Page 23 of Vision of Truth

“Yes.” She tugged on the handcuffs, which only seemed to tighten them more. “We have to find a way to get Sabrina out.” Saying the girl’s name out loud made her throat tighten painfully.

Lena leveled her gaze. “Listen,” she said dropping her voice an octave. “Vesey is alive. He's a bit worse for wear but insisted on coming for Sabrina. If everything went according to plan, Sabrina and agent Dawson are in his care now.”

Jules clamped down on her lower lip, and the metallic tang of blood trickled into her mouth. “Agent Dawson … he was very hurt. I don't know what they did to him.”

“Their worst.” Lena’s voice took on a hard edge. Her ice blue eyes that usually gave away nothing flashed with anger. “That’s what they did, but Tyler is strong. We have to believe they made it and are sending help.”

“And in the meantime?” She shifted on the hard wooden floor beneath her knees and winced as the metal cuffs bit into her wrists. Warmth trickled over her thumb. The cuts she’d given herself trying to slice free of her rope bindings were opening back up.

“We wait.” Lena was fidgeting with the cuffs, testing their strength. She must’ve determined the effort futile, because after a few more seconds she stilled.

“Wait for what?” Part of Julie was desperate for the men to come back so they could move their plan forward. The other part of her dreaded their return and what might be in store for them.

“The right moment to escape.” Lena’s brows drew together, her gaze on the cuts that were now bleeding more profusely. “I thought you said that wasn’t your blood.”

“I’d mostly likely be dead, or worse, if Agent Dawson hadn’t helped me get to the blade I tucked away. I was able to cut through the ropes, but my wrists and ankles were collateral damage.” He’d looked so fragile and broken. It seemed impossible that he could survive the injuries he sustained.

“You’re resourceful. Smart. We’re going to get out of this.” Lena’s shoulders slumped and she curled inwards. “They’re coming.”

She followed Lena’s lead, folding into a seemingly defenseless crouch. A tingle of dread raised the tiny hairs on the back of Julie’s neck. Shouts followed the sound of boots pounding down the hall, before the door flew open, hitting the wall behind it with a bang. She flinched, keeping her head down as several pairs of dirt caked boots creaked over the wooden floor. Risking a quick glance at the men was a mistake. Half a dozen murderous eyes were fixed on her and Lena.

“Move.” The cold, detached command belonged to Mario Greco. Of that, she was sure. Her heart stumbled, missing a beat before beginning to pump wildly, as though the organ was outside of her chest. She might die of a cardiac arrest before anyone touched her. The group of men parted as their boss slowly moved into the room with measured steps. He stopped right in front of her and crouched to one knee. Rough fingers gripped her chin forcing her to investigate his glacial stare. “You think you’re clever.” Greco let go of her chin and drew his hand back. There was a crack. Bone against bone. Her head jerked back, hitting the metal bars of the bed. It took a second for the pain to register, but when it did, her eyes began to water. “Somehow, the girl and the agent are gone. Won’t take us long to track them, though. When we find them, I’ll make sure they both know who’s responsible for the pain they’re going to endure.” Greco’s teeth were clenched so hard, his voice was nothing more than a hiss. One that had ice crystalizing in shards down to her very bones. Still, her shoulders relaxed a fraction. Sabrina and Agent Dawson had escaped. It might be too late for her and Lena, but she could breathe now with the knowledge that her sweet little friend had a chance.

Chapter Seventeen

Adrenaline coursed through Isaac’s veins. The stakes had never been so high. Julie’s life was on the line, and he wouldn’t survive in a world without her light. He’d taken off the headset that had allowed him to communicate with the pilot and Rowan and now the only thing he could hear over the whir of the blades overhead was the pulse of his own heart beating rapidly inside his chest. Easton had come through with the helo and now they were hovering in the black sky over a cargo ship cutting through the choppy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Rowan’s heavy hand landed on his shoulder. Only his light eyes, steeled with determination, were visible from his dark wetsuit.

One moment they’d been standing in the cabin, and the next the phone rang. None of them believed it was Vesey at first, until they heard Sabrina in the background. The agent filled them in on Greco’s plan, which was already set in motion.Not if I can help it.Rowan’s fingers tightened on Isaac’s shoulder. He nodded in silent acknowledgement as the door to the helo opened, the gales of wind sucking them forward. The RHIB—Rigid Hull Inflatable—was launched into the water first. They’d tie the small boat off to the side of the larger cargo ship so they could make a quick exit after the mission was complete. Once the RHIB hit the water, he and Rowan exchanged a quick glance. Conditioned by hundreds of missions together, they seamlessly fast roped into the inky water below, one after the other, disappearing below the surface with barely a splash.

He welcomed the freezing water that sluiced over his wetsuit. The numbness that came with the mission as he powered through the ocean, each stroke bringing him closer to the vessel that held Julie and Lena. He made it to their inflatable, gripped the rubber hull, and pulled himself over the side. Like always, Rowan was in synch with him, taking his position at the helm. They motored soundlessly through the water. When they made it to the side of the huge ship, Isaac secured their RHIB and gathered equipment from the watertight storage container, while Rowan raised the launcher he carried and aimed.

The grappling hook with an attached rope ladder shot up over twenty feet and struck its mark on the side of the ship. Isaac began to climb while Rowan secured the launching tool. The ladder swayed along with the bob of the ship and the gusty, salt-laden air. The rope was flush against the port, making the climb treacherous at best. When he reached the top, he scanned the deck, then slipped over the side and into the shadows. Isaac removed the watertight bag clipped to his wet suit and secured his thermal imaging goggles. If the women weren’t stowed behind brick, glass, or mylar blankets, the imaging should pick up on their heat signatures.

Rowan followed shortly after, fading into the shadows next to Isaac. Once Rowan adjusted his own goggles, they crept along the deck. Between them, Isaac and Rowan had gone over the floor map dozens of times as they planned their extraction. They’d go directly to the shipping containers stored on the other end of the boat. When Easton had combed through the financial records and holdings of Greco’s various business fronts, he’d identified several sea freight charges and container fees. His gut clenched with anxiety. They had to be here. If they were wrong, if this was the wrong ship, Julie could be lost to him forever.

He released a breath. That kind of thinking was going to take him out of the game and get them all killed. It was possible that there were one or two crew members on the boat who were also on Greco’s payroll. The coast guard had been notified, and at any moment could appear and command the captain to stop for a search. Until then, he and Rowan were on their own. He hoped to have Jules in his arms and be back on the RHIB before the crew or captain discovered them. Once they had the women, they’d go to the extraction point along the coast of the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Thomas. If urgent medical care was needed, authorities would be notified, and they’d dock at the island.

They continued to move across the deck, sticking to the sides of the ship for the natural cover of darkness. In the center of the boat, a spotlight was shining on various containers filled with goods. Smaller items would be stored here. When the bright orange containers came into sight, Isaac was ready to break into a dead run and tear open every door. Rowan tapped the outside of his arm as if he could read Isaac’s frantic thoughts. The message was received loud and clear. If he ran into the situation halfcocked and breached an alarm or caught someone’s attention it was over until the coast guard arrived and saved their sorry asses. He purposely slowed his footsteps and his breaths. The jingle of keys had them both pausing. A security guard walked by, unaware of their presence. When he disappeared around the corner, Isaac and Rowan picked up their pace until they were skirting around the bright orange and red freight. They stood silently for a moment, taking in their surroundings before they turned toward the containers and started to search for any hint of Jules or Lena. The wind picked up and the air was heavy with salt and brine. His body swayed as the boat rocked with a loud squeal. Bad weather was both a blessing and a curse. The sounds of a storm would further conceal their presence, masking any noise they made with thunder, wind, and rain. The situation could also turn deadly if the weather became too severe for the pilot to fly. With each empty container, his chest grew tighter. He’d had many moments of terror throughout his life, starting far too young, but none of them even came close to the clawing panic, the breathless horror he was living with now. Jules was burned into his soul. Everything he loved and desired. She was the living, breathing symbol of hope and stubborn determination that had got him through unimaginable shame and grief. They couldn’t be wrong. Rain had begun, decreasing visibility, but as he rounded the corner, he picked up on a heat signal. He alerted Rowan, and the two men crept silently toward the container, the only sounds were waves battering the boat stirred forth by the wild midnight wind. His heart pounded in time with the sea as he ran his hand over the steel door. If someone was inside, it would be nearly impossible for them to escape with the locking bar handles secured. He flipped the tabs on the locking bar and drew in a breath as he pulled the door toward him.

“Wait,” Rowan called, but Isaac was already entering. His teammate muttered a profanity under his breath. Isaac could sense Rowan behind him and knew he couldn’t wait any more than he would be able to. Once the coast guard arrived, he preferred to be in the RHIB.

Two figures were curled up in the corner. They were huddled close and held no outward signs of life. His heart jammed into this throat. He ran forward and dropped to his knees. Maybe she’d sensed him or perhaps they’d made a noise, but Jules stirred. She lifted her hands, cold fingers tracing his cheek. So fucking sweet. His eyes burned. She was alive and relief washed over him, dousing the searing dread that clung to every cell in his body. Rowan was lifting Nilsson into his arms.

“I love you, Jules,” he murmured under his breath, hoisting her up. “You’re safe now. Everything’s okay.”

“I knew, Isaac. I knew everything would be all right because you were coming for me.”

“Always, baby. Always.” Her trust in him was humbling, especially after all he put her through.

“Sabrina?”

“Safe.”

Her whole body relaxed in his arms, as if all the stress and tension fled the moment she learned the girl was safe. How Vesey infiltrated the Greco compound and rescued Sabrina and Tyler, just days after being shot and presumed dead, he had no idea, but love was a powerful motivator.

Thunder rumbled through the air as he led the way back to the RHIB on the opposite side of the deck. When they made it back without incident, Rowan taking the helm with Lena seated beside him, it seemed too good to be true. Lightning snapped around them, illuminating the thrashing waves along with two boats bobbing in the distance.

Julie jerked in his arms, the mylar blanket wrapped around her shoulders crinkled. “I saw something out there.”

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