“You hear that fuck head, those are my boys and they are here for you asshole and there is nowhere to run.” Leo’s low guttural laugh is chilling but strangely comforting as Malachi’s contorts with fear. He runs over to Leo getting on last punch in much to his dismay it doesn’t quell Leo’s hearty laughter.
That is when the door is kicked in and three large black clad men storm the room, like the chicken shit he is Malachi throws his hands in the air and lowers himself to his knees. One of the men sees me and in a fury of hell lands the butt of his semi automatic to Malachi’s temple knocking him out. I watch as his body slumps to the floor in a cowardly heap.
The man delivering the blow rushes over to me taking off his helmet as he speaks, ‘hello beautiful.” It is Roman. He makes quick work of the ropes binding my hands then quickly moves to the ones at my ankles. I struggle to sit as I message the skin beginning to burn from the sudden blood flow. Roman tears the top sheet rumpled up at my feet and covers my exposed torso.
Looking down at me with a mix of anger and compassion, ‘you good baby doll?” Before I can answer I am jerked free of Roman and enveloped in Leo.
He lands kisses all over my face, ‘god almighty,’ looking down at me, ‘you okay?” my legs are wobbly and I am finding I have a severe case of pins and needles in my hands and feet. I waver and Leo takes me up in his strong arms, ‘god Avery I am so sorry,’ he tucks me back into him as we stand still for a moment.
Leaning back and looking up I take his face in my hands, ‘no, are you okay, I am fine.” Seeing I am not quit right but okay he hands me back off to Roman and rushes over to Malachi’s limp body hauling him up by the collar of his shirt.
Slapping his face several times, ‘wake up you piece of shit.” Malachi moans in defiance but as he is slapped a few more times begins to come around. Realization hits him he throws his hands up to protect his face from the blows Leo is delivering in a rapid succession.
“Leo man stop!” Dalton yells as he grabs for the fist Leo was heaving through air towards Malachi’s face. Dalton looks over at Roman, ‘a little help here man.”
Roman sits me back down on the bed, ‘stay here for a minute Avery.’ He rushes to assist Dalton hold Leo off of Malachi. It is taking them both to restrain Leo. Two other men, who I assume to be Eno and Cowboy, have come in to take Malachi by both his arms hauling him up to a semi standing position.
My father is the last to rush in. He crosses immediately over to me, ‘Avery, are you hurt?” He takes me into his strangle hold of a hug.
“No Dad, I am fine.” My voice is muffled by his chest. He turns to the men, ‘unfortunately Heratio was gone by the time we got here, and we have detained what men we could.” He releases me back to my sitting position and goes to Malachi.
“Where did he go boy?” My Dad takes Malachi’s flailing head by the hair and jerks his face into view.
Blood dripping from his lip, he spits, ‘I don’t know, it is not my day to keep up with him.” His smirk of a grin is smacked quickly from his face by my father. The sudden sound of the impact makes me jump.
“Beeker!” My Dad yells never taking his eyes away from Malachi.
The young man enters through the door wearing the same fatigues the others are wearing, ‘yes sir.”
Dad throws his head in my direction, ‘get Avery out of here.”
“Where do you want me to take her sir?” Beeker hesitates.
“Take her to our house, wait there and take Eno with you.” Leo interjects before my father gets a chance to answer. With a curt nod Beeker collects me by the arm and proceeds to drag me out of the room. I break free and run over to Leo. His voice is cold and calculating, his stare has never left Malachi. His jaw is set as he grits his teeth, ‘you can let me go now man I am fine.” He addresses Dalton and Roman.
“You sure?” Leo glares at Dalton, throwing his hands in the air, ‘okay big man letting go now.”
Leo shifts his feet and looks at me, ‘Avery,’ the sound of my name makes my head jerk in its direction, ‘go on with Beeker and Eno and I will be there soon.” The tone of his voice and the look in his eyes tells me it is only a half truth. Unsure if I should argue or go willingly, I stand and move to him.
“Where are you going?” The haze of the drugs is quickly being replaced by panic.
He takes me by the arm and out the door for a little privacy, ‘I have to go see a man about a dog.” He rubs his hands over his head I reach to touch is swollen eye. He lays his head into the palm of my hand, ‘please understand when I get home I will fill in the blanks.”
“There are a lot of blanks Leo.” Searching his face for some sort of understanding all I see is regret and compassion.
“I know but I have to finish this.” His sullen eyes tell me it pains him to send me off with someone other than him. He sighs, ‘please Avery go so I can do my job.”
“Okay,’ I lean up on my toes and place a kiss on his nose, ‘be careful and Leo I love you.”
He takes me by my shoulders and leans his forehead down to mine, ‘thinking about you is going to get me killed.” He drops his hands and turns as Beeker and Eno gather me up and take me to a waiting vehicle.
I stumble on my feet and watch as Leo’s large body disappears around the frame of the door.
“Come on Avery.” The sympathy in Eno’s voice brings me to tears, ‘he will be fine. He is one of the best agents I have ever known.” God bless Eno and his attempt to make me feel somewhat better about the whole fucked up situation.
****
Leo
I walk back through the door leaving Avery with my brother, knowing she will get home safe. Dalton and Cowboy have Malachi secured on his knees in the back room. I storm the door and reach back with all I have and punch him in the jaw knocking him sideways to the floor.
“That is for Avery, you mother fucker.” I lean over his writhing body.
“Are we done?” For once Kent doesn’t call me down.
Nodding yes although I am nowhere near done, for the second time in my life I have found a human being in this world I could end with my bare hands. Each of them were directly involved in causing Avery pain. Malachi starts to stir, ‘get him back up to his knees.” Kent points down at the limp, quivering Malachi.
Dalton and Cowboy hall him up as Roman and I stand on either side of Kent looking down at the man, he looks up at us, “What do you want to do now boss?” Dalton shrugs.
Looking around the room, ‘let’s search the place and see if we can find anything of use, but by the looks of it we are not going to find much.” After securing Malachi, we all rummage through the shack we found a lot of what Kent expected, nothing.
We load up and head back to headquarters with the jerk off in tow. We all spend several valuable minutes with Malachi but it seems he will only talk to Kent so we leave him to it.
I find the soft leather sofa in Kent’s office and slump down, before I know it I doze off then jerk awake several hours later, as my body slides down and my head hits the arm rest. I look out the window to see the darkness of night still lays heavily outside. I take out my phone check the time, nine then I debate on whether or not I should call Avery and check on her, I decide to wake Eno up instead, ‘Hey brother how is she?”
I look around the bare walled office, the only thing hanging on the paneled walls are certificates and accolades Kent has received over the years. Not one family photo of him and Avery or any of his passed wife. No wonder none of us knew he had a daughter, old fucker great at keeping secrets even better at holding grudges.
Eno’s deep voice rumbles off details how the drive home last night was, I pick up the conversation mid sentence, “-but she is good, in shock just a little, but that is to be expected brother. I think she will be fine though. Did you get any information from the asshole?” Eno’s voice sounds sharp. He must be letting Beeker and Avery sleep while he keeps watch.
“No, I didn’t it seems Kent is the only one who can get anything from the fuck
er so I left.” I rub my hand over my head feeling the prickles of new hair. I hear voices coming down the hall, ‘hey man it's the guys-,”
“Put me on speaker I want to hear what is said.” I flip the phone over as the team piles into the small office followed by Kent.
“Everybody grab a seat,’ he eyes me, ‘you feelin better because I have some news on Heratio.” Kent circles his desk pulling out the worn leather rolling chair he sits and pins me again with his eyes, ‘is she okay?”
Nodding, ‘yeah I think the nap helped immensely,’ I hold my phone out, ‘I've got Eno on the horn and he says she is shaken up some but seems to be fine.” I swallow hard and hate I have to be here working when I could be at home in my warm bed with and even hotter body.
Kent takes a deep breath and surveys us all, ‘you boys are not going to like this.” He pauses and listens to us all groan because we all know what is coming next, ‘we have a tip from the border. Around seven hours ago he or someone who looks a lot like him crossed into Mexico. So the higher ups think it would be prudent to get our asses down there and take a look see.”
Dalton kicks off the wall, ‘wait a minute, we are going to go down there and hunt someone who may or may not be a part of a ten year investigation?”
“Very well put Dalton, thank you for clearing it up for the rest of us,” Kent shakes his head and continues with more bad news, ‘we will need to ship out as soon as possible. I got them to give us two days from this morning,” He looks at me with almost sadness in his eyes, ‘so we should go home and get our affairs in order.”
Standing he opens his desk drawer to pick out his badge and gun, ‘first we have to go see Mavis and ask her a few questions because Malachi said she had been contacting a new man out east.” He tucks his badge back into his belt, ‘so boys get your game faces on and lets go to work.”
Forty minutes later we all roll up in four blacked out SUVs parking two blocks down from the drug den. Kent’s voice comes over my ear piece, ‘Leo, Roman and Dalton take the back to make sure she doesn’t run. Cowboy and the rest of us will flank around the house.” We file out and start to strap on our vests.
Dalton is all smiles, he lives for this shit. I use to but now everything is different, ‘don’t you wish the girls could see us now?” He slaps the velcro on his vest closed over his chest. The street lamp behind me reflects off the white letters plastered across his chest, announcing us as DEA.
“No I don’t, because Avery would shit a brick if she knew I was doing this.” I eject the clip of my nine and check for a full magazine. Clicking it back in place I tuck it down in the back waistband of my jeans.
“Piper would be so hot right now.” He does the same with his side arm pulling back and looking down the inside of the barrel as a glint of excitement hits his eyes.
Roman acts like he is gagging, ‘dude shut up about my sister.” Cowboy is ready and waiting for us, always efficient and the silent one of the group. I am thankful he has my back because it is always the quiet ones who are the most deadly and he has proven my point on more than one occasion.
“Could you boys please use the head on your shoulders to think with until we get this taken care of,’ Kent turns to the tall blonde to my right, ‘Dalton that means you.” With all of our checks made we all split off into our predetermined groups and make our way silently up the street to Mavis’ house. Kent silently directs us to the sides Roman and I head to the left while Dalton and Cowboy take the right. Kent and two other agents step up on the porch to assess the lights on in the house.
I take lead with gun drawn, I duck under the side window slightly cracked and I am immediately hit with a very distinctive smell. Nodding in Roman’s direction and then to the window to see if he smells the same. Taking a deep breath I proceed to the back as instructed. Stepping up on the porch the house is eerily silent, which is never a good sign.
Waiting for the signal from the front I turn to Roman, ‘did you smell it?”
Chewing hard on the gum in his mouth, ‘I did.”
“Kinda makes us being quiet a moot point, don’t ya think?”
“I do.” His eyes dart around the structures littering the backyard. The wind has picked up and is throwing the branches of the large tree in the middle of her back yard around, making the street light give off dancing shadows around us.
“Go!” I hear Kent command through the ear piece. Without hesitation I turn and kick the door in and I step into the dark kitchen. I clear right as Roman clears left. I winch as the smell of rotting flesh infiltrates my nose. I turn and look at Roman and Dalton as they follow me and they both have the same reaction to the smell.
I clear the room and move to the door with them close on my heels. We meet the other team as they clear the front of the house and we hear Kent, ‘she is up here.” I take the steps two at a time to reach the landing, where the smell is almost unbearable.
Holding my hand up to my nose until I can acclimate myself to the smell, Kent steps from the bathroom and points, ‘in the tub, she has been gone awhile.”
I step around him to take a look inside, Mavis is laid out in the tub naked with the word rat carved into her chest. The tiled floor is covered in blood and I take care not to get my boot prints mixed in so as not to make the forensic teams job harder.
“Call it in and get backup out here,’ he addresses me, ‘we can't take the house apart until it is cleared.”
“Gonna be another long night uh boss?” Dalton takes a look at the carnage in the room, ‘man who do you think did this?”
“Heratio.” Kent and I both answer at the same time, ‘I wonder if Cain ordered this?” I move out of the way for the other men to see and tuck my gun back into my waistband.
“If not, we need to collar him before Cain finds out and calls in a few favors.” Kent starts down the stairs, ‘Leo a word please.” Cowboy slaps me on the back as I pass him to follow Kent out of the house. I walk pass the others agents milling around the front porch waiting for the go ahead to tear the place apart.
“Go home, see to Avery and met us back at HQ on Sunday,’ rubbing his eyes, ‘you need to go ahead and tell her all she needs to know so you can leave.”
“I was figuring as much.”
“The bad thing is son, I don’t know how long we will be gone and you cannot tell her where we are going, understand?”
“Yes sir.”
“Now go on and I will see you in two days.” He turns then pauses, ‘tell her I love her will ya?”
“You aren’t going to come by and see her too?”
“No, I don’t think she will want to see me.” His sad eyes glance over at me and then he disappears back into the house following the forensic team closing the busted door behind him.
****
Avery
After a very long restless sleep I am standing and let the hot water run over my body. I have scrubbed my skin raw trying to rid it of the disgusting remnants of Malachi’s touch. I am rocked by a full body shiver, I lay my forehead against the cool tile to regain some sort of calmness to my body.
I look down at my hands and notice I am starting to prune and decide I am going to have to eventually face the reality outside the shower stall. Stepping out I shake the towel out and wrap my hair up and then take one around under my arms.
I slump onto our bed and turn to bury my face in his pillow, my Leo, I sigh but my Leo isn’t the Leo I thought he was, he is a stranger. My gut wrenches as the decisions I am going to have to make wash through my head.
A slight knock at the door stirs me from my belly aching and I am grateful, ‘yes.”
“Avery, Eno is cooking some food, you hungry?” Beeker mumbles through the small crack he has created by slightly opening the door.
Another sigh slips between my lips I roll my head to look at the clock and it is just passed nine at night. My stomach growls on cue, ‘yeah, I will be down in a bit okay?”
A slight pause, ‘you okay girl?” His voice is laced with conce
rn. The past couple of weeks Beeker and I had grown close and I don’t feel at all strange he is worried about me.
“Beeker, I let you know in about fifty years.”
His trivial laugh echoes through the door, ‘yeah I know, see you in a minute.”
I join the boys in the kitchen ten minutes later, ‘hey guys.” I take the vacant stool beside Beeker.
He smiles at me while he tosses a piece of bacon into his mouth, ‘hey beautiful.” He takes my chin in his hand and turns it to get a better look at the shiner courtesy of Malachi and whistles, ‘I need to take a picture of this and send it to Leo.” He moves to take his phone out of his back pocket.
“Beeker leave it, Leo is worked up enough he doesn’t need any more fuel to his already out of control fire.” Eno chastises the younger man.
“Damn I was hoping Leo would deliver a few sucker punches for me.” He goes back to his late night breakfast.
“So Avery how do you like your eggs cooked?’ I smile as my eyes drift of Eno who is a shorter wider version of Leo. By no means is the man over weight, but Leo is taller and leaner.
“Fried with a runny yellow.” I take a piece of bacon from Beeker's plate, ‘so is anybody going to tell me what the hell is going the on.”
Both men freeze mid action, Eno is the first to address my question, ‘Avery as much as I would love to tell you the whole story, it is not mine to tell and besides my brother would kick my ass.”
“Ditto.” Beeker agrees with a mouth full of food.
“I was taken against my will by a bunch of gun totting mercenaries, only to be tied up so the coward could slap me around and then he felt me up so I think I am due a little bit of information.” My voice gets louder with every word.
Eno turns to me and sighs, ‘honey I would love to tell you everything but like I said before Leo would have my ass, I love you girl I do, but I am here to make sure you are in pristine condition when my brother returns.”
“Are you scared of him Eno?” I cock my head to the side smiling at the big man.
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