He turned and marched his way out of the kitchen. Careful not to cut his feet on the wood and other pieces of his house that were still scattered across his living room floor, he maneuvered his way around the mess before taking the stairs two-at-a-time.
He’d take that shower, and then he’d dress for the occasion. If Michael Ainsworth wanted a war, he’d damn well get one. Because Brodywouldfind Ro, and hewouldtake the bastard down.
Even if he had to burn the entire fucking world down in the process.
16
Two hours.It had been two full hours since Ainsworth’s call. Since then…nothing.
And with each minute that passed, Ro was running out of time.
“Tell me you’ve got something.” Brody looked up when Liam walked into the room.
“I’ve got something.” The other man sat his laptop down onto the table. “I think. It’s not one hundred percent, but it’s the best shot we’ve got. I won’t waste time going into detail, but basically I was able to use the images Ainsworth sent to search potential locations in the city. Using the lighting, angles, and shadows, as well as estimated dimensions of the room, my program calculated all possible local structures.”
“And?”
The man’s almost golden gaze seemed hesitant but then, “I think I know where she is.” He spun the laptop around for Brody to see. “It’s an old, abandoned building down by West Garfield Park. Stick-built, one-and-a-half stories. And it’s sat boarded up and empty for the past two years.”
“What the hell are we waiting for?” The first sliver of hope he’d felt since regaining consciousness had Brody shooting to his feet.
“He’s right.” Christian set the cup of coffee he’d been sipping on down onto the table. “Let’s load up. Liam can fill us in on the building’s floorplan on the drive. We’ll make a plan accordingly.”
“Call Hansen,” Brody told his friend. “Tell him to have his team and an ambulance meet us there. Ro’s injured.” Something he couldn’t allow himself to think about. “She’s gonna need medical.”
“On it.”
Armed to the teeth, the six-man team stormed out of Brody’s house. He didn’t think about the fact that his front door was non-existent, or that any idiot who drove past could see it and decide to traipse right in and help themselves.
Let them.
Brody didn’t care about his things. Everything he owned could disappear tomorrow, and it would make no difference to him.
The only thing he wanted in this life…the only thing he really needed…was the woman he was hell-bent on saving. Things between them may have changed on a dime, but that didn’t make the love he felt for Ro any less real.
And if he lost her…if they didn’t make it in time to save her…Brody knew he would never be the same.
Breaking land-speed records to get there, Christian drove them into one of the more dangerous areas of Chicago. The location made sense for Ainsworth’s plan.
Dark. Desolate. Everybody too busy worry about themselves to care about an old building that’s sat unoccupied for years.
“How sure are you that this is the right location?” Brody asked Liam, who was studying his tablet from the back seat.
“Sixty, maybe seventy percent.”
He shot the man a set of arched brows from over his shoulder. “That’sit?”
“I told you, it’s not a hundred percent. But as far as statistical calculations and data-based theories, that’s about the highest odds you’re gonna get with something like this.”
“Jesus.” Brody spun back around and ran a weary hand over his face.
Ro’s life was hanging in the balance, and they were banking on sixty percent?
“That’s it right up there!” Liam pointed through the windshield at a shadowed building a block from where they were.
The entire area was building after building. Each structure more rundown than the last. Weeds had long-ago become overgrown, and the roads and sidewalks left much to be desired.
Brody didn’t care about the neighborhood’s aesthetics. He only cared about getting to Ro.