Alaric was on the roof of the abandoned house across the street, giving us cover as we all started to move in from our positions. We didn't have much of a plan, to be honest. Just move in and shoot anyone who moved that wasn't Betty. We didn't plan to leave anyone alive for questions. There was nothing to ask. They wanted us dead. They wanted our business. They hurt innocent women and children.
They didn't get to live long enough to regret it.
From behind a tree in the back, Huck gave me a nod. In turn, I found Che, giving him one. And the chain continued until Huck and I started moving outward.
We got halfway across the backyard before someone noticed us, a shot coming through a window, shattering the glass all around.
"Can't shoot into the house," Huck reminded me as we flattened against the house as there was more shooting out front where Seeley and Donovan were located. Che was on one side, Remy the other.
The house was surrounded.
But when Anton's men charged out in all directions of the house at once, that was when we lost sight of the leader himself.
Because by the time we stopped picking off his men and moved inside, Anton himself had managed to slip away.
"Damnit!" Huck yelled, upturning the dining room table.
"Easy," I said, even if my own head was racing at the ramifications. It was useless to take out someone's men and not the man himself. He could always replace them with others, and come at us again. "We still have to find the girl," I reminded him.
"Shit," he hissed, tucking his gun away as he started to move through the house, opening doors to the pantry, the bedrooms, the closets. "Here," he called, dropping to a squat in the doorway of the master bathroom. "Hey, honey. You're Betty, right?" he asked, voice as soft as he could make it as the girl curled into herself, her body shaking from head to toe. "Joss sent us to save you," he added, making the girl peek her head up from her forearm, her brilliant blue eyes much like her brother.
"Really?"
"Really," Huck said, giving her a tight smile. "He's been so worried."
"How do I know you're safe?" Betty asked, suspicious. And rightfully so. Who knew what had happened to her, what awful things she might have overheard.
"That's a good question. You're smart. Joss told us to say a word to you when we found you. Manatee," he said.
And it was like a string was released on a bow, and she was the arrow that went flying, colliding with Huck's strong chest, nearly knocking him on his ass as she threw her arms around him, clinging.
"It's okay, honey," he soothed, moving to stand, wrapping his arms around her back as her legs dangled. "We're going to get you out of here, and back to your brother in just a couple minutes," he told her. "But I need one thing from you, okay?"
"Okay," the girl said, sniffling, making it clear she was crying. The poor thing.
"I need you to keep your eyes closed real tight until I tell you to open them, okay? Can you do that?"
"Yeah," Betty confirmed, pressing her forehead into Huck's neck.
"Okay. Good. Here we go," he said, carrying her through the house, stepping over a body in the front doorway, just barely avoiding leaving footprints in the halo of a bloodstain around the dead man's head.
Avoiding the front path where another body was sprawled, he moved across the front lawn, making his way down the block toward where we had one of the cars parked.
"Okay, Betty," Huck said, putting her onto her feet beside Che's car. "You can open your eyes now," he said. "See? You're out," he added as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. "Why don't you get in the car. We can put the AC on for you," he told her, pulling open the door.
It was right then that my phone started to vibrate in my back pocket.
And I couldn't tell you why, but dread filled my stomach at the sensation.
Because no one should have been calling.
First, it was late.
Second, all our men were here.
Third, Teddy and the girls knew not to call unless something was wrong.
"Who is it?" Huck asked as I swiped at the screen.
"Teddy," I said, voice tight. "What's—" I started.
"They have Shy and Joss," he cut me off, getting the facts out.
"Wha—" I started, sure I misheard him.
"Don't know the details. All I know is Joss knocked out Eddie. Shy screamed my name to help with him, but she took off after Joss herself. By the time I realized what was going on, Belle was already up and looking out the window to the street. She said she saw Joss in the backseat of a black SUV. And then a minute later, Shy rushed out onto the street, and was struck by a bat and tossed in the car as well. That's all I have. I don't understand what the fuck is going on."