Garrett’s Destiny by Anna Blakely

Chapter 14

“She saw my face.” Emilio Garcia glared daggers at the man he used to trust with his life.

Used tobeing the operative term.

“From ten yards away,” Sal rebutted. “And it was only for a second, plus the lighting in here is horrible.”

Dabbing his handkerchief across the back of his neck, Emilio blotted at the sweat beading on his skin as he stood at the edge of the lot near the warehouse.

The concrete had kept the inside cooler, but this part of the job was messy and better suited for the birds than a broom.

“A second is all it takes, you idiot,” Felix—a man Emilio did trust with his life—pointed out.

“Felix is right.” He stared back at Sal. “A single, solitary second can change everything. Including destroying the life I have worked years to build. For me. For my family. Even for your ungrateful ass.”

“I’m not ungrateful, Emilio. I appreciate everything you’ve ever done for me. But I’m telling you, even if the Webb woman did see your face, she’s an American tourist who’s scared out of her mind. She has no idea who you are, and probably won’t even remember you ever being here.”

“I can’t run that risk, Salvador.” Emilio shook his head. “I won’t.”

Fear filled the other man’s dark eyes, for he knew what was at stake.

“W-what do you propose we do?” the imbecile asked nervously. “The transfer of money has not gone through yet. We gave the hostage’s families forty-eight hours, as we’d planned.”

“Thanks to your idiot cousin, the plan is no longer valid.” Another good point made by Felix.

Sal’s swallow was audible. “So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying”—Emilio made himself perfectly clear—“I want the Webb woman and the girl taken out of here. Now.”

“Now?” Sal’s brows shot up with surprise. “Where am I supposed to take them?”

“There’s an abandoned farmhouse forty miles north of here. I want you to personally escort them there and stay with them until the transfers are complete. Use one of the trucks so they can’t be seen. If the family demands proof of life, you can give it to them. With only two women to watch, you’ll have less responsibility. This means there’s less of a chance you’ll fuck up again.”

“My men and I have been watching them, Emilio,” Sal assured him. “Nothing has happened that puts our plan at risk.”

“I disagree. And since I am the one in charge…”

“Fine. I’ll have Marcus help me, and—”

“No.” Emilio cut him off. “Marcus stays here.”

“But Marcus is—”

“The reason we’re having this discussion in the first place.” Emilio turned to Felix. “Bring him to me.”

“Emilio, please,” Sal pleaded for his cousin.

This time, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

“Go,” Emilio told his trusted confidant.

A minute later, Felix returned with Marcus in tow.

“You wanted to see me, Boss?”

Sal’s face turned green, and the poor bastard looked as though he would pass out any second. “Please don’t do this,” he begged. “It won’t happen again. I-I’ll make sure of it.”

Emilio shared a look with Felix. The other man nodded, signaling he understood the silent order.

Standing behind Marcus, Felix silently pulled his weapon free of its holster.

“What’s wrong?” Confused, Marcus turned to his cousin. “What’s going on?”

“Please, Emilio,” Sal continued to beg.

But Emilio was focused on Marcus. “What’s going on is a lesson in following orders. Hopefully one your cousin will take to heart.”

With a final glance at Felix and a slight tip of his head, Emilio gave the order.

Still clueless, Marcus shook his head. “Sal, what’s he talking abou—”

Felix fired his weapon, the deafening sound echoing through the early evening sky. The bullet entered the back of Marcus’s skull before the ill-fated man ever knew what hit him.

He dropped to the ground near his cousin’s feet.

“No!” Sal fell to his knees, the look of sorrow and loss on his face almost enough to make Emilio feel badly about his decision.

Almost.

“I will give you a brief moment to mourn, and then I expect my order to be followed to the letter. Is that understood?”

Silent sobs wracked Sal’s pathetic body as he gave a jerky nod, his eyes never leaving his fallen cousin.

* * *

The plan was a go.

Brett…and God help them, even Danny…knew their roles and were getting into position.

In the back of Garrett’s mind was the gunshot they’d heard several minutes before. One coming from somewhere in the distance.

Garrett’s immediate thought had been of Avery, but then he’d reminded himself that these men needed them alive if they were to get the payday they were expecting.

His next thought was of his team.

But they were trained better than that. The men he trusted with his life wouldn’t start shooting from that far out before first securing entry into the building where the hostages were located.

And if by some chance they’d had no choice, his guys would’ve used a suppressor to lessen the noise.

No, his gut was telling him the shot they’d heard had nothing to do with Avery or his team. Which left two other possibilities he could think of…

Either someone had screwed up and paid the ultimate price, or the HTs were starting to turn on each other.

Either way, that meant one less asshole to have to worry about.

“Who do you think got shot?” Danny looked worried for the first time since they’d been locked away.

Garrett shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Sooner we do this, the sooner we can get the hell out of here. Now, I’m not going to be able to move until the exact right time. I’m trusting you both to follow the plan exactly as we discussed.”

Danny slapped him on the shoulder. “No worries, man. We’ve got your back.”

“He’s right, Garrett.” Brett gave him a nod. “We can do this. We have to. For Jess.”

Garrett’s chest tightened. “For Avery.”

The two men shared a solemn look before Garrett laid in the middle of the room and closed his eyes. Positioned on his back, he had his head tilted away from the door, his arms flung to the side as if he’d simply collapsed into an unconscious state.

Brett positioned himself so he’d be hidden behind the door when it opened, and Danny drew in two long breaths before pounding his fist against the metal and yelling for help.

“Help! Somebody, please help!” The young man sounded surprisingly convincing. “Please! Something’s wrong! He won’t wake up! Please!”

Danny continued pounding and screaming as if his life depended on it. Which it did.

“Come on, man. He’s hurt!” Danny tried again. “If he dies, you won’t get jack shit!”

Someone yelled at him to shut up seconds before the sound of keys against the lock reached their ears.

“Someone’s coming!” Danny whispered.

Garrett’s heart thumped against his ribs. If this backfired, they may all end up dead. And Avery would be left to a fate he didn’t even want to imagine.

“What’s the problem?” One of the HTs stood in the doorway.

“It’s him.” Danny told the man. “H-he…passed out. I think he has a brain bleed or something from when one of your guys hit him. He needs medical attention, man. And fast. Otherwise, he’s going to die, and then you guys will be ass out on a million smackers.”

Easy, Danny. Don’t make it seem too obvious.

“Seriously, man. You have to help him. I tried, but…I don’t know. Maybe you can get him to wake up or something.”

With a low curse, the man ordered Danny, “You. Go stand over there. And if you make any sudden moves, I’ll shoot you.”

“Yes, sir. Don’t want to cause any trouble.” Garrett could hear him shuffling to the other side of the room.

Though his eyes were closed, he sensed the HT moving closer, and it took every ounce of training Garrett had to wait for Brett to make his move.

Three…two…

A strangled gasp filled Garrett’s ears, and when the door closed shut, he knew it was time.

With his eyes flying open, he turned his body in one swift motion, attacking with his full strength.

Brett was hanging off of the guy’s back, his arms wrapped around the HTs neck in an impressive chokehold. Danny stood by the closed door in case anyone else decided to enter, and Garrett went for the HTs gun.

The M13 was strapped across the man’s chest. Using a move he’d learned years before, Garrett grabbed the weapon with both hands, pulled the automatic rifle until the straps grew taut, and rammed the side of the gun into the asshole’s face.

The crunch of bones was satisfying as fuck. So was the blood pooling behind the man’s mask.

From the man’s low moan and half-opened eyes, Garrett could tell he was close to passing out. Instead of waiting, he decided to help the guy out.

With expert hands, he unclipped the weapon from the strap, flipped it around, and slammed the butt of his gun against the man’s temple.

See how you fuckers like that, bitch!

Giving Brett a nod, Garrett waited for the other man to let the HT drop to the ground before dropping to a knee, positioning his arms around the bastard’s head just so, and giving it one fatal twist to the right.

The HTs neck snapped, killing the man instantly.

“Holy balls.” Danny’s jaw dropped. “That…was…awesome!”

“Yeah well, let’s not start celebrating just yet.” Garrett huffed out a loud exhale. “We still have to find the girls and find a way out of here.”

“Guess you were telling the truth.” Brett looked back at him with an unreadable expression. “About your job, I mean.”

“I was.” Garrett swallowed. “You good?”

Brett looked down at the dead man and nodded. “These sons of bitches took my little girl. I hope every one of them rots in hell.”

“Amen, brotha!” Danny held up his hand for a high five.

When Brett and Garrett just stared at him, the kid shrugged it off and gave one to himself.

If the situation weren’t so dire, Garrett would’ve laughed. But this wasn’t the time for jokes.

Now, more than ever, he needed to stay focused. They all did.

Rummaging through the dead man’s pockets, Garrett pulled out the man’s keys, cell phone, and a KA-Bar strapped to his thigh. Checking the gun’s mag, he noted it was full before slamming it back into place.

“Okay, so what now?”

Garrett looked at Brett and stood. With the M13 held securely in his hands, he said, “Now we go find our girls.”

After giving Brett and Danny strict orders to stay behind him, Garrett slowly opened the door and checked the hallway. Seeing that it was clear, he silently motioned for the other two to follow him.

Going right, he headed for a door at the end of the hall. Light filtered in from all four sides, which told him it was likely an exit.

They made it three full steps before a commotion erupted from the opposite side of the building. Having no way to know who or what had caused it, Garrett had no choice but to continue along the same path, toward the exterior door.

As much as he wanted to burst through every door until he found his woman, his training wouldn’t allow it. He needed to get the other two men out of the building and to the trees, and then come back in search of Avery and the others.

Save the ones you know you can save. Everything else is bonus.

Rafe Owen’s mantra rolled through his head as he led Brett and Garrett through the door and out into the evening sun. As the door shut, a bullet pinged off its metal frame. Missing Danny by mere seconds.

“Holy shit!” The young man’s eyes grew wide. “That was really fuckin’ close.”

“Get to the side!” Garrett ordered, waving his arm toward the wall near the door.

Brett and Danny flattened themselves against the concrete blocks.

More gunfire ensued, but it all came from the other side of the door. Hope filtered its way into Garrett’s chest, but he didn’t dare assume it was his team who’d caused the chaos.

From his position on the other side of the door—the side facing the direction it opened to—he could hear booted footfalls as they made their way toward him. Garrett gave the other men a silent order to remain where they were.

Forcing his spiking heartrate to ease, he raised the rifle and slid his finger to the trigger. Then…he waited.

Muffled sounds whispered through the cracks in the door. A second later, it flew open, and a man dressed in desert camo appeared.

Garrett’s finger twitched. He damn near pulled that trigger. But when the unknown tango turned his way, he realized it wasn’t a tango at all.

He lowered his weapon, his shoulders falling with a sigh of relief. “It’s about fucking time.”

“I think the words you’re looking for are thank and you.” Digger let his weapon fall to his side.

“Damn, it’s good to see you, brother.” Garrett shared a half-slap, half-handshake—or, Dap, as the kids called it—before Digger pulled him in for a hug.

Also making their way through the door were Bones, Apollo, and…

Holy shit. “Boss?” Garrett blinked, shocked as hell to see Owens had joined in the fun.

“Don’t look so surprised, Falcon.” The man’s British accent seemed too proper and out of place for this shithole. “I was pulling field duty when you were still a pimply-faced teenage virgin.”

“Guess Shadow got my signal, after all.” He ran a hand over his worn face.

“She did.” Owens nodded.

“She also got in touch with a friend of hers.” Bones joined in. “Tex something or other. Said they met a few years back but didn’t go into details other than to say she trusts him and he owed her one. And since Tac-Ops 2 and 3 are both in the middle of active ops, Shadow cashed in the favor he owed her. Whoever he is, this Tex guy must be hella connected, because he managed to secure a team to come here and help us transport the hostages back to the States.”

“What team?” Garrett looked to his boss for the answer.

“Delta.” Owens spoke low so Brett and Danny didn’t overhear. “Turns out their colonel and I go way back. So, these guys are solid, Falcon.”

Of that, he had no doubt. Delta Force were badass motherfuckers.

“And the HTs?” Garrett looked to his team. “I’m assuming since we’re standing out here like this, the threats have all been neutralized?”

“All down for the count.”

It was all he needed to hear.

“The hostages are all locked in rooms inside.” He squeezed past his boss and Digger. “I’ve got the keys.”

One by one they began opening the doors and setting the hostages free. With each door that opened, Garrett and Brett looked for Avery and Jess. And with each one, they were met with disappointment.

The hostages, of course, were elated to know they’d be going home. But for Garrett and Brett…their fear grew even stronger.

“Where are they?” Brett demanded. “They should be here!”

Yeah, they sure as fuck should be.

“Who’s they?” Apollo asked.

“Two of the female hostages. Avery Webb and a fifteen-year-old girl named—”

“Jessica Campbell,” Brett blurted from behind them. Pushing his way through the crowd, he added, “She’s my daughter.”

“And they were both brought here, with all of you?”

“Yes.” Garrett and Brett answered in unison.

“We’ve searched this place from top to bottom, Falcon,” Apollo spoke up. “There’s no one else here.”

“Oh, God.” Brett stumbled back to the wall between two of the rooms. His knees gave out, and he slid to the floor. “I’ve lost her.”

“No.” Garrett assured him. “We haven’t lost anyone, yet.” To the other hostages, he hollered out, “Listen up! We’re looking for the woman who was with me and this man’s daughter. They were the ones separated from the group when we first got here.”

Several mumbled and some shook their head, but no one spoke up.

“Avery’s twenty-eight, about this tall. Long, dark hair. Jessica’s about the same height. Blonde. She’s only fifteen.”

Again, no one acted like they’d seen them since their arrival. Garrett’s spirit damn near broke, and Brett’s face crumbled with acceptance. But then…

“Wait!” A woman in her forties made her way up from the back of the group. “I think I heard them earlier.”

“Where?”

“Down there.” She pointed to a room at the end of the hall, opposite from where Garrett, Brett, and Danny had been held. “I was in the room right next to that one, and I heard them. A man went in about an hour after we got here. It sounded like he’d taken one of the women out of the room for a little bit before bringing her back.”

“She’s right.” A man came up beside the woman. “I was in the same room, and I heard it, too.”

“Okay, but they’re not there now, so—”

“Because another man came back and took them both.”

“When?” Garrett stepped forward. “Where did he take them?”

“About fifteen minutes ago. Right before all the shooting. I-I have no idea where they went.”

“Fuck!” Garrett spun and slapped a palm against the nearest wall.

“Wait.” Bones pulled his phone from his pocket and began texting someone. “Shadow’s been keeping an eye on this area. Maybe her system saw them leave.”

Jesus, he must be out of it. That should’ve been his first thought.

Less than a minute later, Bones had a response. “Got ’em.” He relayed the message. “Shadow says they left the property seven minutes before we arrived and headed north in one of their cargo trucks. Male driver, two female passengers. They were tied up and put in the back of the truck.”

“Seven minutes.” Garrett’s hope returned. “They couldn’t have gotten far.”

Taking over, Owens ordered, “Digger, you and Falcon go. Take the SUV. The two of you should be able to handle one HT.”

I’ll fucking handle him, all right.

“I want to go, too!” Brett shot to his feet.

Garrett understood the man’s need to get to his daughter, but he wasn’t about to put a civilian at risk more than he already had.

“I’m sorry, but no.” He shook his head. “You need to stay here.”

“The fuck I do.”

“Brett, listen to me. Digger and I are trained for this shit. You’re not. Let us take the risk.”

“But Jess—”

“Is going to be all right,” Garrett promised him. “Now, you trusted me before. I need you to trust me with this.”

Brett’s watery gaze locked with his as the man said, “She’s my life.”

“I know.” Garrett put a hand to his shoulder and squeezed. “And I’m going to get her back. I’ll get them both back.”

Turning toward the building’s nearest exit, Garrett passed by Digger and said, “Let’s go.”

“Yeah, don’t mind us!” Bones’ southern drawl was thick as he hollered out from behind them. “We’ll just hang out here. Get to know each other a little bit. Maybe play some Bingo or Go Fish.”

Digger chuckled at their teammate’s joke, but Garrett was too focused on the task at hand to even crack a smile. The bastards who’d caused this whole mess were all dead…except one.

And that man had made a huge fucking mistake when he took Avery and the girl away. Right now, he was driving that truck thinking he was free as a goddamn bird.

He was wrong.

Because Garrett was coming after him. And when he and Digger caught up to him—because they would catch him—there’d be serious hell to pay.

Hang on, baby. I’m coming for you.