Part 13 (1/2)

The scary a.s.shole held her arm in a death grip as she walked to the small bathroom around the side of the large building. She'd love to run screaming inside, but she had no idea what they'd do.

”See that pregnant woman walking around the vehicle waiting for her husband to fill up the car?”

She nodded, her stomach sinking.

”Any funny stuff from you and she gets the first bullet. Right in the belly.”

Yeah, he got off on hurting women.

”Understand?”

She nodded. ”Yes.”

”Good.” He unlocked the bathroom, stuck his head inside, nodded then shoved her in. ”Hurry up.”

And he locked the door behind her.

s.h.i.+t. He'd left her hands tied up. c.r.a.p. She sat down on the floor and ran her arms and the rope under her b.u.m so she could slip her legs through and stand up with her hands now in front of her. Much better. She dropped her pants and relieved herself while her mind raced in a million directions looking for answers. She had to leave a message. Something of some kind. But if they came in and saw it then the poor woman outside was going to die.

So what options did she have?

Not to mention she had no pen or pencil and no way to write a message that would be hidden from someone using the bathroom and not the scary dude.

Then she got it. Her wrists were raw already so she used her teeth to make one bleed a little more freely, then sitting on the toilet she wrote the message at her feet. Only to be seen by someone sitting down and likely not noticed from the door as the linoleum floor was a mottle brown.

After she finished, she flushed the toilet and ran to the sink. She quickly washed her hands and grabbed and extra bit of paper towel to staunch the bleeding, but it was already slowing so all was good.

The door opened suddenly and it was the scary dude looking at her.

She mustered a smile. ”Good timing, I'm done.”

His face fell as if he'd hoped to catch her sitting on the toilet. Sick b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Without saying a word he led her back to the vehicle. Once there, he gave a surrept.i.tious glance around, and ordered, ”Get in.”

She stared at the back of the SUV and groaned. ”Why can't I sit in the seat like a normal pa.s.senger?”

”Shut the f.u.c.k up and get in,” he snarled.

So much for that. She glanced around, but no one appeared to be in a position to see the single female get into the back of the SUV. Too d.a.m.n bad. Someone might see her and call it in. And she'd gotten a message out. Maybe someone would see that.

It did give her a little bit of hope. And she'd take all of the hope she could get.

Once inside, she tried to listen to the two men as they talked. She was hoping to hear a location, a name, some sign of direction as to their destination. So far nothing.

”Where are we going?” she called out.

Silence.

Then the scary dude yelled back. ”None of your business.”

”Really, well it is my business as that's where you're taking me. If I wasn't involved in your stupid deals then it wouldn't involve me but as I am...”

She didn't know where the bravado came from maybe the thought that someone might finally see the message was helping. Bolstering her confidence.

Only she smelt his breath first. Then felt the blow that came out of nowhere.

She blacked out.

THE ENEMY VEHICLE had been spotted heading toward the Mexican border. It could turn off before hitting that checkpoint, but at least Mason had a direction to start. They'd receive live updates as they got them. They also had no proof that Tesla was in that vehicle.

That bothered him more than anything.

He and the team were getting ready to board a plane to a point just past where the vehicle was a.s.sumed to be headed. They were due to fly out in ten minutes. Ten of the longest d.a.m.n minutes he'd felt in forever. What the f.u.c.k was taking so d.a.m.n long?

”Easy, Mason. We're leaving in a couple of minutes.”

”A couple of minutes she doesn't have.”

A gas station attendant had called the police to say a number had been left written in blood in the washroom. The cops called the number and got Mason. It was his cell number. He had no idea how Tesla got the number but she was brilliant in anything tech so it was no surprise. Better yet, it was the first real confirmation that Tesla was indeed in the vehicle they were tracking.

Now the team was geared for war. They might be fighting in their own country, but it was going to be lethal nonetheless. If Tesla was taken across the line, well they'd be heading down there too. There was no place in this world they wouldn't go to do what needed to be done.

”Mexico doesn't make much sense,” Hawk said. ”Unless they are meeting someone who will take them overseas.”

”That's possible. The Mexican authorities aren't going to care except if the money crossing their hands isn't quite enough.”

”Which is an easy fix for these guys. We need to find them before they cross, or we could lose her.”

”Not going to happen.” Mason jumped to his feet and raced to get on the plane. Before he got halfway, he heard the engines start up in preparation.

”d.a.m.n good thing,” he muttered.

The time was short. The distance difficult. And the timing everything.

The military plane was in the air within seconds. It would be a short flight so no one had a chance to relax. They set up a strategy as soon as they landed. Nothing else was possible.

”Take it easy, Mason,” Dane said. ”You're going to need to calm down or you'll scare the h.e.l.l out of her.”

Hawk laughed. ”Have you looked at that girl? She doesn't scare easily.”

”No, she doesn't. But everyone, especially those not trained like we are, have their breaking point. She's going to hit it at some point.”

Mason nodded. ”She will. But it won't be today.”

The others grinned.