Chapter 25
The clock on the wall ticked away, each second dragging slower than the last. I could feel the lonely, stressful hours stretching out in front of me. I turned on the TV, flipping through channels without paying attention. The noise filled the void but did little to ease the tension coiled in my chest.
The idea hit me like a spark. I walked to the desk in the corner of the room, yanking open the drawers. Inside was my old laptop, dusty but functional. I flipped it open, waiting as it booted up. The screen flickered to life, casting an eerie glow over
the room.
I pulled up the search engine – not knowing what I would find but determined to find something and I started typing. If I couldn’t help physically, I would help in a safer way, by putting my old college researching skills to use. Know your enemy. right?
1 searched for the Reapers. I scrolled through articles, police reports, any mention of their operations. I learned a lot of their names, their locations, the death and destruction they caused. It was informative, slightly horrifying, though not very helpful.
As the hours dragged on, I delved deeper. I put away my Journalism Major brain and pulled out the dusty skills from my double major in Comp Sci, cracking into their computer network.
I was in their system now, navigating through files with a precision that surprised even me. This was much better. Each discovery was a piece of a puzzle, and I was determined to see the full picture.
My eyes were burning from staring at the screen, but I finally found something. The Reapers had a shipment coming in tonight – an unmarked container at the docks. According to the manifest, it was listed as “agricultural equipment,” but the encryption on the file screamed otherwise.
My gut tightened. This was it – this was the break we needed. I could feel it in my bones.
I snapped the laptop shut and leaned back in the chair, my mind racing. If the Warriors could intercept this shipment, they could cripple the Reapers‘ supply chain and send a clear message. This could even be the edge they needed to end this war before it escalated further.
The alarm clock next to my bed read 12:13 AM. I grabbed my phone, taking a deep breath as I pulled up Talon’s number. I didn’t text. I called.
It rang once before he answered, his voice low and rough. “Laura? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I said quickly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I found something. About the Reapers.”
There was a pause, heavy with unspoken questions. “What are you talking about?”
I took a deep breath. “I… did some research. They have a shipment coming in tonight. Clandestine cargo. Whatever it is, it’s important. You guys need to go check it out.”
“Laura, where are you getting this?” His tone was sharp, a mix of surprise and concern.
“Does it matter? I’m telling you, Talon, this could give you the upper hand. You can’t ignore this.”
Another pause, longer this time. “I’ll be home soon. We can talk about it then.”
“Talon, the shipment is coming in at 12:40. Someone needs to-”
“No, angel. Stay put. You hear me? Stay. Put.”
The line went dead. I stared at the phone in my hand, a mixture of frustration and fear swirling in my head. If Talon wasn’t going to listen to me, I couldn’t see a choice. I’d have to take matters into my own hands.
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Chapter 25
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The decision was made before I even realized it. I stood, my hands steady as I turned off the lights and grabbed my keys. I made a stop at Jake’s gun safe, shoving a 9mm into the waistband of my jeans and filling my pockets with extra rounds. I pulled out my phone once more and sent a text to Talon.
*I’m sorry, I have to do this.*
I hit send and put my phone on silent, stuffing it back into my pocket,
The air was cool and sharp as I stepped outside. I climbed into my car and tires crunched over gravel as I backed out of the driveway.
The docks were twenty minutes away. I drove with the windows down, the wind whipping through my hair as I tried to calm the storm in my chest. I wasn’t sure what I was about to walk into, but I knew one thing – I couldn’t sit at home and let this opportunity slip through the cracks.
The docks loomed ahead, cranes reaching toward the moon like giant metal fingers. The air smelled like diesel fuel and secrets. I parked my car up the road, in the shadows, far enough from the flickering streetlights that no one would notice it. My heart pounded in my chest, a steady drumbeat that echoed in my ears as I stepped out into the cold night air.
The unmarked container was supposed to be in Warehouse 14. I found it easily enough, and its door was slightly ajar. I hesitated, my breath catching in my throat.
I pulled out my phone one more time to send Talon another message. My face fell as I read the screen. Twelve missed calls from Talon and five from Jake. I was in deep shit, but there was no turning back now.
*Warehouse 14*
I sent the message and slipped through the doorway, my boots crunching quietly across the gravel floor. Stacks of crates and pallets loomed around me, casting shadows across the dimly lit room. In the center stood an enormous shipping container, the door chained and padlocked. That had to be it.
Just then, faint voices echoed from somewhere, low and distinct. My blood ran cold.
I ducked behind a nearby stack of crates, my back pressed against the metal wall. My phone slipped from my fingers, landing on the ground with a soft thud. I held my breath, my pulse roaring in my ears.
Footsteps echoed through the stillness, coming closer. I could see movement now – dark figures emerging from the shadows. My hand trembling, I reached down for my phone, my fingers brushing against it just as a boot stepped into view.
I froze.
And then, everything went black.
Talon
*I’m sorry. I have to do this.*
I stared at my phone, Laura’s words glaring at me from the screen. My gut twisted into a knot, a mix of fear and fury igniting in my chest. What the fuck was she doing?
I tried calling her three times. No answer.
I downed my whiskey in one gulp, the burn slicing down my throat like a knife. I needed to find Jake. His stubborn fucking sister was about to get herself killed.
I scanned the room, my eyes cutting through the crowd. I spotted him at the pool table, lining up a shot. He glanced up as I approached, smirking before his face hardened at the look on mine.
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“What’s wrong?” he said, straightening up.
I handed him my phone, the screen still lit with Laura’s message. His brows furrowed as he read, then he cursed under his
breath. “Where is she?”
As if in response, my phone lit up with another message from her.
*Warehouse 14*
I gritted my teeth. “The docks. She’s going after the Reapers.”
Jake pushed off from the table, his jaw set. “What the ACTUAL FUCK?!”
“She thinks she’s helping,” I growled, shoving my phone back into my pocket. “Dug into them online. She tried to tell me, but I brushed her off, told her we’d talk when I got home. I didn’t think she’d actually…”
“Brothers!” Jake boomed over the noise. “New plan. We’re moving on the docks, now. Locked and loaded. My sister is there, she’s in trouble.”
Twenty brothers filed out into the night, gravel crunching under our boots. I climbed onto my bike, the engine roaring to life beneath me. I whipped out of the lot, Jake and the guys following behind. The docks weren’t far, but every mile felt like an eternity. My mind raced with worst–case scenarios, each one fueling the fire in my gut.
I was quickly learning that Laura wasn’t the kind of woman you could cage. The damage Craig had done to her was just a bad memory now, becoming more distant by the day. She had this fire in her, this damn stubborn fire that would end up either saving us all or burning us to the ground.
