"Remember," Lily replied, her voice steady, "once we're inside, you stay in the car. Engine running, ready to move the moment we have Marcus."
"I know the plan," Kylie assured her. "Just... bring my brother back to me. Please." She hadn’t wanted to be a getaway driver. She wanted to be in the action, like she had been in the Army. But, she was too close to the situation, and wanted revenge too badly. They couldn’t have any mistakes. She’d eventually given in and went with the plan.
"We will," Lily promised. "One way or another."
Through the comm, Blade heard the car slow, gravel crunching beneath the tires as they apparently approached a checkpoint.
"That's far enough," an unfamiliar male voice called. "Out of the car. Hands where I can see them."
The sounds of car doors opening. Footsteps on gravel.
"We're here to see Jose," Lily said, her voice clear and defiant even through the tiny speaker. "He's expecting us."
"Arms up. Against the car. All of you."
Sounds of movement, of bodies being patted down, searched for weapons. Blade's hands clenched into fists. If those bastards took liberties with the search…
"They're clean," the man reported to someone Blade couldn't hear. "The blonde's the one Jose wants. Other one's another club whore. Driver stays with the car."
"Watch your fucking mouth," Lily snapped, and Blade couldn't help the small, proud smile that briefly curved his lips despite the circumstances. His girl had fire.
A harsh laugh was the only response, followed by, "Move. Boss is waiting."
More footsteps. The crunch of gravel giving way to firmer ground. The quarry floor, Blade guessed from the change in acoustics, the sound bouncing differently off the stone walls surrounding them.
"Right on time," came a new voice, smooth and controlled. Jose. "I do appreciate punctuality."
"Where's Marcus?" Lily demanded, skipping any pretense of pleasantries.
"My, my. Eager, aren't we?" Jose's tone was amused, condescending. "No small talk first? No negotiation? I'm disappointed."
"I'm not here to entertain you," Lily replied coldly. "I'm here to make an exchange. Me for Marcus. That was the deal."
"So it was," Jose agreed. "But I'm curious. Where's your protector? Where's the fearsome Blade? Too cowardly to face me himself?"
Makenzie's voice joined the conversation, her usual bubbly tone replaced by something harder. "He's injured, no thanks toyour men. The club honored the deal anyway. We're here, aren't we?"
"Indeed you are," Jose mused. "Two little girls, all alone in the big bad quarry." A pause. "Bring out our guest of honor."
Shuffling sounds. A grunt of pain. Then a hoarse voice: "Mak? What the hell are you doing here?"
"Nice to see you too, Marcus," Makenzie replied, relief evident in her voice at finding him alive. "We're getting you out of here."
"No," Marcus protested weakly. "It's a trap. You shouldn't have?—"
"Touching reunion," Jose interrupted. "But let's get down to business, shall we? I've held up my end of the bargain. Marcus is alive, relatively intact. Now it's your turn, little Lily. You for him."
"First, I want to see that he can walk," Lily insisted. "That he can make it to our car unassisted."
Smart girl, Blade thought. Making sure Marcus was mobile enough for the extraction. Minimizing the time they'd be vulnerable during the transfer.
"Reasonable enough," Jose conceded. "Marcus, if you would demonstrate your ambulatory capabilities for the ladies."
Sounds of movement, shuffling steps. A muffled groan.
"Satisfied?" Jose asked.
"Release him," Lily demanded. "Let him walk to Makenzie. Then I'll come to you."
