by K. C. Crowne
Liam lifted the light and scanned it around. We found ourselves in what actually looked like a secret passage. It was narrow and cramped, but it ran in one direction and let out through the door we'd found in the side yard. Now, we just needed to figure out where it was going to let us into the house.
“Stay behind me,” he whispered.
“The hell –”
“Save the righteous indignation,” Liam said, and I could see the smirk on his face in the glow of the light – a light he waved at me. “I've got the only flashlight. It's not sexist, it's being practical.”
I fell silent. “Fine,” I replied softly. “Let's get moving then. The others are probably already inside.”
We hustled down the cramped corridor and when Liam stopped short, I ran into the back of him. He turned around with a grin on his face.
“This probably isn't the right time or place for you to be groping my ass,” he said softly.
I gave him a look. My body tensed, and my pulse started to race as a crack of light appeared. Liam was opening the door and the light from the inside of the house was filtering into the secret passage.
He stood there for a long moment, the door open barely a crack, as he surveyed the scene beyond the passage. I was getting anxious and wanted to get in there. Finally, he stepped through the door, going low, and I followed him through.
We found ourselves in what looked like a den. There was a large flatscreen TV, a couple of large bookcases stuffed with hundreds of titles, a desk, and various other electronic toys. On the couch, Samantha was sound asleep, a blanket pulled up to her chin.
Surprisingly enough, there was nobody in the room with her. I stepped up beside Liam, looking around. This was too easy. Something wasn't right. Liam pointed at the sleeping girl – she was my responsibility. Still moving low, he crept toward the doorway.
I moved over to Samantha's sleeping form and knelt down beside her. The minute I clamped my hand over her mouth, her eyes flew open and she started to scream – her cries thankfully muffled by my hand.
“It's okay, Sam,” I said. “Settle down. We're going to get you out of here.”
When her eyes focused in on my face and she realized who it was, she immediately calmed down. I took my hand off her mouth and she sat up quickly, her eyes wild, her body tense. Her eyes flitted all around the room.
“Where are the men with the guns?” she whispered.
As if on cue, the sound of a struggle started in the rooms beyond. I heard the sound of grunting and the unmistakable muffled coughs of a gun bearing a silencer. Liam rounded on me.
“Get her out of here,” he said.
He took off at a sprint to join the fight in the other room. I was torn – I knew I needed to finish the mission and get Sam out of there. I also couldn't bear the thought of leaving one of my boys behind. Judging by the sound of the fight in the other room, there were more out there than we'd anticipated. My pulse racing and the adrenaline flowing, I turned to Sam.
“Get to the passage,” I said. “Stay just inside the door. Wait for us. Do not move. Do you understand?”
She nodded, her eyes wide, tears rolling down her face. I took her by the hand and led her over to the doorway for the secret passage that was discreetly set between two bookcases. You'd never know it was there unless you were looking for it. With it still propped open, I shoved Sam inside.
“Wait here,” I repeated. “Don't move.”
I turned and ran out to the living room where I saw an all-out melee going on. Fists were flying, bodies were on the floor, and my unit were all in a fight for their lives. Far from the two or three we'd expected to find, I counted half a dozen engaged with the guys. That wasn't counting the three on the ground, who were already either unconscious or dead. I wasn't going to stop to check.
Liam, Seth, and Jason were fighting full out. They'd managed to disarm most of their attackers and were doing a good job of keeping Santiago's men between them and the men who were still armed and trying to get a shot. I saw blood on some of their faces and knew they'd all been wounded. They were made of tough stuff though and kept on fighting. But I could see them beginning to tire. I knew they couldn't hold out forever.
Moving quickly, I grabbed one of the silencer-equipped AR-15's that had been dropped by one of the fallen men. I brought it to bear and squeezed off a quick burst. The gunman nearest to me jerked and twitched as the bullets penetrated his body. Blossoms of red bloomed on his light-colored shirt and he hit the floor with a wet, meaty thud.
All activity in the room stopped and we were wrapped in an eerie silence. Seeming to be moving as one, every man in the room turned and looked at me.
“Drop the fucking weapons,” I said, rounding on another of the gunmen. “Now.”
One of the men translated what I said in Spanish and the weapons hit the floor with a clatter. They all looked at me with equal measures of fear and contempt as they held their hands up to chest level.
“Step back,” I said, my voice low and menacing. “All of you.”
The man again translated what I said and all of Santiago's guys stepped back. My boys stepped over to me, shock and amazement on their faces.
“I told you to get out of here and get Sam to safety,” Liam growled.
“I just saved your asses,” I shot back. “You're welcome.”
“Come on,” Jason said. “Let's get the fuck out of here.”
“Go,” I said. “I'll hold them here and follow.”
“The hell you will,” Seth said.
I shot him an icy glare. “Get Sam out of here. Now,” I said, my voice as cold as my glare. “I've got rear guard.”
“Let's go,” Jason said, his voice commanding. “She's got rear guard.”
Liam and Seth hesitated for a moment before turning and heading back to the secret passage in the den, grumbling the whole way. Jason leaned closer to me and spoke in a low tone.
“It might be best for us if you plug them all,” he said. “The second you turn your back, they'll be coming.”
“I'm not going to execute them all,” I said. “Grab all of the guns and get out of here, Jason.”
He didn't hesitate, and he didn't argue. He simply ran around and collected all of the guns that had been dropped. He ejected all of the clips and unchambered any loose rounds, taking them all with him as he departed.
When I was alone with Santiago's men, they started casting glances at one another. They were getting antsy and I had the feeling they were thinking about making a move. Unfortunately for them, I was the only one with a weapon.
“Why don't you give me that gun, senora,” said the man who'd done the translating earlier. “There's no need for anybody else to get hurt here.”
“Why don't you shut the hell up?” I shot back.
I was counting off the seconds in my head. The boys and Sam should have been at least halfway through the passage by then. The man stepped forward, anger in his eyes.
“You're not gonna shoot me, gringa,” he said.
I pointed to the man I'd killed just a few minutes ago. “He might disagree with you,” I said coldly.
He advanced on me and the other men behind him, obviously emboldened, started to move forward in unison. I brought the weapon to bear, aiming it at center mass on the first man.
“Stop fucking moving or I swear to God, I'll cut you all down,” I said, hoping I sounded more confident than I felt.
“You won't do nothing,” he said, smiling. “I can see it in your eyes.”
Never one to be underestimated, I squeezed the trigger – and got nothing but a dry click. Shit. I was out of bullets. Recognizing the situation and the advantage they had in sheer numbers, the men all surged forward.
I threw the gun at them and turned, heading as fast as I could for the den. The sound of their footsteps thundering on the hardwood floor was right behind me. Dashing through the den, I bolted through the door to the secret passage and darted through the darkness. I saw the boys waiting fo
r me at the far end. They were screaming for me to hurry up.
I was still twenty yards away and could hear the grunting and panting of the men chasing me. They sounded like they were in my ear. I could practically feel their breath on my neck.
I wasn't going to make it.
“Get Sam out of here,” I called to the boys. “Get her out of here now. Go!”
“No!” I heard Seth and Liam yell in unison.
“Finish the mission! Get her out of here!” I called again.
I saw Jason silhouetted in the doorway and though I couldn't see his face, I knew the conflict that had to be etched into it. I knew he didn't want to leave me behind. But, there were bigger things in play.
The door at the far end slammed shut, plunging me into total darkness. At the same moment, I felt a pair of hands, stronger than iron, clamp onto my shoulders. They yanked me backward, pulling me off my feet. I heard the sharp crack a microsecond before I felt the overwhelming pain in my head.
After that, my whole world turned to black and I knew no more.
“What's happening?” I muttered, feeling like a dead weight. My entire body was limp, heavy, and I could barely open my eyes.
“You're fine, Mal,” Chris's voice reassured me.
Just hearing his voice caused me to relax in his arms. He was carrying me, somewhere far away from here. It felt so real, and I nuzzled against his chest, inhaling the scent of him.
“I've been worried about you,” I whispered. “We all have.”
“There's nothing to worry about, beautiful. I've got you now,” he said softly.
“Where are we going?” I still couldn't open my eyes.
“Home,” he said matter-of-factly.
I nodded, mumbling incoherently against his chest. Home. It made sense, even though it really didn't. Where was home for us? I tried to think back. Was it the base in Afghanistan? No, that was long ago. My apartment in San Diego? No, I no longer lived there either. My house? Sure, maybe that's what he meant, but he made it sound like it was our home, not just mine, and I felt it in my heart too.
My head spun as he walked, and my stomach twisted and turned inside of me.
“I think I might get sick,” I said.
“No, you can hold it, Mal. You have to. Just keep your eyes closed,” he said. “Pretend to be asleep. Whatever it takes.”
“Why must I pretend to be asleep?” I asked him.
I never did get an answer. Silence. Just utter silence from him from that point forward. Still, it was Chris, and I trusted him with my life, so I did as I was told. I pretended to be asleep. Maybe I wasn't really pretending. Maybe I drifted off, or maybe I never woke up to begin with. Maybe this was all a dream.
I tried to force my eyes to open, and I couldn't do it. They were too heavy. To calm my nerves, I breathed in Chris's scent to remind me that I was safe. Except, instead of a woodsy musk scent, I was met with the stench of stale cigarettes. Chris never smoked. What the hell, I thought to myself. The arms around me felt more real now, and they were less gentle. The chest I was nuzzled against felt unfamiliar.
Still, my eyes would not open. No matter what I did, I couldn't force myself awake. Knowing that this couldn't be Chris carrying me, I struggled, just a bit, and felt the arms tighten around me.
“She's waking up,” an unfamiliar voice said.
“Give her another injection.”
Injection? No, I couldn’t let them do this to me, but my arms and legs didn’t move the way they should. Something was wrong with me. I'd been drugged, I realized. Drugged with something pretty damn strong. “No, no,” I muttered, flailing like a fish out of water until I felt a poke in my upper arm. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. It was muffled and only in my head.
I drifted back to sleep, and there was peace and darkness.
Peace because Chris was back, holding me close. Kissing me.
“No,” I continued saying, but only in my head.
“Why not?” he asked me, holding my face in his hands. His blue eyes were so sweet, so filled with love. God, I loved him so much.
“Because of the others--” I said, biting my lip.
Chris sighed, leaning back against the sofa in my old apartment. He closed his eyes, and I thought he was asleep. When he opened them again, I saw the pain etched in his face.
“I love you, Mallory. I can't keep doing this,” he said.
“We can't do this, Chris. And you know it,” I argued. “Do we really want to tear our family apart?”
He stared at me for a long time, and I feared his answer. Maybe he did love me enough to lose his best friends. I didn't want to know that. I wanted us all to be together, to be one happy family. Not that I ever expected it to happen.
“No, I don't want that,” he said after a long time. “But I can't keep kidding myself, Mal. I love you. I want to be with you.”
“I know, Chris. And you know I love you too. I want to be with you too, but--”
“It's complicated,” he finished for me.
“Yes,” I said.
I reached for him, stroking his face. His stubble was scratchy against my hand.
“What if there was a way to have all of us, would you do that?” he asked.
I cocked my head to the side and tried to figure out what he meant.
“As in an orgy?”
“No, as in one big, happy family. All five of us,” he said.
I sat back against the sofa, resting my head against the overstuffed pillows. I tried to imagine what that would be like. All my boys, happily ever after. Could it work? Would they be willing to share me? We all loved each other like family, but could we withstand something like that?
“It's a nice dream, Chris, but I fear the reality will be chaotic. Too much jealousy, a lot of fighting. Is it worth the risk?”
“It depends,” he said, staring off into the distance like a lost little boy. “Do you think love is something worth taking risks for? Especially when it's as true and pure as the love we all have for you?”
“God, you're such a romantic,” I said, admiring his boyish good looks. His lips were so plump and kissable, and I knew how delicious they felt against mine. It took everything in me to not close the distance and kiss him again, to kiss him back. To show him that I loved him as much as he loved me.
Except, I didn't.
This wasn't another dream, an illusion of my mind. This was a memory, I realized. A memory that hurt me more now than it ever did before. I never had the chance to tell Chris I loved him, and now, I never would. Either he was dead or I'd end up dead, maybe both.
God, what I wouldn't do to go back in time, to make things right. To tell all my boys how much I loved them, how I wanted to be with all of them. Chris was right. A love like we shared was one worth fighting for. It was worth risking everything for.
Including my own life.
14
Jason
“This is all your goddamn fault,” Seth shouted at me. “You never should have let her come. I fucking knew it, man.”
Liam held him back as he lunged at me. Seth was enraged, and Liam was having a hard time keeping control of the other man. He didn't have to do it. I was so pissed off in that moment, I welcomed a fight. I wanted to punch somebody. Wanted to beat them. Make them hurt.
“We all agreed to do this, didn't we?” I said. “Listen, I love her as much as you do –”
“We didn't agree to anything,” Seth shouted. “You made the decision for all of us. I told you that you never should have allowed her to come along!”
“Come on, do you really think Mallory would have stayed back?” I shouted back. “She's not like that. She's a goddamn Marine. She's a cop. She's one of the most badass people we know. She wasn't going to just sit back in the hotel and wait for us to run in and save the day. You know that.”
Seth pulled harder, trying to break Liam's grasp to get at me. I looked over to the adjoining door, concerned that Chris' family could hear us. After getting back to
the hotel, we stashed Samantha in the room with her parents. It was a tearful reunion and Lois fell all over herself thanking us for bringing her little girl back.
After returning Sam to her folks, we adjourned to our room where the finger pointing and fighting started in earnest.
“He's right, Seth,” Liam said. “Mallory is hard-headed. She's stubborn as fuck and you know that. She wouldn't have stayed back.”
“We should have made her,” he said.
“Yeah,” Liam said. “And how exactly were we going to do that?”
“Shut up,” I roared “It's too late to fight about what we should or shouldn't have done now. It's done. It's fucked up, but it's done. So, instead of arguing, we need to figure out how to get her back now,”
Somewhere in the room, there was a loud buzzing sound. We all stopped for a moment and looked around, trying to figure out what in the hell was making that noise. We searched until we found the source of the sound. It was Mallory's cell phone, which had been plugged into the charger near the bed. She hadn't taken it with her.
I looked at the display screen and saw she had three missed calls – two from Sarah and one from Jacklyn. Her sisters.
My heart dropped as I thought about having to tell Mallory's family about what happened. I didn't know if I could do it. How in the hell did you tell somebody their daughter had been taken by a notoriously violent and deadly drug cartel?
When the phone rang again, I instinctively picked up.
“Hello?” I said.
Sarah Spencer's voice sounded surprised on the other end of the phone.
“Jason?” she asked. “Is that you? Why are you answering Mallory's phone?”
“Hey there Sarah,” I said. “She was – she's indisposed, so I picked up the call for her to take a message.”
I grimaced, realizing how ridiculous that explanation sounded. Nobody took messages anymore. That's what voicemail was for.