Page 148 of Ethan's Sky

“I guess you’re right.”

“Oh shit!” Hawk shouts. “Wait. Let me get my phone out. I need to record this shit. Ethan Anderson admitting I’m right!”

“Fuck off.”

“Ethan.” Jameson makes eyes contact with me in the rearview. “We’re going to get her back. Now that we’ve established, we’re right, and you’re pathetic, when are you going to make an honest woman out of her?”

He’s trying to distract me, I know, but I play along. Grateful for their annoying asses and their antics.

“As soon as she’ll let me.” I answer honestly. “I scared her a little with the whole moving in with me thing. I think she has it in her head the move to my apartment is a temporary arrangement.”

“It’s not?” Jameson asks, seemingly shocked at the idea.

“Skyler’s never leaving my side again.”

We’ve been driving for nearly an hour when Jameson’s phone rings out in the car, blue tooth picks it up.

“Pres.” Jameson says on way of greeting.

“Eli and his men have visual on the house. It’s back in the trees, off a dirty road. We’re going to find a spot to park and go in on foot in case they’ve lined the road with explosives.”

“You think they’re smart enough to do that?” Jameson questions.

“A pipe bomb was used to shut down our strip club. I’m not going to assume anything about these assholes.” Gabe makes his point then hangs up.

A short drive later, we follow Gabe off onto a side road and park the SUVs. Jameson opens the trunk. Gus and Hawk grab their rifles and start walking toward the tree line. Mack throws a duffle bag over his shoulder, and we all follow Gabe’s lead through the woods.

Gabe signals for everyone to stay low. Hawk’s voice comes over the comms link and says, “I count two Devils on premises. One kid. No sign of Skyler.”

“Can you get a clear shot of the two men?” Gabe asks.

“Negative. The girl is in the room blocking my shot.”

“Gus. What about you? Can you get a shot off?”

“Negative.”

‘’Shit!” Gabe curses. “What’s our best point of entry?”

“Front door.”

“Roger that.” Gabe signals for two at the back, two at the front, and two at the tree line. We split off and make our way down. When we reach the house, Mack tries the knob turning slowly so as not to make any noise.

The dumbasses left the door unlocked.

Once inside, we begin quietly clearing the space. It’s a small house. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen and living area. Gabe and Caleb come through the back door, holding up a finger for us to stay quiet.

“Quit crying and get your fucking clothes off or I’m going to cut them off and you can go back to the basement fucking naked for all I care!” A man’s voice roars from a bedroom at the end of the hall.

“We only need a few pictures to send the buyer proof of possession. He wants verification of age.”

“How the fuck are we supposed to prove her age? We ain’t got a birth certificate or anything.”

“Don’t care how you do it. Take a shot of her cunt. Maybe that’ll appease the old bastard. Just figure it the fuck out!”

“All right, but remember you promised I could test the product before we shipped them off.”

“Once we’ve got the picture, you can have a go at the girl. But the Fury bitch is mine.”

---