Luc
Bryce and I arrived at the home that Vicky grew up in. The front door was locked, but I efficiently picked the lock and we were inside. The house was empty. Bryce walked around and looked solemn and sad. Especially when his eyes landed on a family portrait in the hallway.
He exhaled a long breath. “It’s hard to live a life that is filled with so much regret.”
“You are still young, Bryce, you have time to make things right for yourself,” I responded as we made our way into the kitchen. I flicked on the lights. Bryce tapped my back.
“Let’s just get her back, Luc.” He nodded. We had to get her back. I made a quick call to Joe; he would be here in ten minutes. The undercover agents arrived and Bryce debriefed them. Everybody was armed and they were bringing more ammunition into the house. This place was really going to light up tonight.
I called my father as planned. I wasn’t a fool. I knew he wasn’t in New York anymore. There would be no meeting at the pier.
“Father,” I said when he picked up after one ring.
“You never were a good listener were you, Luc?” he chuckled into the phone.
“Let’s stop playing games. You know damn well why I am here.”
“Of course, Luc, but I am not happy about the fact that you have agents with you,” he answered. FUCK! He was already here. He was watching us. “You know it only takes one phone call and she’s dead,” he chuckled again.
“You wouldn’t be so foolish, Father. You kill her and you don’t get my help with the Dubois. Even though I don’t think it’s my help you want.”
He laughed and it was deep and throaty. “You know me well, S.on I am glad to see I’ve trained you well. You were always smarter than your brothers. The family has felt a great loss since you left. Contrary to what you believe, I don’t want you dead. I want you home. I will even allow you to bring the girl with you, if you so wish,” he said, surprising me. Maybe I was of service to him. He probably hadn’t found someone that could maneuver the international transfers like I can.
“Come here to the house we can talk,” I said hoping he would take the bait.
As I was talking on the phone, I switched clothes with one of the agents. He’s a big tall dark guy like me. Bryce’s friend at the FBI really delivered on this one. We could be mistaken for identical twins in the darkness. With my father on the phone, I left the house along with the other two agents. Everyone came in separate cars. We needed to cause a diversion again. I had mapped out all possible motels in a fifty-kilometer radius. The agents and I would be scoping the area. That left Joe and Bryce with my father. I hoped neither of them got killed because Vicky would never forgive me.
I left Vicky’s house in the old Tracker, while the other two men got into their rentals. I told them I was driving out to the farthest, most deserted motel in the area.
“Luc, you mistake me for a fool. Remember who taught you everything? I know you left the house. My men are just trying to determine your direction. I will find you and come to you. You really are a smart boy, Luc, but you are fucking weak. At the end of the day, it’s your weaknesses that will get you killed,” he said and I heard the phone close.
FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!
He knew I was on my way to Vicky. I just hoped she was at the motel that I was en route to. I dialed Joe’s number.
“Hello,” he picked up anxiously.
“Joe, my father knows I left the house. He knows I’m on my way to Vicky. I’m headed to a motel off the highway…” I gave Joe the directions and he said he would meet me there. My father was going to Vicky, and he definitely brought his goons. He’s too much of a coward to face me on his own. The other agents had begun to scan the area motels and they had already said they had come up empty. I texted them to meet me at the motel I was guessing she was at. My father thought he could get in my head and figure out my next move, but it’s a two way street and I knew how he operated.
After driving for thirty minutes, my heart was racing fast in my chest. I knew deep down that my father could give the order to kill her, and everything would be over. I would be finished. I would have nothing to live for.
I called Joe back. I just had an idea, “Luc?”
“Yeah, Joe, you said you checked out the car rental today. Is there anyway we can get a look at the cameras from the car rental place, so we can get a description of the men that took Vicky?” The phone was quiet for a minute and I could hear Joe muttering, maybe he thought I lost it.
“Luc, I will drop Bryce off at the car rental and he will have a look at the footage. I like how you think, Luc. Once we get a description, Bryce will call it into his friend at the FBI and….”
“Yes, Joe,” I continued on his train of thought. “We need their cell phone numbers. Maybe we can track their cell phones. We need to do this fast Joe, my father must have been watching your parents’ house, but now he’s going to wherever those thugs have Vicky.”
“I’m driving out on the highway, but we don’t have time to be wrong about our location.”
“Luc, I just dropped Bryce off at the Budget Car Rental. I’m going to call someone I work with, she’s already found some info this morning, maybe she can hack the cameras,” he suggested.
“Okay, Joe let me know,” I said, ending the call. I was pretty sure my father’s goons took her to the motel by the lake. It looked like it was far enough out in the forest and away from the highway that they would think they wouldn’t get caught. My gut told me I was right but a mistake now could cost Vicky her life. I drove down the dark highway, and I was approaching the exit for the motel. I had my black bag beside me, filled with guns. My pulse raced and I began to sweat just thinking about it, but I had to do what I had to do to save Vicky and our baby. Thinking of the baby made my eyes swell with tears. I felt like I’d been given a second chance at life with Vicky, and my father wanted to take it away from me.
My cell rang, “Hello?”
“It’s Joe, Luc. Your location is smack on. There are two cell phones there. Both men are on a watch list with the FBI, and they are both French. You were smart to tell me to leave Bryce behind, I don’t need the guy getting killed trying to help us. Vicky doesn’t need to lose another parent.”
“You’re right, Joe, but what about you, you’re her brother. She told me you disappeared on her, but she never mentioned you were DEA,” I said, as I exited off the highway. The side road didn’t have much lighting and the road was unpaved.
“She doesn’t know I am DEA, Luc. I don’t want her worrying,” he said. It sounded like a warning to keep my mouth shut.
“I’m about three minutes out. Where are you?” I asked, as I drove down the last long stretch of road.
“I’m about five minutes out. I’m right behind you, but I am calling for back up now.”
“Joe, I think you should wait. If there is too much noise or someone close by, it can really mess things up.”
“Do you have guns, Luc?”
“Yes, I’m not a fool, Joe, you are about to walk into some fireworks. I hope you are prepared.”
“Oh, I’m no fool either, Luc. I’m very prepared. I’ve dealt with the likes of people like your family,” he cackled.
“I hope so, because I don’t need Vicky upset about you getting hurt either.”
“I’m good, Luc, just watch your back.”
“I’m here, Joe. The place isn’t too busy. I will go around back and look for the Mustang.”
“Good luck, Luc,” Joe said and I ended the call. I needed to get my weapons on and I needed to get to Vicky. I saw the black Mustang parked outside one of the rooms. I parked on the other side of the motel because I didn’t want to alert them that I was here. Parked beside the Mustang is a black SUV. My fucking father…
I strapped a gun over my back. I had another tucked into the front of my jeans and another smaller handgun at my ankle. I slowly walked toward the motel room. I saw a car pull up behind me in the distance. I assumed Joe had arrived. I scanned the area but it seemed that no one was outside. They must all be in the room. My cell phone rang.