God and Monsters

Chapter 10

"I've got a location on the van," Jay says, turning in his chair. I've only just stepped into his office, having just got back from Ashley's house.

A week has passed since I got her out of Luke's clutches, and since then, she's been helping out. I put her in charge of researching Rio and Rick while Jay has been focused on tracking down the van. We hit a dead end in Oregon. The vehicle disappeared from cams without a trace, and I've been losing my mind since.
She's been gone for twelve days now, and I've felt every fucking second of it.

"How'd you find it?"

"Finally got a hit on a satellite image taken yesterday."

"Walk and talk," I order, pivoting and walking right back out. "What's the address?"

He rattles off the address while he scrambles from his chair, followed by a muttered curse, a loud thump, and another colorful word or two.

I glance back to see him struggling to put on a second shoe, hopping on one foot and nearly face-planting into the wall. Shaking my head, I make my way down the stairs, leaving him to figure out how to be a functioning human again. By the time I swing open the door to my Mustang, Jay is locking his front door behind him and hurrying to the car. He lives in a modest home with his younger brother, Nick, though
I'd never know if it wasn't for the occasional screeches when he yells at whatever game he's playing. Or whoever he's playing with. Jay and Nick's parents were drug addicts and skipped out when Jay was sixteen and Nick seven. Luckily, Jay is an actual genius and managed to keep it a well-kept secret from the state. He's worked numerous jobs to keep the bills paid and his brother in good health. Six years later, Jay has legal guardianship of Nick, and they're living lavishly. Nick isn't aware of what his brother does for work, and right now, he's too young to care. I think he's more concerned with not dying in Call of Duty to notice, and Jay is happy to keep it that way.

"I need to call Michael to babysit," he says, dropping into the passenger seat with a huff. His phone is already out, his thumb flying across the keyboard.

"Dude, he's thirteen."

Jay pauses to look at me, a dry look on his face. "Exactly, which means he's going to be up until six o'clock in the morning with a bag of Doritos playing Call Of Duty, running up my credit card with stupid game buys." I tip my head side to side, conceding.

"Plus, I don't feel comfortable leaving him alone," he finishes quietly.

My gaze flickers to him while I speed out of his driveway. Claire is determined to hurt me, which puts the lives of my employees and their families at risk, too. I make a lot of enemies, and by association, so do my employees. No one goes into this job without knowing this, which is why most of them choose not to have a wife and kids. Obviously, not everyone can or will isolate themselves from loved ones, so providing protection for anyone directly impacted by the organization is essential.

"I get it. I'll call in a few extra men, too. Nothing will happen to your brother."

Jay nods, his shoulders relaxing an inch. It's the same thing I said to Rosie, and I failed her. I slide out a cigarette from my pack and pop it in my mouth. I won't fail again.

"This is the location?" I ask, my voice tight. "You're sure?"

We're in an awfully shitty part of town in Portland, Oregon. The address Jay directed me to is a three-story brick building that looks like it was built in the 1800s and abandoned before the century turned. The building is slightly lopsided, the windows are crusty and blackened with grime, and the interior looks to be completely dark.

"This is it," Jay says quietly. "The van is around the corner still."

"Fuck," I curse, briefly squeezing the steering wheel until the leather groans.