Chapter Nineteen
“Wake up.” A hand slapped Aggie across the face.
“Ow.” Pain bloomed in her cheek, and everything was blurry. She had trouble focusing.
“Wake the fuck up!”
Eyes fluttering open, Aggie found herself staring up into Santiago’s sneering face. Before she could respond, he hauled Aggie to her feet. She reached for the earbud, but it was gone, so she didn’t have any way of communicating with Ten or Jasper, but Aggie still had a GPS tracker. She just prayed Santiago hadn’t found it.
“Come on, we’re leaving.” Santiago dragged her around the corner to a jeep. “Before your friends burn this place to the ground.”
Behind them, another explosion went off. Santiago might kill her, but it was worth it if Luna and Maria got to go home.
“You’ve ruined everything.” His lips pulled back, baring his teeth.
“And I’m really broken up about it.”
“I’ve had enough of your meddling, but now isn’t the time to punish you.” He pressed the gun tight against her ribcage.
When they got to the car, he pushed her toward the driver’s seat and then climbed in the passenger side.
“Drive, perra.” Santiago tossed the keys to her and then brandished the gun once more.
She didn’t have much choice, so Aggie pulled out of the driveway. Aggie focused on the road ahead of her and blocked out all the other distractions. There’d be plenty of time to panic later. Aggie realized she remembered this stretch of highway because they’d traveled on it earlier.
“Let me guess, you’re gonna kill me once we’re far enough away.”
“No, worse.”
“What could be worse than death?”
She swallowed, and her throat ached. Aggie glanced in the rearview mirror and leaned back to see purplish red marks around her throat. Her left eye was bloodshot. She figured one of the vessels must’ve burst.
“You forgot what you are.”
“And what am I?” She played along, stalling for time, trying to think of a plan. One was beginning to form in her mind. Soon they’d be on the tight mountain road, near the river.
“All I see is a prime piece of merchandise and you’ll fetch a lot at auction. I guess we’ll both see how much your worth.” Santiago gave a dirty chuckle.
She swallowed.
“But before I sell you, I’ll get my money’s worth out of you.” He traced the line of her breast with the gun.
Screw that.
Aggie refused to spend her remaining days as a slave. And although she didn’t want to die anymore, she really didn’t want Santiago to live either. Was killing him worth the gamble she was about to take? Yes.
“See the curve in the road up ahead?” As they edged around the corner, Aggie spotted the raging river.
“You should get used to following orders. Nobody said you had permission to speak, so shut the fuck up.”
“We’ve got one like it where I’m from, although we call it dead man’s curve,” she said, continuing on, as though he hadn’t spoken. “Apparently, it’s the most dangerous road in Texas.”
“What are you? The tour guide?”
“I prefer to think of myself as your executioner.”
She grasped the steering wheel and the car careened toward the edge of the road. Santiago tried to jerk it out of her hand, but she slammed her foot on the gas, and they barreled off the road.
They were going over the side of the hill, Thelma, and Louise style.
***
“Shoot to kill, understood?”
Jasper nodded. “Got it.” They’d already taken out a few of the guards, but more would be inside and the body count might get high.
“No problems with the plan?” Ten asked.
“Nope. We don’t have any place to stash prisoners, and these dicks deserve to die.”
“Glad you see it my way.” No wonder he’d tried to befriend Jasper, the man was smart.
They were dressed in body armor against the wall, about to kick in the door. Ten was more than ready to do this. He’d softened the target with some well-placed grenades and the guards were already real shook up.
But he had to check on Aggie first.
“Aggie? Come in.” Ten didn’t get a response from her. Earlier, he’d heard Aggie confront Santiago, but she’d gone silent a while back.
“You’re worried, aren’t you? Jasper asked.
Ten didn’t respond.
“Do you want to check on her?”
Yes. No. Yes.
Ten didn’t know what to do. But if he didn’t head inside right now, the girls would be lost. He saw their faces in his mind’s eye and decided to press on. Aggie could take care of herself—and she was armed, trained, and most of all, determined.
And she wouldn’t appreciate him blowing this mission, either.
“No, let’s do this.” Ten closed his eyes and tried to get psyched up again.
Before an operation, he always got a bit too excited, the adrenaline surging through his veins, and the anticipation was delicious. When he glanced at Jasper, his brows were knitted together.
“You’re getting’ all excited, like a kid about to spend the day in Disney Land.”
Ten smirked. “There’s a reason I chose this profession. I’m gonna throw this in to blind them.” He had a flash bang grenade in his hand. “So shut your eyes.”
He shot the lock on the door and then lobbed the grenade inside. It was non-lethal, but it would subdue them with a blinding flash of light.
There was a loud bang and then shouts from inside the building. Ten and Jasper headed inside. Four men rushed them, and Jasper took them out. Moving swiftly, they headed down the corridor.
Inside, it was musty, moldy and it reminded Ten of the basement.
Of course, it's always the fucking basement.
Ten shook his head, focusing on the operation instead of his shattered memories.
Five more guards ran around the corner and Ten blew them away. The semi-automatic cut through them like butter.
Then Jasper tossed a smoke grenade to cover their movements. They pulled gas masks over their faces so they wouldn’t breathe in the acrid smoke. Ten hated to expose the prisoners to it, but they didn’t have much choice with such a small force sieging a compound.
Another guard fired off a shot and tagged Jasper in the shoulder.
“Fuck, I’m hit!”
Ten took him out. “How bad is it?” He rushed over to check on Jasper.
“I’ll live.” His voice was muffled by the gas mask. “For now.”
And they continued toward the rear of the building.
As they headed further into the structure, they came upon the phone pervert. He was pressed against the wall. He’d pissed himself, judging by the wet stain spreading down his pants.
“Who bought the girls?” Ten shouted.
He quivered and quaked. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Don’t play games with a man holdin’ a gun. Give me his fucking name.”
“It’s Sloan Johnson! Please don’t shoot me.”
Ten wasn’t in the mood for leniency. After all this dirtbag had helped a pedophile acquire two children, which made him equally guilty in Ten’s eyes.
“And whereabouts is he from?”
“Arizona, right outside of Phoenix.”
“See that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
The pervert shook his head and lowered his gaze.
“Thank you for your cooperation.” He’d be paying Mr. Johnson a midnight visit real soon.
Blowing out a relieved breath, he sagged against the wall.
And then Ten blew his head clean off. It exploded into chunks like an overripe watermelon.
“Next time, warn a fella.” With a muttered curse, Jasper wiped some brain matter from his mask. “That was gross.”
“Sorry, man.”
A cry broke the stillness in the air, followed by a woman’s hushed sob.
“Come on, let’s go.” Jasper swung around toward the noise.
Ten descended down a small set of stairs, with Jasper on his heels. They stepped through the fog into a dark room with no windows.
And then he found the prisoners.
The women were pale and thin, despite their made-up faces and lingerie. Their cheeks were hollowed, and dark half-moons sat beneath their sunken eyes. All of them kept their gazes lowered, afraid to look anyone in the face. Their slender arms were chained above their heads. There were rusty old hooks embedded in the wall which must’ve supported wine racks at one time.
Ten gritted his teeth. Not so long ago, he’d been strung up like that.
“Jesus,” Jasper whispered.
“I know. Let’s get them out of here.” Ten used the bolt cutters on their chains, setting them free. All the while, he searched their faces, looking for the girls.
He recognized Nicole from earlier, and she whimpered when he cut her free, evidently fearing a new, and even more, dangerous captor had her.
“It’s okay, we’re not gonna hurt you.”
She choked and coughed.
“I’m sorry about the smoke, but soon you’ll be out of here.” It was difficult to see in this haze. “Where are Luna and Maria?”
She pointed to her left, and Ten found the girls at the end of the row. They were both clinging to one another, shaking, heads bowed, and whispering to one another softly in Spanish. He knew exactly what they were going through, the horror and fear coursing through them.
“Are you Luna?” he asked gently. “And Maria?”
They nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“My name’s Tennessee and this here’s Jasper,” Ten said, pointing to Jasper who was freeing women and children on the other side of the room. “And I’m here to rescue both of you. Your mom and dad sent my friend, Aggie, to find you.”
Mary gave him a watery smile, while Luna looked at him doubtfully. She was wise to be wary.
“I’m gonna get you both out of here, I promise.”
Luna nodded. “Okay.”
Ten picked Luna up and set the girl on his hip, while Jasper took Maria. Coughing and crying, the women and other children followed them outside.
When they walked out, Jasper and Ten took off their masks. As they rounded a corner, a guard opened fire on them, and Jasper shot him. The women screamed, and Luna clutched him, burying her face in his jacket.
“It’s okay, the bad man’s gone.” Ten kissed the top of her head. He wondered where the rest of them had gone. Maybe they’d run away along with the customers?
“Where are you taking us?” Nicole asked.
“Nowhere, unfortunately.” Ten spotted an old truck in the parking lot. It probably belonged to one of the staff members. “But I can hotwire a car for you. The American embassy is in Mexico City, and it’s about forty-five minutes from here. They’ll help you get back to the United States.”
Given the circumstances, it was the best he could do.
“What about the girls?” Her eyes were wide and suspicious, and Ten knew she didn’t trust him, nor should she. After what she’d been through, everyone was suspect.
“We were sent after the girls by their parents, and I mean them no harm. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure they get back safe.”
She stared at him a moment, and he met her gaze evenly.
And then she nodded.
After he hotwired the truck, two women climbed into the cab, and the rest crowded into the truck bed, and they took off at a breakneck pace.
Ten turned to Jasper. “Let’s see that wound.”
That’s when a burst of machine gun fire exploded over their heads.
“Hold it right there. If you make another move, I’ll blow your head off.”
***
“Who are you?”
“Who’s asking?”
Ten sat in the back of a trailer, which had been outfitted with all kinds of surveillance equipment. His wrists had been zip tied to the arms of the chair he sat in.
“You can call me Walter.” Walter wore a dark blue suit, and he had short-cropped gray hair with a piercing pair of blue eyes.
“I’m sure you’ve already gone through all our belongings, and you know what’s written on my passport.” He couldn’t recall the name Vick had used. Ten also recognized the subtle play on words. There’s a big difference between “my name is” and “you can call me.”
While he didn’t know for sure, it was a pretty good bet this old man worked for the CIA. For one thing, he’d snuck up behind Ten, which was quite a feat. And he bet they’d taken care of the rest of the guards, which is why they hadn’t stormed the wine cellar in large numbers. The man who’d been standing beside Walter, the one who’d fired the gun, had been wearing army fatigues.
Walter was overly calm and looked more like a paper pusher than a stereotypical spook, which was a dead giveaway. Everyone expected CIA agents to be like James Bond, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Walter scratched his chin. “The passports were fake.”
“You don’t say?” Ten shrugged. “How’s my friend doin’? Has he seen a medic?”
“He’s been treated for a gunshot wound.”
“And what about the girls?”
“We gave them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and they’re watching cartoons.”
Ten relaxed a bit.
Now the only person he had to worry about was Aggie.
When Walter and his gun-toting friend patted them down, they’d taken his phone with its GPS tracking app, and he was itching to see Aggie’s location, but it would have to wait. They’d also confiscated their ear pieces, but he hadn’t been able to get an answer from her earlier.
Ten was afraid Santiago had killed her. Or worse.
“Know what I think?” Walter asked.
“Why don’t you tell me?”
“You used to be in the military, and I’m guessing by the little performance we witnessed, you served with an elite force. Maybe the Green Berets? The Navy SEALs?”
“Could be. And who do you work for?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Ten smirked. “You’re with the CIA.”
Walter chuckled. “So you’ve got it all figured out.”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” Ten squared his jaw. “You’re gonna let all of us go.”
“Am I? And why’s that?”
“Because you’ve got a publicity problem on your hands.”
His features hardened. “No one knows what went on here today.”
“I do.”
Walter smirked. “You aren’t in the position to tell anybody.”
And then Ten played his card. “As a matter of fact, a colleague of mine has been monitorin’ the situation from a remote location, and she’s ready to go all WikiLeaks on you if you don’t back off.” Ten hadn’t asked Vick to watch them, but since Jasper was in the mix, she’d definitely kept an eye on them.
“Hmph.” Walter steepled his hands, but his shoulders stiffened. “I could have you charged with murder.”
“Maybe, but you didn’t stop us. You came here for intelligence, to find out how they do business, so you could track ‘em, wiretap ‘em, and then bring them all in at a later date.”
“So?”
“So, you’ve got a decision to make. You wanna take credit for rescuing human traffickin’ victims or do you want the Army or Navy, or whatever branch of the military you’ll say was here, to have a very public black eye when people find out what really went down?” Ten raised a brow. “I’m thinkin’ there’ll be senate hearings and mornin’ talk shows. Not to mention protest marches over this.”
“Are you tryin’ to threaten me?”
“Yes.” Ten leaned forward. “Is it workin’?”
***
“I can’t believe they let us go.”
“Yeah? I can.” If Walter had been serious about detaining them, they’d be at a CIA black site in the middle of nowhere.
Instead, they were traveling down the same winding road they’d followed into this godforsaken place. Aggie’s GPS tracker was active, but it hadn’t moved since he’d been monitoring it and Ten was starting to panic. And there was still no response on the coms.
What if they found her body? No, don’t think like that. Take it one second at a time.
“Are you girls okay?” Ten asked, watching them in the rearview mirror.
“We’re fine,” Luna said, around a mouthful of Goldfish crackers. While the agents were questioning them, evidently the girls had raided their snack drawers.
“According to the tracker, she should be here.” Jasper frowned at the screen. “But I don’t see any cars.”
And then Ten noticed two stripes of torn up grass on the side of the road. It looked as though it had been smashed down, by car wheels moving at a fast pace. With a sense of dread, he peered out the window and saw what looked like the edge of a tire, just above the surface of the water.
He slammed on the brakes, and they pulled over.
Ten turned to the children. “I’ll be right back. In the meantime, keep the doors shut and locked and the windows rolled up. All right?”
“Yup.” Maria had gone wide-eyed. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. We’ll be right back.”
Ten bolted out of the door and raced down the embankment to the water. The rest of the car had already sunk to the bottom of the river.
It was the middle of the night, and the moonlight shone down on the waves. He scanned the area and found Aggie in the shallows, lying on her back.
Ten sprinted over and pulled her from the river. Blood trickled from her mouth and nose. She had bruises all over her face and arms, and her eyes were closed.
“Is she okay?” Jasper called.
“I don’t know! Do you see Santiago?”
“No.”
“Keep looking!” He couldn’t waste any time searching for the bastard. “Please don’t die.” Ten laid her down on the ground.
She looked even paler, bedraggled. He pushed the damp strands from her forehead and then bent his mouth to hers, pushing air into her lungs.
Aggie didn’t respond.
“Breathe goddammit, breathe.” He fit his hands in the right position on her chest and pressed down in fast succession, and then blew into her mouth.
Nothing.
“Come on, wake up. You can’t die, not like this.”
Ten did another round of chest compressions and then gave Aggie more air.
She was pale and still as the grave.
“Please come back to me, Aggie, I need you. I love you,” he whispered. He’d never said those words to another living soul, not even Cat.
And this time, when he breathed life into her, Aggie coughed and hacked up water.
“Aggie!” He grabbed her, holding on tight. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“Long story,” she croaked.
“I’m listenin’.”
After she gasped for more air, she spoke again. “We had a tussle, and he won. Then he took off with me in a car, but he made me drive.”
His mouth hung open in shock. “So you drove his ass over a cliff and into a river?”
“More of an embankment, then a cliff.”
Ten felt like shaking her. “You could’ve died.”
“I didn’t want to, but I didn’t have a choice. I had to end this.”
“I told you to make things harder for the Grim Reaper, Giselle, not help ‘em out.” Ten was furious, but his anger would have to wait. This was hardly the time or place.
“Sorry.” She peered over his shoulder. “Where is the dickhead? Is he dead?”
He smiled at the hopeful note in her voice.
“Let me find out, while you rest up.”
“Do you see him, Jasper?” Ten called as he picked his way along the shore.
“Yeah, the prick’s over here,” Jasper called from the far edge of the river. Ten waded across to find Santiago lying on his back gasping for air. Blood dripped down the side of his face from a head wound. And it streamed from his mouth, too. Evidently, he had internal injuries.
“Can’t move. Leg.” He made a vague gesture. Santiago could barely speak, let alone stand up.
Ten smiled, taking a savage sort of pleasure in his pain. It wasn’t quite as satisfying as making Paul suffer, but it came damn near close.
“This should be easy to deal with for a change.” Jasper stood next to him and pulled out his gun. “Want me to take care of it?”
“No, I’ve got somethin’ else in mind.” A quick bullet between the eyes was too kind a fate for Santiago.
“I need help,” Santiago muttered. “My leg.”
“Is it broken?” Ten stepped on it, and Santiago howled in agony.
Jasper snickered. “That’s a big yes.”
“No, I…” He grasped at the grass.
Ten figured he must’ve used the last of his strength to escape the car and haul himself to shore. He wasn’t sure what he was trying to do. Get some leverage to move? Searching for a weapon lost in the weeds?
Regardless, it wouldn’t help him.
He knelt beside Santiago and cupped one hand over his mouth and pinched his nostrils shut with the other, cutting off the man’s air supply.
“How does it feel to be weak? Helpless?” Ten asked.
His eyes went wide. He gasped and gurgled, wrapping a hand around Ten’s wrist but the asshole wasn’t strong enough to break his hold.
Watching the life slowly drain away was therapeutic. Ten wished it didn’t give him a charge, but it did.
After a few moments, Santiago’s body went limp.
Ten stood, watching him for a moment. Santiago’s death wouldn’t save the people he’d sold into slavery previously, but at least the man wouldn’t enjoy the spoils of his brutality.
Then he pulled out his camera phone and took a picture, before leaving something important next to the body.
“That shit was cold.” Jasper patted Ten on the arm. “I loved it.”
Ten wasn’t certain how it happened, but they’d bonded on this trip. He’d tried to forge a friendship before, but it seems he finally succeeded. It was an odd turn of events, given the circumstances.
“Thank you. I suppose we should get out of here before the Mexican authorities find us.”
“I agree. Let’s get our asses back across the border before sunrise. Get your girlfriend and let’s go.” Jasper headed for the car. “I’m drivin’.”
Ten loved the sound of that—his girlfriend.
When he reached Aggie, she started to stand, but Ten lifted her and held Aggie against his chest.
“You can put me down now.”
Ten sighed. “No, I really can’t.”
***
“Mamá!” Luna and Maria shouted from the backseat of the car.
Aggie grinned.
When they pulled into Aggie’s driveway, Sofia and Alejandro were waiting for them. On the drive home, Aggie had called them to share the good news.
When Ten put the car in park, they sprang out and ran over. Sofia jumped out of her husband’s pick-up truck and held out her arms, and they raced into them.
“Mijas!” Sofia hugged them both, squeezing them tight. Alejandro soon joined the group, and they held onto each other for a long time.
The scene warmed her heart.
For once, she’d made someone happy on the job. Aggie still felt guilty about Polly and Coop, and always would, but she’d made their deaths count—a family had been reunited, slaves had been freed, and a slaver was dead.
While Ten waited behind the wheel, she headed over to greet them.
“Thank you so much.” Sofia reached into her purse, but Aggie shook her head.
“Keep your money, it isn’t necessary. I’m just glad they’re safe.”
“We can’t thank you enough.” Sofia wrapped her arms around Aggie, while her children clung to the woman’s legs.
“Seein’ you reunited is all the reward I need.”
It made her rethink her own choices and how she’d been avoiding living.
After Aggie finished speaking with them, she returned to the SUV and got in with a sigh. “I’m pretty sure I could sleep for a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, we both could use some shut eye and a hot meal, too.” Ten started the car, and they took off down the road. “I’ll whip us up somethin’ at Poison Fruit, and we can eat it in bed.”
It sounded like heaven to her.
“By the way, I’ve got a little gift for you.” Ten handed her his cell phone. “I took a picture for proof and I dropped one of our GPS trackers at the scene, so you can give the Feds Santiago’s exact location. Just because he’s dead, don’t mean you shouldn’t get the money.”
“Thank you.” Aggie leaned over and kissed his cheek, but Ten turned, so her lips settled against his own.
Aggie threaded her hands through his hair, deepening the kiss, and Ten pulled over to the side of the road.
“Are you finally ready to have that long overdue talk?” he asked wearily.
“Yes, but first let me apologize. I’m sorry for worryin’ you and for not valuing what time I have left here.”
“I thought you were…” There were tears in his eyes and he blinked them away.
“I know. Polly once told me I was afraid of livin’ and she was right. I’d like to change that.”
“What are you sayin’ exactly?” His eyes narrowed.
“I’m sayin’ that I’m in love with you, Ten, and I’d like us to spend the rest of my life together.”
His breath caught and his voice lowered, “I love you, too.”
Aggie appreciated how difficult it was for him to say that. “Okay then, I think our relationship talk is done. How do you think it went?”
“Well, I like how it ended.”