Page 79 of Fighting Conviction
Ellie’s eyes pricked with tears and she shut them tight.
They didn’t know the trauma these survivors had gone through. Ellie did. When she’d been saved by her brother’s Crew, she was lucky enough to know immediately she was in good hands. But even after their rescue, when the drugs wore off, the other survivors wore looks of pure terror on their faces. They hadn’t been able to trust that they were in safe hands, despite all the reassurances from their new saviors.
No, she didn’t want that for these women. They needed her. She wanted to make sure they had an empathetic female face telling them they were finally free and safe whenever they were rescued.
Ellie turned, refusing to listen to anything else. Resolve filled her as she tiptoed up the stairwell and took her phone out of her pocket to text.
Hey, can you bring my dress to BlackStone HQ tonight? The one you went back and got me from the dress shop?
Virginia: Uh, sure. I have class rn. After? When do you need it?
Ellie looked at the clock on her phone. It was already fifteen ‘til three. The party started at five and the BlackStone Crew was leaving the facility at any moment. She’d have to navigate around the BlackStone Crew when she got there, so right on time would be better. At this point they could be leaving any second to go scope out the hotel according to Hawk’s instructions.
ASAP after your class, pls. Oh and do you mind giving me a ride?
Since Snake would still be at BlackStone when the Crew left, she’d have Virginia come by and change in the car. She didn’t want to risk being seen in her dress on her way out so she’d have to make do in the car.
Virginia: What’s the occasion?
Ellie cringed. Virginia was gonna flip, but there was no way around it. The girl would find out after she dropped her off at the McIntosh in her fancy cocktail dress. A vague answer was the best choice.
Going to a party.
Virginia: YAASSS QUEEN. Fking finally!!!!!
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“It’s like we mapped out.” Hawk’s voice came in tinny over Devil’s headset as the BlackStone leader confirmed their recon. “Four exits, two leading outside, two to the hallway, and one door to a room I’ve seen multiple older men and a suspicious number of young women go into.” Devil took a sip of the glass of whiskey he’d gotten for a prop.
“Saw that too,” Phoenix answered. “So far Nora and I’ve only heard borin’ ass bullshit about life goals with zero chance of pannin’ out.” Phoenix’s uncharacteristic growl was low in their headset. “Oh, I gotta target by the south door. At least I think he’s a target. Shit, for this party to be so hidden, they sure don’t give two fucks about disguisin’ their men.”
“Their MO’s all about hiding the party until the actual event. Then everything is in plain sight, I suspect to hide the real reason behind it,” Snake murmured.
Devil glanced at the target closest to him. A big fucking son of a bitch in all black. “He’s right though. They definitely stand out.”
“You said there was a room people were going into?” Jaybird asked over the set.
“Yeah. My count is six men, each with a woman who looks about half his age on his arm,” Hawk replied.
“Ellie said something about how she and Sasha were brought into what they called an interview room… maybe that’s it?” Jaybird responded.
“Fuck, do you think one of us can get in there?” Devil asked.
“Interview room? Lemme see what Nora and I can do,” Phoenix answered over the set. “I can act like a sleezy ol’ bastard if I need to.”
“That’s an act?” Nora’s quick quip made Devil smile behind his glass as he watched the couple head to the door in question where a balding linebacker type dressed in all black guarded the door.
“What’re you doing Phoenix?” Hawk hissed. “We don’t know what’s going on in there.”
“Gettin’ us in, now shut up.”
Devil had to hand it to the man, Phoenix was charming as fuck and Nora was a natural, smiling in a demure black cocktail dress and laughing at the jokes coming over the headset. Devil casually strode closer until he could hear them in person in case there was any trouble.
The bald guy’s mouth was razor thin and his eyes bore into Phoenix completely unamused. Devil patted his chest for his gun holster, appearing to be searching for a handkerchief, but ready to have Phoenix’s back.
But as if on cue, the guy tipped his head back to laugh and stepped aside. Phoenix and Nora sailed into the room, no sweat.
Snake laughed over the set. “Well, fuck. That was easy.”
