by Peyton Banks
Declan’s stomach dropped.
Something was wrong.
“What is it, Megan?” Susan turned to the nurse.
Declan wasn’t hiding the fact he was openly listening to their conversation.
“We need to call security and a code yellow,” Megan announced.
“What the hell is a code yellow?” Declan snapped.
Susan snatched her desk phone up and began speaking softly into it.
“Internal emergency. Missing person. My patient, Aspen Hale, is missing—”
Declan didn’t wait to hear any more. He dashed around the desk, ignoring the nurse yelling after him. He instantly took off toward Aspen’s room. He only knew it was hers because of the thick crowd standing in the doorway.
Pushing through the people, he saw the agent assigned to watch Aspen on the floor with a pool of blood beneath his head. His skin was pale, and he appeared lifeless.
Doctors and nurses were hovering over him, working on him, but Declan’s attention was drawn to the empty spot where Aspen’s bed should have been.
She was gone.
Declan’s heart slammed against his chest.
Where the fuck was she?
“Code yellow,” the operator’s voice burst through the hospital overhead intercom system. “Code yellow. Intensive Care Unit. African-American female. Five feet—”
Declan brushed past the people and exited the room. He turned and found Mac and his team stalking toward him. People in the unit automatically cleared the hallway at the sight of the pissed-off cops. They were all still dressed in their black fatigues, their badges dangling from around their necks, and they each were armed, their weapons strapped to their waists.
The Columbia SWAT team was a formidable team and wasn’t to be taken lightly.
“What the hell happened?” Mac barked.
“I don’t know. Her entire bed is gone, and the agent is being worked on by the doctors.” Declan ran a trembling hand through his hair. He gave a quick recount of what he’d seen in the room.
“Whoever took her can’t be far,” Ash said, folding his arms across his chest.
“Shouldn’t there be other security here?” Iker asked, looking around the nursing unit.
“Who the hell knows.” Declan shook his head. There should have been. Aspen was a high-profile witness, and there should have been more.
He should have been at her side.
Visions of Aspen’s wide grin came to mind. He was flooded with images of her naked brown skin against his and her beneath him. The feel of her plump lips pressing against his when he kissed her still haunted him.
He needed her and he’d be damned if someone would take her.
He turned to Mac who placed a strong hand on his shoulder as if reading his thoughts. Mac understood what he was going through. It wasn’t too long ago they were in each other’s shoes.
“We’ll find her,” Mac assured him. He squeezed Declan’s shoulder before turning to the sound of people rushing toward them.
The hospital security had arrived.
Declan took one look at the group and glanced at Zain who cocked his eyebrow in disbelief.
This was security?
Four members of the hospital security team, in identical uniforms of light-blue button-down shirt and dark pants, came strolling through the nursing unit. They were led by an aging, overweight man who appeared as if he gave up on taking care of himself years ago. The other members consisted of a kid who barely looked as though he’d reached puberty, a middle-aged black woman whose glasses perched on the tip of her nose, and a tall, lanky man who seemed like he’d rather be anywhere else than in the hospital.
“You boys sure do show up fast. I’m Bob Smyth,” the older man announced, stopping in front of them.
Mac stepped forward and shook the man’s hand.
“I’m Sergeant MacArthur from Columbia SWAT. We just happened to be here and we’re willing to help,” Mac said.
Declan knew he’d used the word ‘help’, but what he really meant was that they would take the lead. This band of security guards would be no match for the men who’d taken Aspen.
Gathered in the hospital’s emergency command center, they made plans of how to find Aspen. Thanks to the hospital security cameras, the entire scene of Aspen’s kidnapping had been recorded. The sight of her being taken fueled his rage. Declan went through the motions of preparing himself for this search-and-recovery.
This time, it was personal for him.
The situation had been called in to the station. Mac had spoken to the captain and notified him of the situation, and their team was officially activated. With them already at the hospital, their gear was brought to them from the station. Each member of the SWAT team was suited up and ready.
Declan gripped his MP5 and slapped his helmet on. He was ready to go after Aspen.
I’m coming, baby.
They had watched the CCTV videos a few times, and the scenes were permanently engrained in his memory. The guard, now admitted to the hospital, was seen being taken by surprise. The hallway had been cleared when a man with a surgical mask in place to hide his face, dressed in scrubs, walked behind him. The man hit the unsuspecting guard in the back of the head with his weapon, rendering him unconscious. He dragged the agent into Aspen’s room and shut the door. What happened in the room, they were unable to see, but Declan had been a witness to the aftermath.
Declan watched in stark horror, a sedated Aspen being wheeled from her room and down the hallway without anyone questioning where the masked man was taking her.
The kidnapper literally strolled out of the unit pushing Aspen, and not one person realized the man was not a hospital employee.
“We’re going to need a hospital emergency team on standby.” Mac’s voice pulled Declan from his thoughts. Mac, as always, was in charge of the SWAT team and barking orders to everyone who was going to be a part of this rescue.
“We’ll be ready. The Emergency Room is ready, and we even have an operating room freed, just in case it will be needed,” a physician answered.
A team of highly trained medical individuals stood off to the side, waiting.
Since the news had broken in the hospital that they not only had a missing patient but a potential hostage situation, it had gone on lockdown.
“And you have evacuated everyone from that area?” Mac asked, turning to Bob.
Declan would have to give the hospital security team credit for allowing the police force to take control of the situation. This was not a normal occurrence of an unruly patient or family member they were used to dealing with.
No.
Men like this were much more dangerous.
They were killers.
“Where he took her is what we call the catacombs. It’s the underworking belly of the hospital. Shipping and receiving is down there, and the boiler rooms.” Bob brought out the blueprints of the basement. He spread them out on the table before them. “Right now, their only exit out of the hospital without coming back up to the main floor would be through the delivery doors.”
“Squad cars are down there now, blocking them. They are trapped,” Iker announced, disconnecting a call on his cell phone.
“Any other exit they can use besides the shipping docks?” Declan asked. His gaze roamed the blueprints, and he memorized the area where Aspen was being held.
“Yes. The catacombs run along the hospital. They could come out this side and be near the Pine Street entrance.” Bob’s finger slid along the prints and tapped an exit point. “There’s a staircase that leads to an emergency exit.”
“We’ll need to have that exit covered—” Mac was interrupted by Ashton.
“Mac, we have a problem. The feds are outside.” Ashton pulled his phone away from his ear and let loose a curse. “They are demanding to speak to the officer in charge.”
Mac’s gaze flew to Declan, and he already knew what Mac was thinking. Mac didn’t have the best relationship with the feds.
He and a federal agent had clashed when it came to the SWAT team rescuing Sarena during her ordeal. It would be best if that agent never showed his face again in Columbia.
“Who is asking?” Declan asked. He already knew he was on a short circuit and wouldn’t be the best person to act as liaison between SWAT and the feds either.
“Someone named Agent Turner.” Ashton shrugged.
“Fine. But he better not get in our way.” Mac turned back to the blueprints with the team surrounding him.
Ashton began quietly speaking into his phone.
“We’ll enter from the shipping dock. It will give us more room, and we’ll not be in a funnel trying to enter from the basement. We don’t have time for negotiations. We’re going in hot.”
Declan was focused on the prints and had officially memorized them.
“Hey! We got video down there. The cameras picked up on men down in the shipping dock,” one of the hospital security guards announced. He brought over a laptop and set it down beside the blueprints.
“Show me,” Declan demanded, moving next to the guard.
His team crowded around him with Mac standing next to him. The guard tapped a few commands on the computer and brought up the video. Declan’s stomach clenched when he saw exactly who had his woman.
Ray Acosta.
“How the hell did he make it all the way from a California prison to here? There’s been a countrywide manhunt for him?” Ashton asked.
“Who the hell knows. Better question is: how did he know Aspen was alive?” Iker responded.
Murmurs went around at his words.
How the hell did Ray know she’d still be alive?
“Is this live?” Declan asked, trying to pinpoint a timeline from the moment she’d disappeared. He didn’t like what he saw on the video. Aspen looked vulnerable lying in the bed.
There was no doubt in Declan’s mind that Ray would want Aspen dead. She was the one person who could send him away to prison for the rest of his life. She was a loose end that he’d need to tie up. At least if there was a slight delay, from what he could tell from the video, she was still alive.
I’m coming for you, baby. The words echoed in his head, and he wished there was a way for Aspen to hear him.
He gripped his MP5 tight, comforted by the fact they were going to go after his woman.
He’d shoot his way through anyone who tried to stand in his path.
Aspen Hale was his.
“SWAT,” Mac’s voice broke through his thoughts.
He narrowed his eyes on his close friend. Each team member stood at attention. There was a gleam in each of their eyes that relayed they were ready for this. Mac was a fierce leader, and Declan trusted him with not only his life, but Aspen’s. Declan was certain they would return with his prize.
“Time to hunt.”
Chapter 23
“Ray, you told us this would be a simple snatch and grab,” a voice snarled, breaking through Aspen’s pain-filled fog.
A groan slipped past her parted lips while she fought to open her eyes. Confused, she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Her gaze roamed the area, and she found herself in what looked like a loading dock. She shifted her body, and a sharp pain zipped through her. Her hand shot out and immediately went to her thigh, but the pulsating pain wouldn’t allow her to touch it.
She cried out, clenching her eyes shut, letting out a deep breath. Her eyes fluttered open, and her attention landed on the figures standing next to her, deep in an argument.
Ray Acosta.
Her memories rushed forward.
She had been taken from her hospital room and was now in the hands of the one man she’d hoped she’d never see again.
“Look, your men were supposed to take care of her twice and failed both times. Don’t come bitching to me because you couldn’t kill her,” Ray snapped.
The other man pulled his gun from his holster. The men surrounding them paused, their gazes locked on them.
“Why don’t I just take care of her now?” The man stepped toward her with his gun raised to her head.
She froze in fear, her heart pounding.
“Are you an idiot?” Ray snapped.
Aspen couldn’t take her eyes off the gun. There had been so many things she’d wanted to say to her family, her friends, and Declan. Facing death again, she knew that if she ever got to speak to any of her loved ones, she would not let a day go by without telling them how much they meant to her and how much she loved them.
Her eyes widened, knowing deep in her heart that she loved Declan. The relationship between them had been quick and unconventional, but he was the one for her.
Without a doubt in her mind, she knew it to be true.
And staring into the barrel of the gun, she didn’t see herself ever being able to tell him.
“The hospital is on lockdown, and she’s going to be our ticket out of here.” Ray stepped forward, clearly unafraid of the man. The gun wavered before lowering to the ground.
Tears slipped from Aspen’s eyes before she knew it. Her heart raced, fearing the unknown.
“Well, since you’re so smart, you better get us out of here,” the man demanded, putting his weapon back in his holster.
The men surrounding them appeared to relax, but Aspen didn’t trust any of them.
Ray turned to her, and her breath caught in her throat.
“Welcome back,” Ray said. He walked over and stopped at the edge of her bed. “Thought we’d lost you for a second.”
“I need help, Ray,” she said, her voice cracking. She felt weak, and the pain was excruciating while her breaths were short and getting harder to take in. “Turn yourself in. Let me get help.”
“And go back to jail?” He snorted. “That won’t happen. Now let’s try this again. Get up.”
He raised a gun and pointed to her. Her vision blurred. She blinked the tears away. With a sigh, she bit her lip and slipped toward the edge of the bed.
“I’m no good to you if I die, Ray,” she whispered.
“I just need you to transfer that money to me, and then you can die for all I care.” He smirked.
“There’s cops outside,” the bearded man snapped from his position by the door. He moved away from it and stalked toward Ray.
“Don’t worry.” Ray waved a hand at the men. He turned toward Aspen with a sinister grin. “We all know how the police will work. They’ll call us and try to bargain with us. Once they do, we’ll play the hostage card and demand—”
The lights went out, casting them into darkness. Curses went around the room. The tension palpable before was now suffocating.
Aspen couldn’t see anything in front of her face, much less where Ray or any of the men were. The sounds of glass breaking filled the air. Even in the dark, Aspen could tell the men were scrambling around the room.
“They’re going to call and bargain with us, eh?” a man shouted.
“Let’s go, Aspen,” Ray snapped.
A firm hand gripped her arm and dragged her to the edge of the bed. She was surprised by the strength of the older man. He must have benefited from the gym while in prison.
If she wasn’t in so much pain, she’d roll her eyes. This time, he forced her up on her feet. She cried out and fell into his body.
There was no way she’d be able to walk.
“Just leave me,” she begged, gripping his shirt in her hand to try to hold on to him.
“Not a chance.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her along next to him.
Something pressed into her side, and she instantly knew what it was without needing to see it.
A gun.
“I’m going to slow you down. I can’t even walk,” she cried out.
“Shut up!” he hollered, digging the barrel of the gun deeper.
The sound of pounding thudded, and Aspen’s heart jumped. Wood splintering met her ears, and it was a noise she’d never thought she’d be glad to hear.
“CPD!” a de
ep voice shouted. “Freeze!”
Ray turned around and brought her body up in front of him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The pain rippling through her body was unbearable. Her breaths were coming fast while her body trembled uncontrollably.
She jumped at the bang of a gun firing. Return fire could be heard with shouting. Men cried out in agony, followed by the sounds of bodies crumpling to the floor.
Aspen fought to stay conscious. There was no way she could afford to pass out now.
“Don’t shoot! I have the girl!” Ray shouted.
She whimpered as the gun was pressed farther into her side.
“And turn the damn lights on! I’m sure you wouldn’t want me accidentally shooting her.”
“Aspen?” a familiar voice called out.
Relief swamped her at the sound of Declan, rage suppressed in his voice. There was no doubt in her mind that he was pissed off.
“I’m here,” she replied, hating how weak she sounded.
“Are you injured?”
“That’s enough!” Ray cut them off. “Now I want to make my demands known.”
“You don’t get any demands,” a voice growled.
Aspen recognized that voice as well. It sounded just as pissed off as Declan’s had.
Mac.
“Really? I’m sure you’d think different after I put a bullet into Aspen,” Ray threatened. “She’s my ticket out of here.”
“Putting a bullet in her will ensure you’ll leave here in a body bag,” Declan snapped. “Your choice, Ray. Walk out of here in cuffs or wheel out of here with a fucking tag around your toe.”
Ray remained silent. Aspen held her breath. The lights flashed on, temporary blinding her while she squinted to allow her eyes to adjust. Ray’s grip tightened around her waist. He moved the gun and placed the barrel at her temple.
Aspen opened her eyes fully and took in the room before them. Each of the men who had sided with Ray was laid out on the floor, writhing around in pain. A few were on their stomachs with their hands tied behind them. But what caught her eye was the sight of the SWAT team in their black fatigues with their weapons trained on them. Some of the men were kneeling near the other thugs on the floor while others stood with their murderous gazes trained on Ray.