Jason (Kings of Guardian #4) (20 page)

“We’ve got a problem. You, me, Jacob and Jewell need to talk.”

Jason glanced at Jared at the hushed words. The look he received was one he’d know anywhere. He lifted from the table and excused himself after he’d grabbed the keys to Justin’s office.

Jason waited for Jewell to close the office door before he leaned against his brother’s desk, crossed his arms over his chest and leveled his stare at Jared. “Alright, we’re here. What happened?”

“The switchboard intercepted a message for you, or rather the ‘you’ that we allow to be seen on the web page for the business. It seems Reece’s father has staked a claim on his son.”

Jacob’s strong grip on his shoulder and Jared inserting himself between the door and Jason were the only things that kept him in the office long enough for Jared to continue. “He wants five million in cash to give up parental rights. He alleged he has photographic evidence Faith is an unfit mother. He’s giving you 72 hours to come up with the cash.”

“He’s calling back?” Jason ground out the question.

“Yep. Stupid fucker thinks you are the CEO of our cover company. He warned you not to go to the cops or he’d release the photos.” Jared returned his smirk. Jason glanced at Jewell and Jacob before he took a deep breath and brushed off Jacob’s restraining hand. “Alright. That bastard is done. Jewell, I want you to call in your best people. I want every piece of dirt on that bastard that they can uncover. If he posts any pictures…”

“Not on my watch. Trust me, if he posts them I’ll pull them. How much time do I have to find shit on this asshole?” She cast her comments to him almost as an afterthought as her fingers flew over the keyboard of her phone.

“For the initial intel, twelve hours. We can build from that point, but I need a solid foundation to base our actions. The bastard is a cancer. He’ll leave a trail. Find it. Follow it and get me what I need.”

Jewell nodded but didn’t look away from her phone. He’d lost her, but even when she was deep inside her own head, she was one of the best assets he had.

“Jacob, I’ll need…” Jason lifted his eyes and searched the ceiling while he thought through his plan, “…three teams.”

“This is domestic, Jace.”

He expected Jared’s comment. “I know, but I’ve done my due diligence on Hit. His compound is easy to defend, and even if we were able to recall fifteen of your guys they wouldn’t be trained to do what I need. Your guys will be there to ensure the evidence and crime scene is processed, but for the initial takedown, we need Jacob’s expertise. It isn’t a slight against you or your people.”

Jared’s eyes locked onto his as if weighing his sincerity. He must have found what he wanted, because he nodded before he shifted and cast a glance at Jacob.

Jason turned toward his youngest brother too. “Three teams. Work the logistics, firearms, comms, any equipment you think we’ll need. Have Jewell get you the location of the clubhouse or any other location she thinks he may be hiding. Ping her team for any information they can provide for plotting the breach.” Jacob nodded his acknowledgement and palmed his phone.

Jared put his hand on Jacob’s arm, stilling the man’s actions. “Jace, there is one person who has firsthand knowledge of the compound.”

Jason turned back to Jared. “Faith will know nothing about this, Jared. Reece is her world. That bastard is threatening our little boy, and I won’t put her through this scum’s play at using me to get rich quick.”

Jacob cleared his throat before he spoke. “I wouldn’t put Tori through it. I agree with Jason, Jared. We go in with the information we can gather. Not like we haven’t gone in blind as bats before. Unfortunately, we are damn good at it.”

Jason agreed. They
were
good at it, and that’s why he was using the spec ops teams. Guardian might have separate and highly specialized organizational missions, but under his watch, he’d use whatever assets he had to ensure his people’s safety. He looked at Jared and continued, “The last time I did a check on that bastard he was in Detroit. Work with Jewell and locate him, then work your network, do your magic and get me jurisdiction. I’ll work with the local LEOs, but I’ll be damned if I’ll answer to them.”

“Depending on the information Jewell can get, we’ll try to go for a federal warrant. We can easily usurp the local and state agencies that way.”

Fuck, he didn’t want to put Faith through this.
Maybe he should just pay him. No, that won’t solve a damn thing. Lowlife scum like him would never go away, they’d just fester and want more.
He’d seen it too many times to count. Jason closed his eyes and nodded. He held a tight rein on the red-hot hatred that boiled so fucking close to the surface of his skin it itched. Hit. So that bastard wanted to dance with the devil, did he? Well Jason would sure as hell provide the band, play the music, and spin that motherfucker across the parquet floor for his last fucking dance. But first he needed to get Faith home and then get back to Guardian. It was going to be a long fucking night.

***

Jason hit the mic on his radio and eyed the derelict Detroit building his snipers occupied. “Eagle One, status?”

The radio crackled. “In place. No bogies on rooftop. Three… no, four men outside, no visible weapons. Thirty-four motorcycles, four MPVs.”

Damn it. Thirty-four motorcycles and four multi-person vehicles. Figuring four people per vehicle there were fifty people in the compound. Jason looked across the graveled driveway at the locals’ command post and rolled his shoulders. “Roger that, Eagle One, Arch Angel copies all.”

“Sir, we’re ready.” Jason glanced at Lima Team leader and nodded. “Five minutes.” Jason headed in the direction where Jared lounged against the Detroit PD cruiser. “You got this handled?”

“Yep. They’ll clean up. They get the credit, we do the dirty work. Same day, different op.” Jared uncoiled and followed Jason as he passed. Jacob waited at the rally point with Lima Team. Tango Team deployed around the perimeter of the compound at the same time as the snipers took their position. Anyone who thought they’d escape the evening’s entertainment would be stopped. Hard.

Jason checked his gear one last time. “Alright. Tango Team will fall in behind us once we’ve cleared the exterior. His watch vibrated on his wrist. Time to go. He pulled his .45 and nodded to his brothers.

Eight men ghosted against the side of the building, their approach soundless except for the soft thud of weighted leather soles hitting cement and asphalt. Jason lifted his arm and closed his fist, stopping the team’s forward movement. He visually cleared the approach. A hushed whisper drifted through his earpiece. “Entrance clear. Two men right, two left. Left obscured by south side of the building.”

Jason clicked his mic once, acknowledging the sniper’s intelligence. He lowered his hand, knowing his team had heard the same information. They crossed the street in a crouch with weapons drawn. Lima Team disposed of the lock on the gate and clipped the chain-link fence next to the post. The fence rattled against the bolt cutters, freezing every member of the team. Jason eyed the man who’d made the noise. Thirty seconds later they entered the compound. Jacob, Jared and two team members went left behind the building. Jason and the three remaining members headed right.

The ‘guards’ lounged against an old truck. From the stench in the air they’d decided not to miss the party even though they had guard duty. The distinct smell of marijuana tickled Jason’s senses. Fucking idiots.

Jason lifted to his full height and walked up behind the men. He tapped the largest on the shoulder. The man startled and turned. Jason’s closed fist met the man’s chin seconds before he grabbed the other man’s neck and slammed his head into the hood of the truck. The second guard’s body did an impressive imitation of a Slinky as he slithered to the ground unconscious.

He motioned his team forward, knowing Jacob’s team would meet them at the entrance they’d chosen. Casting an eye toward the gate he saw Tango Team slip through the open fence line and head toward the back of the facility. So far, so good.

Entering the building and clearing the first floor netted them six hardcore MC members. They went down by the numbers. Hogtied with heavy-duty zip ties and locked in a room with a heavy door, they no longer posed a threat.

Jason split the thirteen Guardian members surrounding him into two teams. They ascended the stairs and timed their entrance to the second. Jason cleared the door and dropped into a defensive stance. He froze. His team froze. Jacob’s team didn’t move.

“What in the fuck?” Jared whispered next to him.

“Literally.” Jason straightened. At least twenty naked bodies writhed against each other in an entangled mass of arms, legs, and every other conceivable body part. The smell of sex hung heavy in the air. “It’s a fucking orgy.”

“Repeat that, Arch Angel?”

Based on the tangle of humanity, none of the people currently sucking, fucking and being fucked were an escape risk. It would take too long to clear them out. They’d keep an eye on their six but they needed to find the fucker who’d threatened his family. Jason cleared his throat whispered his response. “Eagle One, relay to Guardian assets and DPD, six males on first floor are secured and waiting. We need recovery assets on the second floor. Moving to the third floor.”

“Roger. Did you really say orgy, sir?”

Jacob’s voice cut across the radio. “Eagle One, protocols.”

“Affirmative, Alpha One.” The sniper’s voice lacked any of the previous humor.

Jason motioned to the stairwell and both teams backed out of the room completely unnoticed. The doors on either end of the hall opened at the same time. The third floor, unlike the second floor, was partitioned into smaller rooms. Jason motioned for Jacob to start the search on his side of the floor. They cleared the floor together, working toward the middle.

Jason’s heart pounded out a staccato rhythm. They had three rooms left. He cracked a door open and shut immediately. He snapped his fingers, bringing every eye toward him. He motioned toward the door and indicated the five men he saw. With American Sign Language he signed:
Five. All armed. No good visual
.

Jacob nodded. Jason waited until the entire team had readied outside the door. He repositioned and allowed one of Lima Team to take the handle of the door. He was going to be the first one through the door, and no man on the face of the earth would stop him. Lifting his hand he counted it down. Five. Four. Three. Two…

Jason went in heavy, as did the rest of his team. He had a .45 in his hand and an Interceptor 911 strapped to his leg. His teams bore more firepower than most small armies. When the son of a bitch who’d dared to threaten his family saw him and his men, he turned a sick shade of green. It was almost comical.

“It seems you have a problem, Mr. Clement.” Jason wasn’t sure how he did it, but his tone remained conversational. In reality, the only conversation he wanted with the motherfucker was with his fists.

“Who the fuck are you?” The thug’s confused bravado came off weak, at best.

“I’m the man you are trying to blackmail. Got to say, you have balls. Not many people would take on the CEO of Guardian Security.” Jason watched as his words worked through the alcohol or drugs that tainted the man’s reasoning.

“Fuck me,” the man whispered.

His Lima Team leader laughed out loud. “Boss, I can find someone to bust his cherry ass for him. Lots of men in prison.” A rumble of laughter came from behind him. Jason lifted his hand and clenched his fist, resulting in immediate silence.

“You demanded money to relinquish your parental rights. I assure you, I don’t need your assistance to ensure you never see my son, but I thank you for the offer.”

“Faith is a drugged-out slut and a cum dump, and I got the photographic evidence to prove it. The kid… he’s mine. My lawyers have the photos and will file the paperwork to ensure I get full custody. With her past, I can take him.”

“You could try, but from prison, I’m not liking your chances.” Jason caught a slight movement from his right. A tall, lanky man with a scraggly beard shifted. Jason flicked a finger in the man’s direction and two red dots centered on his chest.

“You move again and I’ll take it as a threat.” Jason refocused his attention on Clement. His people would handle the periphery.

“I’m not going to jail.”

“You will or you’ll go to hell. I wouldn’t force my hand in this, because I think I’d prefer you dead.”

The gun had to have been hidden in the seat next to the bastard, because he had it out and fired a split second before his team and the men surrounding Horace ‘Hit’ Clement reacted. The impact of the bullet from the biker’s gun spun Jason.