They had no idea where Avery and the girl had been taken, nor did they know what these bastards were putting them through.
God, please let her be okay.
A renewed sense of purpose filled the cells of his body. The rage he’d tampered down before came out in full force.
But rather than act out with useless words or fists to a wall, Garrett used it as fuel for the hell he was about to rain down upon his enemies.
Because Avery was out there somewhere. She needed him. And in this moment, in every moment going forward,shewas all that mattered.
Running a hand over the stubble on his jaw, he looked at the father and asked, “What’s your name?”
“Brett.” The man stopped moving and faced him. “Brett Caldwell.”
“Nice to meet you, Brett,” Garrett spoke with his calm and steady hostage negotiator tone. “I’m Garrett. And you…” He turned to the kid who didn’t act concerned in the least. “What’s your name?”
“Danny.”
“Hey, Danny.” He tipped his head. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to do my best to get us out of here so we can go find Jessica, Avery, and the others. But first, I need you two to promise you’ll do what I say, when I say it. Can you do that?”
“Hell, yeah,” Danny agreed instantly.
Brett was expectedly hesitant. “I want to find my little girl more than anything, but—”
“I know you do.” Garrett didn’t give him a chance to opt out. “And I have an idea I think will work, but only if you trust me.”
The other man’s skepticism shone through his worried gaze. “You’re talking about risking Jess’s life. Give me one good reason why I should listen to anything you have to say?”
“How about I give you two?” Garrett offered. “One, you were right. We won’t do our girls any good if we’re dead. And if we stay here and do nothing, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.”
“How do you know that?”
“Reason number two.” He drew in a deep breath before revealing, “I’m a hostage rescue specialist.”
He felt shitty telling these guys the truth about his job before sharing that bit of information with Avery. But he’d done so because he needed them to trust him. Otherwise, they were all fucked.
“Cool.” Danny let the word drag as he grinned. Almost as quickly, he dropped his brows in confusion and asked, “What’s that mean?”
Lord save me from pot-smoking millennials.
Resisting an eye roll, Garrett explained, “That means my job is to locate and rescue people who are being held captive.”
“Like us!” the kid responded with pride.
“Yes, Danny.” He spoke with patience he was about to lose. “Like us.”
“Is that true?” Brett stared back at him with clear eyes. “You really do this sort of thing for a living.”
“It’s true.” Garrett nodded. Then, with a smirk to help put the man at ease, he jokingly said, “Of course, I’m usually on the outside looking in, but it can’t be all that different, right?”
Brett’s thin lips twitched, and Garrett took it as a win.
“Okay, listen. Since coming to, I’ve heard the occasional movement coming from the other side of the door.”
“Like feet padding across the dirt.”
“Exactly.” Garrett nodded. “That means at least one of the HTs, er…hostage takers…are still here. Now, I have a way to get them in the room so we can overpower him. But the only way this happens is if we work together as a team. Can you guys do that?”
“Whatever you need, bruh.” Danny stumbled to his feet.