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The next morning I wake up before Bella and slip out of bed. I want to check in with the guys to see if we are ready to make plans about getting the girls out of the warehouse.
As I head towards the surveillance room, I see Fire talking to someone at the front door in hushed tones. I silently walk in that direction, extremely curious as to who she is secretly conversing with.
“You know better than to come here Jade! Especially with him here right now!” She says to what appears to be another woman at the door.
“I know Megan but my phone stopped working and I need you to be able to pick Amber up from school today. They are letting me pick up extra shifts and I really need it right now.”
“No actually you don’t need those shifts. I have offered to help you out but you act like money from your own sister isn’t good enough for you.”
“That’s not fair Megan! We are not your responsibility. Amber is not your responsibility, she’s mine.”
“She’s not just yours though, is she?” Fire answers back causing her sisters eyes to slit in anger.
“You promised not to tell him!” Jade says just before she finally notices me coming up behind Fire. Fire spins around pinning me with a look meant to freeze me in my spot.
“What the hell Blade! Sneaking up and eaves dropping on private family conversations now?”
“Didn’t mean to over hear Megan.” I say back with a grin.
Fire turns back to her sister and says, “I don’t know what you expect me to do with her. I have to be here right now.”
“I can ask Bella to watch her. How old is she?” I ask while Fire shoots daggers at me with her eyes and her sister looks hopeful.
“Amber is three. She’s a pretty quiet kid so she shouldn’t be any trouble.” Jade finally answers.
“She’ll be fine with Bella. My girl used to babysit everyone’s kids back home.”
“You sure she’ll be willing to do it?” Fire asks.
“Absolutely, something about kids makes her already sweet heart melt even more. Besides it’ll keep her busy while we conduct other business.” I answer back.
“Thank you so much!” Jade says as she pushes her sister out of the way to give me a hug. “I gotta get to work now.” She says as she walks away.
“Sweet girl.” I say as Fire shuts the door.
“Yeah too sweet sometimes.” She says back. “Look, don’t tell any of the guys but especially Reaper that she was here please. He doesn’t need to know and most definitely don’t tell anyone who Amber really is while she’s here.”
“Any particular reason I should keep all these secrets to my self?” I ask looking straight at her trying to figure out the whys.
“It’s family stuff that needs to be worked out within the family.”
“I’ll let that explanation work for now. But at some point I want the real reasons.” I say as I walk away.
I walk into the surveillance room where all the guys are standing around a table looking over maps of Belle Chasse.
“We need to be sure and position guys at every point of entry into that warehouse. We don’t want any of them slipping out and getting away to do this shit again.” Agent Fox Richards says out loud.
“How do we know that the guys there is all that is involved? There has to be a bigger player they are getting these girls for.” Buzz says from his seat in front of his computers.
“He has a point. There’s no way they are just collecting these girls. They have to have a bigger purpose for them than to just have in a warehouse to use as they please.” I say as I walk over.
“We realize that and that is why we are hoping to find records inside that warehouse after we get the girls to safety.” Reaper responds back.
“So basically we will be up shit creek without a paddle if there are no records to be found?” Fire asks with disgust in her voice.
“We have no other way Fire. You seen how hard it was to even locate the girls. If Slim hadn’t messed up by taking his favorite whore with him one night, we’d never been given the tip about the warehouse. And I am sure that if they knew she had been with him one of those nights, they’d have offed her as well.” Spark replies before his brother has a chance.
“So how long before you think we can go in to save the girls?” Asks Officer Wilson.
“At least a few more days. I want to be sure we have a very set and clear plan here with very few mistakes made.” Agent Fox says.
“Afterward, Buzz will clear up all the surveillance tapes so that they don’t show who exactly took these guys down. It’ll look like a group of vigilantes went in. No one will ever be able to connect this to the clubs.” Skeeter says as Buzz nods his head.
“That will wrap everything up nice and tight for the Bureau. Giving us just enough evidence for the scum in the warehouse to serve a life sentence at least.” Agent Fox says.
“Alright, I’m ready for breakfast!” Buzz says as he jumps up and heads out of the room leaving everyone else behind shaking their heads at his quick 180 from the current situation.
****
