Chapter 24 Zoe
She always wondered what it would be like to live in a house like this. Directly on the beach, miles away from anyone, or anything. It was beautiful, and if she hadn't been forced into it, she probably even could have enjoyed it. Her captor was currently talking on her cell phone, tapping her perfectly manicured fingernails on the counter she was leaning on. There were enough guards surrounding the place, that she didn't feel it was necessary to subdue her.
She should have known better than to believe a text from Jake's phone. He rarely used the damn thing, except to make calls. He didn't even have any social media accounts. But he's only been back a few days, so when he said he needed her, she didn't hesitate. She'd gotten into the back of an SUV he said he'd ubered for her, and now she was here in this posh home listening to Cuban music, and the sound of nails tap, tap, tapping.
She sighed, walking towards the french doors. Her eyes, fixated on the crashing waves. She reached for the handle, wanting to feel her feet in the hot sand, but a clicking sound to her right, stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned in the direction of the sound to see a gun pointed directly at her, point blank. She put my hands up, backing herself into an empty arm chair, and falling without grace.
The woman snapped her fingers, and the guard quickly sheathed his weapon. She rolled her eyes, coming towards Zoe with purpose. “I'm sorry about Mikey. He can be a little trigger happy.” She tsked. “I bet you're wondering why you're here.”
She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest, a sudden chill filling the large room. “That would be nice, yes.” She said, with bite.
“I like you.” The woman said, crossing her long legs and leaning back into her chair. “I can see why our Wes does too.”
“How do you know Wes?” Zoe asked, a little harsher than she should have.
“Ooh relax honey, it's nothing like that. He was more of a brother to me. But, that was a long time ago. You're here, simply because he loves you. And I want to hurt him.”
“Who are you?” she asked, sitting straighter.
“My name, is Vanessa.” She said, as if it explained everything.
And the funny thing was, it kind of did. She remembered Wes talking about a Vanessa before. The one he said ran away from the foster home. He'd even looked for her. She had to know if this woman was one in the same, and if she was, what did she want with her?
“It's you.” She said, with disbelief. “The same Vanessa, who Wes drove to all those John's houses years ago.”
“He told you!” She all but squealed. “He told you, and yet, you claim to love him? How can you love a man who has done the things that he has?” She asked, sounding disgusted.
“He looked for you. For years. He said it was as if you just dropped off the face of the earth. He was only a kid, and so were you. How can you punish the man for mistakes he made as a child?” She asked, searching her eyes for some kind of compassion.
“They're one in the same Ms. Cruz. You can't have one without the other. No one ever really changes. It wasn't just me, he left behind. It was my seven year old sister. He left, and he never looked back.”
“But you got out right? You're both safe? So why now? Why after all these years go after Wes?”
“Because someone needs to pay!” She said, the anger rising in her voice.
“What about the man who actually made you do those things? Made Wes do those things?”
“Oh him? He's already dead.” She laughed as she stood, making her way towards the front door. “I'll be back in an hour!” She called out to no one in particular, before the sound of heels disappeared all together.
She glanced around the large room, noting the exits. There was no way she could make a run for it. Not with all of these guards prowling around. But, maybe she could get away if she could get into the bathroom. Snatch a phone? If she could just get a text to Wes. Let him know where she was. He had to be losing his damn mind right now. She had pressed, and pressed into him that his past didn't matter. What was he going to do when he found out she'd been pulled into something because of him? It's funny, she was the one being held against her will, but all she could think about was Wes.
****Wes****
After stopping by my place to grab a couple of guns, Jake and I continued on to Vanessa's sister's place. We didn't really have a plan honestly, I thought I'd just go knock on the door. Jake had informed the police, but because Zoe hadn't been missing for forty eight hours, there wasn't much they could do. We were on our own, but we'd done more with less. If there was one thing Jake and I were good at, it was being partners. If we thought about rescuing Zoe as just another mission, we should be able to get in and out, without being seen. Then again, this was California, not Iraq, and the only cover available were palm trees.
Jake parked the car down the road, and we hoofed it the rest of the way. The neighborhood was swanky, equipt with surveillance cameras, and gates with key codes. Maybe getting in, wasn't going to be as easy as we thought. When we finally reached the house, my jaw dropped. It was a damn mansion that sat directly on the beach, and if I wasn't terrified at what I'd find inside, I may have been able to enjoy it more.
“She doesn't know me.” Jake said, flipping his red baseball cap backwards. “I'll go up, and say I got a call about a gas leak.”
“You need a uniform for that.” I reasoned. “I'll go. It's me she's after. Maybe I can distract her long enough for you to slip inside and find Zoe?”
“Alright. I'll wait exactly five minutes, and then I'm going in.” He said, setting the timer on his wrist watch.
Making sure my gun was tucked securely in my waist band, I pressed the buzzer on the gate. I was waiting to hear a voice over the speaker, but instead, the gate squealed open, allowing Jake and I to slip inside. He ducked in the bushes, while I made my way to the front door. I had barely raised my hand to knock, when the door was opened for me. “Miss Blue's been expecting you.” A large man clad in black said, stepping aside to allow me into the house.
The first thing I noticed when I entered the large great room was Zoe. She was sitting cross legged in an oversized chair, her hands zip tied in front of her. She stood, when she saw me, a guard shoving her back down into the chair. “Fuck you!” She spat out, and he raised his hand as if to hit her. I was on him in seconds tackling him to the ground. I heard Zoe gasp, as I wrestled with the man landing a few good punches to his face before I was violently pulled off by another guard.
The sound of guns cocking all around me, stopped me dead in my tracks. I put my hands up, spinning in a slow deliberate circle. “There's no need for all that right fellas?” I asked, counting six guns in total. “I just want to see if she's ok. No more funny business, right Babydoll.” I coaxed, hearing her silent sobs coming from behind me. The men lowered their guns, and the one I'd roughed up, grabbed me by my shirt collar and tossed me down beside Zoe.
She scrambled into my arms, and I held her against me, kissing the top of her head, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be alright. “Are you hurt?” I asked, rubbing my fingers over the zip ties around her wrists. She shook her head no, and buried her face into the crook of my neck. This was all my fault. She was scared, and hurting, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.
“That's enough.” One of the men said, attempting to pull her from my grip.
“Don't fucking touch me!” She seethed, the look on her face murderous.
“I've had it with your fucking mouth, little girl.” He sneered, getting directly in her face.
“Please, I wear heels bigger than your dick.” She said with grit, before spitting in his face.
This time, he reached for his gun and I threw myself onto her body. I felt the all too familiar sting of a bullet ripping through my shoulder, and I winced in pain. I didn't move though, afraid that if I did the gunman would try and hit Zoe. She was crying beneath me, asking me if I was alright, trying to comfort me. Everything was so loud around me. Another gun shot rang out, and then another, all the while I pressed my body against Zoe's. She was all that mattered.
It wasn't until I heard her scream my name, that I was brought back from my trance, and into the here and now. I stood slowly, pulling her up to stand beside me. I roamed my hands up and down her body, checking for injuries. “Are you okay?” I asked, spinning her around and checking her backside. “Were you hit?”
“I'm fine baby.” She said, her voice soft, and low. “But you're bleeding. Oh god, I shouldn't have gotten in his face.” She sobbed.
My shoulder was throbbing, blood dripping down my arm, and off my fingertips. I glanced around the room, realizing all of the bodyguards had been taken out. All six of them, direct shots to the head. It was then I noticed Jake coming out of the kitchen. He had knives, and a bowl of ice, as well as first aid kit. He was telling Zoe something in Spanish as he cut the zip tie from her wrists. She nodded, running back to the kitchen and returning with towels.
“This is going to hurt like a motherfucker Wes, I'm not going to lie. But, if we don't get that bullet out, you're losing that arm.” Jake said, taking a lighter and heating the tip of one of the knives
I just nodded. I was starting to feel the loss of blood, and let myself fall back against couch. Zoe was beside me in an instant. Her hand stroking my hair. I couldn't help it, I closed my eyes. I heard her whispering, telling me to stay awake, and I tried, I really did. But my eyelids suddenly felt like they weighed two tons, and the harder I fought the heavier they became. The last thing I remember, were Zoe's tears, and lips on my cheek.