Now that the vehicle was at a standstill, their prisoner kept up a sustained hammering against the trunk. He was probably terrified in the clustered space, his mouth covered with electrical tape and both hands secured with plastic handcuffs.
Nicco’s call to alert them that the bartender’s accomplice was on the move, forced Ryan to drive with a leaden foot on the gas to get them to the warehouse before Daron’s departure.
Dro got out of the vehicle and stood at the ready when Ryan opened the trunk.
The man inside was disheveled—clothes rumpled, hair falling into his eyes, and his skin drenched with sweat. His eyes popped wide as he tried talking through the tape. No doubt, he thought he was about to be murdered.
They ignored his protests while Dro informed Daron they had arrived.
As the door slid open, Daron said, “Good timing. We need to move. Be sure you all grab a helmet, just in case.”
They shunted their prisoner inside, sat him in a chair at the opposite end of the building, and secured him to it with another pair of handcuffs. Then, they did as Daron instructed.
Jahani watched them, but didn’t move or speak.
Their new prisoner continued making noises through the tape as they walked toward the door. They stopped and Ryan strode back to the man.
“You have something to say?” He ripped the tape away.
The man howled, then grimaced. A patch of hair was missing from his mustache. He spat words Ryan was sure were curses. The man’s tirade didn’t move him. He was more upset because they had nothing to show after chasing greedy, ruthless people.
“I am a member of the security forces. You will be in serious trouble for your actions.”
“Maybe you should take your own advice.” Ryan replaced the tape over his mouth. “While we’re gone, think about the reason you came to my room to harm me.”
The man’s eyes flashed, and he lapsed into silence.
From the other side of the warehouse came the echo of the rattling chains on Jahani’s hands and feet as he shifted.
When they sat in the car, Daron said, “That other man tried to get away, but Nicco and Angela have him cornered. By the time he realized they were following him, he was already at their half-way hub.”
Ryan frowned and glanced into the mirror. “I hope he didn’t hurt the woman he took from the club.”
“He hauled her into the building with him.” Daron said from the back seat, “Nicco suspects there are other women inside, so he and Angela are weighing their options before going in. We’re supposed to be there to provide backup.”
Ryan spoke over his shoulder as his foot depressed the gas pedal. “Say no more.”
“So about these items … ” Vikkas pointed to the bag between Daron and Dro.
Dro peeled back the zipper. “Now would be a good time to check what we have, in case we run into trouble tonight.”
Following Daron’s direction, they reached the building in ten minutes. Along the way, Nicco had asked them to get Bashir en route with any other personnel the royal family could make available to assist. Someone would need to organize the movement of the women when they left for their secondary target.
Ryan hoped the man they were after would tell them where they needed to head next, without trying to be a hero. After chasing shadows and mirrors for days, Ryan was running short on patience. He wondered whether Aziza would be at that location, but didn’t want to get his hopes up for nothing.
The squat gray structure sat on its own lot and as they pulled in front of it, Angela met them outside under the street lights in the parking lot. She pointed behind her while she updated Daron. “I left Nicco trying some gentle persuasion to get him to say where he was headed next. Another blow or two will soften him up, but we already have an idea from what he admitted.”
“How many women?” he asked.
“Five, including the woman from Encounters. Apparently, this is where they keep them until the drugs wear out of their system and they’re lucid again.”
“Was Aziza one … ”
Angela’s dark eyes were sympathetic as she said, “None of these women fit her description or resemble the photos we received.”
Disappointment soured Ryan’s stomach, but he reassured himself their search would not be in vain.
The headlights from two SUVs swept past them. The drivers parked a few feet away, then Bashir approached with a couple men, who resembled Jai and Vikkas. They were in the middle of introductions when Nicco strode through the door, highlighted by beams from inside the building.
He nodded to the group, then held up a set of keys and dropped them into Bashir’s hand. “Glad you’re here. The women need medical attention, and Jai is expecting them. We have to move now.”
As they separated according to the vehicles they would be riding in, Nicco added, “Our guy inside is out of it. Let him sleep until we circle back to him. He’ll need to answer some more questions.”
Bashir nodded and walked into the building, followed by his companions.
As he gripped the wheel, Ryan said a prayer that when they got to their next stop, Aziza would be there. He’d be disappointed, not to mention frustrated, if they had to follow more clues. The longer she was missing, the less likely it was that they’d find her. He shook off his negative thoughts and reminded himself that he’d get the results he expected.
On the way to where the other kidnap victims were being held, Daron, Dro, Vikkas, Nicco, and Angela spoke via Daron’s cellular and
