Page 32 of Abra's Acquisition
Hex nods. “I want to take the Brotherhood out before their group gains a foothold in our city. I figured we didn’t get them all when we took those two out in the auto shop. Since we didn’t know where they had their headquarters, we couldn’t verify.”
“You think this is their headquarters?” I ask.
Hex shrugs. “Don’t know. Not until we get inside. And by we, I mean you.” Hex grins at me.
I roll my eyes and dismount. After grabbing what I need from my saddlebags and stuffing the items into the pockets of my jeans, I strip off my kutte and place it inside the saddlebags for safekeeping. Wearing just a t-shirt and jeans, I can easily blend into the neighborhood. I insert the single earphone intomy ear and verify that Hex and the others can hear me. Keeping to the opposite side of the street, I stroll past the house. Using the window reflections, I study the target house and search for movement. Not seeing any, I risk a more direct glance. The house has two stories. The home next door looks to be a mirror image of the target house. There is only a two- or three-foot gap between the two roofs.
What’s more, the neighboring house has a ‘For Sale’ sign in front, along with dead grass. Odds are that the house is unoccupied. Breaking in will be a piece of cake.
I move into the shadows before hopping the fence into the neighbor’s backyard. A glance inside tells me that I was right. The house is devoid of people and furniture. Letting myself in, I move through the empty rooms into the kitchen so I can study the house next door. The houses are mirror images, but swapped, so I’m staring into the kitchen of the other house. When I don’t see movement, I move to the next room. That’s where I finally see some activity.
“What do you see? Anything?” Hex asks.
“I see movement. There is definitely more than one person inside. I count three people so far. I think they’re all on the bottom floor. I’m heading upstairs to look through the windows there.”
Upstairs, I enter a bedroom that has an excellent view of the bedroom next door. I see four beds, each with an occupant. I can’t make out anything more than that, so I pull out a set of binoculars.
“Son of a bitch,” I swear when I realize what I’m seeing.
“What?” Hex asks.
“They have women on the second floor, strapped into beds. Those sons of bitches have captured more women.”
“Check the other rooms,” Hex orders.
I tear myself away from the women and move into the next bedroom. I find more beds, but these are unmade and empty. I’m guessing this is where the fucking Brotherhood sleeps when they aren’t terrorizing the women in the next room.
“I think you’re right about this being their headquarters,” I tell Hex. “I found more beds, but I think it is where the bastards sleep. I’m heading next door and going in through the second floor. Get ready to approach the house once I’m inside.”
Rather than return to the first floor, I slide out the back window onto the roof. The distance between houses isn't a problem. I leap across the space and land softly on the other side. The neighborhood remains silent, so I doubt anyone has seen me. I managed to stay out of view of the windows. I avoid the room where the women are trapped, since they're likely being held behind a locked door. I make a silent promise to free them as soon as possible. Instead, I move to the far side and open the window of a small bedroom. Like in the other house, this room is small. However, unlike the other house, this room isn’t empty. I spot several crates and boxes of ammunition along with other supplies. These will be useful.
“I’ve found their stash of guns and ammo,” I whisper to Hex. “Upstairs, furthest bedroom to the left. I’m going in that way and will block the door so they can’t gain access. Give me ten minutes before you create the distraction.”
After carefully opening the window, I slide inside. The door has an internal lock, which I will use to help secure the room and keep the assholes out. Stepping into the hall, I listen for sounds and hear voices below me. I pick my way past the stairway until I reach the door to the room that serves as a prison for the women inside. There is a deadbolt on the outside. I slide it open before returning to the storage room. I lock the door and slide the heaviest crates into position, effectively making the room inaccessible. Sliding back out the window, I move backto the window that leads into the room with the women inside. That room isn’t my first choice of entry, but since the other room is blocked off, I have to make a compromise. I wait until the rumble of motorcycles reaches my ears to slide open the window. At first, the women don’t notice me, but one by one, they turn wide-eyed in my direction. I place a finger against my lips to keep them silent.
“We’re here to help,” I assure them as I take out my knife and hand it to the woman closest to me. “Free yourself, but stay here until I can come back to get you. You’ll be safe in here. I’ll be back as soon as we take out the bastards who did this to you.”
The women whimper but then go silent as I open the door. Angry voices cover the sounds of someone running up the stairs. I see the top of the person’s head before he can see me. I duck back into the room, keeping the door open a crack. He goes to the weapon room and tries the door. I hear him swear when he realizes the door is locked. Before he can shout to the others, I sneak up behind him and snap his neck. I relieve him of his gun, after all, he won’t be needing it.
“Whitey! Get a move on and bring down the guns. Those Demon bastards are pulling up out front. We can take them out. Get a fucking move on.” The speaker moves into view at the bottom of the stairs. Before he can process that I’m not his friend, I shoot him between the eyes.
The front door slams open as I run down the stairs. Pamela screams as she runs toward the back of the house. I leap over the railing and snag her by the back of her shirt. I yank her back against me before holding the gun to her temple.
“Shut the fuck up, bitch,” I order as I watch my brothers take down the other two men in the room. “There’s another one dead upstairs. There are four women in the bedroom on the far right.”
Zip and Lake rush upstairs while Hex and Dixie snap restraints on the two survivors. I shove Pamela into a chairbefore pulling out zip ties. She struggles against me, but I have her securely locked down with little effort.
“Now what?” I ask Hex.
“We could just kill them all,” Dixie suggests.
“No, I want to question them,” Hex says. “Besides, I think Puma has some questions for the bitch.”
Pamela glares at Hex, but I can smell the sweat coming off her body. She’s trembling, and I don’t think all of it is from rage.
“I’ll call Levi and Jack to bring the SUVs around,” Hex says.
“What about the women upstairs?” Dixie asks. “We should get them to a hospital. Do you think they’ll keep quiet about us?”
