"Nixon…" I pleaded, tears in my eyes, "…my father has him."
Nixon's eyes narrowed. He leaned over my body, his face menacing, so frightening it was like staring into the depths of hell. "If you double-crossed him, I'll be the one cutting your heart out, princess — while you're breathing."
"No!" I slammed my hands against his chest. "I would never. I LOVE HIM!"
Trace joined me on the couch and grabbed my hand. "Nixon, she wouldn't."
"How the hell are we supposed to know that?" Nixon kicked the couch again then reached for his gun and pointed it at me. "You've left me no choice."
I closed my eyes and hung my head.
The gun never went off.
I opened one eye then two.
"A liar would fight for her life." Nixon lowered the gun.
"Or maybe I just don't value my life anymore — but I do value his — and I promise you I'll kill my father before you get the chance."
"If I suspect anything—" Nixon pointed the gun back at my face. "—I end you."
"Deal." I exhaled.
The door opened. Tex stormed in followed by Frank, Mil, Chase, and Phoenix.
"What the hell happened to you?" Tex glanced between me and Nixon.
"Sergio," I choked. "Petrov took him."
"Not you?" Tex's eyes narrowed. "Swear on my unborn child I will chop off that pretty blond head of yours if you double-crossed him."
I sighed. "Look this is getting old. Nixon's already threatened me. I get it. You guys actually like him, which is a giant shock to me, considering you haven't even visited."
Tex gritted his teeth hard. "You don't know shit."
"Oh yeah?" I was picking a fight with a giant. I knew it, but I didn't care. I was too upset; all my feelings were boiling to the surface. I was helpless to stop them.
"Girls…" Chase stood between us. "…stop. This is about Sergio. Time's wasting."
"Any idea where they took him?" Mil asked, voice calm, demeanor rigid.
I shook my head; that small movement hurt every bone in my body. "No idea."
"His phone on?" This from Frank.
I rolled my eyes. "No offense, but I'm not stupid. I've already tried to use the GPS locater."
Phoenix cleared his throat. "The listening device in the hand."
"What about it?" I shrugged.
Phoenix's eyes met mine. "Sergio put the listening device in. He also put a locator in it, remember? My money's on Petrov taking Sergio to his compound on the lake."
I nodded. "Well, how do we turn the thing on? Our resident nerd has been captured!"
Nixon rushed out of the room and returned with an iPad Mini. His fingers worked smoothly across the surface, his eyes frantically searching the screen until they stopped. "Got him."
"That easy?" I was dumbfounded. What the hell kind of technology did they have?
Nixon flipped the screen around and pointed to a green dot. "The hand is still at the same location. There's no way of knowing if Sergio is actually in the same location. The transmission from the watch wasn't functioning properly, and we were unable to gain any useful information."
I blew out an exhale between my cheeks. "Okay, so what are you saying?"
The room fell silent.
"No." I shook my head violently. "No. I'll go myself if I have to."
Tex cursed under his breath. "Sergio wouldn't want you to."
"The hell he wouldn't!" I yelled, though in my heart I knew there was truth to what Tex was saying. "I'm going after him."
"Think about it." Tex held up his hands. "We all go. We storm the compound, and he's there… How many men do you think are holed up inside? At least twenty — maybe more. Say he's not there, and it's a trap. Petrov gets all our heads on a platter."
My legs felt weak; I crumpled onto the couch and put my head in my hands. "We can't just leave him."
Mil walked over to me and leaned down. "Think logically about this, Andi. If you were in his position, what would you do?"
I lifted my head, my eyes blurring with tears. "Or you can think of it this way. If it was Tex in that house, what would you do?"
Mil's nostrils flared. "Storm the freaking castle and get my man."
"Right." I stood. "Thanks, boys, but I think I'm going to go with my own plan. Firearms?"
Nobody moved.
"I said…" I yelled. "…firearms? At least arm me before I go marching off into enemy territory."
Tex nodded at Nixon, but Nixon didn't budge. He stared at me, hard, like he was trying to figure me out, like he couldn't figure me out.
Tears filled my eyes. If there was a way to open up my chest and show him my heart, show him how desperately I needed Sergio, if only for a few short weeks before I left this earth, I would.
He nodded slowly then tilted his head. I followed him down a large hallway. We stopped at what I thought was the door to the garage; instead, he opened the door and then another immediately to his left. We went down a flight of stairs.
Lights flickered on.
Holy super-hero sanctuary, Batman.
Rifles lined one wall.
Nice rifles.
The kind you pay a lot of money for.
Knives, daggers, machetes — all hanging from the opposite wall.