Rogue Defender (Gone Rogue), page 20
“No! Why?” Austin asks.
“Domina!” Frantic, I spin around, but catch only a glimpse of her dark curls. “She’s at the back door. And I don’t think she’s alone!”
After a beat, Austin switches to Spanish to shout, “Get out of the way before I shove that camera up your ass!”
“I’m too far away to get there.” Trevor’s out of breath, and a door slams. “Still four floors to go.”
Shit. He was seven stories up on a roof across the street. I can’t see her anymore. Austin bursts through a wall of reporters, ignoring their rude gestures and vague threats of cutting off his balls.
“What happened? Where is she?” he asks. The bone conduction mics are more advanced than anything on the market today and filter out almost all ambient noise. Right now, I’d give anything to hear what’s going on around her.
Together, we fight our way through the crowds. Austin leads, shoving, pushing, and using his entire body to part the sea of supporters desperate to see their candidate.
“Outside!” Domina screams.
I grab Austin’s arm, our gazes locking for a split second. She’s terrified. Which means she’s not alone. Someone took her.
“Go east, Superman,” Austin snaps. “We’ll take the west. Meet behind the building.”
What I wouldn’t give for a weapon. Austin has a ceramic knife strapped to his forearm under his jacket, but he’d have to slit every throat in our path. The IPS would have us in custody in a heartbeat.
“Domina! Tell me where you are! I’m coming, baby! Just give me something!” Only silence answers me, and I follow Austin as he slams into a group of people all wearing “Cortez for President” t-shirts.
“Move your asses. Now!” he snarls. They’re so shocked, they part like the Sea of Galilee.
We burst out into a back alley, and it’s empty. The faint scent of exhaust lingers, but I don’t see Domina anywhere. I run to the north, check both sides of the street, and turn south.
Austin crouches down, his fingers brushing the pavement. “Fuck!” I skid to a stop. In his outstretched hand? Domina’s comms unit. She’d never remove it. She promised. And the damn things fit so well, there’s no way it would have fallen out.
Trevor races around the corner, his rifle in a long, black bag slung over his shoulder. “Where is she?”
“Gone.” My voice sounds strange with how loud my heartbeat pounds in my ears. “Someone took her.”
“Zephyr, get us a location on Domina’s tracker,” Austin says, his phone pressed to his ear. “Now!”
My comms unit beeps once as she breaks into our frequency. “It stopped transmitting less than a minute ago. A mile south of your current location. Before that, it was moving at approximately forty miles per hour. Sending coordinates to your phones now. What happened?”
“Get on the traffic cameras. Someone grabbed her. They came out the back door. Her earbud was in the alley. Whoever took her was inside the hotel and we didn’t mark them as hostiles. I need names and faces. Now!”
I run to the south end of the alley. “Leo!” Trevor calls. “She’s too far away. If they got to Domina, they could have gotten to Cortez too. We need to find out if any of them are still inside.”
“I don’t give a fuck! Whoever’s behind this took her, and God only knows what they’ll do to her!” My right ankle sends shooting pains up my calf, and I can only manage an uneven jog back. But I use my momentum and shove Trevor—hard. He hits a dumpster and goes down. The rifle bag clatters against the thick metal. I advance on him, but Austin grabs my arms and spins me around.
“Think, Leo. Whoever has Domina planned this. They had a vehicle. They found her comms unit. And her tracker. Which means they know about me. Maybe Trevor too. How many people does that leave? Ten? Fifteen? Cortez, Garcia, the assholes at the Ministry. We will find her, but if Cortez dies, the entire country is fucked, and you know she wouldn’t want that.”
I struggle, a feral growl rumbling in my chest. Until I hear Domina’s words in my head.
“Manuel is an honorable man.”
“He will be good for Panama. Muñoz would take us back to the tyranny of Noriega.”
“This job…it changed my entire life, Leo. My words matter. Not only to Cortez, but to the people. I make a difference.”
The pain in my heart makes it hard to breathe. But I shake off Austin’s hold and slump against the building’s wall. “I love her.”
“No shit, Captain Obvious,” Trev says, rubbing his shoulder. “Next time, punch me instead.” He gets to his feet and brushes dirt from his black pants. “I don’t know what the fuck that puddle is, but I only missed it by two inches and it smells—”
Screams from the front of the hotel drown out his words, and we all tense. Racing back to the corner of the building, we stick close, Austin in the lead and Trev bringing up the rear.
Men and women pour from the building, their faces stricken, terrified, and panicked. A young boy falls, but no one helps him.
“Leo!” Austin shouts, but I’m already moving. The kid tries to get to his feet, but the crowd doesn’t see him—or doesn’t care—and he curls into a ball with his hands over his head.
I can get there. Another few seconds, and I can get there. “Fucking move!” A man stops less than a foot away from the boy. He’s big—football player big—and the brief moment it takes him to decide how to get as far away from me as he can gives me the opening I need.
Grabbing the boy’s arm, I haul him up. He can’t be more than twelve, and I let him hold onto my neck while I shoulder through the panicked crowd. “Where are your parents?”
“I don’t know!” he cries. Shit. I have to find Domina, but what the hell am I supposed to do with this terrified kid in my arms?
“Paulo! My God. Paulo!” a woman calls. The kid straightens, and I turn toward the sound. White hair, a cane…his grandmother? Thank fuck we’re at the edge of the throngs of people.
The woman reaches for him, but before I let him go, I ask, “This you, kid?”
He’s crying now. Sobbing, really, but manages to nod, so I set him on his feet. “Here you go, ma’am. What happened in there?”
“I do not know.” The older woman dabs at her cheeks with a handkerchief. “Vice President Cortez came out onto the balcony and waved to all of us. But then there was a bright flash and smoke and people started screaming. The doors…we could not all fit through…”
Shit, shit, shit.
The boy wraps his arms around his grandmother’s waist, and I limp as quickly as I can back to Austin and Trevor.
“Flash bang—or some sort of explosive—inside. We have to get to Cortez. Now!” If he dies, will the assholes who took Domina have any reason to keep her alive?
Trev shoves his rifle bag at Austin and double-times it back to the dumpster.
“What the fuck are you doing? We need to get back in—”
Trevor vaults onto the corrugated metal lid and peers down at me. “There’s no way we’re going through the front door. You know a faster way to get in? Because I don’t. Get up here and give me a boost. I didn’t bring a grappling hook.”
Austin climbs up next to him while I stand there, gaping. He’s right, but I should have known…
Bracing himself against the wall, Austin cups his hands on his thigh. “On three.”
By the time I haul my ass onto the dumpster, Trev is wedging his tactical knife under the sash of one of the narrow, second-floor windows. They’re barely wide enough, but after a string of curses, Trevor gets his shoulders through.
Austin passes him the rifle case, then nods at me. “You’re next.”
Shit. I’m in no shape to scale walls. But for Domina, I’ll do anything. Even push my body to its limits. And beyond.
Austin gets me close enough to curl my fingers over the sill, but my shoulder pops, and shooting pains run down my back. I scramble for purchase, scuffing my shoes against the brick wall. “I’m slipping!”
Trev grabs my wrists, and Austin shoves at my feet. It’s just enough to get my torso through the window. I tumble onto the hard tile floor, and Trev holds out his hand. “Get up, brother. There’s rope in my bag. Toss it down for Stars and Bars. I’ll check the hallway. Make sure we’re clear.”
I let him help me up. We lock gazes for the briefest of moments. He’ll kick my ass later for tackling him—and I deserve it—as long as we get Domina back. But for now, we’re solid.
I tie the rope around my waist and toss the other end out the window. The sudden weight almost sends me crashing into the wall when Austin grabs on, but less than a minute later, he pulls himself up and lands on the floor in a crouch.
“You weigh a fucking ton,” I mutter.
Trev signals for us to follow him down the hall. It’s almost quiet here, though the screams and shouts from downstairs provide a low-level background hum.
We’re sneaking around the business center of a goddamn hotel while Domina’s out there somewhere. Probably scared out of her mind. Hurt. Alone.
And I’m free with two men who would die for me at my side.
“Base? Any idea which room the target’s in?” Trev asks.
“Checking.” Zephyr’s reply comes only a few seconds later, but each one feels like an hour. “From the broadcast, he entered the Rosa room from the back left. Check out Tulipán. Ahead on the right. Third door.”
We only make it a few steps before she breaks in again. “Got Charlie on the breaking news situation. I’m staying on traffic cameras. Will let you know what he finds.”
“Charlie?” I hiss at Austin.
He mouths, “Ripper.” I’m fucking sick of code names. Especially for people I’ve never met.
Moving as one, we head for the Tulipán room. Trevor tosses the black bag at Austin and pulls a small Sig Sauer from his ankle holster. “This is gonna get messy. Cover me.”
“With a fucking sniper rifle?” After a muffled curse, Austin pulls out the SRS A2 and flips off the safety.
I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life. No gun. No body armor. No idea where the woman I love is now. Or if she’s even still alive.
“Leo. Door,” Trev snaps. I trade places with him, my hand on the lever knob. “On my mark.” He blows out a breath, counts down, and I shove the door open. “Nobody move!” Trevor shouts as he breaches the small room. “Hands in the air. All of you. Right fucking now!”
Austin and I follow, though without a weapon, I’m less than useless.
Shit. Omar, Isobel, and that pissant, Rafael, are the only ones in the room. They huddle together behind a table laid out with a full spread of coffee, donuts, and pastries. Another table a few feet away is turned on its side, and broken china litters the floor.
“Where’s Cortez?” I grit out.
No one says a word. Fuck this. I grab Rafael by the lapels of his preppy, over-starched jacket. “Where is your goddamn vice president? Someone took Domina, and until we find her, I’m holding you personally responsible, you traitorous piece of shit!”
When he gapes at me, I slam him down onto the table. Delicate china cups crash to the floor. Coffee seeps into white linen and splatters Rafael’s tie.
“Answer me! Now, asshole!”
Austin’s saying something to Omar and Isobel, but I only care about the man shaking under my grip. Trev jams the pistol against Rafael’s temple. “We know you’re involved. Sending Cortez that doctored video? That was dumb as fuck.”
“I…please! There was so much noise! And smoke. Manuel’s security detail surrounded him and told the rest of us to hide in here. They took him to a secure location. But we don’t know where and no one came back for us. Why haven’t they come back for us?” He takes a shuddering breath.
Before he can start vomiting even more drivel, I lean close, getting right in his face. “Domina. Is. Gone. Do you understand me?”
His eyes widen. “What? How?”
“If I knew that, do you think I’d be here right now?” I lift him two inches, then slam him back down. “Tell me who you’re working with and maybe I’ll let you live. Otherwise…”
“Leo. Let me have a go,” Trev says. The lethality in his voice would make the most hardened soldier piss his pants, and I step back. Yep. A dark stain spreads across Rafael’s crotch. “If you think you’re scared now, fuckwit, just wait…”
“I’m not working with anyone!” Rafael slides to the floor. Tears spill from his eyes. He fumbles with his jacket, but Trev slaps his hand away.
“Next time you move, I’m taking out one of your kneecaps. Then the other.”
“M-my phone,” he stammers. “In my pocket. The video from the rally… The National Police sent it to me. I…I did not see Leo with a gun. I didn’t see him at all. I was focused on Manuel. When the agents surrounded him, I hid behind the chairs until they told us to move.”
I haven’t taken my eyes off the asshole since we came into the room, and dammit. He’s panicked as fuck, but I’d know if he were lying. “He’s telling the truth.” Reaching into his pocket, I find his phone. “Unlock code.”
“Eight-seven-three-one-five-two.”
It only takes me a minute to find the email.
“Mr. Perez, this video is from moments before the Vice President was shot. The man waving the gun is Leo Basher. He is an American who used to work for the CIA. The Ministry of Public Service has him in custody. Make sure the Vice President sees this footage, but do not share it with the media. It will hamper the investigation.”
“It’s not signed,” I add. “From some generic ‘investigations’ mailbox.”
“Base can clone the device and work her magic,” Austin says from across the room. The rifle hangs at his side, and the other two staffers hold onto one another next to him.
For a beat, no one says a word. The silence is too much. Domina’s gone. We don’t have a single fucking lead. She could be anywhere by now. Or…nowhere. If they’ve killed her…
No. They took her for a reason. They’ll keep her alive.
The single thought is the only reason I’m still standing. They want her for something. But whatever it is? It can’t be good.
I stagger over to one of the chairs. If I don’t sit down, I’ll fall. Every bruise, scrape, cut, and scar screams at me. It’s all too much. If I never see her again…I’ll never get to tell her I love her. And my life? Without her, it’s not worth a damn thing.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Domina
With nothing to do but squirm under the stares of the two men who stole me away from Leo, I have no idea how long we’ve been in this van. The driver turns every few minutes.
Are we still in the city? Or are they taking me somewhere far away where no one can get to me?
“Leo will never kill Manuel.”
“He will, or he will watch you die.”
Would Leo really kill to save me? Tears burn my eyes. Yes. He would. To save me—or to avenge me.
Shame floods me, choking my throat. I have never wished death on another person, but if I die…I hope these men die too.
Pinzon stares at my breasts with a hunger that frightens me. The other man mostly ignores me. Where have I seen him before? He is young. Thirty? His brown eyes flick to mine. No warmth. No sympathy. Only icy detachment.
They will kill me. I can identify them.
Leo, please…find me.
The van slows, and the driver—I have not been able to see his face—calls out, “Two minutes.”
The man with cold eyes reaches behind him for a roll of duct tape. The sound as he tears a strip makes me choke back a sob.
“No!” I scream when he approaches, but Pinzon grabs a fistful of my hair and slams my head against the floor of the van. Dazed, I fall silent. The tape seals my lips. The harsh scent of glue burns my nose.
Pinzon removes his tie, and I watch helplessly until he fastens the dark gray silk over my eyes. Unable to see, I scream again, though it’s so muffled, would anyone hear me?
A hand wraps around my throat, cutting off my air. “Last warning, bitch. Or I will make you bleed.”
My body convulses, desperate to breathe. I try to nod. He releases me, and I suck air through my nose.
The blindfold soaks with my tears. I have never felt so alone. So helpless.
Papa’s slurred voice runs on a loop through my mind. “You are worthless, Domina. If you cannot bring me a beer, get out of my sight!”
The van jerks to a stop. A moment later, sunlight warms my feet. Wherever we are, they aren’t worried about anyone seeing a bound, gagged, and blindfolded woman. But they don’t want me to scream. There must be people close by.
Focus. Leo will not do anything without knowing you are still alive. If you can talk to him…
Rough hands grab my legs and drag me toward the back of the van. I smell flowers. Gardenias. A gentle breeze kisses my cheeks as someone—Pinzon, I think—throws me over his shoulder.
I cannot fight. My wrists are bound so tightly, my fingers are numb.
A door opens and shuts. Then another. And another. Upside down, unable to see, I’m so disoriented.
How many times can they hit me before I get a concussion? Do I have one already? I cannot hold a thought in my head for more than a minute.
Stairs. Down. My head bounces against Pinzon’s back. Nausea crawls up my throat. If I vomit, I will choke and die. Swallowing hard, I try to stifle my whimper.
A slap to my ass shuts me up and quells the nausea. I never thought I would be grateful for someone hitting me.
Until I fall. A fresh scream wells up inside me. I thrash, desperate to use my hands, but the zip tie digs into my wrists.
Landing knocks the air from my lungs. My head cracks against hard tile. Every muscle in my body strains, desperate for air. Before I understand what is happening, fingers dig into my cheek, then tear the duct tape from my skin.
Burning pain jars me enough to draw in a wheezing breath. “Help me!” I scream. “Help!”
I do not care if they hurt me. I have to escape. Find a way back to Leo.
“Make all the noise you want,” Pinzon snaps. “No one will hear you.” He rips the blindfold away, and I blink up at him.
