by Delmire Hart
It was a little unsettling having such a large escort. Daniel had somehow gotten used to three people tailing him at all times but to suddenly double it? Six people felt like way too many. They were approaching the warehouses on foot and slowly different people peeled off to take up their positions. Three maintained lookout locations outside while three escorted Daniel into the building. The third guard accompanying the photographer inside disappeared off to the other side of the warehouse, leaving Daniel with Ueda and a guard called Kareem to make their way to the unused second story walkway that ran along the warehouse walls.
Kareem was one of William’s guards who had been originally assigned to his security team before they changed tack.
“Mr Miller, I’m not sure if you remember me but we’ve met once before. I was originally assigned to your security team but was put back into Mr Hunt’s team once we realised you were scaling buildings. I was there that first day when you lost us in less than half an hour. You caused quite an uproar within Synnite’s security division. No hard feelings, I’m not really cut out for that kind of manoeuvring. But you’ll be safe with us as long as you stick close, okay?”
They climbed up onto the walkway and carefully constructed a place for all three to hide before settling in to wait. They arrived well over an hour early to make sure they got in unseen and without a hitch. It would be a long and boring wait but it was something Daniel was used to. What he wasn’t used to was the thick feeling of tension that hung over them. Everyone was on high alert and none of the usual playful banter sounded out over the communications channel.
Daniel thought back to his conversation with William earlier in the evening when he had admitted to being worried. There had to be more to it than just Officer Mino’s threats. William wasn’t one to show such obvious concern over nothing or over something as vague as ‘I’ll get you’. This was an ordinary stakeout. Nothing fancy, nothing too dangerous.
Yet the tension choked the air and Daniel couldn’t help but feel on edge.
Nakahara’s voice crackled out through the line just under an hour later, startling Daniel enough that he jolted.
“You’ve got four more men incoming to help secure the perimeter. Cameron, Tony, Adams, and Kogara. Stefan’s lost his tail and the boss thinks he might come here to meet up with Lawrence. Tony will join the group inside and the rest have locations posted around the building. Be sure to advise if he’s spotted. Boss wants Stefan captured and brought in for questioning if the opportunity arises. I doubt I need to remind anyone that that objective is secondary to seeing Miller safe?”
There was silence over the channel and Daniel cast a look over to Ueda whose face was set in grim determination.
“Good. Make sure Miller has been extracted from the location and given the all clear before even thinking about going after Stefan. Keep me updated on any arrivals and their locations.”
Silence descended once again and Daniel let out a long breath. The tension was really fraying his nerves. He fiddled with his camera lens, trying to will time faster. Soon enough quiet voices sounded over the communication channel to indicate the four’s arrival and Daniel watched as Tony entered the building before swiftly disappearing at the back of the warehouse.
It was only fifteen minutes later that the first vehicle could be heard approaching. Confirmation sounded in his ear. Daniel clutched his camera and focused his sights on the large doorway.
“Shit. It’s a fucking sale.”
He only had a second to be confused before the doors opened and Lawrence waltzed in, loudly throwing orders over his shoulder. Several men followed, herding in women of varying ages and even a few young boys. They were chained and dressed in rags, more than one with visible bruising on their bodies. Suddenly the words meaning hit home. Sale. They were selling human flesh. Looks like Lawrence had truly taken over Barrett’s human trafficking circuit.
Daniel held his camera in a white-knuckled grip and tried to breathe. A hand squeezed his shoulder and he glanced over to Ueda. The man gave him a look and then nodded at his camera. Right. This was why he was here. He would gather the evidence necessary to bring the bastard down. He held up his camera and started snapping off photos.
The quiet, broken cries of one of the younger girls ripped his heart to shreds.
He kept snapping off photos with shaking hands as they were arranged on the dirty warehouse floor as though for viewing.
“Fucking bastards.” Someone mumbled over the channel and Daniel couldn’t help but agree.
Confirmations of more approaching vehicles were quietly given and soon enough people were wandering in.
Prospective buyers.
Daniel felt sick to his stomach. He kept dutifully snapping off photos however, making sure to get a good, clear closeup of everyone’s faces. It wasn’t only Lawrence that needed to be taken down. All of these buyers were probably contacts from Barrett’s time running the circuit and they deserved prison as much as he did. Daniel let the rage burn quietly, a simmering heat that sharpened his focus and fired his determination. A quick glance to either side showed both Ueda and Kareem seemed to be in the same state of mind.
“I have confirmation on Stefan.”
“Roger that.”
Daniel tensed. So, he was here again. Stefan’s presence confused him though. What did the manager of Syndrome gain by moving in circles with known human traffickers? Did he really think William wouldn’t find out at some point? It just didn’t make any sense.
The man in question strolled into the warehouse as though on an afternoon walk. He radiated calm with a slight spring in his step. The photographer couldn’t make out what was being said but it seemed Stefan knew most of those present and passed out his greetings. Only once that was done did he move to the side of the room, a little in front of the walkway they were located on.
Daniel put the man’s presence from his mind and focused his attention back on the proceedings. Money was starting to change hands.
“I got more incoming.” There was a pause, then- “Fuck. I’ve got confirmation on multiple people in SWAT gear. They are surrounding the building.”
“We need to move.” Ueda crouched but indicated for Daniel to stay down. “I have no idea how they got this intel but we are starting extraction now. We’ll use the distraction of the bust to make it clear of the building.”
Daniel dissembled his camera, packing it away with the speed of much practice and crouched, waiting for the signal. They waited, minutes stretching out with agonising slowness as both Ueda and Kareem readied their guns.
It all seemed to happen at once.
The doors burst open and police swarmed in. They opened fire almost immediately. He had just enough time to register Ueda cursing before suddenly they were falling. A series of small explosions rang out from both sides of the warehouse and the walkway that ran around the outside of the warehouse on the second floor gave way.
Daniel didn’t remember hitting the ground. He woke up to controlled yells in his ear and screams echoing from around the building. The room spun fuzzily and he tried to move.
Pain tore through him.
Dimly he was aware of his own pained cries and more urgent yelling into his ear. He thought he heard his name but he couldn’t be certain. He cried out as he tried to move again.
“Miller. Miller please respond. You need to get out of there. Can anyone see him?”
“Can’t…can’t move. Hurts.”
“Miller has been wounded, someone get to him! Ueda, Kareem, please respond!”
“There’s too much gunfire, we’re pinned down. They seem to think we’re part of this setup.”
“Fuck. Someone get me confirmation on Miller.”
Daniel whimpered as he moved his head to the side. He could dimly see the outline of a man on the ground nearby with a small pool of red under his head. Blood. He focused and realised it was Kareem. He was slumped over and completely still. Daniel couldn’t even tell if he was still breathing.
“Can’t have any of that now, can we, little whore?”
His vision swum but Daniel recognised the voice. He was forcefully wrenched up, still by the hair, and dragged back out of the gunfight and behind some crates. Every step was agony and his left arm hung limply at a strange angle by his side. They paused there for barely a minute before he was being pulled from the building by a back entrance and thrown in a car. Stefan forced him across the backseat and handcuffed him to the seatbelt. He quickly slammed the door shut and strode around the car before slipping into the driver’s seat.
The car roared to life then they were racing away from the warehouse. Daniel whimpered as pain shot through him with every bump of the vehicle.
“Ah, there is so much satisfaction to be had when your carefully executed plans go off without a hitch,” Stefan practically sung in his gleeful pleasure.
“You…you planned this?”
“Of course. I’m not about to let a little slut have all of William’s attentions. Oh no. He is all mine and you're getting in the way.”
Daniel bit back a cry and he shifted unconsciously, trying to ease the pain. “I’m his soulmate, do you seriously think you can take my place?”
Stefan hummed, he seemed far too delighted over the events. “Even if I can’t, then no one can. Least of all you, tramp.”
“He knows it’s you.”
“Good.”
“What? Are you crazy?” he exclaimed.
“I want to make him mine. He’s the perfect man. Money, power, looks. I want that gaze on me and me alone. I’ve been hinting at my adoration for him for some time but he always brushed me off. Until I showed up to that damn meeting. I had given the tipoff, I knew you would be there but Lawrence would not shut up and insisted I be there to strengthen his ties.” Stefan snorted. “He’s not as idiotic as he could be, I suppose. But then after that, I was suddenly being followed. Suddenly I have William’s attention. My actions, all my movements are being reported to William. Then I think, maybe it's better to be hated. If it gets that man’s focus solely on me, perhaps that’s better. So, I’ll take you out, nice and slowly for my own satisfaction. Then William will no doubt seek me out and give me his undivided attentions.” Stefan shivered and gave a small moan. “Those intense golden eyes focused on me alone.”
“You…” Daniel stared at the back of Stefan’s head. The man was insane. “You gave the tipoff?”
“I did. Are you impressed, slut? It’s a shame none of the previous attempts at getting your filthy presence away from William worked, it would have saved me so much trouble. I gave anonymous tipoffs to both the police and your editor, little tidbits now and then but all true. They led to stories and arrests. I became a trusted source, sacrificing a few contacts along the way. I knew you were responsible for Barrett’s arrest so it would only make sense that Lawrence would interest you. The fool was greedy and had no patience but he served his purpose. Getting the raid to go down at the right time was trickier but well worth the hassle.
"You see, little Anya Jackson was a rescue. A poor little girl caught up in the dark world of human trafficking. She made such an excellent sob story to the organised crime unit and promised to pass on information from others who are still caught up in the circuit to bring them down once and for all. A perfect disguise to feed them information of my choosing. All correct for a start and very believable details. And one day she appeared with information for one Officer Mino. Ah, such a poor pitiful man. One day out of the blue, his partner since he joined the force suddenly announces that he’s going to be an undercover agent. Mino is reassigned and left in the dust as his best friend gets case after case closed. He is a certified hero within the organised crime unit. Then one day he disappears while under cover at Synnite. Just vanished into thin air and the only person to blame must be William Hunt, the person he was investigating.
“Mino focuses on avenging his old partner and dear friend. He’s patient at first. Methodical. How else did he become part of such a specialised department? But he gets nowhere. Nothing but dead ends and long nights of fruitlessness. Slowly his life falls to pieces. He can’t cope without his best friend and seeks solace in alcohol and gambling. His wife leaves him, sick of his pitiful words and piles of debt. She refuses to let him see his daughter unless he gets help. The pills he gets barely work. They keep him flat and zombie like. He ignores them most days and his emotions spike. Rumours spread around the department. He’s incompetent. Hasn’t closed a case in years. So, he lashes out. Becomes rash and sloppy.
"Then one day a survivor appears and offers him information. Information on the one man who is the cause of all of his problems. William Hunt. It offers him salvation. He becomes fixated on bringing the man down. Doesn’t bother to check the information. Doesn’t know it’s falsified. He’s like a mad dog, completely rabid. I thought he had ruined it when he approached you earlier today. Thankfully, your impudence only seemed to fan the fires of his madness. He skipped all procedure, faking reports and documents so he can organise a raid that is kill on sight. He’s flying high on possibility, feeling the moment of retribution at hand. He skips the pills. They would only bring down his high. Then he makes his way right into the lion’s den. Arrogant and crazed, he yanks on the lion’s tail. But not before the raid has been authorised and is already underway. He laughs in the lion’s face, unknowing of the danger that lurks behind him.” Stefan laughed. It was loud and carefree. It sent terrified shivers down Daniel’s spine. “I hope William had fun putting him in his place.”
“You’re completely insane.”
Stefan ignored him. He seemed to be lost in his own little world. “And soon those stunning eyes will be solely focused on me.”
Chapter Twenty-nine: Escape
The rest of the trip to wherever they were going was quiet. Stefan seemed lost to his own thoughts so Daniel used the time to gauge his injuries. His right arm was handcuffed to the seatbelt and other than some tenderness, it appeared to be okay. His left arm wasn’t so fortunate, though. It was clearly broken, part of his arm hanging limp at an unnatural angle. The break was in his forearm, a bit before his elbow. He must have landed on that arm during his fall.
It hurt like hell.
The pain radiated out from the break and seemed to crawl up his arm. Every bump in the road speared new pain through him in an agonising jolt that had his eyes watering and he bit his lip to stop from crying out. Daniel was dizzy and could barely feel the rest of his body. He wondered if he had hit his head during the fall too. He must have, surely. Especially considering he blacked out and didn’t remember hitting the ground. He tried to move his legs and pain lanced through him once again. He bit down harder on his lip to keep from crying out and tasted blood. Tentatively, he tried to move again. Left, it was definitely his left leg. His foot and ankle seemed okay, so it must he higher up. His leg seemed to look okay so maybe it was just really bruised, or maybe even a fracture. He must have fallen on his left side.
Daniel raised his head to look outside the opposite window. The motion heightened his dizziness and the flash of pain the action caused sent his senses reeling. The pain threatened to cloud his mind. He spent long minutes trying to stay completely still while he breathed deep and slow. Finally able to push aside some of the fog in his mind, Daniel focused his gaze back on the window. It seemed as though his long struggle was in vain, though, because there was very little light outside and the scenery passed by as indistinct, shadowy blurs.
He let his head carefully flop back onto the seat and found himself thinking something he never would have believed previously. He thought back to that phone call he had with William weeks and weeks ago when he had first dumped the guards on him.
“The whole point of guards is to keep you safe, they can’t do that if you’ve lost them.”
“I can look after myself.”
“You’ve already been targeted once. Don’t make me GPS tag you.”
Had William made good on his threat? He knew that William could track him on a map now. But how? If it was from the earpiece, that was now in pieces on possibly the other side of New York. Was it because of his guards? Did William track his security team and use them to know where Daniel was? He was always wearing different clothes, shoes, and jewellery. He didn’t always carry his cameras or camera case with him either. There was nothing he consistently carried wherever he went.
Wait.
His phone.
He never went anywhere without his phone. Too dangerous not to have a way to contact someone, also useful for internet searches on the fly. But that’s the point, he always kept it with him. When would William have had a chance to get hold of his phone without him knowing? Except he had, he realised. When he got targeted the second time and ran from William, Daniel had been dragged back for ‘punishment’ that he had passed out from once they were done. In the morning, when he had gone to call William, the contact card had been changed from ‘William’ to ‘Will’ and he had assumed that the man himself had gone into his phone and changed it. Maybe, just maybe he had done more to his phone than just snooping through it.
Never in a million years would Daniel have believed that he would be relieved to have his things tinkered with and his privacy violated.
But still, he couldn’t sit back and wait for rescue. He didn’t know for certain if William had, in fact, GPS tagged his phone and the chances of Stefan leaving him alive long enough to find out were slim. Still, it was a small comfort that Daniel could feel his phone digging into him from his back pocket.
It felt like hours had passed by the time they finally pulled to a stop. He strained to try to make out where they were but the lighting was still poor and the car’s interior obscured his vision. Stefan got out and opened the passenger door at his head before releasing his right arm from the handcuffs. Daniel didn’t have time to prepare himself for the onslaught of pain that seared through his entire being and screamed as Stefan pulled him bodily from the car. The man held him up by the hair and reached around to pull out Daniel’s phone. He watched through blurry eyes as his phone was thrown across the empty carpark, screen smashing on impact, and it skidded along the ground with the force of the throw.