Mystery Life

13

"Peter," Dave says coming up to Eve's room. Peter is slumped against her door.

"I didn't let them in, boss." Peter manages to say.

"Don't speak, Peter. We'll get you some help." Dave does his best to check out Peter without causing him even more pain.

"Mostly it's bruising. I put my vest on before I went on shift." Peter manages to say while wincing. "Doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt like a fu-" he bites off his words. "She's safe, boss."

"No, she's not. She snuck out of her room and got captured in the control room." Dave says now angrier than ever. If she had stayed put then she'd be safe still.

"That explains why the defenses kicked in then. Wondered. Sorry boss, I failed. But if the defenses hadn't of been activated we'd all be dead instead of just some of us and the rest wounded. She saved our asses even if she couldn't save her own. She did make it so it wasn't all one sided though. Some of those downed men aren't dead, I think. You might be able to find out some information from them."

Dave is pleased and helps Peter up and to the doctor. He goes out and finds several Italians that are out but not dead. Happily he takes them one by one to the dungeon as Eve calls it. He tosses them none to gently onto the floor. He makes sure that they are divested of their weapons and makes them as uncomfortable as he can.

"Dave, are you going to waste your time interrogating the prisoners?" Zander demands after he finishes taking the last one down.

"What do you mean? Do you have a better idea on how to find Eve?" Dave demands more than a little aggressively.

"Yeah, actually I do. Remember, we put trackers in both you and Eve last week?" Zander smirks a bit at the confounded look on Dave's face.

"I'd forgotten." Dave had forgotten, but hadn't told Eve about them at all. He'd hoped that it would never be necessary for her to find out. Now he rubs the back of his neck as he imagines having to confront Eve when she demands answers.

"So far they are still traveling." Leo says as they go into his study.

"Wait until the signal stops and then come for us." Dave says getting up.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Zander demands standing in Dave's way.

"Just what I said. I'm going after her. Send the signal to my phone."

"Who are you taking with you?" Leo demands no less angry than Zander about Dave's singularly stupid idea.

"I don't know, Peter?"

Zander snorts in derision, "Peter can't even stand upright on his own."

"Take Reed and Zackary one to drive and one to be your backup." Leo says in a tone of voice that says that he's not going to back down.

Dave is not used to his people doing that but he controls his anger and manages to say, "Fine. Send them out to the car. If they aren't there in five minutes I'm leaving without them."

Zander nods and gets on the com and gives out the orders.

Even as he leaves the room he hears Leo calling in the others not on clean up to get to the study. He just hopes that there are no traitors left behind or he and Eve won't be rescued.

In less than five minutes the other two men come running out to the car. Reed slides into the drivers seat and Zackary slides in next to Dave. He takes his gun out and checks his bullets before putting the cartridge back into the gun.

"You have full rounds?" Dave asks in a hard voice. His anger is barely restrained and both men are quick to answer him.

"Of course, boss. I also keep an extra in the gun itself ready to fire once the safety is off." Reed says and Dave nods, that's something he prefers his men doing. It could be the difference between surviving and not in their world.

Dave has no doubt that he'll be taken and his weapons taken from him so he doesn't bother checking them. He doesn't care what happens to him as long as Eve gets out safely. If they've hurt her, he'll destroy the Italians, even if he has to do it from the grave. The idea makes a nasty smile slide onto his face and his eyes go cold.

"Get her out of there, that's what matters the most." Dave orders the men, one of which he's positive is a rat and the other he's not sure about.

"Yes, boss." The men reply sincerely. He just hopes that his men truly are loyal to Eve. He's betting her life on it. The idea makes him sick.

Like she had told him before, it was her father's men that betrayed her family. How can she trust them or his men?

He knows that at least one of them is a traitor, how can he trust them to get her out of there without further injury.

"It's funny that they knew we wouldn't be there and had their own stronghold nearly empty. That damn traitor knew and told them." His words don't get a reaction out of either man.

Dave plays the video on his phone. His camera's don't have audio, something he's going to change when this is over if he survives. Perhaps if he had audio he'd have another clue to help him with why they want her so desperately.

He looks at the app that allows him to follow the signal and gives directions to Reed. "They've stopped, looks like we'll be there in ten to fifteen minutes if the traffic continues to work with us."

Neither man reacts to his words, but the both men have been with him for years. It infuriates him that he's had someone that has been betraying him for that long and he didn't know.

He's going to make sure that he sets more stringent controls on those that join up with him and for their reviews.

He'll have to implement spot checks.

Dave uses the time to think of what other methods he can come up with to keep his men clean and honest with him.

Then he starts thinking of all the ways he's going to punish those that betray him.

That brings a very pleased smile to his face. Both men see it and it makes them both sick, but for differing reasons.

"We're two blocks away, boss." Reed tells Dave.

"Find a good parking spot and stay with the car. Zackary will be coming with me."

"You can't go in with just the two of you, that's suicide," Reed exclaims.

Dave breathes a bit easier, he no longer worries about Reed. "Don't worry, Reed, we'll just be doing a reconnaissance. Then we'll be waiting for the others and making plans. Make sure the car is protected. We'll likely be needing it when we have Eve."

"Yes, boss. Be careful, boss, this could be another trap."

Dave smirks, "It's very possible. That makes it all the more important for the car to be here when we have Eve."

"It will be." Reed assures his boss and takes in his boss's unsaid words as well. He keeps from clenching his teeth with difficulty. Dave knows what he's doing and if he's going in with a traitor he has a reason for it.