Page 37 of Starving Butterfly
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NO BROTHER OF MINE
December 23rd
Sweat slicked my brow as I motioned for Kade and James to proceed. We were already racing against time; this was the last place on the map of where Shaw could be, and the brothers were growing tired.
They signaled and crept forward through the halls on silent steps. Rifles raised, armed to kill in a moment’s notice. The dim lighting was a stark contrast to the heavy snowfall outside. A thud up ahead warned me that we were getting closer. Kade’s blade slipped under his neck, slicing with a trained hand as James grabbed the thug’s feet, and they set him down silently as I watched their six.
A sickening feeling wove its way around my gut as we crept forward, checking doors as we went. This was some kind of hidden bunker or something, and it felt like every hall went on for ages.
“Oh fuck,” Kade hissed. The gunshot rang through the air just before everything exploded into chaos. James threw a smoke grenade into the hallway ahead as muzzles flashed. Ricochet caught my upper arm, and I bit back a scream. There wasn’t time, and we still weren’t sure how many men Shaw had in this place. We crouched around a corner, waiting for the moment they had to reload. I tapped Kade on the shoulder, motioning for him to move left, and James moved right, and we moved in sync on silent steps. A shot to the right side of my head alerted me that one guy had snuck up on me. I looked over to see Kade’s pistol extended out, a goofy grin on his face. Two more shots rang out, and we both turned in the direction James had come from. A moment later, his head popped up, and he signaled all clear.
We kept moving as a unit down the halls and into an open area that looked like some lab gone wrong, with a metal table turned on its side and a woman’s legs next to the overturned table. James approached it slowly, bending down to check the pulse on the woman. The woman yelled out, launching her hand upwards.
“Wait,” I hissed as James’s finger rested on his trigger. The woman whipped around to look at us; fear crept into her eyes.Recognition overshadowed her fear. This was Addams’s ex-girlfriend or whatever.
I hauled her up by her arm. “Where is he?” I hissed, and she spat in my face.
“Feisty and naked, what a catch.” Kade gripped his dick, and her face paled.
She tried to cover herself and turned her body towards mine; it hadn’t even registered that her robe had fallen open in whatever chaos ensued.
“Enough, we have a job to do.” I hissed, slapping a pair of cuffs on her wrists and turning her towards the brothers.
“Cock block.” James muttered, but took up position behind me.
“Where is he Melody? Don’t fucking pretend either, I know you know.” I grabbed her by the hair, leading her outward as Kade scouted ahead.
“Go to hell.” She spat, and I laughed.
“Already been, it didn’t agree. Now where is my brother?” I hissed as we continued deeper into the compound.
“My guess is he’s long gone,” she retorted. Her body was stiff as if she didn’t believe the words herself.
“Well you best hope your mistaken or these two will have a bit of fun with you before you depart this world.” I threatened.
Kade just turned, licking his lips, “Mmm I haven’t had a natural redhead in ages.”
We walked down a hallway; two guards dead, we came to a large oak door.
“What’s in here?” James asked, pushing the door open slightly. When Melody didn’t immediately answer, I jerked her head, and she moaned out in pain.
“The house,” she groaned.
“Proceed with caution, and watch your backs,” I ordered, forcing Melody forward down the center hallway while James and Kade split off down other halls.
“Where’s your boss?” I hissed. She didn’t say anything, and I whipped her around to face me. “Listen here princess, believe it or not I am not here to kill you, I just— I just need to find my brother before those two idiots.” She looked at me shrewdly before sighing.
“This way.” She led me down a smaller passageway, and it led to an office that appeared to be situated in the middle of the house.
I shoved the door open slowly, looking around. In the middle of the desk sat an old woman and a half smoke cigar in an ashtray. I turned towards Melody, who was struggling not to cry at the sight of the woman.
“She’s dead,” she forced a laugh, tears streaming down her face. “She’s finally dead.”
“Who would have killed her?”
She looked at me with a wide smile crossing her lips; I wasn’t sure why. This woman was supposed to be her boss.
