Chapter 17
Carter
My battery on my phone is dying. I look up to Scott and he pulls me over to his cruiser where he has a charger plugged into the console. I sit down in the passenger seat, and the FaceTime call cuts off.
“No...fuck. I need to keep hearing what's happening!” I shout.
“It's okay, I've got the SWAT guys on their way and waiting on standby for our word of where to go. We're gonna get her, Carter,” Scott says as he sits down in the driver's seat.
My phone starts ringing, it's a 313 exchange I don't know. “Avery,” I bark out gruffly as I answer.
“Is this Carter?” comes a small female voice.
“Yes, this is Carter Avery. Who's this?”
“This is Amy, I'm Trent Zito’s sister.”
“What can I do for you Amy?” I ask out tersely.
“I think Andrea is in danger. I'm sure you know she's missing by now and my brother has her. I don't know what he's doing or planning, Carter, but I'm afraid for her.”
“Yes, I've gathered as much at this point but don't know where to search or where he has her. It's a priority, I assure you.”
“He isn't stable, Carter. I don't know how he was even released but for a stellar academy worthy performance. He sounds crazy on the phone. I tried calling Andrea to warn her he was out and ...he answered.”
I just sit back on a sigh, I'm losing more and more patience with the situation the longer I sit here.
“Thank you, Amy. I will be getting her back. But Amy? I can't guarantee your brother will live through this by the time I'm finished.”
I hang up without another word. Dropping my phone onto the seat, I jump out of the cruiser and start pacing back and forth the length of the vehicle. Passing the front of the car, I start slamming my fists down on the hood in frustration.
Scott comes out and meets me at the front. My eyes must be wild when I look up because he backs up a space.
“Sam showed you he was there, man. He used manning that phone to his advantage to make himself known. He will blow cover before shit goes down, I promise you that. Now I just have to wait for his smarts to kick in and hope he still has my drone with him,” he says as he settles his ass on the side of the hood next to me. I have my hands and arms stretched out on it just staring down at it like it's going to magically give me the answers I need.
The area around us is quiet now. Holly left with her husband and it's just a small crew in the median of I-94, standing here with our thumbs in our asses until we get the break we need. Obviously he knows we will use whatever resources are necessary.
Scott jumps up from the hood while looking at his phone. “This smart motherfucker is doing exactly what I hoped he would!” he yells.
“What? Doing what?”
He turns his phone to show me his screen. There is a video or something on there. “This is the camera from my drone. He's just walked outside to fly it. I don't know what he told them to be able to….but this is the in we need, Carter.”
I stand over his shoulder and look down at the video waiting with him. He starts waving over a few of the guys waiting, some smoking a cigarette and others just checking their weapons. We see as the drone starts to get some flight, trying to figure out the area. There's a top of a big building and bushes. He starts to sweep the drone around a parking lot of black top.
That's when it finally comes into view. A sign with ‘VACANCY’ written in big letters. Below that is the magical other words, Twin Pines Motel. They aren't far, they’re on Michigan Ave. in Inkster. I know exactly where that seedy fucking place is. Busted enough prostitution going on there in my career.
Now he has my girl and I'm going to get her.
“Let's go!” I yell as I start to run over to my Explorer.
“Avery! Let these guys handle this shit!” Scott yells in my direction.
I just turn and flip him off, he knows me better than that. I'm her white knight and always will be. My shining armor is going to make sure this guy never touches her again. Jumping in my car, I fly through the median skidding my car around to jump on the expressway toward the closest exit. Mud and dirt from the most recent rain spray around me as I get back on the pavement.
Scott is hot on my tail in his cruiser and the big ass SWAT truck is behind him, but racing to get ahead. I could kiss that Sam Spencer motherfucker for the information sooner than I thought we would get it.
I'm flying the few miles to the exit for Inkster and just praying she's okay. That she can recover from this.
Trent Zito is a fucking dead man.
**********
Crawling up the backside of the swanky motel, I don't want to alert Zito or anyone else here to my presence just yet. Andrea’s safety is key and I don't want him doing anything stupid just because I'm here before he expected.
Scott is pulling in and the SWAT goes a few down to stay undetected until given the order to go.
I park and pull my gun from my glove box. Didn't leave the house expecting to be on duty, but I always keep a backup in the car.
I slowly open the door and check my surroundings, stepping down onto the gravel. Shutting the door as quietly as I can I step around the car with my back to it.
Scott comes up on my 9 o’clock and he silently steps in next to me. He got clearance from his captain to cross city lines for this, and radioed into Inkster for backup. Five Inkster patrol cars roll into the parking lot slowly, lights off. A few emerge slowly, leaving the door open and standing behind with their guns drawn.
We don't know how many people are inside now, and the least amount of victims in this the better. I don't know if there are any of the trafficked girls in here either. There's a whole lot of questions coming in on this, and we don't have a room number.
Scott motions forward and pushes me behind him. He's wearing a vest and has his pistol drawn and ready as we slowly creep one foot after the other, backs to the dirty ass white brick. He peeks the corner first and turns back to mouth at me “Sam”. He must be outside, knowing we would be coming soon.
I pull Scott back and motion with my hand for him to stay. I'm in plain clothes and can go better undetected by those that don't know who I am. The look he gives me from the corner of his eye and the shake of his head tells me he clearly doesn't like my new plan.
I slowly round the corner. He's taking a drag of a cigarette, with another guy in front of him. He turns his head and his undercover facade still sticks. I walk up as if I was expected.
“Hey, is this where I was told I could find the pussy?” I ask motioning to the hotel.
He just gives me a chin jut, he knows who I am from the FaceTime call.
“Can I bum a smoke off you before I go shoot my cockload off, boys? I hear this shit is tight,” I remark as Sam opens a pack from his jeans pocket and faces the opening toward me offering.
I pull one out and he lights it up, cupping his hand around the end of my cigarette. He looks me in the eyes as the other guy’s back is turned, and I just pull my eyes to the door to my right side in question.
He blinks as a subtle nod. I see the number out of my peripheral and it’s room 3.
Knowing Scott is hanging around the corner, I hold my hand behind my back with three fingers up. I do it quickly and as nonchalantly as I can.
“Thanks man,” I say as I blow smoke up toward the dark sky.
“You guys the bodyguards or something?” I ask looking toward the other guy. He's sort of a big guy, beefed up like a typical meathead. He's got both ears pierced and tattoos along his neck. His arms are covered but I can see a few tattoos on his hand he's bringing to his mouth for another hit of his cigarette.
He doesn't answer me, just looks to Sam. He's clearly climbed the chain of command while being stashed with these pieces of shit.
“You come to us, you pay us, and we’ll let you in as we sit fit. We’ve got a special today in there. Three girls and all primed and ready to go,” Sam says as he relays how many girls are inside. There are two girls besides Andrea in there.
“Mmmhmmm, very nice. What's the cost for one?” I ask as I throw my smoke to the ground and snuff it out with my shoe.
“These girls are young and beautiful, premium pussy like that will cost you a pretty penny. $500 and you're in. One girl for one hour.”
I nod and pull my wallet out to show them I'm counting my money.
The room door opens and out steps Ed. He walks forward to come out and looks up to see me standing there. His mouth opens and closes like the slimy bottom feeder he is, and backs back into the room.
I take this as my opening, because clearly Trent will know now that I am here. I advance and follow him, pulling my gun out and pointing it at him as I do. Sam and the other guy outside catch on quickly and follow me. Sam puts his pistol to my temple and kicks the door closed.
“Don't fucking move,” he yells for the room to hear.
“These are my heads to blow off,” he whispers to me as I put my hands up and nod. I'm just thankful Sam jumped before the other guy, or this situation could be dire for Andrea and me, both.
He begins to walk me forward toward the bed. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a guy in the corner of the room getting sucked off, a young blonde on her knees in front of him. Another is bent over the sink vanity outside of what looks to be a bathroom. She's getting fucked from behind. Her face shown in the mirror has no emotion, and I would bet my life she's drugged out of her mind right now. That's better than having to endure and remember what's happening to her.
“Well, look who's joined the party, sweetness.” I hear Trent shout on a triumphant laugh seeing a gun pointed to my head.
I see Andrea still tied to the bed, her legs are being held open by two men on each side and she's still in her underwear thankfully. Her face is red and blotchy, her head is just hanging to the side resting against her arm that's strung up.
Another guy is perched close to the other side of the bed, his pencil dick is in his hand as he strokes it while looking at Andrea. He's looking at my Starfish like she's his next meal. I see red.
“Well, since you joined us, let's give you a show with your sweet little Starfish as the star. I see Samson here has strung you up nicely and if you move, a pretty little bullet will blow that handsome face right off. We don't want that, now do we?” he says shaking his head and wagging his finger at me like a scolded child.
I lunge forward as Trent bends down and rubs his nose up the cotton patch of her underwear covering her pussy. Sam tugs me back and whispers for me to cool it. He's got this and won't let them do anything.
This is enough. Seeing her like this, them all wanting to touch and taste her...it's enough to send me over the edge. But he's right, I need to give it until the right moment. My gun is tucked into the waistband of the back of my pants, and I'm itching to grab for it.
“Mmmmm, she smells ready,” Trent says, bringing his head up to turn and look at me.
“Who wants to take the first ride? I'll take the last one...once she's good and broken,” he says as all three guys standing at the bed jump and look at the ready. The two at her feet continue to hold her legs apart, while the guy that was standing up closer to her moves to stand between her legs.
“You better put a stop to this,” I say through my clenched teeth to Sam.
Trent turns then, and looks at me with a wink.
“I hope you enjoy your show, Avery. I mean every bitch needs to be taught. These guys are doing you a favor really, it's like riding a horse until you break its spirit and make it obey. She'll be just the woman you need when we're done. You'll see,” the sick fuck says on a wide toothy Cheshire Cat grin.
Ed comes over then, and stands in front of me.
“She really was warned to have her boyfriend behave and let the investigation go or people would get hurt. This is your fault,” he says stepping up to my face and going toe to toe. “But I think while she's all laid out like a sweet little buffet, I might see what that strong looking jaw feels like.” He walks up and grabs Andrea by her hair. She's still limp and I don't like it. What did they give her? I can see her chest rise and fall with her breaths, otherwise I would think she was dead.
He gets up on the bed and kneels next to where her head lays. He starts to unbutton his pants.
I'm done, I can't do this anymore. My arm reaches behind me and pulls my gun from my pants.
“Don't be stupid Avery, you'll get us both killed,” Sam grits out through his teeth into my ear.
“Then get the gun off my head and fucking help me. I think it's time to break cover,” I whisper yell through my gritted teeth. My hand is still behind my back, but my gun is in my hand. I pull it out and point it to Ed just as he's got his dick in his hand.
“You fucking piece of shit, back the fuck away from her. All of you,” I say pointing my gun toward each of them.
Sam is still holding his to my head, and Trent just laughs thinking I'm still in a compromised position.
“Samson, for Christ’s sake, do your job!” he yells toward Sam.
Sam pulls my head back to his shoulder, and pushes it to the right. He aims his gun away from my head right to Ed and fires.
I turn my head to see Ed stumbling back. He was shot in the chest. A good shot.
He steps back away from me as the room falls silent and a few guys behind start cocking their guns.
“Samson, what the fuck are you doing? We needed Rowenski to bury shit for us with the police!” Trent screams from across the room.
Sam goes to speak and the whole room is engulfed in pure chaos. The door is busted down and windows busted as the SWAT team swarms the room and just starts taking men to the floor.
I run toward Andrea as the rest of the guys are taken care of. She's the most important for me to take care of, fuck the rest of them.
“Someone call a medic!” I yell over all the yelling.
Trent chooses then to be stupid. He produces a gun of his own and walks up to Andrea at the bed. He points it at her head.
“No need, just say goodbye, Starfish,” he says as he pulls the safety back.
A shot is fired and I yell out…“Noooooo!”
I look to Andrea and it isn't her who's shot. Trent drops to the floor, a hole right in his forehead. I look up to see Sam standing there with his gun. He just saved her life. That split-second decision could have cost me my whole world.
“You would have never forgiven yourself down the road if it was you who took him out Avery, trust me,” Sam says as he pulls his badge from his pocket and holds it up so everyone there is clear he's one of us.
I untie Andrea from the bed and gather her in my arms. Her head lulls a little but her eyes are slightly open. “Starfish, can you hear me? I'm getting you out of here, baby,” I tell her as my voice chokes.
The adrenaline that had kicked in has worn down and the reality of the complete situation comes crashing down on me. I push my face into Andrea’s dark locks and just let go, rocking her in my arms so thankful she's still with me.
“Carter,” Scott yells over by the door.
I look up to him just as an EMT crew comes in with a stretcher and heads over toward the bed.
Around the room men are being detained and the other girls are being walked out by EMS. Two casualties here, and they weren't the good guys.
Ed Rowenski got off easy for the crooked shit, I would say. They would have made him a fine dick slip in the pen, he would have eventually killed himself.
Trent Zito is gone. He's done, and won't ever hurt my girl again. Her fear for him will be gone. I let them take Andrea from my arms so she can be looked over and taken to the ambulance. I follow as they start to pull the cot out, watching over her.
“Carter, you're going to have to answer some questions about what went down in there,” Scott says as I'm climbing in the back of the ambulance with Andrea.
“It's gonna have to wait. I'm going to the hospital with her. I'm not letting her out of my sight. And my friends are having babies at the moment. I'd say I'm tied up for a bit,” I say on a salute to him.
He just laughs and shakes his head, flipping me off.
“I got it, Carter, you go ahead,” Sam yells as he steps up. “I've got reports to write, and I was there the whole time. Go ahead. I'll check up with you later,” he says knocking on the ambulance door and walking away.
I turn back to Andrea and grab her hand just as the doors are pushed shut and we're heading off to the hospital.
“What hospital are we going to?” I yell over the tone siren.
“Oakhill,” the passenger says.
Perfect.