Page 43 of Reaper Razed

Dane: Hey, I’m gonna head back to uni for a bit. Let Ray know. Cheers!.

Steel: Sure thing, kid. Drive safe.

Fucking kid! Fuck’s sake. I messaged Steel as Ray would try and talk me out of it, and I just needed to be away from him. As I slide my phone back into my pocket, it chimes, and I freeze. “Fuck!” I click in my “alternative” PIN.

Rendezvous base pending immediate departure.

“Shit.” I hear clunking on the stairs as Ray exits the apartment, “I thought you were with Steel?”

“I was, just popped back to see Skye. Come on, we’ll take your truck.” Diving into the truck, I peel out of the parking lot and tear down the road. “I need to call Steel. Fuck. I can’t disappear and not tell him.”

“Call him on the encrypted line. That way, they can’t track it either. Be quick.”

“Shit, it’s voicemail!”

“Then say what you need to before we get any closer.”

“Steel, baby, it’s me. I’m sorry, so sorry! I’ve been called away on a job. I’m not supposed to let you know, but I couldn’t go without speaking to you. I don’t know where or when I’ll be back or if… just know that whatever happens, I love you and hope you'll forgive me. I’ll try and come home soon. Take care of Skye and Hades for me. I love you. I'm sorry.”

She punches the dash. “I’m out, Dane. After this job, if I make it back in one piece, I’m out. If I can’t tell him… I need him to know everything.”

“Let’s just get this over and done with, K?”

She nods, staring out the window. When we pull into our base, we hop out, slide our phones into the dead boxes, and head to the offices. White King, White Knight and Black King are already there,

“It’s all hands on deck. White Rook and White Bishop are meeting us there,” White King says, and we both nod.

Shit, this is fucked up if we’re all heading out.

“Full tactical ready to leave for the airfield as soon as possible. Debrief on take off.”

We nod again, racing out of the office and to The Armoury.

Geared up, we load the armoured truck and head off, full gas masks, balaclavas and everything. It’s more of an identity protection measure most of the time. We run interference on all surveillance cameras within a 7-mile radius, so we’re virtually untraceable.

As we head to the airfield, we pull into the hangar. White King and White Knight head out to taxi the plane in while we unload everything near the doors. Once the plane has been taxied to the hangar, we load up. Everyone’s on the plane now. It’s just Black Queen and me at the bottom of the steps. She’s glancing around before finding the security camera. She turns to face it, pointing to her eye behind the mask. She holds her hands together over her chest in the shape of a heart and then points straight at the camera.

“Why?” I ask.

“Dice will find it and show Steel; then he will know I love him. If it’s all that’s left, at least he’ll know.”

I turn to the camera and flip it off. Dice can find that fucker, too. I stomp up the steps and onto the plane.

Steel

My phone rings, and I glance down at it on the table. I don’t recognise the number.

“You gonna get that?” Ares nods towards the phone.

“Nah, it’s probably nothing. If it was someone important, the number would be saved in my phone.”

After an hour or so, I grab my phone and text Ray. She's been gone for ages. After another twenty minutes and no reply, I call her, but it goes straight to voicemail. That's odd. I dial the voicemail to listen to the message that the random number left.

“Steel, baby, it’s me. I’m sorry, so sorry! I’ve been called away on a job. I’m not supposed to let you know, but I couldn’t go without speaking to you. I don’t know where or when I’ll be back or if… just know that whatever happens, I love you and hope you'll forgive me, take care of Skye and Hades for me. I love you. I’ll try and come home soon. I'm sorry.”

I drop the phone onto the table, mouth open in sheer panic and shock

“You okay, Brother?” I slide the phone to Ares, and he picks it up and listens. “Shit.” He stands from the table. “Get Dice, surveillance room now!” He grabs my arm and pulls me up from the chair.

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