Raging Fire (Guarded Secrets Book 4) (16 page)

Chapter 26

I rushed through the building as the sound of gunfire pummeled my ear drums, covering up the thuds from the fighting on the floors beneath me. There were a few familiar voices giving orders, and others calling for help. I didn’t stop to assist, instead I kept my pace toward Harley’s office. I had to find something that would lead me to him, though as I rounded the corner I didn’t see that being possible. The office was torn to pieces. It looked as if they had used one of the small bombs on Harley’s office. There weren’t any fire’s going, but most of it looked burnt to a crisp and I didn’t have time to sift through it all to look through the drawers in his desk or go through his files, not that I would be likely to find anything anyway. I’d have to come back later, if I somehow survived this, to see what he had tried to get rid of. 

Unsure of where to go, I headed back down the same hallway I came down. There seemed to be only one way out, so I had to take it if I wanted to find Harley. The top floor had a look out over the bottom floor where, from what I had seen, was where Harley would give his speeches. From up there I could see more agents streaming in, taking the fight to the small band of cartel members who hadn’t been outside for the transport. The windows provided a great view of a desolate and disturbing scene. Heavy losses on both sides, cartel members and agents dead and dying on the ground. A few agents continued to fight until their last breath, and I could make out at least one roll over and shoot at the remaining cartel members to save a few friends. 

“We need help and we need it fast,” someone said, voicing my thoughts exactly. “I don’t care how rough the landing is, or how you have to convince the airports nearby to let you land, or even what hospitals you have to take these agents to, but you better get those planes back here now or you’ll lose half of us!”

I looked through the chaos of bodies and bullets to find an agent I had only heard of and seen in passing a few times; Valkyrie. She remained off to the side, talking into a radio or a phone. I was too far to tell for certain, but I could see the blood pooling on the side of her shirt and then again on her leg. She must have taken a few bullets, and had to be in monumental pain. Bullet wounds weren’t a walk in the park, in fact, most were unbearably painful, crippling even. Not that any agent would let that on, I’d seen some up and walking around a few hours after they were shot and Valkyrie was no different.

“Did you hear me, Aces? I said now!” she screamed into the device. “We’ve taken care of the outside, and there are a few agents left to keep you guys protected, but I swear to God if you don’t get here soon with some other pilot and start rounding up agents, CIRA won’t have enough bodies to continue missions for the next year!” She lifted her gun and killed a cartel member who was outside running after another agent. They exchanged a short glance before the other agent went back to fighting with the remaining two cartel members. 

A few punches were thrown, and I noticed why when two guns slid just out of reach before the agent took out a knife and killed one of the cartel members on the spot. The remaining member rushed toward the gun, and leveled it at the agent, to which Valkyrie struck again and killed the final cartel member. 

I glanced back in her direction just in time to see another member attempting to sneak up behind her. Her partner was distracted dealing with another person, and assumed his friend would be safe. She didn’t even know he was behind her because she was focusing on keeping the other agent safe. Without thinking, I leapt from the second floor overlook, landing on my feet and ignoring the shocks of pain shooting up my legs before I rushed the cartel member. She turned, showing off who it was. 
The original Macy had finally made her triumphant return
, I thought as I raised my gun and shot her in the thigh. She crumpled to the ground gripping her leg, dropping the gun, and screaming in pain. Valkyrie glanced at the scene then nodded to me in thanks before she shot another cartel member limping into the building. Slowly, one by one, they’d all be done for.

“You should have stayed in the police station. It’s a pity you had to come back. Let me guess, you told Harley we were here.” I took a few steps toward her, watching her movements carefully in case she drew another weapon. Inching my way forward, I used my foot to slide the gun away from her. These people weren’t trained, they weren’t prepared. What was Harley thinking trying to use them to attack CIRA? He should have known it would have gone this way. Something didn’t seem right. Even for a ragtag group, they should have had some kind of training. This was almost too easy.

She glared up at me before spiting in my direction. “You’re damn right I did. He’s gone by now so everything you did was for nothing. He’ll rebuild again, and then he’ll finish you guys off for good.”

“Any way you’ll tell me where he is for a chance to live to see another day?” I questioned, kneeling down on one knee whilst leveling my gun at her for extra motivation on her part. I didn’t need to ask the question, the answer was in her eyes and it was a definite no, but I’d rather have someone give me information than try to track him down myself and fail.

“No, so you may as well kill me now. I’d never give him up, just like he wouldn’t risk letting this cartel die.”

“Great, you’ve either been brainwashed or you’re extremely stupid and willing to believe anything. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt because I know he’s charismatic when it comes to women, but don’t kid yourself, he doesn’t care about you at all. He’s running to save his own skin because he knows I’m after him. He’s known for a while, and he was willing to bring the fight to me to end it. I guess he didn’t expect me to chase him down before he had the chance. You should have run while you could.” I pulled the trigger, effectively ending her life in less than a second, but it felt like the bullet went in slow motion as it pierced her skin and burrowed into her heart. At least it was quick. Some members wouldn’t get so lucky depending on the agents who got to them first.

“Brutal and savage. I like it,” Valkyrie stated, letting a soft laugh out before cringing in pain. “Sorry, I’m in rough shape. I ran into the line of fire of a couple of men protecting some guy, heading that way.” She pointed to the hallway where Macy had come from. “I think there’s another exit back there, or at least a place for them to hide until this is all over. I wanted to give chase, but I can’t even walk. It hurts too badly, and by the time Havoc got here to help me I was surrounded.”

“Do you know what he looked like? The guy they were protecting, I mean.”

“He had salt and pepper hair, tall, lean, dark eyes. Frankly he looked like any other guy I’ve seen and killed today, just a little bit older.” She paused for a moment, her features contouring in pain before she relaxed slightly. “Oh, and he had this scar on the side of his neck. I was aiming for it before his guards took me down.” She raised her gun again as more cartel members rushed in, but this time the gun didn’t fire. 

A deafening and deadly click sounded, signaling that the ammo had run out and she was out of protection, if Havoc and I hadn’t been here she would’ve been a goner. Four cartel members came in, blasting away at all of us. Havoc dodged the downpour of bullets from two of the cartel members by ducking behind a wall and taking aim carefully. The other two aimed in my direction. I ducked behind the corner Valkyrie was leaning on, and fired off a few shots to eliminate them. I missed one guy, and he shot Valkyrie again. She cried out and Havoc took the final shot, killing them on the spot. 

“Valkyrie, are the medics on their way?” Havoc asked, limping his way toward us. From the looks of it, he had taken a bullet in the leg, most likely before he could jump behind a wall for protection. “You’re going to need a doctor and fast. Your bleeding is getting worse and staying out in the open like this isn’t helping.”

“Aces says he’s coming back and they’ll start medevac’ing people out of here. I don’t know how far they are, but I’m going to make it,” Valkyrie stated adamantly.

“Tell me more about this guy, what did the scar look like?” I asked, forcing her attention back to me. “Did it look like an ‘X’?”

Her eyes lit up in realization. “Yes, that’s exactly what it looked like. At first I thought it was a cross, but I thought it was ironic a cartel member would have one. They claim to find God, yet lead people to their deaths.” She scoffed, which made Havoc smile, until she winced in pain again. She took in a labored breath then grit her teeth to hold back the tears that filled her eyes. 

I had only been hit by a few bullets in my lifetime, and after the initial burst of pain it only got worse. She needed whatever energy she was using to talk to me to focus on keeping herself alive, so I cut the conversation short. “Thanks, Valkyrie. I have to go find him. That was their leader, so if we don’t want to do this again then I have to take him out before the medics start coming in. I’ll leave you in Havoc’s hands.”

“No, you won’t. If medics are coming then Havoc, you have to make sure to eliminate the remaining cartel members. We can’t have any of the medical team getting taken out. Grab those guns on the floor and give them to me. I’ll kill any cartel personnel I see from right here, even if it means sniping a few at a questionable distance.” Havoc nodded and went to collect the guns. She forced a smile in my direction before she continued. “You should go find that jackass, and while you’re at it, do me a favor and kill the asshole who shot up my leg and then one up him for me. A bullet to the heart or head ought to do it.”

“I can do that without a problem,” I promised. “Good luck, Valkyrie.” 

“I don’t need luck, I have aim and one good arm. I can still shoot these assholes no problem.” She smiled wide as Havoc brought her a choice of four guns before he took two of them and ran toward the building next door to take care of any straggling cartel members. I followed his movements until I caught motion out of the back window of the compound. A familiar figure with greying hair crossed behind the compound. He was about hundred feet away, probably laying low during the fire fight and then using Macy as a distraction so he could escape, like the coward he is, while the people he led were being killed. Soon he’d join them and regret messing with my birth family and attempting to go after my CIRA family. 

Without another word in Valkyrie’s direction, I went out the way Valkyrie had directed me and prepared to hunt down the man who started all of this. 
Time to pay up, Harley, and it’s long overdue.

Chapter 27

Valkyrie had been right, there was another way out at the end of the hallway. There was a door hidden that was difficult to see, even when you knew it was there. It was shrouded in darkness and locked tight. That is until I shot the lock and forced it open. I didn’t have time to waste dealing with a door. Harley was getting away and the more time I wasted the more distance he put between us. Thankfully there was only one door, I didn’t want to waste anymore bullets until I had Harley and his men in my sights. Though I hoped Harley would get the blade of a knife through his chest instead of a bullet; it was more personal.

The sun basked down on me as I stepped outside, gathering my bearings as the gun shots suddenly picked up again from the front of the compound. I had no way of knowing how the fight was going or if my friends had made it to their secondary posts okay, but it would be over soon one way or another. They’d be able to handle a few cartel members without a problem, but CIRA would have another war on their hands if I let Harley get away.

I glanced around, looking for which way Harley had gone, but I couldn’t see him or his posse.
 Hopefully I wasn’t too late.
 I took off in the general direction I saw Harley and his men retreat in. If I had to guess, I’d say those three were his next in command, meant to be ready to take over if he died or help him remake the cartel if they survived. I wondered if they even thought it was possible for them all to die today.
 Doubtful. They think they are invincible
, I thought as I sprinted through the trees, glancing around occasionally, in hopes of catching sight of Harley, but I didn’t see anything as I traversed the woods. There wasn’t much out this way, especially not when the trees started to thin out. In the distance I could make out four figures walking away from me and toward a lone helicopter coming from the north. It approached from the opposite direction the CIRA helicopters had, which gave me an inkling that this was their escape route.

“Not on my watch, Harley. You don’t get to make it out of this alive.”

I rushed forward, uncertain of what I’d do once I caught up to him, but a four on one fight wasn’t completely out of the odds for me. I’d been through worse, including a ten to one fight, which had been close until backup arrived. I had managed to hold my own then, so I was sure I could handle this alone. Though without backup, I’d have to do it systematically. Eliminate his guards first, then finish him off. He’s bound to have some kind of training, but as the leader he should never have to use it. Hopefully that meant I had the advantage and he would be out of practice.

As I neared them, whoever was in the helicopter must’ve alerted them to my presence because they turned to face me in unison. His guards raised their guns, prepared to take me down before I had the chance to even touch Harley, but Harley gestured for them to hold fire. They didn’t lower their weapons, but they never fired a shot as I neared them. It made me stop, mentally and physically.
What was he planning?

“Good to see you again, Grayson, or should I say
Spit Fire
?” His voice was just as I remembered it, dark, low, and seeming to promise the world with a simple breath. No wonder mom and I had been fooled by him. He made it so easy for us to fall under his spell. “Such a silly name for such a beautiful girl. What on Earth made you pick that one? It sounds like something a child made it up. Though you
were
just a kid when your siblings died. Color me surprised when I learned you were still alive. I had hoped you would be dead and that the rumors weren’t true. At least that’s what I paid for. They got off easy though, you on the other hand will have a hard time killing me before you’re shot dead yourself.” A cruel smile curved at the corners of his mouth, only to be met with a knowing gleam of his hard eyes.

“How could I have known you were actually responsible for their deaths?” I asked, the sarcasm heavy in my tone. My jaw clenched tight, knuckles turning white as I fought to hold back my anger. He was baiting me, he wanted me to attack. I didn’t know why, but I didn’t want to find out either. Fighting my anger was a lost cause though. I just needed an opening. “I always knew you were responsible; I’m just surprised you admitted it. You killed my mom too, didn’t you? All because she figured out what you were! I bet she hated it, and I
know
she hated that you sent her kids away. Sure you made it seem as if it was for our protection, but it was all for you. You wanted to get rid of us all along so she’d have no one else but you. You didn’t even love her, you just wanted a way into the cartel.”

A surprising flash of anger filled his eyes. That definitely wasn’t something I had been expecting. He shouldn’t care, at least I had assumed he didn’t, but maybe in some twisted way he did care for my mother. My stomach churned at the thought. This sick bastard’s form of caring involved a bullet to the head for my mother and her children, but if I could use it against him I would. My gaze met the helicopter, approaching quickly, before flicking back to his men. They were tense, ready to spring into action should it be needed. Little did they know it wouldn’t do them any good. I would wait for the right time. Eventually they’d slip up.

“Don’t try to fake me out. You’ve tried long and hard, and even took on a new identity. You make fun of the name I chose to keep people from my past life in the past and keep my actual identity safe, but you go by Harley Sanchez. Is that even your real name, or was the one you gave my family real? Maybe neither of them are.”

A genuine smile wiped away his smirk. “I guess you’ll never really know for sure. I don’t intend on letting that slip or anything else I’ve done. Nice try though.” He chuckled, only fueling my anger. I must have figured something out without realizing it, and he seemed pleased by that. Besides the obvious, what was he hiding from me? “You’re just like your mother, too smart for your own good. That’s why I let the word out about you and your friends. Everyone who needs to knows about CIRA now, so getting rid of me won’t fix your problem. Someone else will just take up the cause of getting rid of you guys.”

“I don’t care about that.” I took a few steps forward, carefully watching his men for their reaction. Once again they didn’t shoot, but they tensed and one looked too trigger happy for my comfort. I changed direction to make it seem as if I was pacing, but they didn’t ease. I wouldn’t be able to get any closer to them without one shooting prematurely. I’d have to start the fight from a few feet away, and with the helicopter closing in I’d have to do it soon. “I just want revenge for my family, who you had killed for one reason or another! After that, I don’t give a fuck what happens to me. I’m going to kill you and then my job is done. That is, unless you want to tell me you didn’t actually kill them and I have the wrong guy, though I know that’s not the case so don’t waste your breath on anymore lies.”

His eyes darted to the helicopter, most likely gauging how much time he had to waste before he could escape. He must have decided he needed to waste more time because he started talking again, just as I hoped. “I’m not going to lie. I killed them by ordering those men to take you and your siblings out. They got off easy, I made sure there was little pain, but when your mom fought back about marriage and tried to leave by threatening me, I killed her myself. She was supposed to marry me after she lost you three. It was supposed to make things easier. If only she was able to ignore what I did for a living then she would have lived a nice, comfy lifestyle, but she couldn’t and it got her killed. I never cared for you or your siblings, and just like Camden, I didn’t care who the girl was. We were in it for the job. Not that it mattered anyway since I still got the job in the end, even without a wife.” He shrugged, fixing me with a devious look. “Lucky for me, I can still get rid of you in the end too.”

I laughed loudly as gunshots neared our location, drowning out my laughter slightly. It seemed like the CIRA agents had some of the cartel members on the run. I didn’t want any help, but with his men scared, he was screwed. He’d have to fight alone and I’d eventually beat him and get what I came here for—revenge. 

Harley began shifting uncomfortably and an angry expression crossed onto his face. I guess he didn’t like being kept out of the joke as he had done to me. “What’s so funny?” Harley questioned as the fighting moved closer to us. His eyes flitted from side to side as his gaze darted through the trees whenever cartel members ran past, going in the opposite direction. None of them even stopped when they noticed their beloved boss standing face-to-face with a CIRA agent. His own guards were so distracted by the commotion that they didn’t see me pull the two guns from my pockets and take aim.

I pulled the triggers simultaneously and eliminated Harley’s protection detail swiftly, without wasting a single bullet. They went down with two bullets each, one for damage so they couldn’t fire back and the second being the killing shot. It was brutal and an impersonal way to kill with a gun, at least to me, but they got off easy compared to what I had planned for Harley. He would die slowly and painfully just so I could watch him suffer. The knife I had concealed for emergencies would get in a few rounds with Harley before I finally relented and slit his throat. I wanted at least a few deep gashes for each family member he had killed. It would be a terrible way to go. His men got off easy, as he claimed my siblings had, and now he’d get it the hard way.

“Let’s finish what we started, Harley. You’re in for one hell of a beating. Payback is a bitch.” I tossed the guns down to my side and sprang toward him.