Page 15 of Deadly Aloha
It would have to do. My phone buzzed in my hand. I looked down to see a message from an unknown number.
Unknown: They’re herding the women but not touching them.
Unknown: Wait 10 minutes if you can. Some sound like they’re about to leave in the trucks.
Unknown: I was wrong. They’re saying there IS heroin in that truck. I missed it!
I wasn’t caring about the drugs. I didn’t want that poison flooding my island, but my priority was Lu.
“Hiro snuck into the storage building,” I said to the others as I texted them back. “They say a group of them are leaving soon and thereisheroin in that truck.”
Me: Do you have eyes on Lu?
Unknown: She’s trying to undo her ties.
A picture came through, and my heart seized. There she was. Just shy of naked, bound, gagged, and blindfolded. But it was her. My Lu.
My hands were shaking so badly that I barely was able to get my message out.
Me: Can you get her out?
Even if I wasn’t the one to rescue her myself, if there was an option to get her out of there, I would take it.
Unknown: Can’t. Sorry. But I’ll keep an eye on her, promise.
Fuck. Disappointment filled me, but I should have known better. Nothing was that simple when it came to Lu.
I turned to Red. “I’m willing to risk that truck of heroin to save mywahine. Are you?”
“We have the tracker still. As long as they don’t dump the heroin somewhere, I can follow it.” I could tell he wasn’t happy about it, but I appreciated him not arguing with me on it.
I nodded to him before turning to Tangaloa. Together we started to strip down, removing our constricting slippahs and shirts. Though we did leave our pants on, we used a knife to cut them down to be shorts.
“What are you doing?” Aftermath questioned. His face a mixture of horror and confusion.
“Our ancestors went into battle with nothing but a loincloth and the weapons in their hands,” Tangaloa answered. “We honor them by doing the same.”
Unknown: 6 Scorpions leaving. Leaves 21 that I’ve seen.
I relayed this message to the others. Together, we watched as the trucks were moved around so the one with the heroin could leave. I still didn’t understand the random clothing within those boxes, but that was a problem for later.
An engine behind us had us all turning to see Rory coming up the lane. The Irish-Hawai‘ian was not wearing a shirt, but he was wearing cargo pants and boots.
I walked up to him, where he parked his motorcycle by the SUV. “Mahalofor coming.”
He glared at me as he dismounted. His Irish accent was heavy with anger as he said, “I’m here for Lu, not for you, boyo.” He walked past me without taking the hand I offered him. “Rory O’Malley,” he introduced himself to the Royal Bastards.
Tangaloa walked up to me. “At least he didn’t punch you this time.”
I nodded. “He blames me for Aaleah’s death. I’m surprised he came at all.”
“He refused until I told him it was Lu.”
Rory might be pissed at me, might wish me thrown to the bottom of the sea with a millstone around my ankles, but he would never do anything to hurt Lu. Of that, I was positive. “The twins will be here soon. Let’s get into position.”
Chapter Four
Six of the fifteen Hawai‘ian Island volcanoes were active. Growing up, we’re raised to respect the terrible beauty of an eruption.The calm before the stormhad a whole new meaning when that storm consisted of molten lava, burning gases, and ground-shattering explosions. We’re taught to fear and respect Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes, for the longer she was quiet, the more deadly she was about to become.
