The Missing Pattern

Into the Abyss Part 16

His grin came slow, a flicker of something warm beneath his serious gaze. "You have my full attention, Kitty Kat. You always have." He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "The case has my focus, too, so don't worry. I'm more focused now than ever."

I arched a brow. "Calvin, I'm serious."

He just chuckled, that smirk widening as he placed a soft kiss on the side of my head. "I know you are. And I'm here. Every step and I am serious too."

We stopped by his place for him to change quickly, then grabbed coffee and danishes on the way to the office. I took my meds, and as the fog in my head lifted, I felt the sharpness of the hunt returning. My mind was focused. Ready.

When we arrived, Reese greeted me with a quiet assessment, her eyes scanning me carefully.

"Kitty, you look so much better," she said, his eyes flicking to Calvin, who was right behind me. "Good job, Calvin. She looks like she finally got some rest. You're on her sleep detail from now on."

Calvin flashed a smirk, playful but edged with resolve. "Don't worry, Reese. I'll make sure Harper gets the rest she needs. She'll be at full strength when we bring these bastards to their knees."

I rolled my eyes, but deep down, I appreciated it. I couldn't do this alone, and Calvin knew that.

Reese continued, her voice turning grim. "The good news is Lopez got some intel on Cortez. You two are just in time. We're about to hit him and the warehouse."

Reese's face darkened. "The bad news is—since the last time we talked—several more missing persons' reports came in. Ten new girls. Cortez isn't wasting any time."

I clenched my fists, fury building inside me, my blood turning to ice. "Goddamn it," I growled, the words dripping with venom. "That son of a bitch Cortez really has a death wish."

A cold rage surged through me, and I could feel my control slipping. That bastard thought he could keep doing this. But we were done chasing shadows.

"I don't just want to hit him, Reese," I said, my voice low and razor-sharp, soaked in lethal intent. "We need backup. I want all available agents, SWAT, the works. We're going in hot and heavy. No more fucking around. I'm not taking any chances this time, and I'm sure as hell not taking prisoners."

Reese gave a sharp nod, her expression hardening. "You got it," he said, already dialing, arranging the reinforcements.

I turned to Calvin and Reese, my eyes cold, sharp as steel. "We leave in thirty. Suit up."

We headed to the tactical supply room, where other agents were already gearing up. Calvin immediately noticed my struggle with my left hand, still useless from the gunshot. Without a word, he stepped in, helping me into my bulletproof vest. His touch was firm, his eyes intense, but he didn't say anything.

Reese and Calvin grabbed the bags—ammo, grenades, shotguns, rifles. Everything we needed to burn this place to the ground.

I let out a breath. Ready. We weren't walking into that warehouse just to catch someone. We were going in to take it all—no questions, no mercy. We were coming out with what we needed, and leaving no survivors.

The drive to the warehouse was a blur. My mind was consumed with what lay ahead, thoughts of Cortez and everything he represented. The world outside the car faded away. The city's hum, the blur of passing cars—it was all secondary to what awaited us. All I could think about was Cortez. His name burned in my brain like a brand.

We pulled up to the warehouse just as the late noon sun cast long shadows across the cracked pavement. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet. A place like this wasn't a sanctuary—it was a trap. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as we parked, an unsettling sense of wrongness settling deep in my bones. Something was off. And I wasn't about to ignore it.

"This is it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I wasn't talking to anyone in particular. I was talking to myself. My hand was already on the door handle of the car, ready to step into the storm.

Reese didn't move, her eyes locked on mine. "We need to wait," she said, his voice tight. "Backup's only five minutes out."

Calvin stood behind me, his voice steady, but the tension in it was clear. "Reese is right. You're not going in without us."

I turned to look at him. For a fleeting moment, I let myself see him—really see him. The man who'd been there every step of the way. The man who'd held me when I was breaking. He wasn't asking for anything in return. And in that brief moment, I almost wished I could let him take the lead. But I knew better.

"I'm not alone," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me, "I'm not backing down, Calvin. I have to do this. I'm not going in alone—I have you and Reese."

I took a step forward, but Calvin moved faster, grabbing me and pinning me against the side of the SUV. His grip was tight, almost frantic, his breath shallow and uneven. "Harper, let's wait—take a beat."

I wasn't trying to hear it. "Calvin, let me go. I need to get in there now."

His voice dropped to a whisper, urgent and raw in my ear. "Remember last time, Kitty Kat," he said. "Yang's in a coma. You got shot. Don't make the same mistake again. They're only two minutes out. We wait."

Before I could respond, Reese's voice cut through the tension. "You're not going in without us, and we are not going in until backup arrives," she said, her tone firm, but loud enough to break the silence.

For a long moment, we stood there, my pulse hammering in my ears, the heat of Calvin's grip anchoring me to the moment. His eyes were locked on mine, intense and unwavering. His hold didn't loosen, but there was a flicker of something softer in his gaze.

I clenched my jaw, fighting the fire that burned inside me, the desperation to move, to act. But he was right. I knew he was right. I wasn't going in alone—not this time.

I exhaled slowly, my shoulders slumping slightly. I didn't want to admit it, but I had no choice. Finally, I nodded, barely above a whisper. "Fine. We wait."