Page 83 of Fierce Hope
The image was unmistakable—a man with a shovel, carving a rectangular hole in the frozen ground.
“That’s Delgado,” Christian said flatly.
“He’s digging a grave.” Fury slammed into Deke’s chest. He breathed hard, wrestling with a fury hotter than any he’d ever experienced. If his son had been harmed … Or Jade …
Zara guided the second drone toward the building, this one equipped with both thermal and night vision capabilities. It slipped through a broken window, providing a clear view of the interior.
“Confirmed visual on Jade and DJ,” she reported crisply. “They look unharmed, both bound to what appears to be a workbench. Female subject is pacing nearby. It’s Sarah. She’s armed. A handgun. Could be the Glock 19 registered to Kent Wycoff.”
Deke’s pulse steadied slightly at the confirmation that Jade and DJ were alive, but anxiety spiked seeing the immediate danger they faced. The woman—Sarah—was visibly agitated, checking her watch repeatedly, gun held loosely but ready in her right hand.
“Time for tactical,” Ronan said quietly.
They huddled inside the SUV, quickly formulating a plan based on the live intel from the drones.
“Ronan, you and Maya handle Delgado,” Deke directed. “Silent approach. We can’t alert Sarah. Christian, Izzy and I will breach the old mill.”
“Flashbang?” Christian asked.
“Perfect.” Deke checked that he had several of the powerful grenades clipped to his parka. The concussion from the blast would send Sarah, and Jade and DJ, to their knees. By the time they raised their heads, he’d have the woman’s weapon and a boot digging into her back.
“You sight. I throw,” he told Christian.
“I’ll coordinate from here,” Zara confirmed, eyes fixed on her tablet. “Comms check.”
Each team member touched their earpiece, confirming clear communication.
“Rules of engagement?” Christian asked.
“Non-lethal if possible,” Deke replied. “But Jade and DJ’s safety is priority one. If there’s any threat to them ...” He didn’t need to finish the sentence.
Ronan chambered a round and slipped his Glock into the holster at his side. “Understood.”
Izzy racked the slide on her handgun. “Yoacabo con ella,” she muttered fiercely.
His brain clouded with fear, Deke couldn’t immediately recall the translation, but her tone spoke for itself. Every one of them would do whatever it took to protect his son.
And Jade.
They checked their gear one final time—weapons with silencers attached, flash-bangs ready, night vision active. His body screamed to blast into that lumber mill, but with Chad still outside, Jade and DJ were safe for the moment. Better that the team go in fully prepared.
“Move out,” he ordered.
Ronan and Maya slipped away first, disappearing into the snowy darkness toward the back of the property. Deke, Izzy and Christian waited, watching the drone feed as their teammates approached the male suspect.
Through his comm, Deke heard Maya’s calm voice moments later: “Male neutralized. Confirm it’s Chad Delgado. Exterior secure.”
Deke exchanged a quick glance with Christian and Izzy. “Time to move.”
They advanced toward the lumber mill, footsteps muffled by fresh snow, breath fogging in the bitter cold. Deke focused oncontrolling his breathing, keeping his racing heart steady. Years of training took over, muscle memory guiding his movements as they approached a side entrance Zara had identified as their best ingress point.
“Sarah’s getting agitated,” Zara’s urgent whisper came through his comm. “She’s moving toward Jade and DJ. You need to hurry.”
Christian positioned himself at the side door. “It’s open,” he said over comms. “I take the witch, you grab Jade and DJ?”
“Sounds good.” He wanted to flatten Sarah, body slam her harder than any quarterback he’d ever hit, but he needed to wrap his son in his arms ASAP.
Christian shifted to the side, making room for Deke. “We ready?”
