It’s like a fucking weight has been lifted from my chest.

Telling Riley the truth probably wasn’t the best idea. If I really wanted to continue keeping operational integrity, I would have kept that from her until the very end.

But fuck the operation. Things are getting too hot and dangerous for her, and I can’t keep putting it off. She’s at risk enough as it is, especially because she’s now associated with me. If something goes wrong. I know Anton is going to come down on her hard.

There are stories around the compound, whispers between guards. I don’t know how much of it is true, and frankly I don’t want to know.

But they’re disturbing. I heard of one girl that refused to break, even after doing some pretty heinous shit to her. Eventually, Anton got so fed up with her that he started clipping body parts. He cut off all her fingers, toes, hands, feet, and finally she died of a blood infection.

That’s a bad story, but there are worse. Stories of girls that didn’t do what they were told or were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. These guards are mostly bad men, very bad men, plucked from the countryside and put in charge of these American women. Sometimes, they take their poverty and anger out on them. They beat them, spit on them, degrade them, and very often it goes too far. Girls end up dead all the time. They just chalk it up to the cost of doing business and they move on.

It’s horrible. Human life is meaningless to them, or at least it is with these women. They’re cattle in the eyes of Anton and his men, and they’ll do anything they want with cattle.

I feel the sand beneath my toes as I walk across the beach. The sun is high and hot today, beating down on my back. I try not to leave the compound in the middle of the day, but I had to risk it this afternoon. I missed my normal report time last night and command is likely worried about me. I need to let them know that I’m okay and to send back my recommendation for how we proceed.

For the last few days, they’ve been coming back with one excuse after the next. They need details of weapons, now they need information on body armor, now they need to know how many provisions they have, now they need information on local politics. I know command can be very conservative about sending operatives into the field, especially when it comes to a dangerous and violent mission like this one, but they know why we’re doing it. They know it’s a big deal. Besides, Riley’s father is bankrolling the whole fucking thing.

We’ll lose guys. No doubt about it. Some guys will die when they take this place. Maybe not, it’s possible they can do it clean, but it’s more likely that someone will get killed. Command doesn’t like sending units into a battle where someone might die.

Which is why they’re pushing back against this. Or at least that’s my guess. They can’t keep delaying any longer, though. They sent me in here with the promise that the cavalry was coming, and I’m ready to hear some fucking backup is on the way right about now. Not just for my safety, but for every single girl in this place.

Last night, after coming back from the beach with Riley, we couldn’t get back in the compound. Not right away, at least.

There was a group of men in the courtyard. I couldn’t tell what they were doing at first, but soon it became clear.

They were punishing one of the girls. They were whipping her right there out in the open. She was screaming, but she was gagged, so her screams were more like muffled grunts at best.

They whipped her bloody and raw. Eventually, she passed out. I refused to let Riley watch, because she didn’t need that image in her head, but I had to see it. I had to witness this girl’s pain. I can’t say why, exactly, but I couldn’t look away.

It’s not like that was the first time I saw them abusing someone. They did it every day, routinely. That was different for some reason. I can’t say why exactly. Maybe it was because of the timing, or because of the way she hung there, naked and limp, trying to scream but unable to. Or maybe it was because I just told Riley the truth, and I knew that she was inches away from being that girl out in the courtyard getting whipped to within an inch of her life.

I sigh, shaking my head, trying to dispel the images from my brain. I reach the rocks and drop down into the cave before unpacking the communications equipment I use to connect with command.

I get a link quickly and type out my message. I tell them in no uncertain terms that Riley’s life and my life are both in danger. The operation has to happen as soon as humanly possible.

I hit send and lean back to wait. The memory of fucking Riley in this cave drifts back into my mind and I enjoy it with a smile.

There’s still one thing nagging me in the back of my mind. I don’t know what’s going to happen to Riley at the end of all this. From what she’s told me about her father, he’s a sadistic piece of shit and she should never have to be around him again. And yet he’s paying for all this and will expect to get his daughter back.

Command is going to want to return her, even if I recommend against it. In the end, we’re a for-profit business that sometimes does some shady and questionable shit for money. They’ll return her, I’m absolutely sure of it.

Can I let that happen? I don’t know if she’ll actually be safe with her father. She won’t be imprisoned and raped, but she’ll likely get emotionally and physically abused in other ways.

She’s been through enough. Giving her back to her father would be like taking her from one prison and shoving her right back into another. I know that’s what I’m here to do, but the thought of it makes me gag.

One thing at a time, though. I’ll find a way to let her go free, to escape from her father. It might cost me a job, but who the fuck cares about a job? There are plenty of jobs out there, but there’s only one Riley, and I’m not letting her suffer any more.

My computer beeps and I look at the screen. The response from command populates and I slowly read it.

Anger rises into the back of my throat as I go through it all, beginning to end. I read it twice, just to make sure that I understand it.

The bastards are ignoring my recommendation and requesting further information. In effect, they’re telling me to go fuck myself and they don’t give a shit if I think I’m in danger. They say their intelligence doesn’t suggest anything is off.

What the fuck is going on? I’m the one on the ground feeding them intelligence. If they have someone else here, they should tell me that so I can work with him. Maybe the Russians are sending them information, but they don’t know shit about what’s happening here in Mexico.

I type back an angry response, dashing it off. “Command, situation dire. Mission will terminate if serious action is not taken as soon as possible. No more intel is forthcoming. Send backup.”

I hit send, wait for it to transmit, and then shut the computer down. I don’t need to wait for their response.

I have to make my own plans now. And Riley is my highest priority. If there’s no raid by tomorrow night, I’m taking Riley and getting her out of here.

It’s the only thing left for me. She’s what’s important here, not this fucking mission. I want to save the other girls but they’re on command’s shoulders, not fucking mine. I can’t be responsible for all of them.

Fuck, I can’t just leave them. I climb out of the cave, conflicted and angry. I can’t save them all as just one man, but I can’t just let them all get abused and hurt and possibly killed.

An impossible situation. I’ve been in some shitty spots in my time in the field, but this is by far the worst one.

I trudge back to the compound, careful not to get seen as I slip back inside. Once safely inside the walls, I head back to my room to stash the computer in its hiding space.

But I don’t get that far. Three goons suddenly converge on me as soon as I step into the courtyard. I stop walking and look at them.

“Boss wants you,” the big one in the middle says. I can’t remember his name, but he’s one of the Russian guys Anton brought with him.

“Fine,” I say.

“Where are you coming from?” the guy on his right says.

“I was working out,” I say. “Got a fucking problem with that?”

The main guy narrows his eyes. “Come on,” he grunts. “Boss is waiting.

The other two guys turn and look away, and I know something is about to happen. I don’t know what, but it can’t be good.

I follow them back inside. They’re all armed, more than usual, which only makes my nerves stand on fucking edge. I’m ready to fight if I have to, but I doubt I’ll get far against three guys with high-powered rifles. I can probably take one or two, but not all three. It would be close if I fought all three.

We head into Anton’s main party room, but this time there are no girls lined up along the walls. The atmosphere is dim, and the drinks aren’t flowing like usual. Anton is standing near the television, his arms crossed, talking on his cell phone.

“Wait here,” the Russian guy says, and heads over to the boss.

I cross my arms and grin at the guy closest to me. “Nice day, huh?” I say to him.

He glares at me and doesn’t respond.

“Friendly,” I mutter, smiling to myself. I’m just trying to put them off balance in case something does happen.

I watch as Anton’s eyes flick over to me and he nods once. He wraps up the call he’s on and then heads over toward me.

“Logan,” he says, all the fake warmth he’s usually full of completely gone. “I have a job for you.”

I cock my head at him. “I don’t do jobs for you.”

“Yes, you do,” he growls. “You work for me, remember?”

“I train girls. That’s it.”

“I’m finding that we’re a little short staffed lately, Logan. You need to accompany these gentlemen on a little job.”

So this is it, then. This can’t be just some normal job. They’re going to try something, but I don’t know what.

“What’s the job?” I ask.

“Dropping off money for a local cartel,” he says. “We pay them for protection from the local cops.”

I nod slowly, wanting to refuse further, but I know that I can’t. “Fine,” I grunt. “When do we leave?”

“Right now,” Anton says.

“But I need my gear,” I protest, knowing it’s useless, but still playing my part.

“Too bad. Mikhail here is in charge.”

Ah. The big surly Russian is named Mikhail. Good to know, I guess.

I sigh and give Mikhail a little shrug. “Lead the way then, leader,” I say.

“Don’t be cute,” he grunts at me, and starts out back toward the door.

“Logan,” Anton says. “Don’t screw up. Be fast. We’ll be waiting with your girl when you get back.”

I raise an eyebrow at him and he grins at me, but I don’t have a chance to say anything. His phone rings and he turns away. I have to walk fast to catch up to Mikhail and his two goons.

I don’t know what the deal is with this. I know this can’t be some straightforward job, but if they wanted to kill me, I don’t know why they just don’t do it here.

Maybe I’m protected somehow. Maybe command has a deal with the Russians. But if I got popped on a mission to the local cartel ...

I put that thought out of my mind. Concentrate on the here and now, that’s all I can do. I follow Mikhail into a waiting truck. I sit in the passenger seat and the other two get in the back. Mikhail starts the engine and we pull out.

I’ll find out what this mission is soon enough. In the meantime, I put my bag on the ground and reach inside of it, making sure I have my weapon ready.