Chapter 268 Gunshots
Dakota's P.O.V.
We pull up to the compound a few minutes later and jump out of the SUV. Benny and Xavier are ahead with their guns drawn.
"What's going on?" One of the guards asks who is running from the gate after it closes.
"We have a rat. Will you take the kids and Russell to Sam's room?" He nods and leads them around to the side of the house.
"Let's go inside," I say as I pull out my knife. Sarah has her knife ready while the men cock their guns.
When we first step into the house, it's eerily quiet. I hear someone crying; it sounds like it's coming from Aubrey's room. Ari and I head toward Aubrey's room while Galdino and Benny go upstairs. Sara and Xavier head toward the kitchen. Ari opens Aubrey's bedroom door, and she's sitting on the couch crying. We look around and then run over to her. Gabe is lying on the couch with a gunshot wound to his shoulder.
"He's alive but unconscious," Aubrey says.
"How long ago was he shot?" I ask.
"Not more than a few minutes. Gabe jumped in front of the bullet that was meant for me. Should I call the police?" Aubrey asks. She looks like she's in shock as she keeps her hand over his wound. I want to get the two of them out of here, but I don't want the police involved, or they'll arrest the rat, and I'm not planning on letting him live.
"I'm going to have one of the men from the gate take you and Gabe to the hospital. Make up a story about where he was shot. I don't want the police to come here right now." She looks at me and nods. Ari pulls out his phone and calls one of Galdino's men.
"Only if you promise me you will kill that bastard," she says.
"I promise." We leave them as Galdino's man enters the room. We meet Sarah and Xavier near the steps.
"Gabe was shot. Aubrey says the bullet was meant for her, but he jumped in the way. Did you find anything?" I ask as we take the stairs. I don't hear anything from above us, and I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
"No, there was no one in the kitchen," Sarah replies. We get to the top of the steps, and Ari and I go toward the office while Sarah and Xavier go in the opposite direction. I can hear voices as we get closer to the office door. Ari looks at me and nods. I take a deep breath and push the door open. What I see is not what I'm expecting. Galdino and Benny have their hands up while Noah, Tyler, Shea, and Luka point guns at them. Rain and Kylie are standing behind them. I also need to get them accustomed to carrying weapons.
"What are you doing?" I ask, looking around the room. The man I'm looking for isn't here.
"We heard gunshots, and a few minutes later, Galdino and Benny came into the room. They have to be the ones who have been playing us for fools all along," Luka says.
"No, they're not. They were with us. Gabe was shot. He is on his way to the hospital with Aubrey now. I'll explain everything later, but we need to find Raul's accomplice right now." I purposely don't tell them who it is because one of them will be hurt when they discover the truth.
We leave the office, and there are gunshots down the hall. My heart feels like it's beating out of my chest as we run toward the sounds of screams. We open the door to Galdino and Valentina's room, and my heart stops. No, please tell me I'm not seeing what's right in front of me.