Page 86 of The Lies That Shatter
More than that, we have no fucking clue who’s even in the building. We have a rough idea, as we’ve seen who has gone in and come out recently, but we aren’t totally sure there’s not a second exit that’s not listed on the plans. The Doughtys would have a second unlisted exit we could use in an emergency, so we have to assume Mortimer thinks in a similar way.
This essentially means our plan isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. We aren’t even certain McKenna is in the building,and if she is, there’s dozens and dozens of potential rooms she could be in.
The only rooms we know for certain she’s not in are the ones with cameras, as we only saw her being taken into the building.
The pounding in my head worsens as I think about all the fucking ways this can go wrong, and yet none of that matters because I’m going in any way.
The truth is, I would have run in the building hours ago with no plan, no CCTV access, and no backup. Hell, I would’ve run in with the building on fire, because I only have one goal in mind, and my own safety doesn’t even factor in. McKenna is my entire world, and I would walk through fire for her. I would take a bullet for her. As long as she survives, nothing else matters.
As soon as the door is open, Shane, Liam, and Evan burst through and turn to the left, whilst me, Kian, and Bree take the right. We have no idea if this is the way that leads to McKenna, and even though I want to be the one to find her, I trust my brothers and Shane. We’re a family, and they want to bring her back to me.
Kian, Red, and I make quick work of our rooms on the lower floor, then we keep watch as Kellan gives Kian the all clear to move up to the next floor. As I watch from the bottom of the stairs, while Red follows behind Kian, I wonder where the hell all the people are. We haven’t come across a single guard yet, and that worries me.
Before we went in, if we assume there is no second exit, and that the building was empty before McKenna was brought here, Kellan has watched a total of around fifty people enter. Some are known members of Whitlock’s security team, but there were also a lot of unknown players, which set us all on edge.
The more I watched the footage, the worse the scenarios got in my mind. Shane and Kian were the ones to vocalise my worst fears. They said that a few of the men looked to be richbusinessmen, who were clearly not in the rundown building for a normal business meeting. Each has their own set of security, which is why we didn’t recognise them.
The most obvious situation, according to Shane and Kian, is that Whitlock has brought in the men ready to make a sale. We already know he deals in the flesh business. He sells people and children, for all manner of purposes, but usually for sex. The men he deals with are just as evil and sick as him.
There’s a very good chance the men in the building are placing bids on McKenna. Like she’s fucking cattle that can be bought. My blood boils as the thoughts rage through my brain.
I made it very fucking clear before we kicked the door in that nobody leaves this building. Red can have them captured if she doesn’t want to kill unknowns, but as far as I’m concerned, anyone evil enough to even consider purchasing another person against their will is better off dead. The world will be a better place when they’ve breathed their final breath, and Red gave the order that everyone should be captured or killed.
A low whistle grabs my attention, and I turn to look up the stairs. Red is gesturing wildly with her hands, telling me to get my ass up the stairs. Apparently, my murderous daydream meant I missed the cue to follow her. Her eyes widen as I reach her side.
“Get your head in the game, Finn, or I will bench you,” she snaps, her tone leaving no room for argument.
I want to argue. I want to tell Red that I’d love to see her tiny ass try to remove me. That nothing will stop me from getting to McKenna. But if I’m being honest, she has the piercing, chastising look on her face that scares the shit of me, and for just a moment, I actually think she may be able to bench me if she chooses to, and I really fucking don’t want that.
Sucking up what little pride I can, I pull my shoulders back. “Sorry. I’m here now,” I mutter.
Her eyes search mine, as though she really is contemplating if I’m going to be a liability on this mission. There was never really a discussion over whether I’m too compromised to undertake this mission objectively.
Before we left, both Red and Lee gave me a lecture about how I would be no help to Mac if I go in with my heart ruling instead of my head. I made them a promise I would be professional, and it reminds me of the conversation I had with Dad before I left.
Everyone else is either loading the van, checking the weapons, or helping Kellan monitor the security feeds, but I can’t seem to find a use for myself. All I can do is pace around the kitchen as the worst-case scenarios flood my head, the darkness setting in as I panic that we may be too late.
I hear Dad enter the kitchen long before he talks to me. At first he just stands beside the island, watching me pace. My gaze flicks over to him a few times, but I say nothing. He’s clearly waiting for the right moment, so I try to ignore him.
When he clears his throat, deciding now is the time to speak, I turn to face him, keeping my face as blank as his. “Finn, do you have a second just to chat before you leave?”
He makes it sound like a question, as though he’s asking for permission, but we both know whatever he wants to say, he will say it, even if I decline. So I simply shrug my shoulders and go back to pacing around the kitchen, staring at the floor.
“Make it quick. We’re rolling out in a couple of minutes.”
I’m not even sure if that’s true, but I really hope it is. I can’t stand around waiting much longer. I’ve already debated tryingto sneak out and go to the house by myself, since I know the location. But there are too many unknowns, even for a team of six trained people. Me going in by myself would be a suicide mission, and I’d very much like to be alive when we rescue McKenna.
“I know we’re not close, and I sure as fuck know we won’t be able to rectify that in the next couple of minutes, Finn. But I still want to try,” he starts, and I freeze.
I look up and find Dad staring at me with eyes that match my own so much it’s a little startling. His words register enough that my brain goes into overdrive. “Now’s not the time for this,” I snap.
The love of my life has been kidnapped, and we’re all about to walk into a possible suicide mission with very little of a plan for how to save her. I need to concentrate on that, not dredging up shit from the past.
Dad reaches out and places a hand on my arm, grabbing my attention. “Actually, now is the perfect time. I’m not going to apologise for the past, as that’s a much bigger discussion than we have time for right now. I really hope that one day you will sit down with me and let me explain my side of things to you, as there’s so much you don’t know, that I need you to understand. But, for right now, I’m going to keep it brief.”
He takes a deep breath, like he’s not quite sure how to find the words. I want to snap at him and tell him to get a move on, but something holds me back. His face softens slightly in a way I’ve never seen before, and he continues.
“Out of all my sons, you’re the one I failed the most. You were the one who shouldn’t have been part of this world. You never really wanted to be part of it, and I knew that. I think that’s why I pushed you so hard.
