Page 56 of Strike Fast

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When the call came in,El Escorpionleft the family dining table where everyone was eating breakfast together, and strode to the second-floor office in the main house.

The special phone on the polished mahogany desk was encrypted not only to scramble the signal and make it impossible for anyone to trace its location; it also digitally disguised the voice of whoever answered it. “¿Sí?”

“It’s Ramon.”

“Ramon. What can I do for you?” They’d met in person several times. Not that Ramon knew it. Only a handful of people knew whoEl Escorpiontruly was.

“It’s Ruiz.”

Ah. This wasn’t going to be good, then. “What about him?”

“He’s kidnapped a DEA agent’s daughter. One of the FAST members who conducted the raid on Ruiz’s…recreational property in Louisiana.”

More like his whore farm.El Escorpion’shand tightened around the phone. “Did he. How old?”

“Nine.”

Hijo de puta.“When?”

“Last night. In Virginia. I’ve sent you a picture.”

The phone buzzed, and an image of a dark-haired little girl popped up on the screen, her deep blue eyes full of terror. She was stretched out on her side, staring at whoever had taken the picture. Someone had slapped a piece of silver duct tape across her mouth, and her hands and feet appeared to be bound behind her.

Thisis what one of the organization’s top lieutenants was up to? Terrorizing a little girl? Bringing the wrath of the DEA and a dozen other federal agencies down on the cartel? “He did this personally?” Seemed ballsy for Ruiz. And of all the violent and extreme things he had done in the past, this one was the most repugnant.

“One of his men. Javier.”

El Escorpion’slip curled.That piece of shit.The things those men were capable of doing to that little one… “Is she still alive?”

“I think so, but I’m not sure.”

The lack of information was annoying, to say the least. “And Antonio?” Ruiz’s dimwitted head enforcer. His former one had been excellent. The start of this entire downward spiral had begun right after Dillon Wainright had been killed.

“Was waiting for the girl to be delivered to him, last I heard.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere close to the Virginia/North Carolina border. I don’t know the exact location.”

“Find out.”

“Yes, boss.”

“Don’t call again until you have the location.” The back lawn was visible from the office window. It was far too long, and some weeds were showing. Why the hell couldn’t the landscaper see it? “Now. Was there anything else?”

“No.”

“Then this conversation is over.”El Escorpionended the call and placed the phone back on the desk before turning to stare out at the overgrown lawn. So messy. This situation. This business.

So. Over the past week alone, Ruiz’s overinflated sense of importance and power had resulted not only in the near exposure of the inner workings of the cartel the night of the raid when his female playthings had been rescued, but he’d also just brought the fury of half the U.S. government down on them by kidnapping a FAST agent’s innocent child.

Well. That would not do.

No, that would not do atall.

Chapter Fifteen

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