Page 81 of Guarded from Havoc

Just as we’re getting close to the next heat signature, the metal detector goes off.

Seconds later, I spot the source coming from a pile of leaves in a small clearing. A pile of leaves that looks oddly out of place.

“I know what this is,” I tell Matt. Then I grab a large branch from the ground and fling it at the leaves.

As I expected, the leaves drop into a hole in the ground about eight feet wide.

We slowly approach the pit until we can see into it.

And it’s like my nightmare all over again.

Metal spikes at the bottom, waiting to maim. Kill.

Except.

No one’s in it. Not an unknown victim. Not Jeff. And not Tatum.

I close my eyes, unexpectedly overwhelmed.

This nightmare will never happen.

Matt puts his hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

I swallow hard. Then I pull myself together again. “Yes. Let’s go find the rest of the people, then get the fuck out of here and go home.”

He nods, understanding in his eyes. “We will.”

And less than thirty minutes later, our goal is in sight.

We’re out. Beyond the fence.

The two men we rescued—one silver-haired and hearty, the other a slim thirty-something—are standing beside us, thankingus profusely with shaking voices. The older man keeps saying, “I’ll get to see my granddaughter again. How can I ever thank you enough?”

Tyler and Rafe are remaining close to their respective rescues, reassuring them quietly that yes, they’re safe, and we’ll get them home as soon as possible. Tyler still looks sad, his features gaunt and shadowed, but there’s a fire in his eyes I’m relieved to see.

Maybe this really has helped him.

Maybe he’ll come back to the land of the living again.

About twenty feet away, Dante and Rhiannon are with the piece of garbage they captured, keeping him a safe distance from our rescues so as not to upset them even more than they already are. Handcuffed and shackled with guns pointed at him and deadly glares aimed his way, the man they’re restraining looks like he’s about to piss himself from fear.

Matt ends the call he’s on and turns to us. “Cruz said the FBI is already on the way here. Given the remote area, it’ll take them at least another half hour or so.” He pauses. Gives me a meaningful look. “So. There’s time for some unfinished business.”

I lift my chin at Matt. “Thanks.” Then look around at the people surrounding me. At my teammates. My brothers. My friends. And the innocents we saved who can go back to their lives and start working on getting past this.

“I’m going to go have a word with that fucker,” I say. “Maybe you could all just… turn the other way for a few minutes.”

The woman with Tyler sniffs back her tears and meets my gaze. She lifts her chin. “Take as long as you need. I know I didn’t see anything.”

As the rest of the freed captives echo her statement, I head towards Rhiannon and Dante.

My jaw sets.

My fists clench.

Fury ignites in my chest.

As I get closer, his face jolts in recognition.

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