Page 66 of Cowboy
I start to protest, but Travis cuts me off. "She's right," he says, meeting my eyes. "Caoimhe knows this world from the inside. Her insight could be invaluable."
Reluctantly, I nod. As much as I want to keep her safe, I know this is something she needs to do.
As the others continue planning, I pull Caoimhe aside. "Are you sure about this?" I ask quietly. "It's going to be dangerous."
She cups my face in her hands, her eyes blazing with determination. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Ciarán. This is my fight too."
I lean in, pressing my forehead to hers. "Then we do it together. Every step of the way."
As we rejoin the others, I feel a fierce pride swelling in my chest. Whatever comes next, we'll face it as a team. And God help anyone who tries to stand in our way.
The next few days are a whirlwind of planning and preparation. We gather intel, scout locations, and ready ourselves for the fight ahead. Caoimhe throws herself into the work with a fierce determination that both impresses and worries me. I can see the toll this is taking on her, but I also understand her need to see this through.
On the night before our first raid, I find Caoimhe on the hotel balcony, staring out at the twinkling lights of Vienna. She turns as I approach, and I can see the mixture of emotions in her eyes, fear, anger and resolve.
"Are you ready for this?" I ask softly, coming to stand beside her.
She nods, her jaw set. "As ready as I'll ever be. I just keep thinking about Saoirse, about all the other children and women trapped in this nightmare. We have to end this, Ciarán. No matter what it takes."
I wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "We will. I promise you, we'll bring them down."
As we stand there in the cool night air, I'm struck by how far we've come. From the despair of Caoimhe's disappearance to this moment of quiet strength before the storm. Whatever happens tomorrow, I know we'll face it together.
The raid begins at dawn. We move swiftly, catching the traffickers off guard. The fight is brutal but quick. Within minutes, we've secured the building and the people inside.
As we round up the captives and arrest the traffickers, I catch sight of Caoimhe. She's kneeling beside a young girl, speaking softly to her in what sounds like Romanian. The girl is crying, clinging to Caoimhe like a lifeline.
In that moment, I see the full extent of Caoimhe's strength and compassion. She's not just fighting for herself or for revenge. She's fighting for every person who's suffered at the hands of these monsters.
As the dust settles and we begin to process the scene, Travis approaches me, his face grim but satisfied.
"Good work today, brother," he says, clapping me on the shoulder. "But this is just the beginning. We've got a long road ahead."
I nod, watching as Caoimhe helps the rescued women and children into waiting vans. "We're ready for it. All of us."
And as we prepare to move on to our next target, I feel a surge of hope. We may be outnumbered and outgunned, but we have something the traffickers don't, a cause worth fighting for, and the determination to see it through to the end.
That night, I find Caoimhe hunched over maps and documents in our hotel room, her eyes red-rimmed from lack of sleep.
"Caoimhe," I say gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest."
She shakes her head, not looking up. "I can't. Not until we've found them all."
I kneel beside her, taking her hands in mine. "I know. But you're no good to anyone if you burn out. Please, just a few hours of sleep."
Finally, she meets my gaze, and I see the exhaustion and pain in her eyes. "Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces, Ciarán. All the women and children we haven't saved yet."
I pull her into my arms, holding her tight. "I know. But we're making a difference. And we'll keep fighting until it's done."
As I hold her, I feel her finally relax, the tension leaving her body. We stay like that for a long moment, drawing strength from each other.
My cell rings and I see that it’s Travis. “Hey,” I answer.
“One of our informants has uncovered the location of the trafficking ring's leader, a wealthy businessman named Viktor Kovac.”
“Fuck,” I say low, feeling hope bloom in my chest.
"This is it," Travis says as we gather to plan our final assault. "We take him down, and we cut the head off the snake."
