Savage Scheme (14 page)

“You look beautiful, darling,” her father commented as she walked into the formal dining room. She couldn’t remember a time her father had ever called her beautiful or darling. It was clear Senior Vasquez was going to receive quite a show tonight. Carlos and Vasquez both stood while her father remained seated in his chair at the head of the table. Carlos pulled out her chair, forcing her to sit between himself and her father, Vasquez directly across from her.

“It must be nice to be back home, Libby,” Vasquez prompted into the silence. She wondered at the warm smile he attempted making him look nothing but awkward.

She swallowed a groan as Carlos kicked her ankle, warning her to answer. “It certainly is something.” Picking up her napkin she laid it on her lap, playing with the seamed edge.

“She is just as much of a firecracker as promised.”

“I told you she would be,” her father agreed. She could feel his cold stare but just as she did as a child, she made sure to ignore it. The few servants her father kept on staff quietly served dinner before her father waved them away. Moving the food around with her fork, Carlos leaned in and told her to eat. God, she was going to enjoy killing his condescending ass.

“Are you looking forward to tomorrow Libby? Do you have everything you need?”

Libby looked toward the man sitting across from her and narrowed her eyes knowing this was the other shoe dropping.

“I haven’t had the time to share the good news yet, Vasquez,” her father replied.

“You haven’t. Well, I’m most happy to be here to be a part of the experience.” She wasn’t sure of his act. Her father’s she could pinpoint down to the last detail, the prodigal daughter returns home and what a joyous occasion it is. Vasquez, he attempted the warm smiles but behind every one of his efforts was a hard, unyielding maliciousness that was ever present.

“What news,” Libby asked, hearing the icy edge to her voice.

“Senior Vasquez and I made a deal. He agreed to partner with me on this new venture with one condition.”

“And that would be?”

“You,” her father answered. She shouldn’t have been surprised. The three letter word spinning around her as she felt herself fall into numbness. Seeing red, she felt herself drift into a fantasy of stabbing her steak knife into her father’s neck.

“I simply told your father that as I was getting on in my age, I thought it was about time I took on a wife.”

Wife.
She repeated the word over and over in her head knowing the real meaning behind it and the evil that was such a natural part of the man.
Slave.
Her father had sold her into an arranged marriage for the opportunity to become a mass murderer. She knew he thought he’d found the fountain of youth with an added high. It was obvious he was blind to the lab rats withering away in the laboratory. She remembered Vasquez’s earlier question - was she ready for tomorrow. It was clear now they had planned whatever farce of a wedding to take place the following day giving her no chance of escape. It was clear Vasquez had plans of whisking her away to whatever corner of the world he resided where she would be used and abused as he saw fit. It was abundantly obvious it was what her father wanted as well. There wasn’t even a point of making a scene and the last thing she needed was Carlos’ heavy hand marking her face even more. Right now, it was three against one and it was clear by the arrogance in the air they all knew the stakes. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, she pushed away from the table and stood, tossing her napkin over her untouched dinner.

“Where are you going?” Carlos sneered under his breath. Straightening her shoulders, she forced a smile to her lips.

“Well, it seems I have a wedding to prepare for.”

“Let her go,” Vasquez commanded. “Women, they need to get ready for such occasions.” With a small smile, she attempted at coy gratitude before turning her back and leaving the room.

“Libby.” Her father’s voice had her stopping in her tracks, the command in his voice hard. She refused to turn around and face him, a sure sign of disrespect. “Make sure you cover that hideous bruise on your face.” She straightened her shoulders and gave a short, quick nod. Climbing the stairs slowly, listening to her heels click against the tiled floor, she allowed her first genuine smile since she’d woken up in her childhood bed. She certainly had something to prepare for, and it definitely wasn’t a wedding.

Nate stared out the small window of the plane, taking in the palm trees and lush lands before them. Landing on a small, private island, Roxy brought the plane down with efficiency knowing they would have to boat in for any chance of surprise. They were lucky Ace had tipped them off to the small deserted island. After Cameron had done some extensive research, they knew they would be able to fly in relatively undetected and take possession of the small cottage, the only residence on the overgrown land. Moving quickly from the plane Nate and his brothers set up a command in the tiny living room, immediately connecting with Cameron, who stayed back at the Barn. Nate knew she wanted to be in the middle of the excitement, the adrenaline of the mission. He could see the disappointment on her face every time they told her she would be staying back. It was too dangerous. Hell, it turned his stomach knowing Roxy and Stella were there with them, but Roxy was the only one who had the skills to maneuver the plane with perfection and there was no one better equipped for medical emergencies than Stella. Aiden could fly an aircraft with general training, but even his brother admitted their sister out skilled him in the sky. They couldn’t take any chances with this mission and his sisters were their best bet. When Roxy asked about ambushing the compound, she was dutifully lectured about staying with the plane while Stella quietly laughed, happy to help when needed. His twin, unlike Roxy, was more than happy to stand in the background away from the violent excitement. They had been receiving the classic Roxy pout ever since.

“Cam, can you hear us?” Nate asked.

“I can hear you.”

“What do you have?”

“West has some sort of block inside the compound. I’m only getting static with bursts of audio. It seems like they are in the middle of dinner, there are a few voices, only one female I can detect. He has four guards at all time standing at the main gates leading into the compound. I’ve sent you a map detailing the position of every possible entry point as well as the blueprint of the compound itself.”

“Good job Cam. Keep trying to get that audio and we’ll check back in a bit. See if you can pinpoint what time the guards change and any possible weakness we can target.”

“Will do.”

Tacking a large map of the island to the wall, they started preparing a plan for ambush. Nate knew they would have to wait for Cameron’s feedback, but he couldn’t stop the itching at the back of his neck telling him they needed to move now. Nate looked over at his friend Nick, relieved that he’d agreed to join them on the mission. Nate was almost positive one of the few reasons was because they were holding Libby hostage, his buddy embracing a soft spot for his wildcat. 

“We’ll get her back,” Nick confirmed in a soft voice only Nate could hear. He nodded his head but couldn’t help but wonder if she wanted to be rescued.

“Okay, boys and girls. We know the drill. Eliminate the threats while keeping any innocents safe. Because of the variables involved in this mission, smart and quick thinking is critical. We are going to set up our positions here and here,” Logan explained locating the entry points on the blueprint. “Our goal is to eliminate the targets at any cost. If you have the shot, take it. No matter what. Roxy and Stella, you will remain here until you receive word to do otherwise, is that understood?”

“Understood,” Stella agreed while Roxy, the little devil, saluted Logan with perfect execution. Nate could see Nick out of the corner of his eye clamping his lips together in an effort to conceal his laughter.

Logan rolled his eyes. “The plan is to ambush the compound when they are at their weakest, presumably upon the evening change of the guards. We have vessels docked to take in, at that time the sun will have set and we go in silent. Be ready boys, in just a few hours, we go hunting.”          

***

The next morning Libby watched from her bedroom window as some of the servants were continuing to set up the small ceremony location. She almost felt bad knowing they were setting up for nothing. Turning toward the knock at the door and the small feminine voice that accompanied it, she moved to open it, finding a team dedicated solely to her hair and makeup.

Really going all out for this farce
, she thought with a sigh. Inviting them inside, they immediately got to work but remained silent in their tasks. She was grateful for the quiet, and being prompted to close her eyes enabled her to go over the plan she’d concocted the night before.

She’d waited until the house was asleep. Throwing back her covers, she slinked across her room, peering out the window and taking note of the bored, distracted guards. She’d made sure to change back into her pants and t-shirt, she’d even pulled her boots on before she’d gone to bed knowing what she was going to have to do. Pulling the duffel bag she’d moved under her bed, she threw it on the mattress grabbing only the necessary weapons. Strapping the throwing knives to her belt and placing the small handgun at the small of her back, she recounted the inventory, the sliver of moonlight her only illumination, before zipping closed the thick material. She’d made a knotted rope from the flat sheets that covered her mattress. Quietly opening the doors leading onto the small balcony, she knew she didn’t have to worry about setting off an alarm. Her father wasn’t a naive man, but he was cocky. Which meant he didn’t think she could try and escape. Throwing the rope over the side of the heavy railing, she hauled the duffle bag over her shoulder and with one last glance to make sure she was still alone, she quickly descended to the ground. Already sweating, she wiped her forehead and moved toward the thick shrubs lining what she knew was going to be the place she would be standing in just a few short hours. Toads croaked, providing a symphony to the quiet night, adding only to the sound of the soft waves against the sandy shore. Pushing the bag within the dense leaves, she made sure to conceal it before quickly running back to the still dangling rope. Pulling herself up, she climbed each knot quickly and efficiently. Grabbing the cold stone of the balustrade, the sound of male laughter cut through the silent night. Swinging her leg over the railing, her movements were almost panicked as the voices drew closer. Hauling the rope quickly behind her she snuck back into her room and closed the door just as they stopped to light a cigarette below her window. Quickly shedding her clothes, she fell into bed, her chest heaving with adrenaline. And a smile on her face.

Let the games begin.

“Miss Libby.” She opened her eyes to find an older, familiar woman leaning against a cane. She was dressed in the standard white uniform her father had his staff dress in, staring at her as if she had called her name more than once.

“Sorry, must have dozed off.” Libby smiled, remembering who the woman was. She’d once caught her and Randall in the pantry pressed up against a wall, her skirt around her hips. Randall had never worked her as hard as he did that afternoon, grumbling something about blue balls and her fault.

“Quite alright. We’re all finished. If you wish to get dressed, I’m to inform you, you are to be downstairs at six o’clock.”

Looking around, Libby realized they were alone. “What happened?” she asked, pointing to the woman’s cane.

“Casualties of the job,” the woman waved away with a shrug. Libby blanched, realizing what the woman was saying. Her father had killed Randall for helping her get away and he’d obviously punished this innocent woman for being an affiliate.

Libby blew out a rough breath, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault, child. I knew what I was getting into. I’m sorry that you’re being forced to marry that evil man.”

“Casualties of being Satan’s daughter,” she told the woman, mimicking her shrug. Libby and the woman stared at each other for a long moment before she leaned in and took both of her hands in hers.

“What do you need me to do?” she asked, almost begging.

“Stay out of sight. Make up an excuse to clean the servant’s quarters and take as many with you as you can without being obvious. Can you do that?”

“I can,” she agreed. “Stay safe, brave girl.”

“Be careful. Please.” The woman nodded and with a swift kiss on her cheek she left her alone. Libby closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She felt all of her walls fall securely in place, shutting out all of her emotions. She stood and moved to the bathroom. Staring at herself in the mirror, her hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders as her features were lightly dusted in neutral shadows, enhancing her natural beauty. They’d concealed her bruise, the only sign of a wound was her still swollen cheek. But it wasn’t the makeup or the hair that stared back at her. It was the machine she was trained to become. She realized now that all of her gruelling training was for this. A cold smile touched her lips knowing by the end of the night blood would stain her hands. And it was something she was looking forward to. 

Libby stood at one end of the aisle in the floor length white satin gown that had been chosen for her. She was surprised at even the small ceremony set up. She would have thought her father would have signed her over before she was hogtied and thrown into whatever vessel Vasquez would whisk her away on. But apparently the old man had never been married and in his own words, he wanted the experience at least once in his life. Libby had promised him an experience. The sky above her was shades of orange and pinks and as the sun continued to set, she noticed the lack of security detail surrounding both her father and Vasquez. Her father stood to the side of the man he’d sold her to like she was nothing but disposable as Carlos stood as the officiant. She couldn’t hold back the roll of her eyes before she started forward, her thumb grazing the hidden throwing knife she’d placed within the small bouquet of flowers. Knowing the gown was chosen specifically to show anything she wore underneath, the fabric draping over her every curve, she resorted to taping the remaining two knives to her inner thigh. Realizing she wouldn’t be able to hide her gun, she’d made sure to place it into the servant’s utilities bag. She’d just hoped the woman found it before it was too late. Meeting her halfway, her father gripped her elbow with bruising fingers ensuring she would keep course. Stopping so she stood facing Vasquez, she really stared at him. His sun-warmed skin and deep wrinkles proved years of hard leadership. His hair was perfectly coiffed with too much gel and his suit was pristinely pressed but it was the coldness in his eyes that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

As Carlos started speaking, her father moved to stand in her peripheral and she watched as Vasquez tracked his movements. Suddenly she realized something wasn’t right. Carlos continued to drone on in the background, but Libby didn’t hear a word he was saying. Moving her fingers so they gripped the knife, she watched almost as if in slow motion, Vasquez turn to Carlos, who had pulled a wicked black gun from a shoulder holster and aim it at her father. Blinking at the blast, she watched the sickly man drop to the ground, a smoking hole in the middle of his forehead. Looking down, she saw the red splatter covering the left side of her dress. She moved her gaze back up to Carlos, who stood staring at her with a grin she’d never seen before. She had no idea what to feel in that moment. Her father laid dead at her feet, the man who had sold her to a drug lord with the same evil running through his veins. He’d taken away everything in her life, he’d forced her to run, to live in fear for most of her life. He’d found joy in her pain. And the asshole next to her took away her opportunity for vengeance. 

“He would have just been dead weight,” he explained. He moved so he pointed the gun lazily at her. Carlos always was a lazy bastard. “Let’s go.”

As she quickly began forming a new plan in her head, she suddenly heard shouting and the distinct sound of a gunshot on the other side of the gates. Carlos and Vasquez both started talking in fast tones, their full attention on the distraction. Carlos pulled a radio out of his pocket, barking orders to the man on the other end while Vasquez started yelling for his security. Carlos moved to stand in front of Vasquez as if to protect the drug kingpin. With the two men absorbed in a commotion she had no idea the cause of, Libby attempted to dive behind the shrub where she hid her bag the night before. Feeling the swift air of a bullet fly past her ear accompanied by the distinct sound of the gunshot, she threw away the bouquet leaving the weight of the knife in her hands. She spun around, landing on her back at the same time she let the knife fly from her fingers. It was Carlos’ scream that she would remember forever as the blade landed heavily in his wrist causing him to drop the gun that was still aimed at her. Letting out a yelp, she felt Vasquez’s fingers tangle in her hair as he brought her to her feet.

“You’re not going anywhere, my sweet. I have big plans for you.” Her scalp was on fire from the tight hold he had on her hair as he placed her in front of him like a shield. Looking at the wall of black that was encroaching, Libby watched as Carlos shouted orders in a choked, pained voice to her father’s men before he fell to the ground grasping his wrist. The gates burst open at the same time and she watched, almost as if in slow motion, as Nate and Savage Security ran in, ready for war.

“Libby!”

Nate’s voice carried on the violence in the air. She couldn’t make sense of why the idea of him being there threw her into a rage. All of the memories she’d pushed aside, tried to forget, came rushing forward and blinding her with a pain that crushed her soul. Instead of clutching her chest where her broken heart lay shattered at just the thought of him being near, she took advantage of the moment Vasquez’s fingers loosened in her hair. Ripping the knives from her inner thighs, she reached back and stabbed each blade violently into either side of his neck. She felt the warmth of his blood coat her bare shoulders as he instinctively let go of her before he fell to the ground. She knew the blows weren’t enough to kill him, but it was enough for her to dive behind the shrub, pulling her bag from the dense greenery. With fast hands, she unzipped the fabric and slipped her arms through the harness that she’d already packed the night before. It was times like these that she wished she had her sniper so she could pick off every last one of these assholes and disappear into the sunset. Alone.

She could hear Carlos screaming at his men to find her.

“Keep her alive!” he shouted. “She’s mine.”

Heavy, clumsy footsteps approached causing her to grin. Carlos obviously trained his men with the same careless performance he carried. With her confidence and the familiar weight of her guns in her hands, she popped up from behind the shrubbery and pointed her guns at the two men standing in front of her. Using their surprise against them, she fired causing them to drop. Without blinking she stepped over the fallen bodies. There was no time to react. The game they were playing was kill or be killed. And she’d be damned if she was the one laying in the stained and sodden grass.

“Libby!” She heard Nate’s distant voice again as bullets whizzed by her, the sound of its target hitting the ground behind her. He was still by the gate, trying to make his way to her. She could tell by the tone in his shout that his only focus was on her and that was going to get him killed. And damn it, if anyone was going to kill Nate Savage it was going to be her. Lifting her gun she aimed and watched as Nate’s running stuttered, staring at the barrel of her weapon. Squeezing the trigger she fired. He turned to the side, watching the man who was coming up behind him, fall. She watched as he turned back to her, his face contorting with horror as he screamed her name, his voice turning hoarse from the effort. He lifted his gun and as she turned her head to find Carlos pushing himself from the ground, his weapon aimed straight for her.

“I knew you were good,” he started. “I knew Randall was training you. I was the one who told your father.” Libby moved toward him as he continued talking, both of her guns aimed at Carlos as everything faded away until it was just the two of them. She’d been waiting for this moment for a long time.

“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you Carlos.”

“Jealousy? Your father wanted me! He never wanted you. You meant less to him than the dirt under his shoe. He wanted me! Randal was only training you because your father wanted to get rid of you. For some reason, Randal thought you deserved to live. I was the son he wanted!”

“Is that why you killed him then?”

“I did everything! He was useless at the end. He knew what we had to do, that Vasquez would only agree to the deal if he gained you in return. I was the one who gave him you! Me! I have done everything for this deal and I was not going to let him take it away from me! I found out his plan, you know. He was going to cut me out. Him - cut
me
out! After everything, I’ve done for him. So I made a new deal.”

“And what’s that?” she asked, standing only a few yards away from him now. Carlos pondered her question, almost as if debating whether or not to answer.

“You’re better than I thought Libby. I’ve been chasing you for years, and I finally caught you. It was fun while it lasted, but I do have one last secret.”

She cocked an eyebrow, waiting for the dramatics to continue. She wasn’t expecting what happened next. The sound of his gun was deafening. The fire that sliced through her chest was unbelievable. But she refused to drop, staring at the smoking end of the barrel he was now dropping to his side.

“And you’re sloppier than I thought,” she sneered, feeling the blood run down her chest. She could barely hear the background noise, but knowing Nate and his brothers were fighting off the last of the men, shouting her name. She looked down at her chest, the bullet undoubtedly aimed for her heart but landing near her collarbone and to the side above her breast.  

Sloppy.

She squeezed both triggers as she walked forward, throwing Carlos back with each hit until he eventually fell to his back. Walking beside him she picked gun from his hand realizing it was hers as she placed it in her holster. Libby stood over him. She aimed one of her guns at his groin, the other in the middle of his forehead. She looked down, watching as the life slowly faded from his eyes.

“My secret - I killed Randall,” he whispered, trying to form a smile. 

“And now I’m going to kill you.” She felt a strange calm come over her as she pulled the trigger. Before she could revel in the moment, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Lifting her eyes, she found herself staring at the familiar mountain of a man from the day before. It seemed as if the war had ceased, the tension between the two of them thickening as even Nate and his brothers stopped and watched on with concerned curiosity. Libby didn’t need to look around to know her father’s men had no survivors. Vasquez had one. At the same time, they lifted their weapons, aimed at each other. Libby left one hanging relaxed at her side. For a long moment, they simply stared at one another, an unspoken message hanging between them.

“Shoot her!” Vasquez cried weakly.

Damn it, the old man was still alive? She knew he wasn’t much of a threat. The man thought he was untouchable and therefore refused to carry any weapons. He relied on his hired muscle. With an almost undetectable nod, Libby lifted her other gun as the man across from her turned, simultaneously stealing the enemy’s last breath.

Looking quickly around her, the once lush grounds now formed a sea of red. It was a sickening sight, one that quickly fell away as her eyes landed on the metal door that led to her father’s laboratory. Ignoring as people called out to her, she bent down and grabbed the keys she knew Carlos kept in his pocket before running down the stairs. Shoving the key with shaking fingers into the heavy lock, she pushed open the door and choked on the suffocating stench. Swallowing the gag, she braced her arm on the wall. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself down the hallway. She knew with the blood loss she was becoming weak but she couldn’t allow herself to fall. Not yet. She found the doctor hunched over the computer, oblivious to anything happening in the outside world, the walls of the lab too thick to hear the war above. Turning when he heard her, he stood in shock, staring first at the state of her - an obvious gunshot wound and a wedding dress that was a myriad of tatters, dirt, and blood. His eyes didn’t stray from her as she made a show of placing her guns back into her harness. She took a deep breath and pulled the large knife, turning it over in her hand. “Open the cells,” she commanded in a low voice.

“I’m not...”

“Everyone is dead, and now I’m in charge. Open the fucking cells.”

His Adams apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed uncomfortably realizing he didn’t have a choice. Hitting a number of key commands, the cells opened at once. Libby couldn’t concentrate on the grateful cries coming from behind her. Instead, she pointed the knife at the man’s throat.

“Get in,” she commanded with an eerie calm.

“What?”

“Get the fuck in the cell.” She made sure to pronounce every word clearly and with as much power as she could muster. The man paled, realizing what she had planned. Sluggishly moving toward his fate, she followed him into the cell and commanded him to lie down on the bed. Binding his arms and legs into the straps, she held up the needle attached to the waiting IV and stuck it into his arm watching him wince at the prick. “Is the drug in its final stages?”

When he stayed quiet, Libby released the clamp on the line, allowing the drug to flow rapidly through his veins. “Not yet!” he admitted in panic. Closing the clamp she prepared her next question.

“Libby!” She turned at the sound of Nate’s voice, but it was the horror on his face as he took in the laboratory. And what were now shells of people. She couldn’t think about Nate’s reaction when she was staring at the man who accompanied him. She forced herself to blink a few times, ensuring what she saw was real. Nick. The look of both guilt and sympathy only added to the debilitating pain of betrayal sparking through her. She didn’t think it could hurt anymore. She was very wrong. Feeling the breath of unbelief leave her, she forced herself to look away. The pain that radiated through her was heartbreaking. It was a lie. Everything. It was all a lie. She wanted to hate them, all of them. She couldn’t figure out why it was so easy for her to cut herself off, to distance herself from everyone in this world except for the man who continued to shatter the heart she thought unbreakable. She could see Nick out of the corner of her eye. He wore the same uniform as Nate and the rest of his brothers. He was one of them. God, how could she be so stupid? She was so blind to the man who showered her with affection and sweet nothings, but it was all a fallacy. He was the one who orchestrated this entire charade. He, his family and his friends obviously all in on it and she was the one left out in the cold feeling like a damn fool. She wondered now if Nick even owned that vineyard. As much as she hated it, she knew when she was alone again she would recall those memories and for a moment, she would allow herself to believe they were real. But in this moment they weren’t. None of it was. Closing her eyes briefly, she pulled in a calming breath and pulled her only comfort around her, feeling the emotionless soldier fall into place. She was secure being this person. No feelings, no emotion. Just training. She felt herself harden, almost more than ever before. A part of it scared her, any feeling of warmth within her unreachable. She turned to see a woman running in behind Nate and Nick with a medical bag in her hand and immediately Libby knew she was Nate’s twin sister.