aHunter4Rescue (aHunter4Hire) (25 page)

Ardal
was the first to speak. “Is Fiona here?”

Niail
shook his head. “The house is empty except for a small furry animal I found in
a closet. There was a struggle in one of the bedrooms.”

Ardal
sucked in his anger and frustration. Fiona needed him to be clear minded if she
were going to survive. He turned to Karen. “What happened?”

She
grimaced and sat up. “The bastard took her. I should have believed her when she
told me that he was abusive, but he’s a doctor, for God’s sake.”

“How
long?”

“Maybe
ten minutes ago.” Karen held her head in her hands. “I tried to stop him, but
he knocked me out. Wait until I get my hands on him. He’ll regret the day he
messed with a Nevins.”

“You
would hurt him?” Niail’s surprised voice broke the silence that had followed Karen’s
words.

“Damn
right.” Karen stood with a grunt. “Give me a knife and I’ll see he never
reproduces again.”

Ardal
smiled. Fiona’s sister had spirit. “We need to find him first.”

“I
probably have an address for him somewhere. If not, the internet will help.”

“Where
is your computer?” Catal stepped forward. “I’m an expert in finding people.”

“Is
that so?” Karen shrugged and started down the stairs. “I have one in the
kitchen.”

While
Karen searched through a drawer in her desk, Catal attacked the laptop. After
getting the spelling of David’s name correct, he started hitting the keys
furiously. Within seconds he had his home address, the hospital that he worked
at, and his office. Karen had no success with her address book. Instead she
moved beside Catal and watched as his fingers spewed out information.

“That’s
amazing.” She leaned closer to the screen. “Isn’t that a secure site?”

Catal
grunted. “Nothing is protected.”

“I
can see that.” Karen’s voice was dry as she moved away. She looked at Ardal.
“What are you going to do?”

“Find
Fiona.”

“I’m
coming with you.”

“Not
possible.” Ardal knew the operation might involve force and he didn’t want to
be responsible for another female. Keeping Fiona safe would be a hard enough
task.

“She’s
my sister.” Karen’s voice rose. “It’s my fault I opened the door to him.”

Ardal
shook his head. “She is my pair bond. I am responsible, not you. I will keep
her safe.”

Karen
frowned. “
Your
what?”

He
should have kept his mouth shut. Now Karen was bound to ask questions he could
not answer. “We are connected. Fiona knows that I will come for her.”

Karen
raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.
“How?”

Catal
interrupted before he was forced to explain. “He has a small rental unit in a
warehouse complex. It’s in the industrial district.”

“Is
that normal?” Ardal turned to look at the computer.

Catal
shook his head. “He has a separate storage near his office. The only reason to
have such a unit would be if he were starting a new enterprise. I see no
evidence of that from his online activities.”

The
world might be different, but the behaviour was the same. The patterns of a
coward did not change. He had been a Hunter for too many years, and on too many
diverse planets not to recognize the signs of a private lair. Deviants always
needed a secret place to hide their activities.

“How
far.”

“Less
than half an hour.”

“Weapons?”

“We
have a stash near here.”

Ardal
nodded. “Good.”

He
motioned to Firbin, who left to start the van. Catal had brought up a map on
the computer. Ardal glanced at it to get his bearings before Catal closed the
laptop, unplugged it, and hitched it under his arm.

“I’m
going with you guys. No one takes my computer without me.” Karen grabbed a set
of keys from her countertop and then followed Catal out the kitchen door.

“Stay.”
Ardal blocked Karen’s exit from the house. “You are hurt.”

“She’s
family.”

“We
do not take women on our missions.” Niail’s voice was firm.

“Never?”
Karen’s voice was doubtful.

Ardal
shook his head. “My men do not need to worry about your safety. You will
endanger the job.”

“I’ve
a right to be there.”

“We
will let you know when Fiona is safe.” Ardal took the computer from Catal and
handed it back to Karen.

“What
if you’re too late?” Karen’s words ended with a sob.

“She
is still alive.” Ardal motioned Niail and Catal to leave. “My men are trained
and experienced with situations like this. You must trust.”

Karen
nodded. “Should I call the police?”

“Wait
until we contact you.” Ardal turned to leave. He knew Karen doubted him, but he
had to get to Fiona. He didn’t have the time to reassure her.

The
men climbed into the van. When the doors were shut, Firbin punched in the
address on the direction system and started driving. He had them at the weapons
depot in a matter of minutes.

Firbin’s
eyes widened when he saw the stash of weapons. “You are well prepared.”

“It’s
how we’ve survived.” Catal started handing assault rifles to Niail, who stashed
them in the back of the van.

“I
am thankful that you have these.” Ardal grabbed a small handgun and pushed it
into the back of his pants. “It will make the operation easier.”

He
could kill David with his bare hands, but he wasn’t taking any chances with
Fiona’s life. He would go in with as much force as possible and worry about the
clean up later.

The
neighborhood of David’s rental unit had few streetlights. Even fewer had lights
still working. In daylight it would have looked rundown and grimy. The inky
black of night did nothing to improve it. They parked a block away.

Ardal
got out of the van and stood still for a few seconds. He sniffed the air. It
was humid and rank with the odor of uncollected garbage. He blocked the night
sounds as he narrowed his focus on the building that housed David’s rental
space.

The
area was deserted.

Ardal
noted the position of the security cameras on the building. They were easy
enough to deal with. David’s unit was number 27. It was located right in the
middle. Their first obstacle would be the locked gates and the security guard.
A lack of traffic in the area meant that driving up to the gate was not an
option.

It
was a standard stealth operation. Ardal assessed his route and prepared for
battle. Catal threw out black face coverings and they chose weapons.

Ardal
pulled his face mask down.

His
men waited for his commands.

Few
directions were needed for such a basic manoeuvre. Catal was new though, and
Ardal motioned for him to stay near. Niail took a position out of camera range
and then shot out the offending units one by one. It took a couple of seconds
before the security guard reacted. He moved out of his booth by the gate. By
that time Firbin had scaled the fence.

The
man was unconscious with one blow.

Firbin
dragged him back into his cubicle and then opened the gates. They ran through
quickly, securing their position before moving on to the sentry house. The
guard was now lying on his side, his hands bound in front of him and his mouth
gagged. Once he was conscious, he would be able to free himself easily.

Time
was limited.

They
moved to number 27.

The
men stood on either side of the door and Ardal shot the handle off. He kicked
the door in and rushed the building. His men followed close behind, taking
spots against the wall. They were in a small reception room.

Boxes
were stacked against the exterior and down the center of the room. They formed
a hallway of sorts, with two doors at the end. There was a desk against the far
end and what looked like a computer on it.

The
room was empty.

Fiona
was not there.

Had
they come to the wrong place?

Ardal
reached out for Fiona with his mind. She was near. He could feel her heartbeat,
but no words reached him. He pushed back his fear and moved into the room. He
paused after each step using all the stealth his training provided. His men
followed close behind.

Silence
was the only thing that greeted them.

Ardal
motioned for Niail to move to the first door. He gripped the handle and when
Ardal nodded he pulled it open. It led to a small storage closet. Niail swept
his weapon around the inside and then shook his head before closing the door.

He
moved to the next door. Ardal took a deep breath and calmed his heart rate. His
men signalled their readiness and then he nodded. The door was flung open and
they entered before they could take another breath.

The
site that met Ardal sent a shiver of dread up his spine. Never in his twenty
years of fighting had he ever been so sickened. Fiona was here, but she was not
moving. She lay tied to a table in the center of the room.

Cases
and tabletops were filled with metal instruments and tools of different shapes.
Chains, ropes, and pulleys hung from the ceiling, dangling in the breeze caused
by an electric fan. There was only one light glaring bright above Fiona. All
else was shrouded in shadows.

The
odor of death permeated everything.

A
man about Ardal’s height stood amidst this macabre scene. He was wearing a
plastic coat that was spattered with blood. Ardal swallowed the bile that rose
in his throat. After he had killed the bastard he would have time enough to be
sick. Fiona’s heart still beat. There was hope.

“Who
the hell are you?”

“I
think the question should be what are we?” Ardal’s voice was a low growl.

“Semantics.”
The doctor wasted no time in moving to Fiona. He pulled a syringe from the
workspace beside her and aimed it at her arm. “Leave now and there will be no
questions asked. Stay and you can watch her die.”

“That
is not happening.” Ardal nodded to Niail. One shot and the needle shattered.
“Let her go.”

David’s
eyes narrowed. He pulled Fiona down beside him. Using the table as a shield he
cut her ties and then dragged her in front of him until he found the protection
of a wheeled red metal chest. He pushed the container in front of him as he
moved toward the open door. Ardal kept his eyes on his quarry while Catal and
Niail moved into position on either side of David.

“Let
her go.” Ardal took a step toward the cart that David was crouched behind.
“This is between us men.”

“Four
against one?”
David snickered. “You must think I’m a
fool.”

“Only
one Hunter is needed to defeat a coward.”

David
pushed the cart toward the door. He used the cover of the metal to help his
escape. “I have no intention of being caught.”

“We
will not touch you.” Ardal did not add that the man would be dead before they
reached him. It was a given. No Hunter would handle an aberration like the
doctor. His dead carcass would be left for scavengers to tear apart.

“So
you will just let me walk out of here.”

“No.”

The
doctor snorted. “At least you’re honest. Why are you here? What does Fiona have
to do with you?”

“I
am sworn to protect her.”

“Very
heroic, but your services aren’t necessary. Fiona is mine.” The tool chest’s
wheels squeaked a few inches closer to the door. “

“Hunters
keep their vows.” Ardal nodded and a single shot rang out. Niail’s aim was
true. David fell backwards, with Fiona still clutched near his chest.

Ardal
threw the toolbox against the wall as he rushed to Fiona. She was still
breathing, but barely. He pulled her away from David and gathered her into his
arms. Her body was limp, her heartbeat slow, but she was alive. He stood and
surveyed the room. The grizzly scene would speak for itself.

They
would leave it and let the authorities deal with the fallout. They backed out
of the room. Ardal followed close behind with Fiona held tight.

Firbin
was the first to speak. “Is she alive?”

“Yes.”
Ardal moved outside.

They
needed to get away before the authorities arrived. The guard would be conscious
soon. They reached the van within seconds and when Niail reached for Fiona,
Ardal shook his head. He would not relinquish his hold. She was his pair bond
and would remain in his arms. They scrambled into the vehicle.

Firbin
spun the van around and sped away from the warehouse. They passed their weapons
back to Niail who began to disassemble and hide them in the rear. Within
minutes they were on the highway. Fiona groaned and Ardal tightened his grip on
her.