We ride in three vehicles of Dante’s, to the location on the map. Ashton and I ride together, but Halsey is the one who drives.
“Luca, there’s a set of blades in the back, under the seat, grab those for me, would you?”
“Sure.” I’m not sure what he intends to do with them, but I retrieve a black leather box with a snap latch that I open.
“Each of you grab two. Put them along the edge of your boots. I’ve got guns in the backseat as well. Take whatever you think you’ll need. This could get messy.”
The daggers are quite stunning, and I slide them carefully down into my boot, making sure they’re secure.
Ashton grabs two as well and glances at them for a moment. “Are these necessary? I’m better with a gun.”
“You’re better off alive.” Halsey keeps his hands on the steering wheel as he follows his team; we’re the last in position on our approach. “Don’t ever turn down a weapon.”
We’re not quiet or secretive.
There’s no sneaking up on the enemy. Once again, we don’t have the element of surprise. Daylight doesn’t exactly help, either.
In fact, there has been nothing for miles while driving, and there doesn’t appear to be much nearby.
Four white vans spread across the forest road, which widens only slightly, the path trampled and clearly used before.
Each van is parked alongside one another, lined up, extending onto the forest floor.
We block their vehicles, pulling in behind the vans, lining up, making sure they can’t drive down the mountain without going through us first.
The van closest to us has the back door open, and the young girls—teenagers—are being shoved inside like cattle, by two men.
In the distance, there’s another road that winds up the mountain, and while we’re the only path down, I spot a dark red shipping container, the doors open.
Is that where the girls had been kept?
There’s no sign of anyone else coming from that direction.
Two men and all those girls.
We can overpower them and stop this before it becomes a bloodbath and the girls get hurt.
Anger floods my senses. Nausea sweeps over my body, and I jump out of the SUV first, needing air.
Hasley and the others are out of the vehicles within seconds, guns drawn.
The mountains make it less hot, the canopy from the trees offering little comfort as I’m sweating and sick to my stomach.
Did Dante know?
I thought they were women being trafficked, adult women.
Not that it would make it much better, but the fact it’s children, I can’t see straight.
My heart pumps violently in my chest, each breath a gasp for air. The two men glance back at us, shove the girls into the van more quickly and raise their weapons.
There’s no sign of Massimo, the man who threatened my wife and son.
He’s the one I want dead most of all, but the men who are trafficking children, I have no problem with ending their pathetic lives.
The man on the right lifts his gun, and I duck behind the car door, using it as cover.
He’s the first to pull the trigger.