Logan glanced over at him. “He’s not going to be free after tonight. As soon as we grab Caitlyn, we’ll call the PD. Raptor told our CO what was up. It’s not exactly sanctioned, but he understood why we’re here.”
“Someone else must’ve trashed her apartment. Whoever this guy was working with is still around.”
“They were already dusting for prints earlier. I have a feeling that all of these motherfuckers are going down tonight,” Logan ground out.
The men moved toward the house, Troy frowning as he glanced over to the garage.
“It sounds like an engine’s running,” Jackson muttered. “Are they planning an escape?”
“Ghost and I are heading around back,” Blake said. “We don’t know who else might be inside. We don’t have our headsets to keep in contact. Be careful.”
“I’m waiting by the garage in case they make a move to leave,” Troy said.
“Negative,” Jackson replied. “You don’t have a weapon. How the hell are you going to stop them? They’ll run you right over.”
“Shit,” Troy muttered. “I’ll go in the front door with Logan then. You wait here in case they open the garage. Shoot the damn tires out if you have to. We need answers, and we need Caitlyn.”
Raptor signaled to them as they moved past the light from the lamp post, and then he and Ghost disappeared around back. Troy felt helpless moving in without any of their tactical gear. If they’d had time to thoroughly plan this, they could’ve grabbed their comms units and weapons from base. Not that the Navy would be happy about an unsanctioned mission such as this on U.S. soil. He and his teammates didn’t care. Their only priority tonight was Caitlyn.
“The neighbors are going to call the cops,” Logan said. “I just saw some dude on his cell phone.”
“Let them. Caitlyn has to be here, and we can’t wait for the police. If emergency vehicles show up, they can arrest the asshole who took her.”
“Roger that,” Logan said. He motioned for Troy to move forward with him. Logan held his Glock as they approached the front door, and then the two of them kicked it down. They swept the front hallway and saw Raptor and Ghost moving in from the back.
Troy coughed, covering his face with his forearm. “Something’s not right. Do you smell that? That car must’ve been running a damn long time for us to smell the fumes in here.”
“Kitchen is clear,” Raptor called out, weapon at the ready as he and Ghost hustled toward them.
“Let’s clear the garage,” Troy said, glancing to the door off the foyer. He and Logan hurried toward it, Logan aiming his weapon in front of him.
“We’re moving upstairs,” Ghost said, and then he and Raptor jogged up the steps.
There was no sound coming from anywhere inside, save for the car running in the garage. What the hell was happening? Troy pulled open the door, nearly choking on the strong fumes. Troy pushed the button to open the garage door, the loud sound of it causing Logan to glance back and make sure no one was coming up behind them.
Troy waved one arm in the air, trying to clear the fumes as he kept his face covered with his other arm.
“Is someone in the car?” Jackson yelled out from the driveway.
Troy narrowed his gaze, seeing that both the driver and passenger seats were empty. “There’s no one in the driver’s seat!” He moved closer, cursing as he saw a woman passed out in the back seat. And not just any woman. A shock of red hair stood out as he pressed his face against the window. “It’s Caitlyn!” he yelled. He yanked on the door, realizing it was locked, then tried the driver’s door as well. “It’s her! It’s Caitlyn! Call 911!”
Troy pounded on the glass, realizing they would have to break it to get to her. He heard Logan saying something behind him, but he kept pounding with his fists, desperate to get to his girl. Jackson came running inside the garage, grabbing a shovel stashed in the corner. Without a word, he ran and smashed the passenger side window, reaching in to unlock the doors.
Troy was already yanking on the door handle to get to her. He couldn’t be too late. He just couldn’t be. “Caitlyn!”
He reached for her lifeless body, his heart thudding in his chest. Her wrists and ankles were restrained with zip ties, and she looked so damn pale and helpless. It took everything in him to remain calm. He coughed, the fumes still strong from the exhaust, and heard Logan yelling something into the house. Someone finally shut off the car, and just then, a single gunshot sounded from upstairs.
“Roger that!” Logan shouted back to Raptor and Ghost. “They took him out!”
Caitlyn wasn’t moving, and Troy yelled for Jackson’s knife to free her. He knew the rest of his teammates would handle the kidnapper and any other tangoes inside the home. Right now, his only priority was Caitlyn.
***
Caitlyn suddenly jerked awake at the sound of glass smashing. She would’ve screamed if she wasn’t so damn dizzy. She heard voices shouting and realized the lights had been turned on. There was a loud motorized sound coming from somewhere.
Blinking, she tried to make sense of it.
She swore she heard men’s voices shouting her name before she passed out again.
“Butterfly, Butterfly!” someone was saying urgently. It sounded like Troy, but that couldn’t be right. He wasn’t here. She was alone in the back of the SUV and so damn tired. Was she hallucinating? Dreaming?
But now there was a light on above her.
“Turn off the damn car!” a deep voice shouted.
Someone was coughing and yelling about exhaust fumes. Gentle hands were reaching in, tugging her out. “Get
