Chapter 176

Louis drove the Mustang across the bridge over the Willamette River. The Bugatti, the SLR McLaren, and the Ducati followed him.

Angelique’s voice came over the comm. “This road leads to my home too.”

“Are you excited, Angel?” Gladice asked.

“A little,” Angelique said. “It’s been a while.”

“Wasn’t your home a museum before the war?” Willa asked.

“Yes,” Angelique said. “My family bought it in 2008 during the financial crisis.”

“A museum,” Maeve’s voice crackled from the Ducati. “What kind of museum?”

“A mansion that was built in the early 20th century,” Angelique said. “It was the private residence of a lumber baron. Then it became a museum of local history. Then my parents bought it and converted it into a residence once again.”

“So you have a museum for a home,” Maeve said.

“Pretty much,” Angelique said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing it,” Willa said. “Historic architecture is fascinating.”

“It is,” Angelique said. “The mansion is in the French Renaissance style. And we have an even grander staircase than the Presidential Mansion.”

“I can’t wait to walk down it,” Cherish said. “Can you take a photo of me when I do?”

“Of course,” Angelique said. “You will look like a princess.”

Cherish smiled. “I’d like that.”

“Ain’t we all princesses now?” Savannah asked. “Living in mansions and riding fancy cars?”

“Some of us are more princessy than others,” Gladice said. “I’m more of a shieldmaiden.”

“Shieldmaiden or not, you have a great ass,” Maeve said.

“Thank you, Mae-Mae. I do my squats.”

The comm system crackled, and a Dominion Guard officer’s voice came through. “Sir, abort your approach to the house in Raleigh Hills. The team reports shots fired. I repeat, shots fired at the location.”

Louis tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Status report. Now.”

“Sir, we need to secure you and your family. We can take you to the Bourbon Mansion for safety.”

“Negative,” Louis said. “I want a full tactical team at that house. I’m on my way.”

“Sir, we already called for reinforcement. We advise you to avoid the area. It’s an active crime scene.”

Louis felt a surge of anger. “How dare they possess illegal firearms in my country?”

The officer paused. “Yes, sir. I agree. But please, for your own safety—”

“I’m not asking for permission,” Louis said, cutting him off. “I’m giving you an order. Give us a secure location outside the perimeter. Bring us tactical vests, helmets, and weapons. And connect me to the team leader.”

“Yes, sir.”

Savannah looked at Louis. “Do you think it’s him? Ethan?”

“I don’t know,” Louis said. “But we are going to find out.”

“Damn right we are,” Maeve said.

More armored SUVs and police cars joined them on the highway. Above them, counter-terrorism drones took to the sky.

“Looks like your dad is taking this seriously,” Angelique said.

“He should,” Louis said. “No civilians in the Dominion are allowed to have guns.”

“Except you,” Willa said.

“I’m not a civilian,” Louis said.

“Are you sure?” Willa asked.

“Absolutely not,” Louis said. “I’m the state.”

“Then who are we?” Donya asked.

“You are the state too,” Louis said. “Now.”

He took the exit to Raleigh Hills. Three helicopters with Dominion Guard markings hovered above the suburban streets. Portland Metropolitan Police SUVs had blocked the roads and guided the traffic away. As their cars approached, the police cars parted to let them through.

The team leader’s voice came over the comm. “Sir, this is Lieutenant Martinez. We have surrounded the house. Shots were fired from an upper window. Our team is holding position. One officer took a round to the vest. He’s okay. We’re holding position and waiting for reinforcement.”

“What do you see inside?” Louis asked.

“Heartbeat sensors indicate multiple targets inside. Around twelve. We suspect they are associated with the missing Common Roots employees. They might be armed with assault rifles.”

“Hostages?” Louis asked.

“Possible. We’re not sure.”

“Keep your positions. Wait for reinforcement. And for me,” Louis said.

“Sir, I must advise you to keep your distance. This is a high-risk situation.”

“Noted, Lieutenant. I’m on my way to a safe spot nearby.”

Louis parked the Mustang on a quiet street a few blocks away from the target. The other cars parked behind him. Some residents walked out of their houses.

“What’s going on?” an old woman asked.

“Just stay in your homes,” a police officer said. “Active police operation.”

“Is that Louis?” a teenager shouted. “And the Collins Eight?”

“It’s them!” another one yelled. “This is so cool!”

Louis got out of the car. A Dominion Guard team leader ran up to him.

“Sir. Here are your vests and helmets. And your weapons.”

The team handed him a tactical vest and a helmet. He put them on. The women did the same. The team gave each of them a rifle.

Angelique checked her rifle. “Looks like we are back in business.”

“Not quite,” Willa said. “I’m not sure I know how to use this.”

“I’ll show you,” Maeve said, taking the rifle from her.

“This is insane,” Donya said. “We are not soldiers.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Savannah said. “Just point it at the bad guys and shoot.”

“Yeah, it’s not that hard,” Maeve said. “It’s just a tool. A very effective one.”

“Do we have a plan?” Angelique asked.

“Yes,” Louis said, putting on his helmet. “We wait for reinforcement. And then we figure out what’s going on.”

“Or we can go in and kick some ass,” Gladice said. “I’m bored.”

“You mean shoot everyone in there?” Willa asked.

Gladice shrugged. “Probably.”

“Let’s try to avoid that,” Louis said. “We want to find out who is behind this. And we want to find Ethan Brown. Dead or alive.”

“Preferably alive,” Donya said. “For Emily’s sake.”

“Let’s see if we can make that happen,” Louis said.

Several more armored SUVs passed them and turned the corner. A command truck with a satellite dish on top parked behind them. The door opened, and an officer ran out.

“Sir. Command post is ready. I recommend you join the mission commander there.”

“Alright,” Louis said. “Let’s go.”

They walked to the truck. The officer opened the door and led them inside. The truck was filled with monitors, computers, and communication equipment. A woman in a Dominion Guard uniform stood by a large screen showing a sensor image of the house.

“Mr. Collins,” she said, turning around. “I’m Captain Reyes. Mission commander.”

“Captain,” Louis said. “What’s the situation?”

“The reinforcement team is in place,” Reyes said. “They are ready to breach on your command.”

“Can we establish a communication channel with them?” Louis asked.

“Already done, sir. You can talk to them through this microphone. They can hear you. But we can’t hear the targets. No response to our hails.”

“Can you see inside?” Angelique asked.

“Our engineering team is trying to send a crawler drone through the plumbing,” Reyes said. “It’s in progress.”

“Do we know how many of them are armed?” Louis asked.

“No, sir. But we assume all of them are.”

“Okay,” Louis said. “Let me talk to them first.”

He put on the headset and leaned into the microphone.

“This is Louis Collins. You are surrounded! Surrender now, and you may keep your lives! Resist, and you will all be killed!”

No response.

“I’m giving you five minutes to come out with your hands up! Or I’ll order a missile strike on your location!”

Silence. Louis waited, watching the monitor.

“They’re not buying it, Louis,” Savannah said.

Louis took out his phone and called his father. The call connected instantly.

“Dad. We’re in Raleigh Hills. Shots fired at a house. It might be the Common Roots people.”

“I know. Robin already briefed me,” Constantine said. “I’ve already given you authority to use lethal force. Do what you have to do.”

“Thanks, I need a precision guided missile. Right now.”

“I’ll authorize a drone strike, but I need your target coordinates. And a good reason.”

“Because they have illegal guns in the Dominion! And they fired at our officers!”

“I see. Give me the coordinates. I’ll make it happen.”

Louis looked at Captain Reyes. “Give me the coordinates.”

Reyes gave him a set of numbers. Louis read them to Constantine. “That’s the house. The one with the armed hostiles.”

“Got it. I’ll launch the drone. It will be there in five minutes. Let me know when you’re ready.”

“Will do.” Louis hung up.

He put on the headset again. “Listen up. You have five minutes to come out with your hands up. The Supreme President has ordered a missile strike on your location. You have five minutes to live. Or you can surrender. Your choice.”

No response.

“They’re still not buying it,” Savannah said.

“Let them die, then,” Maeve said.

“Four minutes thirty seconds! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

Louis looked at the monitor. The sensor map showed six people moving through the house. Six others remained clustered in the basement.

“Looks like they are getting nervous,” Captain Reyes said. “Some of the moving targets are heading toward the basement. Others are trying to find an escape route.”

“There is no escape route,” Louis said. “We either blow them up, or we bring them out.”

“Three minutes!” He shouted. “Just stay there! I can’t wait to see the fireworks!”

Gladice laughed. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” Louis said. “Let these fuckers know what happens when they mess with us.”

“I agree,” Savannah said. “A missile is too good for them.”

“It’s efficient, though,” Willa said.

“Two minutes!” Louis said. “I hope you have written your last letters to your mothers! Because they are about to get a very sad visit!”

“Look,” Captain Reyes said, pointing at the screen. “Something is happening.”

On the exterior camera feed, the front door of the house opened. A young woman walked out with her hands raised.

“I said every one of you! Not just you!” Louis said. “But you’re a start. Now tell the rest to come out. Or you’re going to be blown up with them!”

The woman dropped to her knees and started crying. A team of Dominion Guard soldiers rushed to her and pulled her behind their shields.

“One minute! Thirty seconds! All twelve of you! If I see one less person when I count down, all of you will die!”

Five more figures came out, one by one, their hands in the air. Then the sensor map showed movement in the basement. A minute later, more men and women came through the front door together. Some were rubbing their wrists as they raised their hands. The guards surrounded them and forced them to the ground. They zip-tied their hands and led them away. Louis counted them as they came out. All twelve were there.

He called Constantine again. “They surrendered. Cancel the missile.”

“Good,” Constantine said. “Keep me updated.”

Louis hung up. He looked at Captain Reyes. “Secure the house. I want to go in.”

“Yes, sir,” Reyes said. “But please, let the team clear it first.”

Louis nodded. “I will talk with the prisoners then.”

“Follow me, sir,” the guard said, leading Louis and the women out of the truck. “We have a temporary detention area set up in the back.”

They walked to a secluded spot behind the command truck. The twelve prisoners sat on the ground, their hands bound. Their faces were pale and terrified.

Louis stopped in front of them. “Which one of you is Ethan Brown?”

A man in a blue shirt raised his head. His glasses were askew. “I am.”

“Ethan Brown?” Louis asked.

“Yes,” the man said. “Please, don’t hurt me. I am a hostage. They forced me to come here.”

“Who are they?” Louis asked.

“My colleagues,” Ethan said. “From the foundation. They… they went crazy.”

“Crazy how?” Louis asked.

“Shut up! We are all in this together!” a bearded man shouted. “Don’t you dare rat on us!”

“You pointed a gun at me! You said you would shoot me if I tried to run!” Ethan yelled back.

“Because you were trying to run! You coward!”

Louis stepped forward and gave the bearded man a kick to the chest. The man fell back, gasping for air.

“I didn’t ask you to speak,” Louis said, his voice low. “And I don’t appreciate being interrupted. Do it again, and I will shoot you right here.”

He turned back to Ethan. “Why are you here?”

Ethan looked at the bearded man, then back at Louis. “They wanted to erase the evidence. The data. The servers. The hard drives. Everything. They brought us all here. They said we were a security risk.”

“Why did you have guns?” Angelique asked.

“I don’t have a gun! I don’t know how to use one!” Ethan said, holding up his bound hands. “They did. They brought us to the basement and tied us up.” He gestured to the other prisoners. “We were all tied up. Except for the ones who were in on it. They were the ones with the guns.”

“Who are they?” Louis asked, looking at the other prisoners.

“Six of them,” Ethan said. “Joe, Derek, Linda, Julie, Mike, and Sean.” He pointed to six of the prisoners. “The rest of us are just… clerks. Researchers. Analysts.”

“Were you involved in the data trafficking?” Willa asked.

“No!” Ethan said, shaking his head. “I swear! I just did what they told me to do. I ran the searches. I compiled the reports. I didn’t know what they were for. Not until last night when they pointed a gun at my head.”

“Where is the evidence?” Louis asked. “The servers.”

“In the basement,” Ethan said. “They were about to destroy it when you arrived.”

“Sir,” Captain Reyes’s voice crackled from the comm in Louis’s ear. “The team reports the basement is secure. The servers are there. But some of them are damaged.”

“Copy that,” Louis said. “Take them away. And take all the suspects to your HQ. Question them separately. I want a full report by the end of the day.”

“Yes, sir.”

The guards led the prisoners away. Ethan looked back at Louis, his face pleading. Louis ignored him and turned to the women.

“Looks like we don’t need a missile after all,” Gladice said.

“Pity,” Maeve said. “I would’ve enjoyed that.”

“Let’s return the gear,” Angelique said, handing her rifle to a guard. The others did the same.

Louis led the women to the house. A Dominion Guard team was inside, securing the area. The team leader met them at the door.

“Sir. The basement is this way.”

He led them down a flight of stairs. The basement was a mess. Burned-out servers lay on the floor. Some of them had been shot. Others had been smashed with a sledgehammer.

“They tried to destroy the evidence,” Willa said. “But they didn’t finish.”

“It looks like it,” Louis said. “Can you recover anything?”

“Maybe,” Willa said. “But not here. I need a lab. And a lot of equipment.”

“Leave them to the Dominion Guard,” Louis said. “Let’s go to the Bourbon Mansion. I’m tired now.”

“Same here,” Cherish said, yawning.

They walked out of the house and got back into the cars. The motorcade drove away, leaving the suburban street behind.

“You were crazy back there, Louis,” Donya said from the comms. “The missile threats. The kicking. The shouting.”

“I was bluffing,” Louis said. “Mostly.”

“It worked, though,” Savannah said. “They surrendered.”

“It did,” Louis said. “Because they believed I would do it. And I believed myself.”

“I know,” Donya said. “That’s what scares me.”

“Don’t be scared, Donya,” Louis said. “They are the enemy.”

“I know,” Donya said. “But I worry about you. About your soul.”

“My soul is fine,” Louis said. “It’s protected.”

“By what?” Donya asked.

“By you,” Louis said. “By all of you.”

Willa’s sigh came through the comm. “Now you’re just being charming.”

“Is it working?” Louis asked.

“A little,” Willa said.

“Then I’ll keep doing it,” Louis said.

“Please don’t,” Willa said. “I can’t resist your charm when you try.”

“Then I won’t stop,” Louis said. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Willa said.

“Even if I’m a violent, unpredictable, trigger-happy tyrant?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You were thinking it.”

“Maybe a little.”

“But you still love me.”

“I do.”

“Good.” Louis smiled. “Because we are going to hunt them all down.”

“Let’s do it,” Maeve said. “One by one.”