Taking the Fall (1-4)

“You’re such an easy mark, Layla, but now I’m making my own rules. A finger wasn’t much of a sacrifice to get in here. I’m sick of being under your father’s thumb. You’re going to get me that money, and maybe I’ll let you live.”

I open my mouth to scream but nothing comes out. I feel myself slipping under.

“It’s time to get out of here before your fucking bodyguards figure out the file I slipped them is fake.”

As he lifts me off the couch, I try to fight him, but my arms are too heavy. I can barely hold my eyes open.

“Don’t you worry though, Layla, they won’t be following us. When we get out of here, your mom is going to give your dad the location of this warehouse.”

CARTER

“Get that drive pulled up as quick as you can. I don’t trust that little shit.”

“Chill, Carter. I think Layla could probably take him on her own. She’s a tough chick.”

I watch the cameras in our command room as Saint pulls up the info on the computer behind me. I can see Layla talking to Justin, and it makes my skin crawl. Something about him isn’t right. Not just the fact that he tried to touch what’s mine, but something about him has me on alert. I see Layla say something and stand up. I watch as she goes to the bathroom and looks through the medicine cabinet. I go to look at the camera in the living room, but Saint grabs my attention.

“This is weird.”

“What is it?” I ask, turning to see his computer screen.

“It’s password encrypted but the file is blank. Let me dig a little more to be sure, but this seems like a waste of time for a blank jump.”

I turn around in time to see Layla walking back into the living area where Justin is still sitting. They talk a bit more, and she takes a drink of her water. I feel a sudden chill on the back of my neck and I can’t figure out why. Nothing strange is happening, they’re just sitting there talking.

“It’s blank,” Saint says.

Why put an encryption on a blank jump drive? What would be the point of causing someone to search through it?

I turn around to gauge Saint’s feelings about this. “Maybe O’Leary was trying to create a dummy file in case someone found it,” I offer and try to figure out why someone would do that. “Someone would use this to slow a search down.”

As the thought hits me I turn back to the cameras in time to see Layla slump over. Justin leans over her to pick her up.

“Fuck!” I shout and bolt out of the room with Saint on my heels. It takes half a second before I’ve got my gun drawn, and I race down the hallway to the living room. When I get to the big open area I hear the garage door opening. “He’s headed out!” I yell to Saint and run in that direction.

“I’m going out the back. I’ll circle around and cover the exit,” Saint shouts as he heads in the opposite direction.

I get to the garage door and stop, raising my gun as I slowly open the door. I peek around the corner and see Justin has Layla thrown over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. I look him over, but I don’t see a visible weapon. I move towards him, and the sound of the garage door opening muffles my footsteps. I stop when I’m about fifteen feet away, and I aim my weapon.

How the fuck did he plan on getting out of here? I’m on edge, but I feel like I’m missing something. He can’t be this stupid.

I scan the garage but don’t see anyone else. I’ve got my gun trained on his head in case he makes a move for a concealed weapon. The garage door opens fully and clicks into place. Soon silence fills the area.

“Put her down, raise your hands and turn around slowly,” I order all too calmly.

I see his shoulders stiffen, like he knows he’s been caught. I see him take a breath, but this little shit isn’t moving fast enough. I try to remain calm because he’s got my entire life in his hands. The woman I love and our unborn baby are nothing to him, but they are my world. My only focus is getting them safely by my side.

“Do it, and I’ll let you walk out of here,” I say, and I mean it. I would give anything to have them safe, including my own life. “You have my word. You put her down and don’t try anything, I’ll let you go.”

Justin slowly turns around and looks me directly in the eyes. He looks half-crazed right now, like he might be on something. I didn’t notice it before, but maybe the adrenaline from his finger getting cut off masked it. He’s sweating like crazy and his pupils are so enlarged his eyes look like they are solid black.

“You’re too late,” he sneers, and a sinister smile spreads across his face.

Just then Saint comes around the corner of the garage holding a woman, his arm around her neck and a gun pointed to her head. She grips his arm but otherwise looks like a space cadet with the same black pupils as Justin. I’m convinced these two junkies are so fucked up they have no idea what’s happening.

“Hope this wasn’t your getaway ride, Justin. She was too busy using to check the time. Guess she missed the signal.”

I still have my gun trained on Justin, and I see defeat cross his face. I guess relying on a junkie to be on time wasn’t the smartest plan. I look back over at the woman, and I realize I recognize her. It’s Layla’s mother. Jesus! Layla told me she was with O’Leary at the warehouse, but I had no idea how far deep in this shit she was. I don’t have time to figure this shit out right now. I’ve got to make sure Layla is safe.