Page 31 of Innocent Target

It took a few more seconds for the last fog of unconsciousness to lift and everything came crashing down as she remembered. She’d just finished giving Abbie a bottle and changing her in James’s room when a loud sound boomed from the front door.

Training had taken over as Mercy grabbed her gun and peeked through the bedroom door. She saw Ian doing his best to block the way, firing at some of the men, but he was vastly outnumbered. With one look, she saw five men come through the front door and beat up her former partner, until the poor man was thrown from his wheelchair.

One look at Abbie in her crib told Mercy there were no options left as they’d be through the bedroom door in seconds. As soon as the doorknob turned, she had fired but was quickly swarmed by her attackers. Her last memory was of her weapon being taken from her, punches and kicks raining down upon her, and Abbie’s cries moments before everything had become silent.

Tears welled as she realized that she’d failed Abbie and James. The only mission she’d vowed to succeed in. Where was she? And even more crucial, where had they taken Abbie?

Unable to see, Mercy tried to finagle her cuffs, but they were shut too tight for any of the tricks she knew, the metal biting into her skin. Despite the pain and discomfort, she pushed against the wall in an effort to stand. At least where they were keeping her was tall enough for her to be on her own two feet. Not a noise came from the outside, meaning that either Abbie was calm, or they’d taken her to another location. Mercy refused to think that even those men could’ve harmed the infant.

She shimmied against the metal walls, trying to find the door or any kind of opening. It took quite a while, but she found a lever. With her hands bound behind her back, she tried to pull it up, but it wouldn’t budge. Unable to get any kind of leverage from her position, Mercy considered lying down and using her feet when a loud bang came from the other side and the door opened with such force, it made her stumble and fall hard a few feet away.

Laughter boomed into the small room, and she blinked at the blinding light until her vision cleared enough to see three men standing at the entrance. One man entered, and when her vision fully adjusted, she recognized Cody Hull, or more accurately, Scorpion.

“Well, Miss. It’s good to see you’re not in a coma after all. With that head wound, I thought you’d never open your pretty eyes.”

Mercy crawled into a sitting position. “Where’s Abbie?”

Condescendingly, Hull crouched in front of her and touched her nose. “I wouldn’t worry your pretty head about my child. If I were you, I’d be more worried about what I intend to do with you.”

“Where’s Abbie?” There was no way she’d give him the pleasure of seeing her afraid.

“Did you think I wouldn’t come after my baby? Bethany thought she was clever, but I was always a step ahead. If you want to know, my little angel is with her mother. For now. The only reason Bethany is still breathing is because she has something of mine. I told her that if she gives it back, I’ll allow her to keep Abbie. That’s a lie, of course, but one that suits me at the moment. When everything is done, I’ll have all the time in the world to raise my daughter to become the princess of the Henchmen.”

The man was cruel and evil, but it was the case with many men who held power over others. They didn’t get in their positions without that side to their character.

“I’m surprised you told me that. I’m even more surprised you didn’t kill me back at the house. Why am I here?”

Now he towered over her. “I thought about killing you. It would have been more convenient, but blood sends cops after you. When someone disappears, at some point, police stop searching. That’s why I wouldn’t allow my men to kill your friend. Maybe we broke his legs, but it’s not as if he can feel it.”

The other men snickered, but Mercy didn’t look and let him continue his speech. The more time she gained, the more she’d learn about him and what he was planning.

“My men were interested in you, but I’d rather do business than waste something that may bring me money. Did you know that there’s a flourishing market for human organs?”

She could feel the blood drain from her face when she realized he was dead serious.

“A potential buyer is coming to see you soon, but in the meantime, I’ll make sure the merchandise stays nice and fresh. Thank you for your sacrifice, bitch. Find comfort in the thought that you’ll save lives in the end.”

The door banged closed, and she was locked in darkness again. Beeping sounds came from outside, and the only lights she saw flashed until they both turned green. The number forty appeared underneath. What did that mean? She quickly got her answer when a deep rumble resonated from above, and the air started to move—cold air. She was locked inside a fridge, or maybe even freezer.

Panic seizing her, she started to check every single inch of the metal box for anything she could use, or even an idea to get out, but there was nothing. Even the box with lights and numbers were out of reach.

There was nothing else to do but wait, hope that the team would find her in time before they started butchering her or she turned into an icicle.

* * *

James had to summon every ounce of self-control he had not to go on a rampage. Despite every precaution they’d taken, they’d been surprised, and now Mercy and Abbie were gone. Were they together? Or alive? He refused to go there and forced his brain to remain with the idea that both his girls were together and safe until he reached them.

Kingsley had taken care of Ian, sending him to the emergency room, even if the former cop was far from pleased. He had so many bruises and the risk of internal bleeding was too high for him to take a chance with his life. Kingsley also wanted his legs looked at as the bruising there was extensive, and he was worried about a fracture. His colleague had even found an independent security firm to guard him, so Mercy’s friend would remain safe. Once he got out of the hospital, extra security would be put in place until the threat hanging over their heads was gone.

In front of his computer, James felt helpless in a video call that included Shane and Emme on one end, and Imari and Alex on the other. Nick was pacing in the kitchen, his hand twitching over his gun, mumbling to himself and cursing whoever took Mercy and Abbie.

“I’ve tracked Rao’s phone, and he’s been nowhere near Ian’s place.” Alex was typing frenziedly, his eyes not leaving the screen. “And I’ve made sure his phone wasn’t a decoy. Hopefully, he has a rental car and hasn’t disabled the GPS. He headed for his hotel room and hasn’t moved since. Last activity was him purchasing some take-out. Food for one.”

Shane looked angry, determined. Mercy was family to him and Emme, they all were. Emme was on the phone in the background, her voice low as she tried to get as much information as she could from her contacts. “Imari, you have to find Mercy. Can you ping her phone?”

James didn’t expect much from it, which Imari confirmed.

“They ditched it a couple of streets down, before we were able to get a clear direction of where they were going.” The curse coming from Shane echoed exactly how James felt. Imari kept her cool. “If it helps, I’ve launched a small tool of mine, one I intended to beta test first, but as this is an emergency, I’ve decided to start it now. I’ve implemented software that connects with every camera, every possible feed, as well as every photo on the Web. I’ve uploaded Mercy’s data and I’m waiting for the results. I’ve done the same for Abbie, using the pictures you sent me, James, but I doubt it will work for her as she’s only a baby. Facial recognition isn’t as powerful with children. Not yet.”