In the dark of night, they moved quickly and quietly through the backyards of the cookie-cutter houses. Since they all looked alike from the rear, they had to be careful and make sure they broke into the right one.
Shade made a sound that sounded like a stray cat’s meow from up ahead in the dark. Dodge couldn’t see him or Sig in the shadows.
Dodge kept moving, staying low and sticking close to bushes and sheds or any cover he could find. When he finally got to where Shade and Sig waited, they had their backs pressed to the siding of a house that had no lights on inside at all.
Good.
The fucker was hopefully asleep in his bed and wouldn’t know what hit him until it was too late.
“No security system,” Shade whispered. “Gloves on?”
Both Sig and Dodge raised their hands to show that they were gloved up to avoid leaving prints behind.
Shade gave a quick nod, stepped up to the back door and pulled a lock pick set out of his back pocket. Within seconds, a soft click of the deadbolt could be heard. He gave them a chin lift and slowly opened the door. All of them held their breath, hoping the door didn’t creak.
Thank fuck it didn’t.
The three filed into the dark house and what looked like a kitchen from 1950. The sink was full of dishes, the table piled high with who fucking knew what and one of the cabinets had a broken door hanging from its hinges.
Dodge also noticed a few empty liquor bottles strewn across the counter and on top of the overflowing garbage.
Shade tipped his black beanie-covered head toward the hallway right off the kitchen, but then put up his hand to stop Sig and Dodge from following him. He quietly worked his way down the dark hallway, peeking into open doorways as he went. At the end of the short hallway, he stopped, stared and made the hand signal for them to follow.
They did.
Dodge also peeked in the doorways as he moved to make sure no one else was in the house besides the target.
Shade tipped his head toward the open doorway of the bedroom they were standing right outside of, lifted his hand, put three fingers up and counted them down. Three… Two… One… They moved.
Dodge went to the sleeping fucker’s head and slapped both hands over the man’s mouth. Shade grabbed his wrists and Sig sat on his legs.
That was when the struggle ensued.
Dodge smothered the yells as Sig quickly duct taped the man’s ankles together to keep from fighting them. When he was done, Sig helped Shade wrap the gray tape around the fucker’s wrists, pinning them together. Once Danzig was completely hobbled and helpless, Dodge released his mouth.
“Hey!” the man who smelled of stale booze screamed. “What the hell is this?”
Dodge held out his hand and the roll of duct tape was slapped onto his palm. He ripped off a large strip, said, “Sorry, couldn’t hear you, asshole. What?” and covered Sam’s flapping gums with the tape. “Sit him up,” he then ordered.
Sig and Shade pulled the man to a seated position and Dodge used way too much tape when he wrapped it several times around the motherfucker’s head, securing the man’s mouth.
“That was too fuckin’ easy,” Sig growled.
“It ain’t over, yet, brother,” Shade reminded him. “Now we gotta get him outta the house and into the van without gettin’ spotted.”
Shade pulled a black nylon bag from his pocket and tugged it over the wide-eyed Danzig’s head. Even with the tape covering his mouth, they could still hear his muffled screams.
Too bad, so fuckin’ sad.
Shade said, “Gonna pull the van ‘round back. Let’s get him to the back door.”
The three of them hauled the child rapist, squirming and trying to fight, through the small house, not giving a fuck when his head bounced off the walls and corners, and into the kitchen. They dumped him onto the linoleum floor in a loud thump.
Sig gave him a boot to the ribs for good measure.
Shade slipped out of the back door while Sig and Dodge shared a glance, then both looked down at the man who had stolen Syn’s virginity, stolen her innocence, and gotten her pregnant when she was only thirteen fucking years old.
Man. No, that motherfucker wasn’t a man. He wasn’t even human.
Men protected women and children. Men protected the vulnerable. Monsters hurt them. A subhuman species that needed to be exterminated.
Like the fucker on the floor at his feet.
Dodge squatted down next to the squirming piece of shit. “You got a long ride ahead of you to think about all your shitty life choices. If you don’t know what the fuck this is about, promise you’ll be clued in by the end.”
He stood and met Sig’s suddenly soulless eyes as Shade reappeared at the back door.