The air felt thick when Jax pulled up to GAPS. Sweat beaded down his back when he stepped out of his Humvee. He approached his crew and felt as if he were picking up his unit.

In a way, he was.

Cash, along with Ryan Waterson, and two others Jax hoped would be here, Greg Reiner and Ben Young, stood outside the building, readied in the same type of gear as Jax.

Jax had known Greg since being a SEAL and occasionally brought him in on a job involving GAPS. Greg stepped forward and held out a hand, giving Jax’s a firm shake. “We’ll find your girl.”

“Fuck yeah, we will.” Jax looked to Ben and nodded. “Good to see you. Too bad it’s under these circumstances.”

Ben stepped forward and clapped Jax on his shoulder. “We’ll get that drink when this is over and she’s home safe.”

Jax nodded. “All right, listen up. I have her location. If she still has on the bracelet with the tracker, she’ll be easy to find. Cash,” he looked to his friend. “You have a wall breeching tool?”

Cash grinned. “Oh, do I have one.” He rubbed his hands together. “I got my hands on a gatecrasher!”

Jax had not utilized a gatecrasher but had witnessed one in action. Set in place, this tool could blast through a cement wall. He nodded. “Good. Weapons at the ready. He’s armed and dangerous. There’s possibly a woman with him. I believe she had a part in Andria’s snatching.”

He motioned for the group to follow him to his Humvee. He pulled out a folder and grabbed the pictures inside. “Here’s a picture of Andria.” He handed her picture out and held one in his hands. Andria was smiling, wearing a blue top. He closed his eyes then turned back to his ride. “And this here is Draven Combs. This is his mug from the Denver prison.” He handed out the pictures and climbed into his car. “I’ve written the coordinates to the location on the back of Andria’s picture. It looks to be some type of warehouse storage area.”

“Are there civilians?” Cash asked.

Jax shook his head and turned on the ignition. “It’s an old area, no longer in use.”

“Of course it is,” Cash said and shook his head.

“Let’s roll,” Jax said and closed his door. He exhaled a long, hard breath and gripped his steering wheel. “I’m coming for you, baby. I promise I’ll be there soon.” He looked up to the sky and sent up a silent prayer.

Please, Lord, keep her safe. Give her the strength I know she has inside her. Please, please keep her safe.

* * *

A man’s home may be his castle, but just as the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, so too would the heaviest of fortresses. Jax followed the signal to the old industrial area. Cement walls still stood in this derelict area.

Cement was strong, but his explosives and armor were stronger. They parked half a mile away and gathered their supplies, explosives, and first aid. On foot, they walked through the dilapidated area. Sweat ran down his back, chest, and forehead. His gear was heavy, but in that moment, he felt he carried the world.

As they closed in on the location, he held out a hand to silence his unit. He held his Glock at the ready and turned off the safety. Jax approached the wall in silence. His back to it, he faced forward and waited for the cue to continue.

A moment passed until he felt a tap to his shoulder. The all clear. He held out his hand and Cash placed a listening device in it. Jax took it and leaned against the wall.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on what he could hear.

Nothing.

He moved to the left.

Nothing.

He moved to the right.

He heard grumbling and he opened his eyes. He moved further right.

He heard a scream, someone yell, another scream.

Jax nodded and handed the device back to Cash. He motioned the group forward. Small steps, they moved in on the target. Three feet away was a door. He motioned to it then squatted down. When they stopped, he grabbed the snake camera Greg brought along. He attached it to a mobile screen and turned it on. Jax pointed it at himself and his image appeared on the screen. He looked to Cash and nodded, then laid on the ground by the door to the building.

Using his fingers, he dug out the debris under the crease between the door and the ground. It provided just enough space to slip the snake through.

“We’re hot,” Cash whispered. “The room’s not dark, but it’s hard to see.”

Jax pushed up on his knees and took the screen. He furrowed his brows and adjusted the sensors. There was a chair and someone in it in the distance, far from the door. Two people paced. He handed the screen to Cash and turned to Greg and Ben.

“There is a chair on the far side of the room. I can’t get a clear picture of it. Two people are inside pacing. I need overwatch to give me a better picture.”

“On it,” Ben told him. “I’ll snake another camera in and send it to your window.”

Jax nodded. “Be careful up there. The roof may not be sturdy enough to hold your weight.”

“I’ll walk on the support beams. I got this, Jax.” Ben stood and jogged away, disappearing around the building.

Someone inside screamed. Jax’s chest tightened. Using the listening device, he pressed it to the door.

“Why are you doing all this for you? You said you loved me!”

What the fuck? Jax thought. Brandi?

“If he loves you, why would he have me here?”

Oh yeah, that was Andria. She’s alive, thank God. She’s fucking alive.

“Shut the fuck up!” Brandi screamed. “You’re only here so he can kill you and get it over with! He wants me!”

The room remained quiet for a moment. Jax adjusted the camera some to try to get a better look, but it was of no use. He needed overwatch. He glanced to Greg and motioned for the gatecrasher. Greg nodded and took a few steps back to get the explosive ready.

Jax held his breath as he watched the screen.

“Baby, why take her back? Don’t you love me?”

Jax blinked. Andria? She’s fucking with his head? Fuck yeah, that’s my girl. Keep going. Psych him out.

“Take me home, Draven. Come on, baby, take me home. You’re right. I shouldn’t have left. I belong with you, always. Take me home.”

It pained Jax to hear those words, not because she said them to him, but because she chanced drawing him closer to her. He could call her bluff and kill her. He could also fall for it and release her. He prayed for the latter.

“Shut up,” Brandi screamed. “He does not love you, you whore!”

“Brandi! Shut your fucking mouth,” Draven yelled.

Jax grinned. It’s working, baby, keep working it.

“No! I will NOT shut my mouth! You said you loved me. I found you in prison. I helped you escape. I love you, Draven, dammit! Me, not her!”

Overwatch came online and Jax’s camera shifted views. Seeing from the top, he found Andria tied to a chair. Draven stood over her, with Brandi closing in. Andria had bruising on her face, but he could not see much else. Her hair had been mangled, her arms tied behind the chair.

Brandi pushed Draven and slapped his face. “You said you loved me!”

Draven turned to face Brandi. Jax watched him as he moved toward the woman. Brandi stood her ground to him.

Bad mistake, woman, Jax thought.

“Hey, Brandi,” Andria called out. “He killed my father and tried to kill me. What makes you think he won’t kill you?”

Draven paused and kept his sights on Brandi. “I did it because your father kept you from me. You’re mine, Alexandria. Always will be mine.”

Brandi’s body had begun to shake. Anger? Maybe rage? Both? Didn’t matter. It was a distraction Jax needed. Without looking away from the screen, he motioned for Greg to get set up. Jax pointed to the door and stayed on the ground while Greg set up the explosive.

Jax looked up to Greg for a moment. A gunshot erupted in the silence. Jax held his breath and looked back to the screen. Brandi laid still on the ground, bleeding out from her head.

Andria screamed.

Draven turned with the gun pointed at her.

Andria shook her head, frantic. “Draven, no, please, baby. I want you to take me home. Release me, please,” she cried. She pulled at her restraints.

Jax died a little inside and his hands shook. He knew what she was doing, hell, she knew what she was doing. She was feeding that SOB exactly what he wanted to hear. Draven stepped closer to her and had the gun at her forehead.

Fuck! “How much longer?” he whispered to Greg.

“Ready in five, but you need to move out of the way with me.”

Jax nodded and closed his eyes. I love you, baby, and I’m coming in to get you.

Holding the camera to his chest, Jax got to his feet and waited for Greg to wire the gatecrasher. Greg began to unwind the wire and took a few steps back. Jax took a hold of his vest and led him backwards. Jax looked toward the south side of the building and found Cash over there, waiting for the explosion. In case Draven managed to escape again, Jax and Greg would be there. He looked to the north and Ben was there, safe from up top. Ben on one side of the building, Cash on the other. Draven had no where to go.

Jax looked to the screen once more. Andria stared up into the eyes of a murderer. She did not stand a chance with him if he did not get in there. He sat the screen down and turned his back to the building, covering his ears. “Now,” he ordered.