Stronger (The Unit Book 2) (3 page)

“How old is everyone?” Lola asked trembling.

“I’m sixteen,” Alisha responded. “Cece is seventeen, but Dangani is only thirteen. We try to look out for her. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty,” Lola responded trembling with fear as to what her captives’ plans were. “You said they brought medicine. What kind?”

“They bring it three times a day. It makes the stay here more tolerable. Like you just don’t care that you’re here,” Alisha said in a tone that communicated the helplessness of the situation.

“And if you don’t take it?” Lola asked, dreading the answer.

“Then they shoot you full of something that makes you pass out. Trust me, you want the pill,” young Alisha replied. How was Lola going to swallow a pill after she committed herself to never turning into her mother? She couldn’t get hooked on anything which made her not care; she wouldn’t be the brazen princess people had grown to love. That was if she was ever getting out of here.

“Have they ransomed your parents?” Lola asked hopeful because her daddy would pay whatever he had to, to get his princess back.

“They don’t talk to us. We’re lucky if they grunt at us when it’s time to eat. We have no idea why we’re here. Although, a doctor did examine all of us, inside and out,” Alisha warned. “On our second day here, a doctor came in and made me spread my legs. I don’t know what they were looking for.”

“Did it hurt?” Lola asked as her brows pulled together waiting for the answer.

“No, he was very gentle,” Alisha responded. Lola exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“What about her? Dangani? Does she talk?” Lola pointed to the girl curled into the fetal position on her cot.

“Yeah, she talks. Her medicine has kicked in. That’s how she gets when she takes it. Me, I am still able to talk; I just don’t give a shit about anything, which is nice, ya know?” Alisha counseled.

“Me too,” Cece concurred.

Just then the door opened and a tall, lanky Latino man with a pit-marked face entered the room.

“Glad to see you’re finally awake,” the man spoke in perfect English. “I was beginning to worry Marco had given you too much.” All eyes were on the man. It was the first time he had spoken to any of them. “I have brought supper and your medicine for the night. It will help you sleep.”

Lola took the small plate handed her. On it was a chunk of bread, a piece of chicken, and broccoli. At least he was giving her decent food to eat. “Line up.” He motioned for the girls to form a line in front of him. He held out his hand and Cece took a pill from him. She placed it in her mouth and swallowed. He motioned for her to lift her tongue as he inspected her mouth.
What was she going to do?
He would make sure she was drugged one way or another. She would rather take the pill and stay cognizant of what was happening around her even if she didn’t care. Next up was Alisha. Same thing. Dangani was still curled up on her cot. The man signaled Lola was next. She took an apprehensive step forward. She watched as impatience grew on his face. His lips tightened into a thin line, and he raised his brows as if challenging her to disobey him. She trembled but stepped forward.

“What is this?” she asked.

“No questions. Your stay can be pleasant or it can be hell, it’s up to you. You want hell, question me and refuse what I have to give you,” the man said thrusting his hand in front of Lola’s chest. Lola wanted pleasant. This was already unpleasant enough as it was. She didn’t want to see how much worse it could get. She put the pill on her tongue and swallowed. “Open your mouth and lift your tongue.” When the man was satisfied Lola had swallowed the pill, he approached Dangani.

“She has already had enough. Can’t you see?” Lola argued with the man. The man stalked towards Lola and backhanded her across her face knocking her to her cot. She immediately raised a hand to the burning skin.

“Don’t question me.” He towered over her and raised his hand again to see if she would disobey. Lola slowly sank further into her cot. She watched helplessly as the man pulled a syringe from his pocket and plunged it into Dangani’s arm. He then grabbed their bucket and left. Lola sat numbed by the burning and humiliation of being hit. How could they feed them so well, but keep them drugged and have a doctor look after them? It didn’t make any sense. A few minutes later, a different man of the same Latino decent entered with their now empty bucket. He placed it in the corner and then he walked within a hair’s breadth of Lola. He gestured for her to stand and move to the center of the room. She did. He walked around her touching her body. She cringed inwardly at the touch, but wouldn’t show him her fear. She raised her chin defiantly and allowed him to touch her. He lifted her dress and admired her taut stomach. He squeezed her arms and then her thighs, grunting his approval at the toned muscle he felt in his hand. He leaned in and sniffed her. He was dirty and smelled like body odor and urine. She crinkled her nose and breathed through her mouth while he inhaled her. “Honeysuckle,” was the only word he spoke. He turned about and left the shack.

Rob hit the snooze button on his alarm clock for the fourth and last time. Another morning and he felt like shit. Leaning up slightly, he looked at the time – 0730. Staring up at the ceiling, he sighed. Great, he was going to be late. Dragging his ass out of bed, he went downstairs, and made his way into his kitchen. He poured himself two fingers of scotch and gulped it down. Hair of the dog was the quickest way to put him back into tip-top shape. He needed to be at work by 0900. Running his hands through his hair, he headed to the bathroom and rushed through his shower. At least he hadn’t given up on hygiene, except on the weekends. He went to the boxing ring at his local gym regularly to take out his frustration on whatever lucky man happened to want to go a round with him. That kept him in fighting shape. His employment with Blackrain Security required him to stay in the best shape possible. His best asset to the company was that he didn’t care if he lived or died. He would gladly step into harm’s way to accomplish the mission. And, if he was lucky, it would be the mission which finally reunited him with his Lizzie.

Just the thought of her name had his head spinning. He stood in the shower and remembered the last night they had spent at home. They were watching some chick flick he couldn’t remember the name of, but he watched it because it pleased her. She cuddled up to him on the couch and rested her chin against his shoulder. He had his arm draped around her and was caressing her bare skin. She wore her pink boy shorts underwear with a tank top which left plenty of exposed skin for him to touch. She was remarkably soft and beautiful. He remembered the feel of a tear drop on his bare chest as she cried at the end of the movie. He remembered the way he tilted her chin to thumb away her tears. He remembered the way he slowly made love to her right there on the couch.

He had had his time in paradise; this, his life now, was pure hell.

He got out of the shower more determined than ever to take any and all risks thrown his way today. Heading to his closet, he chose his standard uniform. A pair of jeans that hung perfectly from his narrow hips and showed the briefest hint of the boxer briefs he wore underneath. A tight fitting t-shirt showed off his broad shoulders, ripped biceps, and peeked at his half-sleeve tattoo on his right arm snaking onto his chest and right side of his body. Slipping his feet into his work boots, he never bothered to take the time to lace them unless he was on a mission. He didn’t give a shit what he looked like, as long as he got the job done. Grabbing his keys from the leaf-like Pier One dish Lizzie had purchased for that exact reason, he headed out the door.

About forty-five minutes later, Rob reached Blackrain Security. The nondescript brick building housed the company which provided assignments while he and his friends were still self-contractors. Now, all five surviving members of the five tours in Afghanistan were employed by Blackrain, except Kevin who worked for Homeland Security. Blackrain’s owner, Rob’s boss, was a former Navy Seal who respected the Green Berets for the grueling training they endured as well as their success rate while on missions. He waited for Rob at the door.

“You’re early. That’s shocking,” Tyrrell bantered trying to change the semi-permanent scowl that adorned Rob’s face.

“Am I the first one here? That is shocking,” Rob said smiling. It was a start.

“Yeah. I have a job for your team. Let’s wait until the others get here, and then I will brief you all at once. Go get a cup of coffee. You look like you need it,” Tyrrell said with an easy smile. Rob walked into the kitchen and was greeted by the company secretary, Helen.

“Good morning, Rob. How did you sleep?” Helen offered Rob black coffee, just the way he liked it.

“Like a baby, Helen,” Rob replied. He would never let anyone know he had to pass out from alcohol before he could sleep.

“That’s good. We need you in top shape for the new mission. It’s a big one,” she said with a genuine smile.

Rob walked back down the hallway to the cube farm. He sat at his desk, put his feet up, and drank his coffee while he waited for Tony and Steve to arrive. Michael wouldn’t be back to work for two weeks; he was in Aruba on his honeymoon. He really was happy for his best friend. He wished he could be a better friend and show it. It’s just he was still so raw; it still felt like Lizzie died yesterday. He heard his brothers enter the office, and also heard a voice he didn’t recognize. He got up and walked to greet his brothers and the new man. He pulled each brother into a one-arm hug and then extended his hand to the stranger. “I’m Rob.”

“I’m Aaron. I’ve been called in for your team,” he said and shook Rob’s hand.

“I didn’t know I was getting anyone new,” Rob said looking to his brothers.

“Neither did we,” Tony replied, studying Aaron.

“In my office, please,” the boss yelled down the stairs and into the bullpen. Rob led the way. Once in the office, Tyrrell said, “So, I see you met Aaron. I called him in on this mission because we are down a man. Please, everyone have a seat.” Tyrrell motioned for the men to sit at the conference table that took up the better portion of his office. Behind the conference table on the back wall were monitors that tracked the comings and goings of the office as well as Tyrrell’s home, inside and out. Downstairs, in the bullpen, were the computers the guys needed. Blackrain Security was a well-respected security firm with ties to the CIA, DOD, NSA, FBI and Homeland. Tyrrell spent a great deal of time shoring up his contact list. He could call on the support of any agency if he needed it.

“So, what is it? Helen said it’s big?” Rob questioned.

“How many of you have heard of Americana Airlines?” Tyrrell watched as their faces showed recognition. He caught Rob’s eyes. “Well, the CEO and owner of the airline, Peter Sardeson, contacted my office last night after receiving several phone calls from his daughter’s friends. Apparently, his daughter, one Lola Sardeson, was out clubbing with three of her girlfriends in Boston the night before last, but disappeared from the club. Her girlfriends claim they last saw her dancing with a tall, good looking man of Latino decent. They were occupied and didn’t notice her leave the club. It’s highly unlikely she would leave the club willingly without her girlfriends since they all shared a cab. The girls checked her dorm and around campus; she attends Harvard, but they can’t locate her. They’ve called her cell phone, but it goes straight to voicemail. Because the subject is twenty years old, the police aren’t willing to touch it yet, which brings us to our mission: Lola Sardeson. Her father is paying double the normal price of hostage retrieval. That means the pay on this is double for each of you.” The men smiled at each other.

“Let’s get to work. Find out everything you can about the man she was last seen dancing with. Go to the club, ask around. See if anyone remembers him.” Tyrrell produced a composite sketch the girls had done from memory. He passed out a copy to each of them. “It’s the closest thing we have to a lead. Take the jet and see what you can find out. We need a name, and hopefully that name can lead to an address.”

∞

Rob, Steve, Tony, and Aaron arrived in Boston an hour later and disembarked the private jet; one of the better perks of working for such a big security company. They got into the SUV which was waiting at the rental agency and made their way to the Havana Club. Walking in through the front door, they immediately headed for the bar. The club wasn’t open yet, but there was still someone behind the bar, stocking up. “Have you seen this man?” Rob asked holding the picture under the light shining down from above the bar.

The bartender looked closer. “Yeah, that’s Miguel. He comes in here every Friday and Saturday night. Real looker, always leaving with a lady,” he confirmed.

“Would you happen to know Miguel’s last name?” Tony asked.

“No, sorry. I’m not that friendly with any of the customers. You can wait until Addison arrives. She works most nights trying to pay her way through Harvard. She might be able to tell you more.”

“Does she work tonight?” Rob asked.

“Yes. Like I said, she rarely takes any days off. She needs the money.”

“What’s her schedule tonight?” Tony asked causing the bartender to look up at him.

“The club opens at 7:00 tonight. She usually arrives an hour before to get the place set up.” It was 1700 now.

“Mind if we wait around until she gets here,” Rob asserted as he looked directly into the bartender’s eyes.

“No skin off of my back. Just have a seat. Can I get you fellas something to drink?”

Rob was the first to respond. “Yeah, I’ll have a glass of water.” The men looked at him, but they weren’t really shocked. He would never drink while on a mission. However, an hour of free time meant an hour to hear Lizzie’s cries and watch the movie play in his head.

Like clockwork, Addison arrived at 1800. The men got to their feet and made their way over to where Addison was busily putting her things away in her locker. “Mind if we borrow you for a few minutes,” Rob said with a smile he knew caused ladies to melt.