Elena
Reed was out dealing with club business, so I locked the bedroom door and decided it was high time to start giving the FBI what they wanted. We had gotten three girls from Juan, and all three were doing better than I had even imagined. Kimberley had been able to go home with her parents and was in counseling. Her parents called me occasionally to keep me updated as a thank you. I appreciated it since this little sweetheart had the same name as my mother. It made things feel like they were coming full circle.
The other two women had become involved with the MCs and were thriving in their new positions. It was a small victory, and I hoped before this all came crashing down we would be able to get some more. I had already asked Reed to set himself up for another meeting with Juan and ask for five girls this time. I wanted to get as many as possible out of this terrible life that I could.
“Hello?” Kristie’s voice came through the line. I hadn’t heard her voice in a while now, and I was glad it sounded happier than the last time we had spoken. Technically, I should have turned the information I had right over to John, but I didn’t like dealing with him. He gave me the creeps. Besides, Kristie was still my handler and my best friend.
“Hey, Kristie,” I said cheerily, wishing there was time to gossip right now, but I knew this was about business. “How are things going up there in Cincinnati?”
“Mostly, everyone’s a nervous wreck waiting for you to give up any information. The bureau is whispering about you going rogue. Please, tell me you have something for me.”
I scoffed. The bureau was always going to talk about me like that, but I had nothing to worry about unless I failed to give them the information they needed. So far, I had never failed an assignment despite my unconventional methods of getting the job done. “I do have something for you. We purchased three girls, and these girls gave us quite a bit of information. I am not sure yet if it will be enough to do anything. One of the women may be cooperative. She’s joined the Vipers, and she’d been with the cartel quite a while.” I was still sure she would be our smoking gun, especially now that she was loyal to me as the Prez of the Vipers. I knew she had to know something of use.
“Well, that’s better than I expected. I will let the bureau know to go pick her up at the Vipers headquarters in Texas so they can talk. I’ll make sure she knows she’s totally safe, and I won’t let them blow your cover. I’ll just say because Kimberley was a minor, we are investigating the whole incident.” I agreed, knowing Kristie and her team would know just how to handle this. I wasn’t really worried about that. But this sleazy cartel was really bugging the shit out of me, and I knew they had the power to take me down if they knew what I was doing.
“Just keep things quiet. I don’t need the cartel getting wind of this.”
“I agree,” Kristie said, and I could hear her typing in the background. “That’s exactly why I don’t think you should give up any info over the phone, even on this phone. You need to come back to the office and give John and I all you know. And please, don’t bring your boyfriend this time. That created quite a frenzy. Plus, it’ll look funny if both of you suddenly disappear again. We want to keep all of you own there as safe as we can.” I didn’t like what she was suggesting, and Reed wouldn’t either, but I also knew Kristie was right. I was getting into dangerous territory, and I needed to be more careful.
“He’s not going to like it, but I get it. When do you want me there?” I asked, already knowing the answer. It was probably going to be soon because the bureau just loved their open and shut cases. The longer something took to solve, the more nervous and demanding they got. It was a bureaucratic annoyance, but it was part of the job. So, I had to go with their flow.
“As soon as you could get here would be great. Just don’t be suspicious about it, and make sure there’s always someone protecting your people, Elena. This is serious.” Kristie was talking as my friend now rather than my handler. She must have realized how much this assignment had turned into real life for me and how much I cared about these MC members. I hadn’t even thought about what I would do once I was released from this assignment. I couldn’t help but tear up just a bit at the thought.
“I’ll make some arrangements and leave as soon as I can. I want to be here for the next shipment of girls if I can, so I’ll need to check with Reed.”
“Alright, Elena. I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up the phone and laid back on the bed just listening to myself breathing. It hadn’t ceased to amaze me over the last several weeks and months since arriving in Tennessee how much of a 360 my life had done. I was still left dizzy from the change. I was on the marriage track before with a corporate, buttoned-up man who had apparently been using long hours at work as an excuse to cheat on me. My career was boring me, and I kept my wild side under wraps for the potential of a new life on the mommy track with a nice picket fence. Now, I was the Ol’ Lady to a damn hot MC Prez and was an MC Prez myself. My lousy ass father was long gone from this Earth, and revenge was mine. I was back undercover, and it felt like me all over again; someone I could look at in the mirror and recognize.
I must have dozed off like that because I woke up to a knock on my door. I went to it and unlocked it, finding Reed standing there, looking amused. “For a minute there, I was afraid you had another man in there,” He teased, looking around as if he might find someone hiding in the closet. I slapped his shoulder playfully.
“No other man would put up with me,” I told him, pulling him down onto the bed with me in a flurry of giggles. “Besides, no other man can turn me on like you do.” He grabbed a chunk of my ass and squeezed. I liked how we were light and fun, but I knew I had to tell him about the call with Kriste.
“So, I ordered another five women,” he told me, and I kissed him five times for that. “Does that make you happy?”
“It does,” I told him, but then I gave a faux pout. “But what doesn’t make me happy is what I have to tell you. I talked to Kriste, and she and John need me to come to Cincinnati to give them the info. They’re afraid of me giving things away over the phone. They want me to get both MCs protected, and they’re going to take Cecil for questioning. They don’t want you to come with me. I think I have to follow the orders this time.”
“You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do, Siren. I love ya either way. I just don’t like the way they’re always putting you in danger. But I’ve got the MCs covered, and I can handle picking up the women if that happens while you’re gone. You don’t worry about a damn thing.” I felt a slight comfort at his acceptance of the situation, but I still had this nervous feeling I couldn’t explain. Call it intuition, but something wasn’t right.
***
I looked around my place with a smile on my face. I had to admit that as much as I missed Reed and Daisy, I loved being allowed to be back home for a little bit. Tennessee had its beauties, such as getting to see the mountains every day, but Cincinnati had better weather for me. I loved the cold; the complete contrast of the southern city I grew up in. Maybe one day we could move the headquarters for the Vipers and the Skulls Renegade up here. It was probably wishful thinking, but a girl could dream, right?
My phone began to buzz, and I picked it up, knowing what it must mean. It was around lunch time, and Kristie had finally sent the text I had been waiting on.
We’re ready for you
I stood up and took my time, walking through every room and looking around. I doubted I would be sticking around to come back here again after I told them what I knew.
I went out to my rental car and climbed in, having opted for typical transportation and a more appropriate outfit this time. I hadn’t totally ditched the leather, but I left my cut in the car and opted for some flats instead of my boots. I didn’t think John had been too thrilled with my bad ass biker chick get up the last time I had been here.
I pulled up to the office and walked in, feeling a bit of deja vu as I headed up to a familiar room. I was quickly escorted into the office where John and Kristie were waiting.
Kristie stood up to give me a hug, happy to see me. It looked like John wasn’t giving her any more shit since I had shown up to make good on my promise to give up what I knew.
“Alright, so start with what you know about the girls, and then you can go from there. Any names and details of these people would be great. A sketch of the vehicle. Anything at this point could lead us to crack down on this cartel.” John was matter-of-fact and cold in his speech as always, but I gave him a dazzling smile anyway. I loved being a smart ass.
Then, I began to relay all I knew; the story of the three women we had picked up, including the minor and where she had been kidnapped. I let them know Juan’s name as well as Rafael’s, who was their apparent leader. John seemed to be particularly interested in the two other women since one had a family with business dealings with the cartel and the other might have direct inside information that they could use.
“So, what do you think? Is this going to be enough to go on?” I asked, looking over the notes he had made on my statement.
“Technically speaking, it’s not a ton to go on, but it’s a good start. These two women might be a good find, and then the fact that they kidnapped and sexually assaulted a minor is a big one. It might be easier to get Mexico to extradite at this point or at least cooperate on charges and prison security.”
I nodded along, hoping he was done being frustrated with Kristie and me.
Then, Kristie’s phone rang, and she looked down at it with a strange expression. “For some reason, your boyfriend is calling me,’ she said before answering it. Why would Reed call Kristie’s phone and not mine? I only gave that to him in the case of an emergency. That had to mean something had gone wrong.
I sat on the edge of my seat as I watched Kristie’s face droop with concern. “Alright, we’ll do all we can to keep her safe. We’ll see you soon.” Kristie hung up and looked up at me with a pale face.
“Your cover’s been compromised with the cartel. Reed’s coming to meet you. You’re going to have to go into hiding.”