Page 56 of Trapped Truth

The smoke dancing over my tastebuds morphs into sour acid. Raye knows just as well as I do how experienced my father is within this industry. The man’s hands are dripping red with innocent blood.

“How many listings?” Hyland stares intently at the screen.

“In this forum alone?” Raye waves to the computer. “Nearly fifteen. There are others.”

“Son of a bitch.” Warner clamps a hand over his forehead. “He’s cleaning house.”

Knowing the man behind such depraved dealings shares the same blood as me turns my stomach. I let my joint drop, crushing it beneath my shoe. It’s impossible to enjoy with bile clogging my throat.

Once upon a time, my mother was one of these nameless faces. A number to be bought, sold and abused. To my father, she was merely a commodity. It didn’t matter that she birthed his heir. He discarded her nonetheless.

I can’t turn back the clock to save her life. The past is dead and buried along with her ghost. But these women, men and children… they’re alive. Perhaps we can still do something to save them from a fate worse than death.

“This is it.” Ember nods almost to herself. “Even if we can’t find Nolan Madden, if he’s willing to sell his assets, maybe we can strike a deal with him.”

“You want to buy a person?” Hyland gawps at her.

“Of course not! It would be a sting operation. I want to pose as a legitimate buyer to bring his men out into the open and give us a fighting chance.”

The whole group wears varying looks of distaste, though thoughtful ones at that. Honestly, it’s probably the best course of action available right now. I can’t help but feel a little proud of Ember’s determination.

“It’s not a bad idea,” Warner muses.

Shuddering, Hyland scrubs a hand over his stubbled chin. “It makes me feel ill.”

“Sometimes we have to do things we’re not proud of.” Ember’s reply is solemn. “Once the deal is done, we would get the victim to safety and secure their freedom. Doing this will save their life.”

“And what?” I challenge. “Capture his foot soldiers?”

“I’d imagine they’ll have useful information if they’re facilitating such important transactions. Perhaps they know where the other victims are being held. It’s a direct line back to Madden’s operation.”

Holding eye contact with Raye, it’s clear she agrees. My people are as exhausted by the constant running and waiting for the next attack. They need this to end just as badly.

“How easy is it to arrange a purchase?” Axel glances at me.

“It will take some time to iron out the details.”

Truthfully, I can only speculate. Timelines and potential complications collide to create countless possibilities.

“Why the delay?” Ember asks.

“This isn’t a live auction, sweetheart. Dark web sales work differently from what you’ve seen. Buyers have to be cleared, vetted. There’s an element of trust building required.”

“We don’t have time to waste,” Warner mutters.

“Given the desire to clear stock, I think we could make a meet happen.” I look back at Raye, legs crossed and propped up on her desk. “Do you have an estimate on how long it would take?”

She contemplates for a moment. “A couple of weeks perhaps. If we appear too eager, we could spook the seller. I’d introduce a timeframe that makes us seem a little cautious.”

With the holidays right around the corner, that could work. It buys us time for our various team members to heal as much as possible and for preparations to be made.

“Start laying the groundwork.” Nodding, Warner seems to wrestle the doubt from his face. “We keep this between us and the directors. No backup, no other teams for redundancy. It’s need-to-know.”

“Warner…” Hyland starts to protest.

“I know your feelings on the matter, Hy.”

“This is foolish!”