Collateral Blood

28

The atmosphere in the warehouse was heavy, thick with tension and the unspoken fears of what might come next. After Harry's revelation about Sloan's ex-boyfriend Louis being deeply involved with the Vipers, there was an eerie silence among the crew. They all knew the stakes had just been raised.

Harry lingered by the warehouse door, his thoughts racing. Sloan was in the back room, resting—or at least trying to. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Louis being involved was no coincidence, and Lucas wasn't the type to make careless moves. The Vipers had always been cunning, always one step ahead. But Harry prided himself on staying sharp, on anticipating their next move. Yet, for the first time in a long time, he felt... vulnerable.

Zayn approached, his expression dark. "Harry, we've got a problem."

Harry straightened, tension knotting in his chest. "What is it?"

Zayn glanced around, ensuring no one else could hear. "I've just intercepted some chatter from the Vipers. Turns out they knew exactly where we were the whole time."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Zayn pulled out his phone and handed it to Harry. "Listen to this."

Harry pressed play, and static filled the air for a moment before a voice, unmistakably Lucas's, came through.

"They think they're safe in that warehouse. Let them believe that. We've been watching them for days. When they least expect it, we'll take back what's ours—and more."

The recording ended, and Harry's blood ran cold.

"They've been watching us?" Harry muttered, more to himself than to Zayn.

Zayn nodded grimly. "Seems like it. They've been playing us, Harry. We thought we were one step ahead, but they've been biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike."

Harry clenched his jaw, fury building within him. "That means they know about the product, about Sloan, about everything."

"Exactly," Zayn said. "And if they know all that, it means they're planning something big. We're not dealing with a straightforward turf war anymore. Lucas wants to dismantle us from the inside out."

Harry slammed his fist into the nearby wall, the impact reverberating through the warehouse. "Damn it! We've been too focused on the product and the girl. We underestimated him."

Zayn nodded, his gaze serious. "We need to come up with a new plan—and fast."

Harry paced, trying to think. His mind raced through the possibilities. If the Vipers had been watching them for days, then every move they had made was compromised. They couldn't stay here. They needed to relocate, regroup, and figure out how to turn the tables.

But first, there was Sloan.

Harry made his way back to the small room where she was resting. He hesitated at the door, his mind spinning with the knowledge that Lucas and the Vipers had known their every move. How much had they known about Sloan's involvement? About her feelings? About his growing attachment to her?

He couldn't let emotions cloud his judgement. Not now.

Pushing open the door, Harry stepped inside. Sloan was sitting on the edge of the cot, her eyes distant as she stared at the wall. She looked up when he entered, a mix of relief and apprehension in her eyes.

"Harry," she said quietly, sensing the tension radiating off him. "What's going on?"

Harry walked over, sitting down next to her. He didn't sugarcoat the situation. "We've got a problem. The Vipers have been watching us. They've known our location for days."

Sloan's eyes widened in shock. "What? How? I thought we were safe here."

"So did I," Harry replied, frustration lacing his tone. "But we've been played. Lucas has been biding his time, waiting to strike when we're vulnerable. We need to move, now."

Sloan nodded, her expression hardening. "What do we do?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, looking at her. The determination in her eyes reminded him of her father, but there was something else there—something that made her different. She wasn't like Lucas. She didn't carry the same cruelty, the same hunger for power. But she was strong, and she was ready to fight.

"We'll regroup with the crew, come up with a new plan," Harry said. "But I need you to stay close. Things are about to get a lot more dangerous."

Sloan nodded, standing up. "I'm ready."

As they left the room and joined the rest of the crew in the main area of the warehouse, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something much bigger than they had anticipated. Lucas had always been a ruthless adversary, but this level of deception—this game of cat and mouse—felt different. It felt personal.

Tom was waiting for them, his expression serious. "We've got everything loaded up. Where to next?"

Harry glanced at Zayn, who had just finished another call. "We need a new location. Somewhere they can't track us."

Zayn nodded. "I've got a spot in mind. It's remote, off the grid. They won't be able to find us easily."

Harry nodded, trusting Zayn's judgement. "Good. Let's move."

As the crew began loading into the vehicles, Sloan felt a strange unease settle in her stomach. Something wasn't right. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that Lucas was one step ahead of them again.

As they drove away from the warehouse, Harry's jaw was clenched in concentration. He was focused on the road ahead, but Sloan could see the tension in his shoulders, the weight of the situation bearing down on him.

She reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "We'll get through this, Harry."

He glanced at her, his eyes softening for just a moment. "I know. But it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Sloan nodded, bracing herself for whatever came next. She had no idea what the future held, but one thing was certain—she was in this now, and there was no turning back.