Evanesce (The Darkness #2) (22 page)

Gabe clenched his teeth at Nora’s admission. The thought of Marcus’s hands on her infuriated him, but he took a deep breath and let it go. That didn’t matter now, what mattered was bringing Caleb home. But if he found out Marcus was involved in any of this…the gloves were coming off.

Agent Williams closed the notepad and smiled at Nora. “I think this is all we need for now, thank you again, ma’am. We’ll be in touch,” he shook Gabe’s hand and the two agents turned to leave. “Brady, walk out with us?” Agent Brown tilted his head towards the door.

Gabe planted a kiss on Nora’s forehead and rose to follow. There was no way he was being left out in the dark about what their next steps were. Gwyn took the cue and took Gabe’s place at Nora’s side.

Out in the hall, the men talked in hushed tones, not wanting the women to overhear. “You recognize the name don’t you?” Gabe asked, cutting right to the chase.

Brady nodded, letting the agents know it was okay to trust Gabe with the info. “Yes, we know of Marcus Tanner. He runs in some pretty bad circles. He could be the one we’re looking for.” Agent Williams dropped that bomb and then grabbed Gabe’s arm when his neck turned red with rage and he headed for the stairs.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, there son. We don’t know anything yet. We cannot make any type of a move until we are 100% on this. To go in now, blind—and be wrong…well that could cost your son his life. I’m not willing to risk that, are you?” Gabe’s breathing was heavy and all he could see what a black haze of rage. But he knew the agents were right. They needed to be smart. They needed a plan. Caleb and Nora were depending on him.

Theo trotted up the stairs and into the thick of the heated discussion. Sensing the tension, he backed down a few stairs holding up his hands. “Alright you guys got me, I’m the one that strung all your underwear up on a line out there, but please, don’t punish Gabe for my errors,” he hung his head in mock shame.

“Shut up, Theo.” Brady and Gabe said in unison.

Theo laughed and joined the men. “Anyone want to fill me in on what’s happening here?”

“We’ve got a lead,” Agent Williams began. “Brady, can you handle running a background check on Tanner, Drake whatever the hell his name is while Agent Brown and I get started getting a warrant?”

“You got it,” Brady answered. “I’ll reach out to some of my New York contacts and see if they can dig anything up that may be useful.”

“Good. Let’s meet down at the station in two hours and see where we’re at.” The two agents shook hands with Gabe, Theo and Brady before descending the stairs.

Gabe waited until he heard the front door slam shut before he turned to Theo and Brady. “No fucking way am I waiting for a goddamn warrant. That’s my boy and I know he’s got him. I can feel it,” Gabe’s tone was fierce with determination.

“Gabe, I have the same feeling, but you know the agents are right. You can’t go barging in there alone. You could get Caleb, or someone else killed.” Brady tried to be the voice of reason.

Gabe looked each one of them in the eye. “I’m not going in alone, now am I?” Theo grinned at him in response. Brady shook his head several times. “No. Absolutely fucking not. We cannot break protocol like this, Marcus could end up walking,” he argued.

“He won’t be fucking walking when I’m through with him,” Gabe promised. “Now are you in or are you out?”

Brady sighed, defeated. “You fuckers are liable to both end up dead if I don’t watch your backs. Fine. I’m in.”

Gabe smile was cold fury. “Good. Suit up boys, it’s time to bring my son home.”

G
abe cut the
engine and turned off the lights on this truck, letting it roll to a quiet stop. Theo and Brady were suited up and ready at his side, each having gone over the plan several times on the drive to Goodrich.

Gabe pulled his gun from its shoulder holster and checked it one more time. He had another tucked into the waistband of his jeans and an ankle piece all locked and loaded. There was no way Marcus Drake was leaving that house alive.

“We ready?” he asked as he started to open the driver’s side door. Theo and Brady didn’t answer, instead opened their doors and all three men climbed out of the truck.

“Theo, don’t forget. Your priority is Caleb. If shit goes bad in there, you get him home safely to Nora. Promise me that,” Gabe looked at him hard.

“You have my word, Gabe. But listen, I don’t do sappy shit so let’s just all of us get in and get out of there alive, got it?” Theo was as serious as Gabe had ever seen him. Gabe nodded and Brady offered a grim smile.

“One more time. We all go in the back and then split up. I’m looking for survivors. Theo you find Caleb. Gabe—you’re going for Marcus. God help him,” he muttered under his breath. “We
all
meet back here and this truck does not leave unless the three of us are in it. You get in trouble, just fucking call 911 and be done with it. They will send back-up,” Brady laid out the plan with the skill of a seasoned officer.

“Agreed. Let’s do this,” Gabe said and the three set off at a job to the back wall of the estate. Theo had managed to learn that there was no security system in place (nobody asked how he figured that out), but the property was monitored by moving cameras and watch dogs. There was nothing for miles and miles but green grass and dirt roads. The estate was practically in Siberia.

They moved as one, a single unit. Reaching the wall, they scaled it with ease and then crouched low, watching for the moving cameras. The back entrance was about 100 yards away, they would have to be fast to miss the camera’s watchful eye and avoid the dogs picking up their scent.

Brady held up his hand and counted down silently
3, 2, 1
and they were off. The dogs immediately spotted them and with a series of vicious barks were hot on their heels. Theo reached the door first and quickly worked to pick the lock. Brady was next and panting, he urged Theo to hurry as the dogs got closer and closer. Gabe nearly barrelled into the two of them, but managed to hit the brakes just in time. Theo finally got the lock snapped and pushed open the door. The three men hurried in and slammed the door behind them just as the snarling jaws reached them. With a collective sigh of relief, they nodded at each other and went their separate ways to complete their missions.

The house was massive, set in old day décor of thick carpets and floor to ceiling paintings. It had the feel of a museum rather than a home. Brady headed for what he thought was the basement, intent on locating and freeing any hostages. Creaking the door open carefully, he scanned the area and once it was clear, descended the concrete steps. Hearing voices, he paused on the last step and waited. Two men. Snapping the safety off, he checked the silencer and crouched down low to approach them from behind. It looked like they were guarding a large steel door. Brady wanted in that room. Moving fast, he crashed the butt of his gun down over the first guy’s head, effectively rendering him unconscious. The second man let out a yell and turned, leading with his fists. Brady dodged and the two engaged in hand-to-hand. Landing a punishing blow to the guard’s ribs—he followed up with an uppercut to the chin and then bashed him on the head with his gun. Two down.

Running to the door, he tried it and it was unlocked. Pushing it open with the tip of his gun, he was horrified by what he found. It was a legit dungeon. Complete with shackles on the walls and buckets in the corners. The stench of rot and urine nearly knocked him over and he stumbled back, gasping. Whomever had been held in here, they were gone now. Brady was afraid to know where.

*     *     *

On the second
floor, Theo was methodically searching all the bedrooms for any sign of Caleb. He’d already incapacitated three guards and had his eye on a fourth as he moved from one room to the next. The fourth was so engrossed in texting, he never saw or heard Theo coming. With a flick of his wrist Theo had him unconscious on the floor. To add insult to injury, he took the man’s phone and stuffed it in his mouth. “Hands free mother fucker, try it next time.”

Straining his ears, he could just make out the faint cries of a baby. It was coming from the last room, the one he hadn’t checked yet. Moving swiftly, Theo pushed it open and was met with yet another immaculately furnished chamber. In the center of the room was a tiny gray haired woman. She had one baby cradled in her arms and another she was rocking in a bassinet. Approaching with caution, he called out to her.

“Ma’am? Are you hurt?” Not trusting her, he snapped off the safety on his gun. He’d never live it down if some granny blew him away.

Greta turned and faced the handsome man with the gun in his hands. He wasn’t one of Marcus’s men, she knew that right away. “Take the babies, please. Get them out of here before it’s too late,” she pleaded. Looking down, Theo noticed one baby was wrapped in a pink blanket, one in blue. Could it be? “Ma’am, please listen to me—this is important. Do you know when this baby got here?” He pointed to the boy. “How long?” he asked again, desperate.

Greta smiled down at the two infants. “About three weeks. I’m told his name is Caleb. And this, this is Hope. Please, I’m begging you—save them.”

Theo’s heart did backflips in his chest. It was Caleb, he had found Gabe and Nora’s child. Now, how in the fuck was he going to get two babies and an old woman out of there?

*     *     *

Gabe let out
a frustrated breath. He’d been searching the first floor for the last twenty minutes and hadn’t come across a soul. He was beginning to think he’d had it all wrong and Marcus wasn’t involved and it had all been a huge waste of time.

Spotting a large set of double doors, he walked towards them, trying the handle. Locked. It looked like some sort of combination was needed on the keypad for entry.

“Fuck,” he breathed, punching the door. There was a mechanical beep and the doors slide open smoothly revealing some sort of a lab. Curious, Gabe stepped inside. Stainless steel tables, glass cabinets and white tiled floors greeted him. The place was so gleaming it almost blinded him.
What the fuck is this place?

“This is my lab, Gabe. Welcome.” Gabe spun around at the voice. He didn’t realize he had spoken his question out loud. There was no sign of anyone…where had that voice come from?

“Who is that?” he called out, his gun hand twitching. A booming laugh rang out.

“Oh, I think you know who it is, you’re in my house after all,” the voice answered.

“Marcus,” Gabe said his name like a curse word.

“Yes, it’s me. Nice to see you again, Gabe. You look well.” Annoyed, Gabe turned in a circle, still not spotting anyone.

“Stop being a fucking pussy and come out and face me, you piece of shit!” he yelled. “I’m not here to play fucking games with you. I want my son back.”

The voice chuckled. “Gabe. Always so remise in your manners. You didn’t even say please.”

“Fuck you. Fuck you and this fucking house of horrors you’ve built here. If you’re so fucking powerful, come on out here and fight me like a man instead of hiding like a coward.” Gabe pushed every button he could think of to get him to reveal his whereabouts.