Chapter Seven
Idris
Igo to the warehouse Spider found. If that’s the last place the car was seen, it’s more than likely they will be there. Just as I pull up into the overgrown lot outside, surrounded by trees and a broken chain-link fence, my phone rings.
I glance at the number and sigh, knowing I have to answer it if I want to survive another thirty seconds in his city. I press the green button and leave him on speaker as I move my seat back and begin to check my weapons, knowing I could find anything in there. “Well, hello to you too,” he greets after a moment of silence.
“What?” I snap, and he laughs, used to my attitude and unfazed by it.
“A little spider told me you were in town.” He pauses, but I don’t speak. “Do I need to be worried?”
“No.”
“Good, remember what it took to get you out,” he murmurs. “Whatever you’re up to, you have our support, but keep the bloodshed and mayhem to a minimum. If you draw attention, we might not be able to keep your status as a ghost.” He hangs up, knowing better than to wait for a response. Grunting, I push my phone into my pocket and slide out.
He’s right. I need to do this silently. Get her, kill them, and then disappear again. I’m a ghost for a reason, and seeing my handiwork on TV will only bring my enemies back down on me. I worked too fucking hard to get out. I can still do this and secure my freedom.
I can.
The warehouse towers above me as I pull out my gun, flipping off the safety and checking there’s one in the chamber before I quickly and quietly move closer. Poking my head around the side of the brick building, I spot the car Spider mentioned. It’s off, and when I reach it, I press my hand to the hood. It’s cold, so they’ve been here a while.
There’s a peeling blue metal door before it. I try the handle and find it unlocked. Swinging it open slowly, I step into the darkened warehouse and make sure the door doesn’t slam shut and alert anyone. The floor is made of uneven, dirty concrete, and there are cages hanging from the ceiling. I duck behind one, scanning the area. There’s an old CCTV camera in the corner, but it isn’t on. On the back wall is a stage with cameras pointed at it and flood lights, but they are also off, and I don’t see anyone.
So where are they?
I hear a quiet shuffle behind me and spin too late. I’m rusty. The gun clicks as he flicks off the safety and presses it to my forehead. A moment later, I feel another pressed to the back of my head. “Hello, Boogeyman. We’ve been waiting for you.” He grins.
I lift my hand and drop my gun, letting them assume I’m giving in. He starts to relax, so I quickly snap my hands out, smashing my right fist into his wrist while my left slams into the gun, freeing it from his grip. I quickly shoot him in the knee, turning to avoid the second gun and firing blindly into the chest of the man behind me. He goes down and I whirl back. The first man is on the floor, screaming and clutching his bleeding knee. Lifting my foot, I press it against his wound and wait until his screams of agony die down.
“Waiting for me? Why?” I growl out.
When he doesn’t answer, I dig my boot in deeper. His face pales, so I lean down and slap him. “No passing out. Why were you waiting for me?” Fuck, I wish I had my tools, but I don’t have time to torture this fucker. It’s clear this was a setup.
But by whom? And why? How did they know I would be coming for her?
“It’s a trap,” he grits out through clenched, bloodied teeth. “Fucking moron.”
I smash my boot into his leg and snap it. He howls then passes out, and I shoot him and turn away, bending to pick up my gun when I hear an engine. I check my gun, and I’m just stepping forward when I feel a light breath across my neck. Before I can turn, something sinks into the side of my neck. A sharp poke. Turning with a snarl, I yank the needle free and shoot the man but stumble.
My body is becoming sluggish, and my eyes and hearing are starting to turn fuzzy. Fuck. I look at the needle. What did they put in it? I fall forward, catching myself on a cage which rings out loudly, giving away my position. Blind and deaf, I try to make my way towards the door. I need to get out of here and find somewhere safe to lie low while the drug pumps through my system. My heart is already racing from the fight, so I try to slow it, concentrating on my breathing as I stagger across the uneven concrete floor.
I spot the door before me, the hazy blue my destination. I fall into it, smacking my hand into the handle over and over again uselessly as darkness closes in on me. Fuck no. I snarl and try again, managing to hook my numb hand in the handle just before the darkness eclipses my vision.
I pass out.