Page 47 of Redemption
Scratch that. His dick will be the first thing to go for threatening my woman. Then his hands. Both of them. Cut ‘em off right at the wrists and then tie the palms together before I shove them, fingers first, straight up his ass.
Secret Ninja Finger Jutsu: One Thousand Years of Pain and Suffering!
It’s one thing to have gotten myself captured like a fucking idiot, but to have confirmed they’ve taken Cole, Jax, and Aly and are already threatening this? I’ve got to get out of here. I need to help them. Help her. If they left me in a fucking dungeon cell, buck-ass fucking naked, I can only imagine what they’re doing to Aly. What they’ve already possibly done to her.
Fuck.
FUCK!
But what the hell can I even do? I can’t even scratch the itch on my balls, let alone save them. In the end, I know I only have one option. It’s not something I really want to do, but it’s the only smart plan I’ve got, especially when I’m literally chained to a wall.
I’ve gotta play by their rules so they let me out of these fucking chains, and then... then I'll make my move. I’ve got to be patient. Got to be smart about this. But it’s only a matter of time. With their days officially numbered, they’ll all get what’s coming to them.
Chapter Sixteen
Cole
It’s daybreak by the time I reach the bridge on the outskirts of the town, soaked to the bone from the overnight thunderstorm I fought against for miles. I had no choice, however. It was either hide in that tree all night and risk pneumonia or climb down and risk it all to find my family.
The answer was simple.
I need to find them, wherever they are, and I won’t stop looking until I do. Some way, somehow, we will be reunited. Even if I have to burn down the entirety of Phoenix Rising to do so.
But, regardless of the fact that I want to race into town and find them as fast as I can, I can’t. Doing so could just get me captured like they originally intended. So I need to be smart about this. Since I don’t know much about Phoenix Rising, the community’s hierarchy, or the town’s layout, I need to obtain as much intel as possible before I start my search.
Since I already confirmed they took all of us, and I was the only one in the back of that vehicle, I have to assume they separated us for transport. Unfortunately, after I managed to escape, I didn’t see any other vehicles, nor any sign of Aly, Jax, or Hawk on the way here. Which means I have to believe they’vealready arrived. If that’s the case, I need to figure out where they’re being kept and to what degree.
The possibilities are endless. Especially now that I can confirm they’re no longer the peaceful community they portray themselves as being. They could have simply placed them in holding cells, waiting for the right time to enact whatever it is they’re planning on doing with them. They could have already assimilated them into their system, putting them to work under guard until they eventually convert and submit to whatever leadership requires of them. Or, and I’m really hoping it’s not, they could have beaten them into submission. Let’s face it, they already managed to knock out Hawk and me. I can only assume that’s what they did to Aly and Jax because, just like Hawk and myself, they wouldn’t have gone down without a fight. The only way they would have been taken is if they were unconscious.
A vision of Aly, beaten black and blue, covered in her own blood, has me seeing red. I swear, if they hurt one hair on her beautiful head, no one will survive. I might not have any weapons on me, but I’m resourceful, with a brain full of random knowledge and the resolve to use it to its fullest if I need to.
People don’t realize how easy it is to construct their own weapons right in the sanctity of their own homes, not even noticing how many deadly concoctions can be created out of regularly used household goods. They may not be as quick as a bullet to the skull, but mark my words...
One. Fucking. Hair.
I leave the open road and head deeper into the suburban township, keeping to the shadows dawn still gifts me while using the buildings on the smaller side roads and alleys for cover. I’m not sure if they have any sentries, but if they do, I need to stay clear out of sight from any of them. If I don't, it’s game over.
Normally, nighttime would be the better choice to perform a reconnaissance mission. Using the cover of darkness to hide your tracks would be infinitely more conducive to a stealth operation. But I have no other choice. Even though I ran straight through the night to get here, I didn’t make it before the sun rose. And now, since I refuse to let the hours pass while they carry on with whatever plans they have for Aly and the guys, I’m out of time.
It's now or never.
Needing to get a better vantage point, I look to the rooftops. A larger building, that might have been a school at one point, catches my eye. It’s about a block away and might be a good place to start.
Maneuvering through the fading shadows, it takes only a few minutes before I reach the red-bricked façade and locate the emergency fire ladder around the back. I climb it to the top but stop on the last rung, checking the area before I finish the ascent and step both feet onto the roof.
Forcing myself to be as small and inconspicuous as possible, I crouch down as I make my way to the other side. Thankfully, the rooftop comes equipped with a surrounding parapet large enough to provide sufficient coverage as I cross the expanse of the building. Once I’m on the side facing the town, I press my body up against it, and peek over the lip, beginning my OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act.) sequence to see what I’m working with... and against.
Up here, I have a decent view of almost the entire town. Over to the left is the main road we came in on the other day. The gardens, the playground, and a few nondescript buildings fill the space on the other side. To the right of the road, on my side, are a few larger commercial buildings that might have beenused for administrative purposes before everything went tits up—maybe a town hall or a recreation center of some kind. There’s also a gas station and then the rest of the residential area beyond that. I’m not sure what the administrative buildings are being used for now, but dozens of people are filing in and out of them. In fact, all of the larger buildings are bustling with traffic. The sheer volume of residents conducting daily activities at the break of dawn piques my interest.
I’ve heard of farmers waking up at sunrise, trying to get as much work done as possible before the sun sets. That, I can completely understand. But the Age of Corporate America is over. The need to be up and at the office at the ass crack of dawn is a thing of the past. So, for these people to be inside this early, doing... whatever the fuck they do? I can’t help but wonder why.
Unfortunately, this just makes my search infinitely more difficult. With multiple buildings being used to this capacity, it makes each one of them a potential target and does absolutely nothing to help narrow down which one Aly and the guys might be in. What makes it even worse is that I have no idea if they’re even keeping them in the same building.
I groan at the thought.
The only way I’m going to be able to find them is if I go through every one of the buildings and meticulously clear each of them. But even if I conduct a stealth mission at night, and miraculously survive being undetected, I’m by myself. And one person looking for three? Without being able to physically go into these buildings and potentially raising all kinds of alarms throughout the community? That’s going to take forever. Time, I don’t have to waste.
Under different circumstances, this would be the perfect time for some immersive recon. Unfortunately, during our firstencounter, we were seen. By multiple people. And with my pale complexion and uncommon hair color, I’d be recognized immediately. Like a fucking flame in the dark, I’d stick out so much these people would have no choice but to question me.
