JACKSON

 

ONCE WE LAND in New York City, Lucien manages to make contact with his connection in the FBI, Henry Wepner.  Lucien has been working with the FBI for quite some time now.  He gives the U.S. government information to take the biggest fish in the underbelly of the world out — arms dealers, drug cartels and human trafficking scum.

And in exchange for that vital data, Lucien earns protection from being prosecuted and is allowed to keep his island a secret and continue on with his work, which isn't legal in any sense of the word.

Agent Wepner had to pull some strings, but he managed to scrounge up some of his best FBI agents for us to use as backup for our mission to get Adeline back.  No questions asked since Salvatore Valenti, Adeline's father, and half of the Italian mafia is currently behind bars, all thanks to Lucien.

The only one not behind bars and still on the run is Adeline's ex-fiancé, Giovanni Morello, who is currently holding her captive at one of the Valenti's many properties.

Once we figured out her GPS coordinates, it wasn't hard to figure out who owned the house and who was holding her hostage.  Giovanni is the only fish left in the very large pond that the FBI hasn't been able to catch yet.  And so they are mainly helping us in this mission to catch that particular fish and call it a day.

We're currently stationed on the outskirts of New York City in an abandoned warehouse.  Wraith brought in a handful of his own contacts — several tattooed and mean-looking dudes with more muscles than me and Lucien combined.

Even with all our backup, it's still not going to be easy to break into the house; however, because the intel Lucien's gathered so far has informed us that it would be easier to break into Fort Knox.

The property is surrounded by a ten-foot tall fence equipped with motion-detector security cameras every few feet.  There is a guard shack outside the entrance, and the front gate can only be unlocked with an electronic keycard.

There's also a panic button inside the shack that the guard can press if he suspects any suspicious activity, locking down the entire place and alerting everyone inside.

Even if we make it past the guards stationed out front and the fence, we need to take down the numerous guards and dogs stationed every several yards throughout the inside perimeter.

The mansion itself is impressive with bulletproof windows that could withstand a firing squad and heavy-duty steel entrance doors that could hold back a fucking tank.

The more data Lucien collects, the more frustrated he becomes.  He's worried we're not going to get her back, but I have full confidence in him.  If anyone could get her back, it would be him.

I watch his fingers move furiously over the laptop keyboard as he punches in a bunch of strange code and symbols that I can't even comprehend or attempt to follow.  "I'm sending a message to her watch," he explains.

He's been working with his hacker buddy, Miles, for a while now.  Miles taught Lucien everything he needed to know about hacking.  There's not a firewall too strong or too complicated; no code they can't crack; no security system too advanced.  They are the best of the best.

I hover over his shoulder as he stops typing.  "Did it work?" I ask him.

"I think so," he says.  "Just in case she's not alone, I'll only allow it to flash for a few seconds."

We wait while the message I'm coming for you is transmitted to Adeline's watch.

And then with a few quick keys, Lucien ends the message.

"I'm going to work with Miles on trying to break into the power grid."

I give him a nod and let him continue on with his work.  Then, I walk over to the corner of the warehouse where Katya is sitting by herself, stewing in her own misery.

Ever since we left the island, she's been…difficult.  I can't describe it any other way.  It's as if she wants to pick a fight with me over every little thing.  I know it's really stressful right now and our sole focus is on Adeline, but she needs to understand that she's part of the team now, whether she likes it or not.

Her blue eyes meet mine as I approach.  She does not look happy to see me.

"One of Wraith's men has volunteered to stay behind with you," I tell her.  There's no way I'm letting her go on this mission with us.  There could be lives lost, and I don't want to constantly be worrying about hers when I'm trying to save both mine and Lucien's.

Her small fists ball in anger as she suddenly stands and storms towards me.  "I'm not staying here with some goon I don't even know while you're off saving the day!" she hisses.

Damn, I almost missed her firecracker attitude that always turned me the fuck on.  But right now I don't need her fucking attitude.  I need her to comply.  "The decision's already been made.  You're not going," I declare adamantly.

"Oh, so what are you going to do with me then?  Tie me up again and force me to stay here?" she snaps.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm going to do," I tell her even though I have no intention of actually tying her up.  The 350-pound musclebound dude with more scars and tattoos than I can count should suffice in being the perfect babysitter.  No ropes required.

Katya huffs and puts a hand on her cocked hip.  "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?  You and your little kinks," she says loud enough for everyone in the warehouse to hear.

I throw my hands up in the air exasperatedly.  "It's too dangerous for you to go, Katya.  We could all die.  I could die," I tell her adamantly, trying to get through to her.

I expect her to back down, knowing that I'm putting my life on the line and that I'm not willing to risk hers.  But she surprises me by folding her arms across her chest and asking, "And then what would happen to me if you never come back?  I'd be left here to starve and die!"

I shake my head in disbelief.  Did last night mean nothing to her?  Does she not even want me anymore?  "What is your deal?" I hiss at her.

"My deal is that I'm not going to stay here.  I want to go."

"Fine," I say, finally giving in.  "But you stay with me."

She doesn't agree nor disagree, and I'm tired of bickering with her like an old married couple.

We'll sort our shit out after we get Adeline back.  Right now I can't focus on anything but that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lucien approaching the group of government agents, who are huddled together in the opposite corner, talking in hushed voices.

I follow Lucien just as I hear one of the agents say, "This is going to be fuckin' impossible.  A goddamn suicide mission.  I certainly didn't sign up for this shit."

Lucien clears his throat, and they all turn to look at him with surprised and then blank looks on their faces.  "If you want out now, tell me," Lucien growls.  "Because I assure you, gentlemen, I will move heaven and earth, if I have to, with my own goddamn bare hands to get her back," he says, giving each and every one of them a searing look.  "Don't underestimate my obsession…or my undying love for her."

There is a calm silence that settles over the men, and several nod their head in compliance.

"I have an idea on how we can get in quickly and quietly and without detection," he announces to the entire room.

There are some disbelieving huffs and murmurs throughout the warehouse, but Lucien just ignores them. Instead, he simply says, "We're going to hit them and hit them fucking hard."  Then, he grins before adding, "The good news is…they won't even see us coming."

Holy shit, Miles and Lucien must have actually hacked into the city's power grid.  I guess miracles do fucking happen.