A Minor Technicality [Completed] *Slowly Editing*

Chapter 36 - After the Smoke Clears

Luca POV

My head continued to pound from the pistol-whip I'd taken to the back of the head, my heart was shattered from the revelation of Rachel's ultimate betrayal, and now my ears rang from the ricocheting bullets clanging in the smoke-filled room.

Utter chaos had exploded, and I was unable to protect myself. My hands were still firmly tied behind my back, and my eyes burned as I tried to stare through the sooty fog. The smell of sulfur filled my nostrils, but I quickly realized there was more than gun warfare being waged. Normal gunshots wouldn't create the thick vapor that currently blinded me, and I remembered only once in my life have this type of visual reaction...during my police academy training. Someone had brought smoke bombs to a gun fight. Creative? Yes. But I wondered who had upped the ante with the unexpected weaponry.

I lowered myself to the ground, scanning the area for Blythe. I needed to get her out of this mess. Shimmying across the floor was awkward, but it was the only way to propel myself to Blythe without detection. I tried to keep my bearings, and as the smoke began to clear, I realized that I was heading in the wrong direction.

Rachel's glassy eyes stared at me as she lay lifeless on the ground in front of me. I didn't know whether to feel sorrow at the loss of who I had perceived her to be or to celebrate the removal of her wicked heart from the earth. A part of me mourned, but a greater part of me felt a sense of righteous fury and satisfaction that she could no longer breathe the same air as those I loved.

My eyes scanned the room, and I smiled when I saw Natalie and her band of Marshals holding almost all of the Fitzgerald criminals at bay. As the lowlifes in front of me were being cuffed and read their rights, I cumbersomely worked my way to my knees.

"Let me help you with that," a deep voice chuckled behind me. I grinned at Eastcott as he untied the ropes chafing my wrists. I rubbed my aching skin and searched the room for my partner.

"Have you seen Walker?" I asked, sudden concern filling me.

"Nah, man. He told us where to meet you, and then he took off." Eastcott shrugged and glanced toward Natalie. "Haven't seen him since."

He excused himself to help line up the twenty-odd degenerates in the room, and I wandered to the nearby door. Maybe Walker had gotten Blythe to safety. I wouldn't put it past him to save the damsel first. He always had a hero complex.

The sun had started to set, and the sky was awash with purples and grays, bringing a calm to an otherwise insane day. I walked through the lot, glancing at all the parked cars with dark tinted windows and even darker paint jobs. I'd bet that we would find tons of damning evidence within those vehicles. A grin slid onto my face. After two years of grueling sleuthing, the Fitzgerald family was finally going to get their due.

Across the lot, I finally spied Walker. He held his phone to his ear, frantically waving his arms and arguing with someone. In front of him, Courtney and Jimmy stood handcuffed, defeated expressions on their faces. Walker turned to face them, question them angrily. He growled and stormed from them, apparently unhappy with their answers. I wondered why he would leave them unattended when a nearby shadow caught my notice. I stepped closer to the small group, unable to hear their conversation.

Walker returned and grumbled something at the shadowy figure. He turned to grasp Courtney's arm and began to lead her back to the warehouse. When she fought him, he narrowed his eyes and said something that caused her to acquiesce. She followed him into the building like a dutiful prisoner. The entire exchange felt funny to me, and I hurriedly crossed the lot to enter the building.

"Walker!" I yelled, catching up to him as he handed Courtney to Marshal Burke. He turned to face me, and relief filled his bright blue eyes.

"Thank god!" he shouted, pulling me to him and clapping my back in a manly hug. "I didn't see you when we stormed the place, and I worried that something had happened to you."

"How the hell did you find us?" I demanded. "I have no clue where the hell we are, but I'm pretty sure it's nowhere near the address we gave you."

Walker smirked and winked playfully at me. "I didn't trust Blythe not to deviate from the plan, so I planted GPS in your shoes."

"What?" I whispered in awe. I glanced at my shoes and looked at Walker in confusion. "I didn't feel anything."

"That's because I put it literally IN your shoes. Did the same to Blythe. The GPS is tucked into the sole of your heel." He smiled proudly. "When the Fitzgeralds picked you guys up, we just followed the GPS tracker and let the Marshals know the new location."

"Have I told you lately that you are amazing?" I chuckled.

"I accept monetary gifts and compensation for work well-done," he teased, his eyes twinkling with merriment.

"Right," I smirked. "I'll get right on that." I scanned the room for Blythe's blonde hair once more and came up empty.

"Have you seen Blythe anywhere?" I asked, concern beginning to bubble in my stomach.

"We have some medics outside. She's probably being checked for injuries," he stated quickly. He patted my back encouragingly. "Why don't you check on her? I'm going to see if Natalie needs any help."

"She still hasn't forgiven you, huh?" I joked.

"Nah, man. Won't even let me explain," he grumbled.

I watched him hurry like a lost little puppy to Natalie's side, and I followed a few Marshals out the door in search of any medics. Just as Walker had promised, there were a few ambulances nearby. I saw several EMTs and paramedics checking the wounds of the injured. Most of the wounded seemed to be Fitzgeralds, and that made me happy.

I only knew of three casualties, one of which was Rachel. I still couldn't believe that she had fooled me so thoroughly for two years. I was disgusted with her and with myself for believing her lies. Thinking of her made me think of Bekah and her parents. I didn't want to be the one to tell them the news of Rachel's death, and I knew that the relationship between our families would be strained. I felt sorry for my brother, Gio. I knew he had a special friendship with Bekah, and I would hate to see it squashed over her sister's terrible actions.

After checking with each ambulance unit, I determined that none of them had seen Blythe since the chaos had been brought under control. I had just decided to seek Walker's advice again when I saw him stride across the lot grinning.

"We have enough witnesses to take these bastards down for good," he beamed.

As excited as I was at the news, my overwhelming emotion was worry. Blythe was nowhere to be found, and until I saw her safe and whole in front of me, I wouldn't be able to relax. That nagging feeling was back in my gut and I looked with concern at my best friend.

"I can't find Blythe," I muttered.

"I'm sure she's around here somewhere," he placated.

"I've looked everywhere," I growled. "She isn't inside, she hasn't been seen by any of the medical units, and she isn't talking to any WITSEC Marhsals."

"Maybe she's with the Captain," Walker answered nonchalantly.

"The Captain of what?" I queried, confusion evident in my tone.

"Captain Flynn flew into town the moment he heard about the meet." My eyes widened at the news. "Maybe Blythe's with him. He's got Jimmy in custody. She may have wanted to say something to the slimeball."

A sudden alarming thought passed through my mind. "Speaking of slimeballs, I saw you talking with Courtney and Jimmy, but what the hell happened to Mikey?"

"Michael was here?!"

Walker seemed shocked at the news, and that did not bode well with me.

"Give me a second," Walker called as he ran back to the warehouse. My knees felt weak as my mind raced with terrible scenarios. Where the hell were Michael and Blythe?

When Walker returned, he crushed any remaining hope. I fell to my knees as his words left his lips.

"No one has seen Mikey or Blythe." He gulped slowly. "And Jimmy's SUV is missing."