Page 26 of For The Days We Can't Forget

We were all going in from different points and converging at the same storage. It was the kind of job where trust was fundamental. We didn’t see what the others were doing, but we had to believe our partners were able to handle their side of the business. We’d been working together for a considerable amount of time, so we knew each other’s weaknesses and strengths, we knew we could count on each other, and we were nothing if not a well-oiled machine.

I advanced through the path I was assigned, making sure I wasn’t spotted and cataloging as much info as I could get—how many men I saw, how many of them I recognized, possible threats.

I was closer to Mia, so Ben would give us support against the cartel, as Mia approached the women and I helped them get out.

“I’m inside the building.Damn, this is huge.”

“I’m getting closer. When you’re ready, say the word, and I’ll come to you.”

“Copy that. Benny?”

“Nothing new here. Do your worst but do it fast.”

The waiting was agonizing. It was no more than mere minutes as Mia made a reckoning of the place, searching for any members of the cartel and the women we were there to rescue. But those few minutes left me uneasy and feeling like I’d swallowed a bag of rocks.

“Something seems weird. What the hell is this smell?”

“Now isn’t the time, Mia,” Ben warned. “Just find the girls, and let’s get out.”

“But there’s something wrong with this place. And I’m trying to recognize what it is, but my brain isn’t working. What am I smelling?”

“Cariño, I need you to focus.”

“Damn it! It’s paint. The smell is paint. Freaking hell.” Mia seemed more bothered by it than I expected her to be.

“Are you really losing it right now over paint?” Ben snapped.

“This place was freshly repainted.” I still couldn’t understand her distress. “There’s something wrong because I’m not looking at what we studied. I’m smelling paint because this place was remodeled.”

“We can admire the architecture later—”

“Damn it, Benjamin! This place was remodeled. Our blueprint was outdated.”

“Fuck.” Understanding finally dawned on me and Ben.

“Fuck all right. I’m not even sure where to look for them. I just hope they hadn’t done this because they expected us to come.”

It didn’t make sense that the cartel would remodel a place to keep their victims. So, Mia might’ve been right—again—and somehow, they’d anticipated we were planning an invasion.

“I butchered their security system, so we’re good for now,” I assured them, hoping I was right.

“‘Kay.Keep looking out. It might take me a little while to peruse the space.”

I stepped closer to the building, ready to jump at any of Mia’s requests. Ben stood on the lookout, cursing the whole time.

We could hear her breathing through the radio as she inspected the space. The storage was big, and based on the blueprint we studied—which wasn’t so much like a guide anymore—there were a lot of rooms. One of them, in the corner, led to some sort of dungeon—where we assumed they kept their victims.

“I found a hollow path. I think it’s where they are, but I don’t know yet how to get in. Situation?”

“We’re not spotted yet, so keep going.” Our tactical gear was all black, including the hood, appareled with our weaponry, night goggles, and climbing equipment. We were as hidden as we could be and prepared within our possibilities, considering we had to shoot back if needed, but we also had to bring almost a dozen traumatized victims with us.

I checked the clock again, and not surprisingly, we were behind on what we wanted, but I trusted Mia to do her magic.

“Jackpot.”

“Be careful. This could be a trap.”

“Copy that. I’m going in.” Even though she was wearing a body cam, given the place was so dark, it was hard to keep track of what was going on, so I also counted on my hearing and the shadows from Mia’s peruse.

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