Page 89 of Beautiful Scars: Unshakeable

Z stares at the surveillance photos. "It's possible. But what choice do we have? It's all we got."

"You're right." I study the satellite image of the isolated house where Sunny's signal has been coming from. "We go in anyway. But we have to be careful."

"Agreed." Z pulls up the building schematics we've gathered. "We need to plan for every contingency. If this is a trap—"

"Then we spring it." I trace the property's perimeter. "But this time, we make sure that bastard doesn't walk away."

The real question burning in my gut—what did I supposedly take from Garrett? And why do I have the sinking feeling that whatever it was, it has something to do with why he's so obsessed with Sunny?

Zane

IwatchsilentlyasChase and Rex load the last of the gear into the trucks. Every piece of equipment has been checked at least three times. We've planned for every contingency—ambush, traps, decoys. But preparation can only take us so far when dealing with someone like Garrett. As we've learned before.

My fingers trace the satellite images spread across the hood of my truck. The location seems perfect to hold someone. A newly constructed house a hundred miles outside any city limit, surrounded by thick, dense trees. Plenty of cover and escape routes. None of our surveillance shows any security which most likely means it's well hidden. There's only been one SUV coming and going and staying. Either Garrett's gotten sloppy, or he truly believes he's safe from us. Neither option sits well with me.

"Final weapons check," Wolf calls out, his voice cutting through the pre-dawn silence. The metallic sounds of magazines being loaded and safeties clicking echo across the yard.

Levi stands at the edge of the driveway, his shoulders rigid with tension. I know that look — he's replaying every moment since Sunny disappeared. The note. The override codes we gave her. The tracker signal that could be leading us straight into a trap.

"She knew exactly what she was doing," I say, moving to stand beside him. "Taking that jacket wasn't random."

"Doesn't make it better." His voice is raw. "You saw her after Jade was taken. She was..." He trails off, but I know what he means.

The image of Sunny curled in that chair, eyes vacant, barely responding when we tried to reach her—it haunts me too. And now she's been with Garrett for almost three days. The possibilities of what he's done to her twist my gut into knots.

"We'll find her," I say, but the words feel hollow. Finding her isn't what worries me most though. It's how much of her will be left when we do.

Colt approaches, tablet in hand. "Perimeter team's in position at the target location. No movement detected in the last six hours."

"Too quiet," I mutter, studying the thermal imaging feeds.

"Underground," Levi says, echoing my thoughts. "Like the warehouse."

The memory of those basement rooms, the medical equipment, the chains—I force it away. Focus on the now. "Three entry teams. Wolf takes point on the main floor, Chase covers the perimeter, we go below."

"If she's there." Levi's hands clench at his sides.

"She's there." I have to believe that. Have to believe the tracker signal is real, that we're not walking into another of Garrett's games. "But what condition..." I let the sentence die.

The question hangs between us—will we recognize the Sunny we find? The woman who brought light into our darkness, who made me believe in second chances? Or will Garrett have broken her beyond repair this time? She fought so hard to come back before.

"We should have seen it coming," Levi says. "After Jade. She was too quiet, too..."

"Resigned," I finish. The word tastes bitter. We'd known she was slipping away back inside herself, but we hadn't been able to stop it. We'd underestimated how far she'd been gone.

Rex approaches with the final equipment check. "Comms are up. Medical team standing by."

I nod, shouldering my tactical vest. The familiar weight is comforting and pushes back the emotions threatening to cloud my judgment. "Move out in five."

The team disperses to their vehicles, leaving Levi and me alone for a moment. Neither of us says what we're thinking—that even if we get her out, the real battle might just be beginning.

"Z," Levi's voice is barely audible. "What if..."

"Don't." I cut him off. "We deal with what we find. Whatever state she's in, whatever he's done, we bring her home. We’ll deal with whatever we need to, after she’s safe."

He nods once, sharply, but I see the same fear in his eyes that churns in my gut. We both remember.

The sky is fading into a deep black as we climb into our vehicles. The tracker signal blinks steadily on the dashboard display—our only link to Sunny.

---