Chapter 331 Chapter 331
Konner rounded the corner and met up with York, who jerked his chin toward the last room at the end of the hall. They both moved toward it.
The collared security had really been stepped up at this location. It had taken a few scuffles to subdue them and make them realize they were here to help, not punish them. The scars on them pissed Konner off and made him want to beat someone until the air left their body for the last time.
Konner made a quick assessment of each of the men’s eyes, hoping to find a tell-tale silver ring, but had found none. As they’d handed off the fifth one to Blair, he’d pointed them in the direction the captives were being held. If he hadn’t, the team may not have found it.
“There’s a hidden room, a door behind a wall panel.” Konner told Illias, “have the cleanup crew check for shit like that at the last two locations and give team two a heads up.”
“That’s a new move. I’ll relay.” Illias answered.
York was still running his hand along the wall. Konner looked at the floor and where the trim met the floorboards. He pointed when York glanced at him, there was a section that had been cut.
York went over and pushed on the wall, a quiet click and the wall moved. “This is some spy shit now.” He mumbled as he pulled it open.
Konner wasn’t going to argue with him. It was hard enough to find the locations where they were holding their kind of people, now if they were going to start hiding them at those spots, it was going to mean a longer operation time. Being somewhere longer increased the chances of being caught.
Ducking down, he turned to fit through the narrow space and was surprised to see it was a room on the other side. York stood with the door open.
Konner moved past him and went into the room. The odor of stale air and unwashed bodies hit him immediately. Blankets strewn on the floor were abandoned. Standing as far from the door possible were six boys, most he figured in their mid-teens. He lowered the dart gun, “We’re here to take you home.”
The smallest of the boys started to step forward and one of the older ones stopped him. “Wait, Talbot.” He narrowed his eyes and looked at York and then back to Konner, “who are you?”
“The Alliance sent us, son,” York said before Konner could speak.
“For real?” The smallest one asked.
Konner grinned, “for real. We have others waiting outside to get you home.”
“Team one, we’ve found two males, they’ve been beaten pretty bad and are refusing to leave.”
Konner and York exchanged a quick glance. “Come on boys.” He watched them move slowly toward the opening. The last one, probably eighteen, nineteen held his arm over his abdomen, the way he was hunched told him there was a problem. He held up his hand for him to stop, and motioned to his waist, “let me take a look.”
“You’re going to have to handle this, Blair, they’re refusing to leave,” Jesse stated.
“Names?” Blair asked abruptly.
Konner lifted the boy’s shirt and sucked in a breath. His abdomen was dark purple and swollen. He hit the comm button, “I may have broken ribs here, Shaelan” He forewarned Shaelan, then let the boy go by him.
“Rydge Molina and Auden Cohen,” Jesse said replying to Blair.
The reply came quickly, “tell them we found their families and they are safe.” Blair said brusquely.
“That worked.” Jesse said over the radio, “we’re going to need medical assistance for these two.”
“As soon as Shae has checked the boys over, we’ll head to you.” Calum’s tone didn’t waver, as he spotted the boys coming down the stairs toward him.
Konner leaned down and checked the boy’s eyes as they went by him. None had silver in them, but that was okay, these were some clan’s children and now they could go home.
“Pryce Neal, Talbot Brewer, Bowen Harrell,” Calum said in a quiet voice, “and Carver Vargas from Sorum clan.”
“I’m going to need more buildings fast,” Blair said as he jogged up the driveway with Kobie right beside him.
Konner grinned; his clan was growing fast today. It made his chest ache, in a good way, that they’ve found so many from that clan.
“Luca Burns from the Burke clan,” York announced.
Konner turned to look at the boy standing beside York, he had to be at least eighteen, which meant he would have been just a small boy when he was taken.
The one he was walking with stopped, his breathing ragged, it must be hurting him to move. “Need you here, Shaelan.” He used the mic to be sure she heard.
“On my way.”
He stopped and touched the boy’s arm as they neared the vans. “Just rest for a sec.” He leaned down so he could see the boy’s face. “Lift your chin, and inhale slowly through your nose.” The boy listened and then froze.
“Uncle Ash?” He croaked with a dry throat.
Asher spun from watching Shaelan come toward them and looked at the boy. He went over confusion on his face. Konner watched his eyes widen and then recognition appear in his eyes. “Galen?” He rushed over and started to grab him, then stopped and placed his hands on his shoulders. “It is you.” He cleared his throat and hit his mic button, “Galen Hayes from the Cain clan.” His voice shook with emotion.
“Hi.” Shaelan was beside them now, “I just want to lift your shirt and take a look,” Asher moved to lift it for her. Konner watched a guarded look move over her face, “have you had your first shift, Galen?”
He nodded, just barely.
“Okay,” she smiled, “that’s good, we don’t need your animal making an appearance right now.” She motioned to the van, “let’s get you perched in the door.”
Asher moved to help him.
Konner looked down at Shaelan, “broken ribs?”
She nodded, “moving too much could puncture an organ, if it hasn’t already.” She motioned to the van, “can you grab the big box for me?”
Konner holstered his dart gun and ran to the back of the van. Opening the door, he popped it open and pulled out the large case of medical supplies.
“The best I can do right now is give him something to dull the pain and wrap them, but I need an ultrasound, x-rays, to check more.” She looked at Asher, “we’ll have to get him in the front seat, reclined to get there.”
Asher was nodding and helping Galen take his shirt off.
The youngest of the found boys came running over. “Is he going to be okay?”
Shaelan’s serious expression changed to a pleasant smile, “he’ll be fine.”
The boy nodded, “they beat him because he wouldn’t let them take me.”
Konner watched Asher’s jaw clench. “Calum, we need you here.” He used the mic, rather than yell it down the street.
Asher leaned down and put his hands on the other boy’s shoulder, “who did?” He asked in a low tone.
“The men that come every few days to check us out.” He looked scared.
“Did they leave, they weren’t in the house?” Asher’s tone was softer now, but the expression on his face was anything but the look in his eyes was pure revenge.
Calum came over, Konner motioned to the boy. “Can you take,” what had the other boy called him? “Talbot, to see who we brought out before them?”
“I can,” Calum said slowly, then glanced to Asher and his nephew. “Did one of them do that?” He watched his mate slowly wrapping large gauze around them.
“To be determined,” Konner answered as Asher held his nephew upright.
Calum nodded, and held out his hand to Talbot, “let’s go take a look, then you can ride with my friend Deacon and his mate, Gia.”
Talbot took his hand, “Kobie said I get to go home.”
“That’s right, you do.”
“Konner, you’re to drive the two from the White clan to the campground,” Illias said quickly.
Konner glanced at Asher, then pressed the mic, “with Asher?”
“Negative. Just you. Quinn is already on route to the next location to fill in for the last two stops tomorrow.”
Konner and Asher exchanged another look.
“Calla is swinging back and going to call you to pick up the rest of the Sorum clan.”
Shaking his head, having no idea, Konner hit the mic button again, “where am I meeting up with a vehicle?”
“I’ll text you the location in two,” Illias sounded distracted, “Asher, you’ll meet Quinn at the same location.”
Asher looked over at him again and then turned to see Shaelan still wrapping Galen’s ribs.
She glanced over at him, “he’ll have to be transported to the clinic at the Alliance headquarters.”
Konner kept quiet, he had no idea such a clinic existed, and he was one of the few with inside information into the Alliance.
“Help me get him into the seat and then you can take the other van and Cal and I will get him where he needs to be.”
Asher pondered that for a moment, then he nodded. “At least I know he’ll be safe on route.”
Calum came up behind him, “of course, he would.” He put his hands on his hips and shook his head, “the guards, or whatever they’re used for weren’t responsible for this,” he motioned to Galen. He leaned over and looked down at the boy, who was bravely trying to breathe through the pain, “my mate will get you fixed up in no time.”
Galen just nodded and winced as she taped the wrap off.
Calum pointed to the van behind this one. “You two can take that one and meet up with Quinn.”
Konner went around to the other side and opened the other door, leaning in, he pulled his bag out from under the seat and then stretched over to grab his run pack and other gear. Inclining his head to Calum, then Shaelan, he walked back to the driver’s side. As he climbed in, it occurred that maybe Devin Addison was calling him to the campground because he knew about his clan’s death ritual.