Page 7 of Twisted Revelations

4

Derrick

At ninety percent into cracking through layers of firewalls that had taken me a half a day to dig a digital tunnel through, Ansel’s number popped up on my phone and drew my attention from my task. I’d been working off and on with him on a project I’d personally labeled Operation Avenge Aaron while Ansel called it Operation Take Six.

Ansel reminded me of Aaron so much so that we’d become fast friends after Aaron’s death. As a matter of fact, Dax and I had only recently departed California after a few weeks with Ansel at his house in the hills.

“What’s up?” I greeted after I swiped to answer and tapped the speaker button.

“D, I have a big fucking problem,” he announced, which was classic Ansel. He didn’t hesitate to get straight to the point. Whatever the news was, he was always straight, no chasers, just like his cousin.

“One of Megan’s friends has been abducted, and I think it has something to do with DG6. Are you still in Texas?”

“No, but I can book myself a flight and be there in a few hours. You have any details?” I asked, my interest piqued. Ansel relayed the details he’d gathered, which convinced me that DG6 was all over the situation.

DG6 also known as the Dominquez Cartel, was one of the deadliest in the country. We’d faced off with them in Texas in a failed rescue mission that had ended with Aaron’s death.

Laura and Beverly.

I’d never seen them, but I’d led Aaron to them when he was searching for Megan. Now, that Megan was safe with Ansel, DG6 was likely targeting her friends.

Megan had gone silent after Aaron’s death, walking around like a ghost, partially existing. I could sympathize with her because I missed Aaron too. He was one of those people who would go to hell for anyone he cared about, and you didn’t just become his friend, you became his family. Ansel was the same way. Drawing me from my musings, his voice returned.

“You remember what we discussed about chopping off the heads of this DG6 snake?”

“I’m already tracking. You can call this Operation WTF for Watch the Friends. If we get an opportunity to take out an original member of this cartel, you can count his ass as good as gone,” I expressed with confidence.

I sensed Ansel’s smile through the phone. “Thanks, D. I appreciate it, man.”

“No problem,” I replied. With my senses hyped up, I was ready to get this mission on the way. I didn’t care that I was in the middle of another mission. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d worked double duty.

After dialing the number Ansel had given me for Beverly, we spoke briefly. Her sullen tone was laced with the broken syllables of her words. She’d requested I send her a snapshot of my face so she could ID me when I met her. She may have been in distress over her friend, but she was smart. I didn’t keep her on the line long but ensured we exchanged basic information.

I dialed Dax and relayed the story to him, but Ansel had already beaten me to it. Dax’s enthusiasm about the impending danger had me laughing. He was one of the best dressed killers I knew. He relished the excitement of a mission and rarely turned down a chance to be engrossed in danger.

Dax’s family was as rich as the Rockefellers, so he had access to the best resources money could buy. The men in our group jumped at the chance to work with Dax because he’d lavish you in the best of everything, no matter what the mission called for.

He’d crawled through the same gutters as we had in the military and in life, but he was not going to forgo being pampered unless it was necessary.

When we first met in the military, my initial assumption was that he was a spoiled rich kid rebelling against his family. It only took our first mission together for me to understand I’d misjudged him. Dax may have come from money, but something much deeper and darker drove him, something he’d never discussed in full detail, no matter how many times we’d pried.

The engine of my rental idled down when I slowed to check out the location surrounding the address Beverly had given. My eyes searched the dark surroundings of the seedy motel before turning into the parking lot.

Dim lights anchored to the outer walls provided sparse lighting around the white-brick building, the red doors standing out on each room. I parked a safe distance from the intended room. My neck swiveled as I strolled to the door and knocked twice like I’d said I would when I’d spoken briefly with Beverly on the phone.

Her shadow didn’t break the thin line of light below the door or darkened the peephole, but her words found my ears.

“Place your face to the crack in the door when I open it so I can see you. If you try anything funny, I’ll slice your neck open like a ripe watermelon,” she warned.

Dayum!

I did as she’d instructed and placed my face to the crack. She eased the door open, but the chain kept it secured. When she believed she’d stared long enough, she closed the door and the jingle of her undoing the chain sounded.

The door was sprung open before she stepped aside to allow me to enter. I walked past her, turning my head from her with tightly shut eyes before biting into my bottom lip. The glimpse I’d received through the crack was a tease.

It was petty of me to think it, but I’d been praying Beverly was a homely woman who’d let herself go. However, she’d unknowingly introduced me to a new sub-operation because Operation Distract Derrick was underway. Beverly Hudson was sexy as hell.

My first full snapshot of her had widened my eyes. She had silky, dark brown skin, greenish-brown eyes, that could be classified as hazel, and a body that was perfect for her height of at least five-eight. She wore her hair in a straight, well-kept bob that was her hair and not a wig or extensions. She wasn’t the kind of thick that verged on being fat. She was fit-thick with noticeable curves.

Why did she have to be my type? Why did she have to look so damn good? She wasn’t too much, but enough to entice and evoke pure lust.

After locking the door, she turned to face me, and the tears standing in her beautiful, distressed eyes ripped my lustful thinking to shreds.

---