Chapter 13: Chapter 13: The Kidnapping

EVA

Gun training has picked back up now that the morning sickness has subsided completely. I have a little belly showing, and both Caden and Nate love rubbing it.

So, no hand-to-hand combat for now, but the moment this baby is born, it’s on.

I have been able to take Frankie with me so I can get groceries and have other outings. Our favorite is going shopping for the baby. We get to find out in another month what we are having, and I cannot wait.

Caden has one more meeting today showing all the guards pics of Ortiz’s complex and will have a tentative plan in place.

Everyone is ready, and he wants to do the raid next week. So we go to get some last-minute groceries before we drive to get Nate.

We enter the grocery store, and I start grabbing what we need as Frankie looks around, cracking jokes at the same time.

We love having brother-sister time since he missed out on my first pregnancy. So now, he wants to be around for every step with this one.

I start heading to the front then realize I forgot the sliced cheese for the burgers. Frankie volunteers to run and get it while I start placing the groceries on the belt.

As I am standing in line at the checkout waiting for Frankie, wondering what is taking so long, I hear screeching tires and see two black vans pull up and a dozen men run out.

I start screaming and try to run, but I’m not quick enough, and they grab me and haul me toward the vans.

“FRANKIE!”

“EVA!”

I see one guy drop to the ground as I’m thrown into the van, and we peel away. Immediately, men are tying my hands and feet while I yell and scream.

The next thing I remember is something hitting my head, and then all I see is black.

CADEN

I’m in my conference room going over the new photo intel we have when my phone rings and it’s Frankie’s name.

“Frankie, what’s up?”

“They fucking got her, man! They fucking got Eva! They had a dozen guys. I got one, but they took off in two vans. Caden, what the fuck do I do?”

“What the fuck do you mean, Frankie! How the fuck did they get her? Go grab Niko and get Nate now! Take him to the safe house!”

I hang up as everyone stares at me. I quickly call Tank.

“Tank! They fucking got her. Track her now! Tell us where they are going!

I hang up with Tank, and call Terrance. “Terrance, it’s time! Get everyone in the parking lot in an hour!

I then call Vinny. “Vinny, it’s time! He took my girl! Meet us in the parking lot in an hour!”

I walk outside and yell at Connie. “Connie! Send everyone in the building home now! I need the parking lot empty!

“Yes, boss!”

“FUCK!”

“We will get her back, Caden!”

My phone rings and it’s Tank.

“Tank, tell me you know where they are going!”

“They are headed to his compound. They haven’t arrived yet but are getting close.”

“All right, keep tracking them and get to the parking lot!”

I hang up and start pacing the room. I am at such a loss. He fucking took her. I grab a chair, toss it at the wall, and storm out of the conference room. I start to make my way downstairs in the elevator.

When I get to the parking lot, I see Mitch and other security directing people to clear out. Cars are leaving fast, and Mitch sees me running over.

“Boss man, what’s going on? It should be cleared out in fifteen minutes.”

“Ortiz got Eva, and I’m going to lose it.”

“Boss, we will get her back! All the security boys here already said they will stay and help.”

I pat him on the back then I see Tank driving into the parking lot. My phone rings and it’s Frankie.

“Tell me you have Nate!”

“Yeah, we got him. We are headed to the safe house! I called Mike and he took care of the supermarket.”

“Put Nate on the phone!”

“Daddy, what’s going on? I’m scared!”

“Nate, my son, listen to me very carefully, okay? Frankie and Niko are taking you to a safe house. I will be there as soon as I can, okay? I love you, son!”

Nate starts sobbing and it’s ripping my heart out. What am I getting us into? I swore I would never drag a family into this lifestyle and look where we are at now. I’m about to take on what I swore I wouldn’t.

“Daddy, please save my mommy.”

“I will, my son! I will! I promise you!”

I hear a click on Nate’s end and just stare at the ground. A stray tear drops down my cheek because I can’t let down my son! I promised and have always kept my promises.

I’m just standing there when Tank runs up with the laptop.

“Our pings are still coming from their main house and haven’t moved.”

I let out a sigh when I start seeing black SUVs pulling in and lining up in the parking lot one after another. Fernando and Terrance come downstairs, and all of our soldiers file out with their guns ready to go.

They see Fernando and it’s like a fucking family reunion. Everything quiets down, and I take the reins.

“Okay, so what I know now is Eva is at the main compound. I need a group of people to go watch the damn house. I need to make sure they don’t move.”

“Shit! We have a huge problem!”

“What the fuck you mean, Tank? What do you mean we got a fucking problem?”

I see him step back from the screen and there’s nothing. Not one fucking ping!

“FUCK! He found the trackers! I need a team there now!”

I see a group run to their SUV and peel out. We are making plans as more SUVs start showing up. Vinny and his men step out and, fuck, they look just like who they are. Vinny comes up to Fernando, Frankie, and me and greets us.

“What’s the current situation?”

“They are at the main compound, but they found my trackers. I have sent a team to go watch and see if they leave.”

“Perfect, but they won’t be there for long. Especially since they know there were trackers. Let me check with my contact.”

He pulls out his phone and texts his contact, Mara, while I text my contact, Anton.

At the same time, both cells chime, and I look at my message.

“Anton says they are scrambling and loading up to move. They are almost done, and Eva is there. She’s just lying unconscious in an SUV.”

“Mara says she is loaded in the SUV next to Eva and watching her. She will update us on where they are going.”

I think it’s safe to say my anxiety is through the roof. Now we have to wait for an update. I hate waiting on shit!

We stand there, waiting for an update. Everyone is chatting and visiting. I decide to call Frankie to see where they are. When I call, it rings a few times and he answers.

“Did you find her yet?”

“She is at the compound right now, but they found her trackers. We know they are loading up to leave and are almost done. We have a contact sitting next to Eva watching her.”

“Why aren’t you charging in, man!”

“By the time we get there, they will be gone. Chances are, they have already left.”

“The women and kids are here, but Nate wants to talk to you.”

“All right, put him on.”

“Daddy, did you find Mommy?”

“We know where she is, son. We will be leaving soon to go get her, okay? We will be there soon.”

“Okay, Daddy, I love you!”

“I love you, too, little man. I’ll see you soon.”

When I hang up, Terrance’s phone rings and we wait for word. I see him nodding a few times, then a second later, he hangs up.

“They are gone. The place is deserted.”

I just stand in shock as Tank comes over and puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Keep coolheaded. We will find them and skin the fucker alive.”

We stand around, waiting for any kind of info. The SUV comes back and parks and they slowly unload. I see their shoulders slump. They obviously take it personally that they didn’t make it in time.

I walk over and as they look up at me, I say, “Keep your heads in this. It isn’t over! We need you guys to think clearly.”

They all look at each other and nod as we continue talking to pass the time.

We’re standing there when we hear Vinny’s phone chime. He brings up the message and starts laughing. We all look at each other and back to him. He looks up at me, smiling.

“Man, Caden, my boy, you got one hell of a feisty girl, don’t you! You have been training her, huh!”

“Yeah, we have! What’s going on?”

“Mara said that as they went to leave, Ortiz got in and sat next to Eva. Well, when Eva woke up and saw Ortiz, she apparently started screaming and cussing, and when he went to kiss her, she headbutted him, breaking his nose.”

“Then raised her legs up and started kicking him. Now he is in another SUV, and the girls are by themselves.”

I start laughing, thinking damn, my girl can take care of herself.

“Shit, okay. Any idea where they are headed?”

“Not yet. They passed Dreven Park heading out, but she just sees a forest on both sides.”

“Well, at least we know that’s up north. We can head to Dreven Park. That’s at the base of the forest. And wait for further info.”

We all nod, and everyone loads up to head out. Tony jumps in the driver’s side, I’m in the passenger side, and Tank is in the back looking up places north of the park that Ortiz could be going to.

I’m coming, Eva. Just please hold on.