Chapter 95 It's Time
DETECTIVE ROURKE'S POV
My phone rang at eight fifteen pm. It was one of my informants inside the Hayes organization. The one who had been feeding me information for months.
"Rourke you need to listen to me," the informant said. His voice was panicked. "Hayes is making a move tonight. Right now."
"What kind of move?" I asked.
"He called a meeting of the entire organization," the informant said. "Everyone is at the estate right now. And he has Caitlyn. He is planning to execute her in front of everyone."
"When?" I demanded.
"Soon," the informant said. "Maybe in the next hour. I do not know exactly. But you need to move now if you want to save her."
"How many people are there?" I asked.
"Fifty at least," the informant said. "Maybe more. The whole organization plus some corrupt cops and officials."
"Corrupt cops," I repeated. "Who?"
He rattled off some names. Captains and lieutenants that I had suspected were dirty but never had proof of. Now they were all in one place. All attending an execution.
"This is it," I said. "This is how we take them all down."
"You need to hurry," the informant said. "I do not know how much time you have."
I hung up and immediately called my captain. The honest one. The one I knew I could trust.
"I need a tactical team at the Hayes estate right now," I said. "Hayes is holding a hostage. Planning to execute her. We need to move immediately."
"Do you have confirmation?" the captain asked.
"I have an informant inside," I said. "He just called me. This is happening right now."
"How many suspects?" the captain asked.
"Over fifty," I said. "Including some of our own people. Dirty cops who are on Hayes' payroll."
"This is big," the captain said. "Are you sure about this?"
"I am sure," I said. "We move now or Caitlyn Hayes dies. Those are the options."
"Okay," the captain said. "I will pull together everyone I trust. Meet us at the staging area in twenty minutes."
"Make it fifteen," I said. "We do not have time to waste."
I hung up and called Jason. He answered on the first ring.
"Rourke," Jason said. "Tell me you have something."
"I know where she is," I said. "Hayes has her at the estate. He called a meeting of his organization. He is planning to execute her tonight in front of everyone."
"I am on my way," Jason said.
"Wait," I said. "You cannot just rush in there. There are over fifty armed men at that estate. You will get yourself killed."
"I do not care," Jason said. "I am going to save her."
"Then you are going to do it the right way," I said. "I have a tactical team assembling. We are raiding the estate in thirty minutes. You want to help then you coordinate with us."
"Thirty minutes might be too long," Jason said. "What if he kills her before then?"
"Then we will be too late," I said. "But rushing in without a plan guarantees we will be too late. We do this smart or we do not do it at all."
Jason was quiet for a moment. "Fine. Where do I meet you?"
"Staging area two blocks from the estate," I said. "Get there as fast as you can."
I drove to the staging area and found the tactical team already assembling. Twelve officers in full gear. Armed with rifles and body armor. All the people I trusted. All honest cops.
Jason pulled up a few minutes later with Tommy and five other bikers. They all looked ready for a fight.
"You should not be here Cross," the tactical team leader said. "This is a police operation."
"My girlfriend is in there," Jason said. "I am not sitting this out."
"He can help," I said. "He knows the layout of the estate. He has been there before."
"Fine," the team leader said. "But he follows our lead. No cowboy stuff."
"Agreed," Jason said.
I pulled out blueprints of the estate that I had gotten from the city planning office. Spread them out on the hood of my car.
"Here is the layout," I said. "Main entrance here. Back entrance here. Multiple rooms on the first floor. Bedrooms on the second floor."
"Where is the meeting happening?" the team leader asked.
"Probably here," I said pointing to the large meeting room on the first floor. "It is the only room big enough to hold fifty plus people."
"So we breach here and here," the team leader said pointing to the front and back entrances. "Two teams. Simultaneous entry. Catch them by surprise."
"What about Caitlyn?" Jason asked. "Where will she be?"
"Probably in the meeting room with Hayes," I said. "He is using her as the main event. He will want everyone to see."
"So we go in fast," Jason said. "Get to her before Hayes can hurt her."
"That is the plan," I said. "But we have to be smart about this. Hayes will have guards. Will have lookouts. If they see us coming they will barricade themselves inside."
"So we need a distraction," Tommy said. "Something to draw their attention away from the entrances."
"Like what?" the team leader asked.
"Like us," Tommy said. "My crew. We can make noise at the front. Make them think that is where the assault is coming from. While you guys breach the back."
"That could work," I said. "But it is dangerous. You will be exposed."
"We can handle it," Tommy said. "We have been in worse situations."
"Okay," the team leader said. "Here is how we do this. Bikers create a distraction at the front gate. Draw the guard's attention. Meanwhile, we breach the back entrance. Move through the house. Secure the meeting room. Extract the hostage."
"What about Hayes?" Jason asked. "What happens to him?"
"Hayes gets arrested," I said. "Along with everyone else at that meeting. This is the end of his organization."
"And if he tries to run?" Jason asked.
"Then we stop him," the team leader said. "By any means necessary."
We went over the plan three more times. Made sure everyone knew their role. Made sure everyone understood the timing had to be perfect.
"We move in ten minutes," the team leader said. "Everyone check your gear. Make sure you are ready."
I checked my weapon. Made sure I had extra ammunition. Put on my vest. This was it. This was the moment we had been working toward for months.
"You ready for this?" I asked Jason.
"I have been ready," Jason said. "I am getting her back tonight. No
No matter what it takes."
"Just be careful," I said. "Hayes is dangerous. Especially when he is cornered."
"So am I," Jason said.