“This man,” I tap the photo on the phone. “He bring you here? Does he come back to check on you?”
The boy nods. “He said he’d be back soon when it was safe. He left us with food, but it’s gone now.”
I eye the pile of candy and chip wrappers, and realise Devon knows shit about children’s nutrition. But it’s a way to curry favour perhaps by giving them what they enjoy. I also view the pile of empty water containers. A couple of the kids have half-filled bottles by their sides, but there’s no more.
Either Devon’s due back soon or he seriously underestimated how long what he left them would last.
Behind me, Niran updates Swift with what I’ve just seen, and she fast comes to the same conclusion as myself.
“Stay there. I’m directing everyone else to you. You okay to head this for now, Grumbler?”
I turn, and like Niran, lower my voice. “One of us will stay with the kids, the others will hide in the house. If Devon’s coming back, he won’t know we’re waiting for him.”
“Make sure the front door is locked. Bolt will turn the alarm back on, so he’s not set on his guard immediately.”
“What about the fuckin’ kids?” I ask her.
“Trying to sort that out,” Swift confirms in her business-like manner. “They’ll be taken care of.”
Hopefully by not giving them back to the type of bastard who traded them to Devon. “We got a dirty border control agent,” I tell her.
“We’re aware.”
Those two words speak volumes, and I don’t know why, but I’m reassured that dirty apple will be brought down. The problem is, money speaks volumes, and while we can take him and Devon down, someone else will step in, both in the porn business and snatching unaccompanied kids.
This time I address Niran. “Wait here for a moment. I’ll send Keeper down to watch out for the kids.” For some reason, I don’t want to leave them alone for a moment.
“Let me stay,” Niran replies. “Devon’s got no other fuckin’ reason to be here but to open the hatch. I’ll be waiting for him. The rest of you can deal with him from the top. You think he’ll be coming alone?”
I’m not sure. “He may be bringing transport and may need help in case any of the kids decide to go their own way. Can’t rule out he won’t be here mob-handed. Might need you up top, Brother.” Protecting the kids is a simple job, Keeper should do it.
Niran shakes his head and leans in close to my ear. “Don’t like the thought of bullets flying in this confined space. I can handle it better than Keeper.”
I hate to admit it, but he’s right. As a Marine, Niran is capable of almost anything.
“Jorge?” I wait until I’ve got the boy’s attention. “This is Niran, he’s a friend. He’s going to stay and keep you company. I’ll be back in a bit then we can contact your aunt for you and your sister, and sort something out for the rest of you. Is that okay?”
Jorge studies me for a moment, then puts his hand into his pocket and pulls out a dirty and creased piece of paper, looking like it’s been unfolded and folded many times. His hands shake slightly as he hands it to me. “My aunt’s number.”
Fuck, if that doesn’t hit me in the gut. This kid, he’s trusting me. But that’s what got him into this position isn’t it? Trusting the wrong adult. For once, I make a promise, he’s picked the right one.
“Give that to me as soon as you can, Grumbler,” Swift says into my ear. “I’ll make sure she’s contacted and ready for Jorge and his sister to arrive. You got a prospect who doesn’t mind a trip to San Francisco?”
“I can make it work.” By now, I’m pulling myself up the ladder. Once at the top, Kink and Keeper close the trapdoor behind me, and I reel the number off.
“Got it,” Swift confirms, reading it back.
“You need any more men inside?” Bolt’s voice comes into my ear. “The others are nearing to your location, but I’ll tell them to stay back.”
I glance around at who I’ve got. If directed, Keeper will be fine, and Kink knows the score. “We’ve got the element of surprise, we’ll do alright.”
“I’ve locked the doors,” Keeper confirms.
“And the alarm’s alarmed,” Bolt confirms. “If we get a sighting of activity, we’ll give you the heads-up. Otherwise, we’ll be looking to you Grumbler to get that motherfucker locked down. Then we’ll come in and take him off your hands.”
Hopefully they’ll take him back to our brig so I can have a conversation with him myself. But that’s out of my power now, if they’ve other plans.
Now, I’ve got to decide how this will play out. “Kink, station yourself behind the door, let him or them come in before showing yourself. Keeper, get up to the landing on the stairs and keep down low out of sight. Don’t show yourself unless things start to go south. I’ll get down behind the kitchen counter and will make the frontal approach.” That means I’m the one most exposed to a stray bullet, but I was never one to run from a fight. Especially not as sergeant-at-arms, it’s my job to keep everyone safe.
“Take fuckin’ care, Grumbler.” The voice of my prez booms in my ear. “There’s still time to get more men to you if you need them.”
“Too dangerous, Prez. If I were Devon, I’d be scoping
