Chapter Eight
Deciding the motorcycles were too loud, they found a small rental agency at the outskirts of Arnhem and rented a car with Tex’s help. Following Tex’s instructions, they made it to the house in about half an hour. Tex had called it the compound so Crash was expecting some old warehouse with armed guards standing out front, with snarling dogs on chains.
The compound looked like every other house on the suburban street. It had a neatly cut lawn with flowers dotting the edge of the house. The mailbox sat at the front of the driveway with a red flag standing in up. It gave off an air of perfection.
“Maybe Tex was wrong,” Crash said.
“Tex is never wrong,” Barbie said. “Tell me what you see.”
Crash described everything to her and Barbie grunted.
“In my experience, most of these assholes live in areas like this.” Barbie explained. “It’s easier for them to blend in. Drawing attention to themselves is bad for business.”
“I guess.”
Silence.
“You know.” Barbie’s voice was soft as they watched the house. “Pretending to be your wife at the rental agency told me something.”
“Oh yeah?” Crash asked. “What’s that?”
“The idea of being yours—not just in your bed but in all the ways that matter—that idea makes me very happy.”
Crash smiled. “Well, you and I are going to have to discuss this once this mess is over.”
“A second chance then?”
“Something like that.”
“Tease.”
Crash braced both arms to the dashboard and leaned forward as if he was tired. From what he could see, there was a thick wooded area behind the house. Whereas all the others had the curtains open to show off the interior, this one had the curtains drawn. A place like this would never draw attention. Those were the worse kinds of death traps there could ever be. None of the neighbours would suspect a thing.
“We’ve been sitting here a while and nothing,” Barbie said.
“Maybe there’s no one home.”
“Trust me. There’s always someone home. I have an idea.”
Though Crash said nothing to that, he rested back in his seat as Barbie drove down the street then pulled over. “According to this map, if we turn left at the next stop sign, then left two streets over, it should give us a chance to hike back in through the woods and up to the place.
“They might have dogs,” Crash said. “We have to be super careful.”
“Agreed.”
Barbie followed the instructions to what looked like a parking lot. From reading the site, she realized it was the lot for camp grounds close by in the woods. She found a spot under a tree beside a public washroom and they climbed out. After checking to ensure they were alone, the two dipped into the woods and started on a trek toward the back of the house. It took some doing but somehow they managed to find the right way—after getting turned about a few times. Once they were hunched down behind the place, Crash allowed his eyes to roam the windows. The back wasn’t any different from the front. Only there was a patio table set up to the side, and a swimming pool—an empty swimming pool—laid like an abomination on the other.
“Do you see that?” Barbie asked.
“What?” Crash asked, following her gaze. “Shit, cameras. I probably missed them at the front.” He traced the roofline and picked up three other cameras. There was even one along the waterspout.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Barbie said. “No one expects you to be perfect at this.”
“But I should have known better.” He tilted his head to get a better look at the property then chewed on his bottom lip. “There shouldn’t be an issue getting in here except the cameras. I’m pretty sure Tex could help us out with those.”
“That’s what I was thinking.” Barbie whispered. “I’ve also been looking for perches.”
“Perches?”
“Yeah, a place where I could set up with my gun. Even though there aren’t any buildings safe enough around here, and I could be picked off from the neighbour’s roof, the trees could be great cover and since the back is mostly glass, there shouldn’t be an issue.”
“Good—There’s a bit of a cliff to the north of here,” Crash said. “I noticed it when we were coming in. You should be able to get a good shot from there and the bushes should provide tons of coverage.”
“You’re right—you do think like a cop, Crash.”
He managed a smile. “I don’t know about all that. Anyway, I was thinking I could go in alone.”
“That’s out of the question.”
“Is now the best time to have this argument? Barbie, you’re my only backup…”
“Benny is coming,” Barbie whispered fiercely. “Isn’t he? So you can take him in with you and…”
Before Barbie could finish the backdoor blew open and a man, armed with a shotgun and a pissed off looking Rottweiler rushed through the door. “Run.” Barbie shouted.
The two took off through the woods in the direction they’d come. A bullet cleared the leaves and smashed into a trunk close to crash’s head. He turned to see he’d been separated from Barbie and their assailant had stopped running after him to go after Barbie. Without even thinking, Crash changed directions. He charged through the bushes, branches scraping his hands and face. He leapt through the air, pushed off a trunk and landed at Barbie’s side. In order to take the force off his knees, he hit the ground on his side, rolled over and pushed back to his feet.
As the man and his dog reached closer, he tossed himself into the man’s chest. That caused the hand gun to fall and roll away. Barbie stopped but Crash only frowned and rose. He was grabbed from behind but he didn’t struggle. He knew if he put up a fight, Barbie would stop to save him. And with the pain in his body, he’d lose and both of them would get caught. No, Barbie had plenty to live for so it would be better for her to escape. Besides, this was his chance of getting into that house to see if Eden was being held there.
He’d take it.
“Go!” He shouted. “Get out of here!”
“I can’t leave you!” Barbie said, stopping. “I won’t.”
“I mean it, Barbie. Please. I’ll be fine.”
“But…” She said, reaching for one of her guns.
“It’s okay.” Crash shook his head. “Don’t make this worse.”
Barbie took off running as the man dragged Crash back toward the house.
“You may want to call your dog back.” Crash growled. “If he attacks her—she will put him down.”
“I’m not worried about that.”
“No?” Crash said, smiling darkly. “You should be.”
That must have gotten the man’s attention. For his attacker let out a piercing whistle. By the time they got to the house, the dog was back. Inside, was very different than the outside. While someone had focused on making the exterior perfect, the interior was like a warzone. The paint on the wall was stripping and the whole place smelled like stale beer and dog piss. There were no pictures on the wall and no furniture except a tattered leather chair in one corner by a window. They passed through another room where there were a bunch of screens set up, no doubt for all the camera’s outside. Finally, they entered a darkened space and Crash was shoved into what felt like a cage. The door clanged shut as Crash it the ground hard.
Once his attacker was gone, Crash stood but only managed to bump his head so he fell back to his knees. Something shifted in the dark to his right and he whirled around. When the movement didn’t come again, he sat and blinked, trying to see in that direction. “Hello?” Crash called. “Anyone there?”
No reply.
“Um—Wer ist da?”
“Ich bin…mich.”
Crash racked his brain trying to remember what other German the CIRO guys had taught him. But it had been so long ago. The voice sounded female. This could be something to go from. “Let’s see now—ich heisse Caleb. Wie heisse du?”
“You speak English?” The voice asked in careful English.
“Yes.” Caleb stretched his feet out.
“My name is Eden,” she said.
“Eden?” Crash asked, surging to his knees. He gripped the side of the cage and leaned into the direction of the voice. “Do you have a sister?”
“Yes—Anya. We should not be speaking. They do not like it when we speak.”
“Who?”
“Forget I said anything. It does not matter.”
“They came for Anya,” Crash explained.
“She is just a baby.”
“Yes. So are you.”
Eden sighed. “Did they get her?”
“No,” Caleb replied. “Anya is safe. We have been trying to find you.”
“Really? I did not think anyone knew I existed. No one has cared.”
“I care.”
“I am going to die here, Caleb. You must get free.” It sounded as if she was crying now. “You must explain to Anya that I did not wish to leave her with our parents. That I am sorry I cannot take care of her like I promised.”
“Eden? What do you mean?”
But the throw of a lock caught their attention and Eden went as silent as the grave. They didn’t come for Eden then. They unlocked Crash’s cage and pulled him out. Though Crash struggled to get away, the arms holding him in place were strong. He couldn’t let them take him. If he was to leave the compound, he knew he’d never see Eden again. And then she would have been right—she would die there.
Not on my watch.
Barbie barged into the house and slammed the door behind her. In fact, she opened it and shoved it shut a few times as tears streamed down her face. But she wasn’t too far gone to not hear the movement inside the room to her left. If someone had broken into the house she would shoot them. The anger that vibrated through her was unlike anything she’d felt before and she wanted to beat the crap out of something or someone. She didn’t care which.
She reached for a gun.
After taking two steps, a massive man stepped into the doorway and instantly lifted his hands.
“Was zur hölle?” Barbie muttered.
“I’m sorry, what? I—I don’t speak German.”
Barbie tilted her head at him but said nothing.
“You must be Sabine.” The man continued.
“Who the hell are you?”
“Kason Sawyer.”
“You say that like I’m supposed to know you.” Barbie was beginning to lose what little hold she had left on her temper. “Start talking or I swear to God I’ll give you a new hole to breathe out of.”
The man tilted his head, his eyes dancing at her. Honestly, instead of looking afraid, the man looked amused. That further infuriated Barbie.
“Tex sent me—they call me Benny.”
That name she recognized. Though she’d met the rest of Wolf’s team, Benny always seemed to have been absent when they were around her. She lowered the gun slowly then dropped it into the holster. “I would ask how you got in here but, you’re friends with Tex. I’m pretty sure I don’t wanna know the answer.”
“Aww, that’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” He smirked at her.
In that moment, she allowed her guard to slip—just a little—to admit Kason Sawyer was handsome with dark hair, big eyes, and lips that looked as though they knew precisely how to make a girl scream.
Barbie cleared her throat. She remembered Wolf saying something about another member who wasn’t with them the last time the group had gotten together with CIRO. She hadn’t yet had the pleasure—or not—of meeting him.
“Where’s Crash?” he asked.
“We have to go back for him,” Barbie said, storming for the bedroom. She froze at the door, staring at the bed. The sheets were still disheveled from where he’d made love to her repeatedly the night before. She could still see him gripping the headboard as he reared over her and plunged deeply within her. She could still feel the heat of his flesh, hear the huskiness of his breathing and the sound of his voice shouting her name.
Benny’s heavy footsteps drew her from her head and she slipped to her knees to pull her rifle bag from beneath the bed.
“What?” Benny asked. “What do you mean we have to go back for him? Where is he?”
“We went to check out the place.” Barbie dropped the rifle bag on the bed and unzipped it. “There was a problem and he gave himself up to save me.”
“Okay, sounds like what any of us would have done in that situation.”
She whirled to face him. “That’s because you’re all idiots!” She snapped. “That’s a dumb as shit plan! Why would you give yourself up like that? What would have to be going through your fucking mind, to make you be so damn selfish!”
“Selfish?” Benny asked, folding his arms across his chest. “You think him giving up his life for the woman he loves is selfish?”
“What do you know about it?” Barbie twisted back to check on her weapons and additional cartridges.
“I know that if given that choice a million times over the decision would be the same,” Benny said through gritted teeth. “There’s no questioning it. No pause. And no matter what you might think of Crash, he loves you. He’s loved you for years and you’re just too fucking blind to see it!”
“Stop saying that!”
“Because it hurts your feelings?” Benny asked. “Because it makes you feel guilty?”
“No, it’s because—because…”
“I’m his best friend, Barbie.” Benny admitted. “I know things about—okay, listen. I know Crash hasn’t been the same since he returned from Germany a few years ago. I know he’s spent months trying to get over the number you’ve done on him. I know he runs—he pushes himself like no one else I’ve ever seen because he’s afraid if he slows down, he’ll think of you. But he’s a selfish idiot, isn’t he?”
Barbie bowed her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see his love this way. How could he think giving himself up would make anything easy?
“Honestly, in this moment I don’t care if you love him or not.” Benny’s voice was cold, harsh. “That’s not why I’m here. I’m here to make sure my brother makes it out of this alive. If you’re not going to help, stay out of the way.”
Benny’s footsteps turned from her. “Tex, it’s Benny. Listen, I’m gonna need you to release the hounds.”
“What are you doing?” Barbie darted to the door to scream after him.
“Yeah.” Benny continued as if she hadn’t said a word. “Get Beast to call in that favour you were talking about. Crash went and got himself captured…at the moment—” Benny stopped and looked back at her. “She’s going through a crisis of emotions and I’m not going to depend on her with Crash’s life. Yeah, harsh maybe. But Crash can try kicking my ass for it later. Right. What kind of timing are we looking at? How long?”
Barbie frowned.
“All right. We’ll be here.”
Benny hung up and continued back toward the front of the house.
“I love him, you know?” She shouted.
“I’m not the one you need to convince.”
“Benny, please!”
Benny stopped but didn’t face her so she jogged over to where he was and stepped around him. His forehead was creased into a look that told her he wasn’t impressed and he didn’t believe a word she was telling him.
“I know he’s your friend and you love him. I do too. The reason I let him go before was to…”
“It doesn’t matter to me why. That’s between you and him.”
“But you’re the closest thing he has to a brother.” Barbie sighed. “And you care about him—I get that. I feel like I have to explain to you how—I was stupid when he told me he loved me. I couldn’t understand how a man could feel that way about me. I was afraid that he would force me to give up GSG 9—I’d worked so hard.”
“Then you don’t know him at all.”
“I’m sorry.” She shook her head as Benny opened his mouth to speak. Barbie continued before he could. “And I want to save him. This is my fault.”
“If you’re going into this with guilt, Barbie, don’t bother.” Benny told her. “And I know it seems like I’m being extra hard on you but you can take it, right? You are, after all, GSG 9. You’re a tough girl. But listen to me, love is never easy—trust me, I know what I’m talking about. I could sit here going through the long-ass story of how Jess and I got together but honestly, we don’t have time for that. And we definitely don’t have time for me to be holding your hands on this. I need to know now. Are you in or are you out?”
“I’m in! What the hell kind of question is that?” Barbie snapped. “You can’t just come in here and take over everything! What, you think because I’m a woman I can’t do this?”
Benny sighed. “We can get into sexism in the workplace later. But for right now, Beast would not have had you on his team if you weren’t capable. So, your answer?”
“Let’s do this.”
“Good. This is your world. I’m just visiting. But if you make me regret this…”
“I won’t.”
“CIRO is on their way in,” Benny said, walking around her back toward the front hall.
Barbie followed.
“When was the last time you ate?” He asked.