Page 87 of Redemption

Ever

This is not one of the jobs where we can talk while we wait. It’s too dangerous for that.

Fortunately, I have a gun in my hands, and that immediately calms me and brings my mind into sharp focus, which means I don’t get as twitchy as I usually would in this situation. I have long made peace with the fact that isn’t normal.

I lie next to Luc, both of us on our stomachs, weapons ready as we effectively people-watch. I make a note of any repeated habits of the people below us, how many of them go into a building, and how many people come out. I need to know how many potential people are going to come out of the surrounding buildings, guns blazing, when Hunt goes down, and he will be going down.

As I said before, we have timed it, hopefully, so that the shipment docks and starts to get unloaded before Liam’s meeting. We can’t risk someone sounding the alarm and the shipment being diverted. The ship is big enough that it won’t be able to make a quick escape, but small enough that they should be able to start unloading a fair amount before Liam’s meeting with Hunt and everything goes down.

We need what’s on that ship as further proof so that we have the evidence to arrest everyone else who is here and working for Hunt. This is a massive operation, and while we are the only ones who are directly involved with Hunt and ending him. There are so many more teams who are waiting to storm the place as soon as they’re given the go-ahead, which is pretty much as soon as Hunt is down. They will make all the arrests of everyone else who is here.

“There it is. The boat’s here,” Luc whispers. Making sure that everyone on the comms can hear him.

We watch as the ship docks and does its thing. I have no idea of the technical terms, but eventually people start to climb off and begin to talk to the people on land.

Everyone involved is armed to the fucking teeth.

Considering that officially this is supposed to be a shipment of bananas, I find the fact that they’re armed so heavily to be particularly interesting, and if I didn’t already know that it isn’t bananas that they’re shipping, then them all being heavily armed would be the thing that tipped me off.

There are a lot of them helping, and they soon bring in forklifts and other heavy equipment to help them move the giant crates off the boat.

I grimace.

If we’re right, if what Alaric and Liam have figured out is correct, then some of those boxes have humans in them.

Guns and drugs too.

We have several teams that are dedicated to finding the people in the crates and giving them the medical attention and help that they are going to need.

“The crates are being taken further into the shipping yard. They’re about to hit your position, Rafe,” I whisper into the comms.

“Got it,” Rafe says. “They’re still going, heading in your direction, Trick.”

“They’ve taken a turn where we haven’t got anyone,” he replies. “We’ll follow so we have the location for the other teams.”

“Proceed with caution,” Mr. R replies.

We all remain silent as Luc and I continue to watch the crates being unloaded, and Trick and Cash go after them to see where they’re being stored.

My tension ramps up and stays high until I hear Trick’s voice come back over the earpiece.

“I have the location,” Trick says. “We’re back in position. I’ll send the coordinates across to you, Mr. R.”

“Got it,” Mr. R replies. “Liam, you need to head in now.”

“I’m at the gates,” he replies. “Just to be clear, nothing I say from this point onwards is an admission of guilt or to be used in any way against me.”

I smirk.

No one says anything in reply to that because we can all hear Liam being greeted by someone who isn’t Hunt.

Now it’s time to listen and make sure that we have eyes on Liam.

There is still a chance that Liam has managed to fool us all, and we’re prepared for that.

I really fucking hope for Atlas and Alaric’s sake that he is not double-crossing us and that he is being genuine right now. Especially after what Alaric told Atlas.

“Liam, interesting choice of attire,” we hear someone say to Liam.