Taken: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by M. A. Lee

  Jamie knew he was pushing my buttons and he was loving it. If it were the other guys I would have given them shit right back, but with Jamie, I had to tread carefully. When he was laughing and smiling, you just ran with it. He suffered from PTSD and sometimes, he could go into a dark space. For now, I would let him give me a hard time.

  “I’m just messing with you, T-Dawg,” he said, leaning back in the chair.

  Another thing that pushed my buttons, the obnoxious nickname the guys had given me when I first started here. I wished it would go away.

  Jamie leaned forward and threw a file on my desk.

  “What’s this?” I asked, picking up the Manila folder.

  “Carter brought this to my office earlier. Seems like Detective Marshall was correct; Marcus has already been stalking a female to lure into his operation.”

  I began pulling out the papers and suddenly, my mouth dropped open wide. Staring back at me was the same girl who I had bumped into earlier. I held the paper close to my face.

  “Hey, I know this girl,” I said before thinking what was coming out of my mouth.

  Jamie’s eyes rose and as he stared at the picture, Parker, Carter, and Ace ventured into my office.

  “What girl do you know?” Carter asked.

  Realizing I now had an audience, I needed to think clearly. “Well, I don’t know her. This is the girl that bumped into me earlier when we were tracking Marcus. She works at the bar downtown,” I said, turning the picture around so they could see, too.

  They all looked at the image and Parker whistled. “Well, at least Marcus has good taste,” he mused.

  I lowered my eyes at him and pursed my lips. “This girl has no idea she is in danger,” I growled out.

  From the information in the file, Marcus had been watching her the last few days. “Apparently, someone tipped him off that a young, single female was moving into an apartment downtown. He was outside the bar two days in a row,” Carter added.

  “We need to get down there and have eyes on the place at all times,” I ordered.

  The team nodded in agreement.

  “I know how serious you take our job. Let’s go back out tonight. We will go together with clear heads,” Jamie offered.

  Nodding, I closed out the windows on my computer screen and stood up. “Alright, but you are driving,” I said.

  We were back out on the streets and I was ready and feeling more level headed. Jamie was driving his black Ford F-250 truck. His tinted windows kept us hidden, but we were in a civilian vehicle, so we didn't draw attention to ourselves.

  Driving back toward downtown, I noticed how the further we went to the campus, the more people were out walking around. When you were trying to trail a suspect, large crowds could be both a hindrance and a help. We needed to get some more information and I needed to make sure that Marcus could never see his plans come to light. God knows how many other girls he had hurt already.

  Take for instance, right now. College students were slowly moving into apartments and housing around town. They were all out enjoying their last few nights of summer before school started again in the next few weeks. Drinking and rowdiness allowed us to blend in when we were watching our suspects. However, too many people could make you lose sight of someone, especially if you were on foot.

  For tonight, we were sticking to driving around town, looking for the SUV Marcus had been seen driving earlier, and then we would go down to some of the rougher parts of town. A few of our informants might give us information on new gang members in the area or any new drugs being passed around.

  The radio was playing low in the background and as I kept my eyes focused on the road, and Jamie got a call. He briefly looked down at his phone and then turned off the ringing.

  “Hey, if you need to take a call, you know I don’t mind,” I said.

  “Nah, it’s not a big deal,” Jamie said, ignoring his phone again.

  I wasn't sure what that was about, but I knew better than to press him.

  After an hour, we realized we weren’t going to find Marcus’s SUV. “Hey, let’s move over to Third Street,” I suggested. “It’s a nice night. The guys will be out tonight dealing. We can see if they have heard anything,” I finished.

  Jamie nodded and then turned off the main strip and began driving down the side roads. As we moved further away from the city buildings, a more industrial vibe began. Small houses, some boarded up, others in desperate need of fixing up came into view. Men, both young and old, were now littering the streets. Some ran or turned the other way when they spotted us coming. They knew what was up. We were the police. We had been around this area long enough for them to know who and what we were.

  This didn’t faze our mission though. The high profile drug lords we were after never bothered to move down this way themselves. This was what they hired the gangs and young guys for.

  Seeing a group of guys hanging out by a small gas station, Jamie slowed his truck to a stop. Rolling down the windows, I nodded toward a few of the guys who I knew. We had a ‘working relationship’ if you will.

  Three guys in their young twenties walked over to the truck.

  “What’s up, boys?” Mack asked. He was tall and thin, wearing a large gold chain around his neck.

  He dealt weed in the area, but made sure the younger boys stayed away.

  “Have you heard of any hard stuff moving down this way?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Rumor has it that some Michigan boys moved down here. They are hurting business for us,” he said, his voice hostile.

  “What are you all doing about it?” Jamie asked.

  While we knew these guys could be helpful, we were also not naive to think they weren’t going to let some new guys run on their territory.

  Backing up, the guys laughed. “We don’t mess with the high rollers,” Mack began. “This isn’t just dealing weed, man. These guys are gang members, killers, and human traffickers. This is on you now,” Mack said, pointing toward me and Jamie.

  I got his message loud and clear. Marcus and Tommy weren’t your average drug dealers. We were dealing with guys who were bringing deadly drugs into our territory. However, human trafficking struck out more to me than anything. The girl's face was now glued to memory and I couldn’t get her out of my head.

  “Thanks, guys. You know if you hear anymore news, call me,” I said.

  The guys waved us off and then went back to their spot by the gas station.

  While we hadn’t captured a fugitive, we were one step closer to learning more about our suspect our drug task force team was after.

  Chapter 6

  Todd

  As we continued to drive through town, my head was beginning to throb from all of the thoughts.

  “Hey, swing by that bar. I want to see if Marcus might be staking it out, or if we see any suspicious vehicles posted out front. Maybe Marcus isn’t doing all of the stalking, but I am sure he has some of his goons on it,” I said.

  Jamie nodded as he turned and began heading back toward the bar.

  “This case is really getting to you, isn’t it?” he asked me.

  It was one thing for me to dive neck deep into my work, but it was another for me to personally get involved.

  “I don’t know, man,” I said, rubbing my jaw. “We have taken down every type of drug criminal but this one feels different. He isn’t just running drugs, he is adding human trafficking to it. To me, that is the lowest form of person. We can’t let him bring this into our city,” I managed to say.

  “I completely agree, this case just has a totally different vibe,” Jamie agreed.

  My phone began to ring and I saw it was Carter calling. I answered and put it on speaker phone so Jamie could listen in, too.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Are you guys still out on the streets?” Carter asked.

  “Yeah, we just talked to a couple of guys from Third Street. Looks like you were right; Marcus is into human trafficking. The guys down on the streets don’t
want to mess with this new cartel,” I added.

  I could hear Carter talking to someone in the background and I knew he was probably filling in the other guys.

  Realizing I had to jump now, I did something I had never done before.

  “Carter, I think we need to act tonight. From what we have all learned, Marcus is different from the other organizations we have taken down. He has more connections, money security, and is a bigger threat to our community than we ever imagined,” I stated.

  There was silence for a few minutes and I could feel my heart rate accelerate. Images of Ally raced through my mind and I tried my hardest to push them aside. I couldn’t think of her right now. From her file, I had learned her name was Allison, but she went by Ally. My mind needed to remain on the case-- nothing else could matter right now.

  Finally, Carter began to speak and I held my breath in anticipation. “Normally, I wouldn’t like the idea of rushing so fast, but I have to agree. If there are young females being stalked and drugs moving into our community, then we don’t have time to waste. What do you suggest?” he asked.

  I was so shocked by his agreeing with me, I was almost unable to talk.

  Jamie nudged me as I sat there with my mouth hanging open like a fool.

  “How about I go into the bar and stake out the area? Jamie can be with me and you and the guys can be outside watching for more of his team. We can have officers ready on scene if needed,” I added.

  “Okay, we just got word that Marcus and Tommy are supposed to meet today to discuss the joining of their organizations. If they are going to meet, we will have a few guys with them and then have you and Jamie at the bar. My team will trail Tommy,” Carter informed me.

  “Alright, I will be there tonight around eight. You guys keep us updated,” I said before ending the call.

  “Sounds like we are going to have a long night.” Jamie smiled.

  Like me, he lived for this shit.

  Chapter 7

  Ally

  Breathe in. Breathe Out.

  I stood in front of the bathroom mirror as I tried to give myself a pep talk. It was the first day of my college classes and suddenly, I felt like it was my first day of kindergarten all over again. Nervous, I triple checked to ensure I had everything I needed.

  Backpack. Check.

  Laptop. Check.

  Printed Schedule. Check.

  I had everything I needed, but still, for some reason, I was feeling unsure about everything.

  I had managed to get through my first two weeks of waitressing at the bar and had made really good money in tips. I was able to purchase the books I needed for my classes and even had enough to put some groceries in my refrigerator.

  Now, as I left my tiny apartment, I made the ten minute walk to the University of Sunnyville’s campus. There were hundreds of students walking around, doing the exact same thing I was. Many were walking in pairs or groups and I had a sense of loneliness as I realized I didn’t have anyone to share this moment with. At least, I would have Brianna next year, hopefully.

  The sky was filled with white, fluffy clouds and a nice breeze flirted through the air. It was a perfect day for a walk and I was just glad that I had nice weather.

  As I made my way onto campus, I walked past the Business and Marketing building and the student center. Concrete pathways were lined with beautiful green grass and freshly manicured lawns with flower beds offering bright colors. Tall trees gave off shade from the sun that was trying to peek through the thick clouds.

  I spotted the large classroom building where my first two classes of the day would be held. I walked inside and was bombarded with voices and crowds of students. It was nerve wracking making my way through the halls looking for the class I needed.

  Finally, I found the room and as I walked inside, I realized it was an auditorium style room. Down on the floor was a small stage with a podium. Hundreds of theatre style seats lined the room. Students were piling in fast so I quickly found a seat in the middle of the rows.

  As I sat down, I began fumbling through my bag to get out my textbook for the World Literature class. I wanted to be a school counselor because after my parents died, my school counselor, Mrs. Brann, was like a saving grace to me. If I could be half as effective and helpful to someone as she was to me, then I would feel like I had accomplished something in my life. I knew my first year would primarily be getting my prerequisites down, but I still was eager to get started on counseling courses.

  “Hey, are you saving this seat?” I heard someone talking to me and when I turned, I was met with a pair of soft, brown eyes.

  “No, go ahead and take a seat,” I offered, smiling at the handsome boy.

  “Hey, I’m Ryan,” he said, offering me his hand to shake.

  I shook his hand and smiled. He was adorable with shaggy brown hair and matching eyes. He was tall, but had an athletic build.

  “Hi, I’m Ally,” I said. Nervously, I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

  The professor walked in and everyone began to quickly take their seats and the room grew quiet.

  I was aware of Ryan’s presence beside me during the entire class. He kept sneaking glances my way and I had to admit, I was enamored with the attention. I hadn’t felt real happiness since before my parents died. Maybe, just maybe, I could find that joy again.

  ****

  When class was over, I began packing up my items. All around me students were chatting away with friends or greeting faces they already knew. Again, that sting of loneliness settled in and I had to fight back the urge to cry.

  “So, I know we just met, but would you want to maybe get together for coffee or something later?” Ryan asked nervously. He took me by surprise as I looked up and locked eyes with him. I almost did a double-take to make sure he was really talking to me and not someone else.

  It was cute how he seemed to be fumbling over his words as he talked.

  Standing, I adjusted my backpack on my shoulder. “That sounds great, but I have to work,” I said, hearing the sadness in my voice.

  “Oh,” Ryan said. His smile faded and I felt guilt wash over me.

  I hoped he didn’t think I was blowing him off.

  “I work at one of the bars downtown,” I offered. “Maybe you could stop in and we could talk when I get a break.”

  Ryan’s eyes lit up. “That sounds great. What’s your schedule?” he asked, pulling out his phone.

  “I work every day from five until around ten at night,” I said. It wasn’t until the words came out that I realized I had no life at all. Between school, homework, and waitressing, I practically had no life.

  “Heavy workload,” Ryan whistled.

  “Yeah.” I laughed.

  “Well, I will stop by this evening. Here, let’s exchange numbers,” he said, handing me his phone. I gave him mine and plugged in my number and name of the bar, as he did the same with my phone.

  We said goodbyes and then I ventured off to my next class, a basic math class that all freshmen had to take.

  I was on cloud nine and was beyond happy with the luck I was having. Nothing could break my spirit now.

  ****

  I was already three hours into my shift and Ryan had texted me that he would be by sometime tonight.

  The bar was super busy as I helped take drink orders and bring out appetizers that people ordered.

  I was busy taking the order of two girls when I saw the guy from the other day walk into the bar. He was dreamy as ever as he sauntered up to the bar and sat on one of the empty bar stools. His face was set in a scowl and I couldn’t help but notice how tense he appeared.

  I busied myself writing down the girls’ orders and then took them to the bar for the bartender, who I had recently learned was named Jack, to fill. As I walked around, I could feel the guy’s eyes on me.

  “Excuse me, miss. Can I get a drink?” a man with dark hair and eyes asked, smiling at me as I passed by.

  Stopping, I looked around and didn
’t see the other waitress. Typically, we had to stay in our sections, but I didn’t want to be rude. I had seen this guy in the bar almost every day since I started working. He was obviously a regular, and by the way he dressed with such expensive taste, I was sure he would be a good tipper.

  “Sure, what can I get you?” I asked, stopping and taking out my notepad for orders.

  “First, I would like to know your name. I always like to talk to my waitresses on a first name basis,” he said, his charming smile making me blush.

  “I’m Ally,” I said.

  “Ally, I’m Marcus. Now, I would like a glass of bourbon, the finest you have in stock.” He smiled.

  Taking down his order, I walked to the bar and handed the order to Jack.

  The guy from the other day was still sitting, but he seemed to be talking to someone now on his phone. I saw him glance back and look at Marcus a few times.

  I stood at the bar, running my hands along the dark cherry wood top. Jack placed the bourbon on the bar. As I was walking back to Marcus’s table, I noticed another man had joined him now. This guy, however, was dressed in a black suit and had his hair slicked back. They seemed to be in a heated discussion as I placed the glass on the table.

  Another man walked in and he had tattoos covering his arms and neck. He went over and sat down next to the guy who had been watching me at the bar.

  The entire vibe of the bar began to shift as I noticed all of the men starting to stare at one another. While it made me uneasy, I didn’t have too much time to think about it because I was busy with taking orders.

  Music blasted from the speakers that hung in the corners of the bar, and I focused on the fast beats instead of the scowling faces I kept passing.

  Suddenly, I heard a loud shout from across the room and all at once, all hell broke loose.

  “Did you call the cops?” I heard Marcus yell in a terrifying rage.

  At the mention of the word cops, the two guys at the bar jumped up and ran.

  I saw Marcus pull out a shiny silver revolver and the guy at his table did the same.