Page 46 of Fighting Salvation

Bás watched as Lotus’ shoulders drooped and hated that he missed her attitude. This lacklustre response was unlike her.

“Look, I know we’re all reeling, but we need to keep our shit together. Watchdog would never let us down and we can’t afford to let our heads drop now. He’s the glue that holds this team together, the person we all turn to and now he needs us. We’re not going to stop until we have him back with us.”

“That’s if he’s even alive.”

Bás’ eyes flashed to Titan with a glare as he pointed angrily. “Cut that shit out. He’s alive and we’re bringing him home.”

“You saw the state of him. He was half dead. You think this fucking psycho will let him live?”

Bás knew from bitter experience that Hansen wouldn’t think twice about killing Watchdog, but he’d taken him for a reason. Drawing him to the house, torturing him with the scene. It was all a game to him. “I think he’ll keep him alive for now and that’s all we need. This team is the best of the best. I know we never started life expecting to do this but it’s the path that led us to the family of our choice. We’re a family and we’re bringing him home no matter what.”

“Will and Lopez are working on tracking down where he was taken.” Bás nodded at Duchess, who as usual stepped up. He’d never been happier at that moment that he’d chosen her to lead by his side. “Good, what else? What do we know about Hansen that can give us some insight into where he might be hiding?” Bás clicked his fingers trying to keep the momentum going and in the end, it was from the source he least expected.

“Koeksister.”

All eyes turn to the child who should have been asleep in her bed.

“Novem, I thought you were sleeping?”

She smiled at Hurricane as he moved closer, dropping to his haunches beside her. They’d forged a tight bond and he was the person she felt safest with and he’d become her de facto protector.

“I was scared on my own so I snuck down.”

“What are koeksister and where can you buy them?” Lotus moved toward Novem and Hurricane gave her a warning look making her stop.

“Koeksister is fried bread dough dipped in sugar syrup,” Bás answered but his mind was in the past, remembering the first time he’d tried them with Hansen.

“Boss.”

He shook his head. “Sorry. You can buy them from lots of street vendors. They’re hugely popular here.”

Rykov threw up his hands. “Another dead end.”

“Not necessarily. We know he has to be in the area to set up that little scene at the house. We need to speak to the vendors in the area and see if anyone recognises him as a regular.”

“Lotus and I can do that.” Rykov jumped in and Lotus sent him an angry look to which he raised a brow in challenge.

“Fine, we can do that.”

“Good. Duchess, can you and Titan start going through the stuff we collected today and see if we missed anything?” The scene had been cleared and secured but there could be something he’d missed. Plus, his mind kept coming back to the fact his mother’s face had been scratched out of the images. “Hurricane, can I have a word in private?”

Hurricane straightened placing a hand on Novem’s shoulder in reassurance. “You can go sleep on the couch. I’ll be in shortly.”

Her smile melted the strain around his eyes. It was hard to be strict with a child who’d been through such obvious hell.

Val had gone to speak to Duchess, her head bent exposing the neck he loved to have his lips on.

“You’re so fucked, boss man.”

Bás glanced up, heat rising up his cheeks but he nodded. He’d never disrespect her and deny his feelings for her again. God knew he’d done that enough already, and she deserved better. “Yeah. Listen, I need you to get what you can out of Novem. She has a wealth of information in her little head that she doesn’t even know, and I think you’re the best person to find it.”

Hurricane bristled, his shoulders going stiff. “I’m not interrogating a fucking child.”

“Calm down, I’d never ask you to. I just want you to talk to her and see what she knows. If she gets upset then stop, but she feels safe around you and she’s talkative with you.”

“Fine but if she even begins to get upset, I’m gonna stop. Kids are off limits, boss.”

“I know that. It was my fucking rule. I’d never even ask if it wasn’t for Watchdog.”