasons to believe...”
I grip my gun tighter, every second stretching into eternity. It doesn’t matter how much Hailey knows. She’s got a big redXon her back.
I need to get her out and hide her.
“Once we’re seen, they’ll alert Blaze,” Apollo adds.
“Yeah, I know.” But I don’t fucking care.
“The auction isn’t far from here. We’ll have a five-minute window at best before this place is crowding with Noretto’s men.” Broadway pulls his Glock out, checking—for the third time already—that his clip is full. “We should wait for Koby and Ryder. We could use the backup, Carter.”
“Damn right you should wait for us,” Koby pipes in over the comms.
“You got eyes on this place yet?” I ask, my hands tingling. “Can you see Hailey?”
“Not yet. Ryder’s pulling up all the different feeds.”
“I’d be doing it faster if you could take a corner properly,” Ryder’s voice cuts in.
“Quit whining,” Koby retorts. “We’re only fifteen minutes out, Carter—as long as he doesn’t make me go any slower than I already am. Wait.”
“Your men are right,” Apollo says. “My men may still be trekking through the forest but they won’t be long.”
All the more reason to get a move on.
“Listen to him,” Ryder says, though it’s just for show.
Apollo and his men can hear their every word, so we’re pulling the wool over their eyes. We have a plan that’s not meant for their ears.
