Jax watched Caroline's hands shake as she tried to call Rachel back. "Calm down, Caroline."
Caroline nodded. "Rachel, has she shown up yet?" Caroline listened and he knew by the look on her face Jamie hadn't. "No, Mom and Dad haven't heard from her. I'm going to call Lana now. What? Who said that?"
Damon walked back inside, shaking his head at Jax.
"That doesn't make sense." Caroline bit her lip as she listened, her frown deepening. "Why would she be talking to Pete? Okay, let me call Lana. Please call me if she shows up."
"I called Sid, and Lana hasn't heard from her. They're on their way to the school now," Damon informed them.
"Who's Pete?" Jax asked. He was no longer the smiling man from moments before. He was in full Warrior mode.
"He's one of the janitors at the school." Caroline frowned. "But in all the years I've been there, I've never seen him converse with the students, and with Jamie being a freshman, he wouldn't know her."
******
The more time that went by, the more Caroline's panic heightened. A missing persons alert had been issued, even though it hadn't been twenty-four hours. Her dad and Lana had connections and used them with no problem.
Caroline sat with the phone in her hand, and she couldn't get the thought of why Pete had spoken to her sister in the parking lot out of her head. Something nagged her and she couldn't shake it. Pete had been acting strange when last she'd seen him, but maybe he was just having an off day, plus she hadn't seen him all summer. And Jamie was a smart, strong girl. Lana had taught them both self-defense moves. Pete was an older man with a limp and was slumped over. She tried to convince herself not to overthink it.
Caroline stood when Lana and Sid walked in. "Anything?"
"Yeah." Lana frowned, looking worried. "This janitor, Pete, says he didn't talk to her. He said today was his first day back to work after getting sick and leaving work Monday morning. He worked mostly in the auditorium today to get it ready for a band concert tonight."
Caroline's head snapped back. "Wait a minute." Caroline glanced at Adam and Steve. "That can't be right. I talked to Pete the day I worked. He came in my room and then again in the office. The secretary saw him, as did Jill, Steve, and Adam. Jamie was also in the office."
"If it's the same old guy, Adam about ran him over in the hallway," Steve added.
"He couldn't have been," Lana said, checking her notes. "The principal confirmed this. He also confirmed that at the time the student said she saw the janitor talking to Jamie, he was with the janitor in the auditorium, along with two other teachers who also confirmed."
"Oh, my God." Her eyes swung to Jax. "He's got my sister."
"Who's got her, Caroline?" Lana clutched her arm.
"My brother." Jax pulled Caroline to him, holding her. "He won't hurt her. He wants something and wants to make sure I know he's got her."
"He wants me," Caroline replied. "The bastard wants me in trade for my sister because he hasn't been able to get to me. This is how he's going to do it."
"He isn't going to do anything," Jax promised. "I won't let him."
"I called everyone. They're on their way." Duncan stepped in. "Keep your phone lines open because he's going to contact someone, and soon. We need to have a plan in place when he does."
Steve walked up, looking like he was ready to burst. "I've got the plan."
"Steve, please," Adam said, glancing at Caroline and Lana. "Now's not the time."
"Ah, hello… who's the dumb ass now?" Steve pointed at himself, then frowned. "I mean, guess who's not the dumb ass now? Me, that's who."
When no one said anything Steve rolled his eyes.
"How about we talk about your newly acquired power, Adam 'who reads everyone even when blocked as long as he touches them' Pride?" Steve twirled his hand, urging Adam to understand what the fuck he was saying.
"Holy shit!" Adam looked shocked, then punched Steve in excitement. "I ran into the fucker. If Mika did shift into Pete, I ran into him. Holy shit!"
Steve rubbed his shoulder. "If that's the way you say thank you, then keep it to your damn self."
"Can you get a read on him?" Jax let go of Caroline to head toward Adam.
"Hold on." Adam walked out on the porch. "Give me a minute. I need to focus."
No one said a word as they waited. Lana came over and held Caroline's hand as Jax paced, waiting for Adam.
"I got the bastard." Adam's smile wasn't pleasant.
Jax walked over, kissing Caroline hard. "I swear I'm going to get her back unharmed."
"Stay here with Caroline," Sid told Lana.
Caroline shook her head. "No, I'm fine." Caroline wanted nothing more than to go with them, but knew she would only be in the way and didn't want Jax worrying about her. Jamie was what was important. "Go, Lana. She can call backup from the police department if needed."
"I don't like leaving you here alone." Jax frowned, hesitating.
"Adam will know if he leaves," Caroline urged him. "Just get Jamie back safe. That's all that matters. He doesn't even know you guys are on to him. I'm safe."
Jax kissed her one more time. "I'll call you as soon as we have her," he assured her and turned to leave, but stopped. Looking at her over his shoulder, he said, "I love you." It was the first time he had said it to her first and her heart soared.
"I love you, too. Please be careful." Caroline watched as they took off just as the rest of the Warriors arrived. She wanted to wallow in his words of love, but she was too worried about him, about all of them. There would be time for that later. Mika was finally going to pay for all the tragedy he had caused. She just prayed her sister wasn't hurt, but she trusted Jax and knew he would get her back.
Chapter 28
Caroline paced around her house with her phone in her hand. She was a nervous wreck and didn't know what to do with herself.
She had gotten her gun, actually put her clip in, but kept the safety on and had it within reach. A knock on her door scared her to death. Snatching the gun carefully, she clicked the safety off—she could thank Jax for yelling at her repeatedly for that—and went toward the front door.
"Who is it?" she called out, wishing she had a peephole. It was something she would ask Jax to organize for her.
"It's me." Her dad's voice was clear and calm.
Caroline clicked the safety back on and opened the door. "Dad." Caroline hugged him. "Where's Mom?"
"She went home." Her dad let her go quickly and then closed the door.
"Why didn't she come with you?" Caroline found that strange. Her mom, especially with Jamie possibly missing, would be glued to her dad's side.
"She's so upset about Jamie that she…" A strange smile spread across her dad's face. "Ah, fuck it! I don't have time for this shit."
Confusion left Caroline wide-eyed and asking, "What?" Gasping for breath, she felt the color drain from her cheeks as her dad changed before her into a man she'd never laid eyes on before.
She raised the gun, but had no chance to switch off the safety before he took it from her, bending her wrist at an odd angle. She heard the crack before the pain overwhelmed her, radiating throughout her whole body.
"Who are you?" Caroline cried, backing away from him. It was no use, he stalked her until she was up against the kitchen counter. She held her wrist protectively against her chest.
"It doesn't matter." The man pulled out rope from under his jacket. "I'm just here for a paycheck. After all the bullshit I've had to put up with I should have asked for more. After figuring out who in the hell your dad was and shifting into him to fool you, which wasn't hard at all by the way, I had to hurry over here before the boss man called them. Seeing the Warriors leave was my cue. It was go time."
"Why are you doing this?" Caroline watched his every move, wishing she could do something to get away, but it looked hopeless.
"As I said, for a paycheck." The man seemed to be more than happy to talk about the plans that had been made. "Mika grabbed your sister. H
e's in the process of making a trade with the Warriors. You for her."
Caroline tried not to scream when he tied her hands behind her. The pain from her broken wrist almost made her pass out. "They won't do that," Caroline finally gritted out through clenched teeth.
"Obviously since they have already left you, they have." He chuckled with a snort. "He knew all along the Warriors would ride off to save the day thinking they had us, but in truth, we got them, or should I say you. He really wants you dead in a bad way."
A small flicker of hope found its way through the pain. This man had no idea that the Warriors hadn't left because of Mika's plan. No, they'd left because Adam was reading Mika and knew his exact location. She prayed that Adam was still reading him and would be clued in to what was happening with her.
Next he tied her feet and then forced her to sit in a chair he'd moved into the center of the house. He tied her to it and then left the house. He returned with gas cans and started spreading the fluid everywhere, the pungent smell making her eyes and nose burn. Fear gripped her. She opened her mind, screaming for Jax, not having a clue if it would work.
"You'll never get away with this," Caroline hissed, trying to move in the chair, but he had her tied too tightly. "The Warriors will hunt you down. Remember Jax Wheeler's name because he's the one coming after you."
The shifter started to back out of the room, pouring gas as he went. "I'll be long gone before they even realize what's happened. My job was to kill you, and that's what I'm going to do." He stopped, giving her a look. "No hard feelings."
"Please, don't do this," Caroline begged, dread filling her. He had left the door open and she could see him ignite the gas, the flames racing toward the house, come up the front steps, and then she felt a breeze. She turned and saw Alisha kneeling next to her, anguish on her face. "Help me, Alisha. Go get Lana, please."
When Alisha just bowed her head, Caroline knew it would be too late for help and began to cry for things that would never be. She was more worried about how Jax was going to feel when he found her. That Mika had once again taken someone he cared about from him.
Leaning her head back, she opened her mind as wide as she could. "Jax!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as the heat became intense, the smoke thick.
******
Everyone followed Adam. It was late, with hardly any traffic at all, and if they ran into any, they got around it any way they could. Jax prepared his mind for what was to come, as he was sure everyone else did.
Suddenly, Adam swerved his bike, skidding it to a complete stop in the middle of the road and looked directly at Jax. Everyone came to a screeching halt, bikes sliding sideways to avoid hitting each other.
"Get back to Caroline's, now!" Adam screamed, a look of horror on his face.
Jax didn't hesitate as he turned around and took off. He didn't ask questions, but the look on Adam's face told him everything he needed to know. Caroline was in danger. Half followed Adam while the other half went with Jax. They hadn't gotten very far before Adam had stopped.
The smell of fire rode on the wind as he reached streets near to Caroline's. He opened his bike up, scanning the area. Pulling into her drive, he barely had time to register the flames fiercely licking at the building, too focused on the echo of his name. It was Caroline.
Through the open door and the dancing flames, he spotted her tied to a chair. He slowed but didn't stop as he rode his bike through the burning flames and into the house, bursting through the burning wood. He jumped off his bike as soon as he was near her, letting the bike go out the other side of the house through the flaming wall.
Caroline coughed, not a racking cough like he would have imagined. Instead, she drifted in and out of consciousness. He grabbed the rope at her wrists, giving it a snap to break her free. Her scream ripping through the building tore through him. He looked down and saw her wrist was clearly broken. He couldn't worry about that until he got her to safety. Once he had her out of the ropes, Jax picked her up, but as soon as he headed toward a spot to make a run for it, the ceiling collapsed, making escape impossible. He would be fine, but Caroline would be burned severely.
Anger and panic rode him hard as he turned, trying to find a safe way out for Caroline, but they were trapped. He turned again, this time seeing Blaze walking through the flames, as if there were a shield around him. The flames leaped away from him, clearing a path.
"Give me Caroline," Blaze ordered, taking her quickly.
Jax wanted to refuse. She was his responsibility, but knew his actions would cost her life. He watched as the same shield that surrounded Blaze encircled Caroline, and he wanted to drop to his knees with relief. Blaze headed through the flames with Caroline. Jax followed closely, his eyes never leaving her. He didn't care that his skin sizzled; he would be healed within minutes.
Fire trucks had pulled in and were getting set up to tackle the fire. Blaze bypassed the group of working firefighters and then carefully handed Caroline to Jax.
"Thank you." Jax had never been more relieved to have another in his arms until that moment. He'd almost lost her.
Blaze nodded, his concerned eyes still on Caroline, who was coughing and choking nonstop. "She needs oxygen."
Slade was already directing the medics their way. He hurried toward them. "Get her in the ambulance so they can start oxygen on her."
Jax did, laying her on the stretcher carefully. Slade got in beside her, taking over and positioning the oxygen mask on her. Jax wanted nothing more than to pull her away and hold her, but he stopped himself, getting his protectiveness under control.
"Her right wrist is broken," Jax informed him. His voice hitched with anger and fear.
"Is she burned anywhere that you know of?" Slade asked as he looked at her eyes, then adjusted the oxygen.
"No, I don't think so," Jax replied, his eyes not leaving her pale face. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I won't let her be any other way," Slade promised.
Jax stayed out of the way, but close enough to touch her. The horror of seeing her inside her burning house had terrified him. He would have burned alive to keep her safe and had felt so helpless until Blaze had stepped in. He could never repay the Warrior for what he'd done tonight.
She began coughing again, but not as bad. Slade once more adjusted the oxygen as the medics stood back, watching. Slade obviously didn't care he had taken over their jobs and Jax was glad he had. He trusted no one other than Slade with her life.
Jax took his eyes away from her long enough to look at her house. It was almost completely burned to the ground. Next to the building, he spotted four gas cans and his rage knew no bounds.
"My sister?" Caroline's voice reached him through his rage.
"They're going after her," Jax promised. He then glanced at his phone. No messages yet. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, her eyes looking past him to her house. "My guitar," she whispered, but loud enough for Jax to hear. Tears streaked her dirty face. "My house. No, not my house."
Jax tried to block her view of the fire, but he couldn't conceal the flames leaping at the darkening twilight sky.
"It wasn't Mika." Caroline pulled the mask off her face, her voice low and raspy from smoke inhalation. "Someone knocked on the door. I asked who it was and it was my dad, or I thought it was my dad." Caroline began coughing again.
"Caroline, you need to stop talking and keep the mask on your face," Slade ordered with a worried frown.
Caroline pulled it off again. "Mika wanted you away from me so he could kill me and it didn't matter who did it. He paid someone to do it."
Jax vowed then and there that whoever else was involved in putting Caroline in danger would be hunted by him personally. He carefully put the mask back on her face. "We'll talk about that later."
Jill came up to the ambulance and leaned in toward Jax, whispering, "They have Jamie and she's uninjured." Jill looked toward Caroline, then back to Jax. "They also have Mika."
"Where?" Jax growle
d, keeping his voice low. He didn't want Caroline upset.
"They just pulled in," Jill replied, then jumped out of the way as Jax quickly exited the ambulance.
His eyes searched for and found the van, knowing Mika was inside. Before he reached it, Sloan stepped in front of him. "Is Caroline okay?" His worried voice broke through to Jax, but his eyes stayed zeroed in on the van.
"Slade is working on her now, but yeah, she's going to be okay," Jax finally answered, his voice sounding inhuman.
"I'm not letting you anywhere near that van. We need answers from him." Sloan's voice hardened. "And there are too many human police around to do what needs to be done with your brother. We only stopped to offer you backup since we didn't know what the fuck was going on."
Jax knew what Sloan said was true, but to let Mika leave alive when he was right there within his grasp was almost too much for him to handle. His mind and body demanded it be settled immediately by killing the son of a bitch. The sound of Caroline coughing urged those feelings, but something else also came over him. She was what was important at that very moment and he needed to be by her side.
"You will have your day with him, Jax. No one touched him other than restraining him. He's yours to deal with." Sloan put his hand on his shoulder. "Trust me on that. No one will touch him. You have my promise."
Torn between knowing what he wanted to do and what he needed to do was a war that raged inside him. Sloan may think he could stop him, but he'd have a fight on his hands. Then he heard his name. It was Caroline calling him.
"Go." Sloan nodded toward the ambulance. "Take care of her so your mind is right when you take care of your brother."
Jax's black eyes shifted from the van, where he knew Mika sat, to Sloan, who watched him closely. With a growl, he nodded, then turned and walked away. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done.
Jax got back in the ambulance and looked down at Caroline. With a shaking hand, she touched his cheek. "I heard Jill. Go, Jax," she said, this time without removing the mask. "I'm fine."
Jax (The Protectors Series) Book #8 Page 18