44. The Unexpected

Two hours earlier...

Percy's POV

"Okay, we're going in. Jill, be on the lookout from your side."

I have two men by my sides, guns on hands, one of the men brought his medical kit on his back just in case. I didn't like it when Jill told me that Grady was gone for some emergency situation I don't even know about. My gut was telling me that he should be with our baby sister, Ella.

"Yes, sir. Ella is stalling, confirmed, we're going in as planned."

Her reply took me back to the current situation, we have been watching the house for almost an hour and waited for her to exit the premises. The house was empty aside from the infrared signature of one person we assumed was Brice, since he was not moving most likely subdued before she got out of the house.

His retrieval was easy, the house was bare. There were no triggering switches that'll make the place explode if we accidentally trip them. Ann was no hitman after all, just one sick psycho stalker. But Brice was barely lucid, he was heavily drugged and somehow I felt sorry for the guy.

The moment we're back in the van and Brice was taken care of by one of our men, the call from Jill just made me burst with anger. "What do you mean she's gone? we just got Brice, what the fuck is happening? And where the hell is Grady?"

Jill was telling me that Ella ran off and she couldn't blow her cover, also Ann might carry a gun and endangered Ella. But our agents followed them, saying she got in the car with Ann, and she's on her way to pick me up. We hang up after deciding on a meeting point, I try to call Grady while I wait for Jill. The rest of the men took Brice to one of our safehouses.

It didn't take long before I was on my way with Jill to meet up with the rest of the agents that we're following Ella. "Grady split after taking a call from the office, sorry boss, I should've done my job better."

I looked at Jill and think about all the years she worked with our oldest friend Bruce Steward. I've only heard good things about her, I know Ella can be very persistent and people do stupid mistakes, it happens. I just hope everything will be okay in the end.

"You should, lesson learned. Now, focus and let's catch this stalker, I've had enough of her already." I looked at my phone. Still haven't heard anything from Grady, I decided to text him that we've got Brice and are now on our way to find Ella.

As predicted he called seconds later. "What do mean you're on your way to find Ella?" his growl was all I need to hear in his frustration. I know he's blaming himself already.

"Where the fuck are you? you're  supposed to be with her?!" I yelled back, knowing that by saying so I was making Jill feel guilty again. As she should, so I let her concentrate on driving the car and get us where we're needed to be.

"It's Jacqueline, she safe. I'll tell you about it later, fuck Percy, please find her for me. I'm so fucking tired, this is not my day." Grady never sound so defeated, there was something in his voice that made me feel sorry for him.

And what is going on with Jacqueline?

Grady sounded exhausted, but I didn't get to grill him on it as I hang up on him when I felt that we're almost there. The car was taking a right turn and instead of taking the gravel road Jill follow the tire tracks on the muddy dirt road.

"We're close, the rest of our guys are covering the area." She parked the car behind one of ours, one of the men greeted us and reported to me about the situation.

"I'll enter from the back porch with him." The man pointed to another man who's slipping a knife on its holster, "You and Jill enter from the front, we have one man behind the wheel just in case."

I nodded at the tall guy who looked like he's done this a thousand times before. My heart was beating so hard that I just wanted Ella to be okay. I wouldn't know how to face mom and dad if anything happened to her under my watch.

My feelings didn't last long when a surge of adrenaline pumped my veins and I followed Jill to the front door. It was unlocked, murmurs were coming from what looked like the kitchen and before I even saw Ella, chaos was all I see when the tall guy suddenly grabbed Ann from behind and dropped her gun just seconds after she open fire and hit Jill on her upper arm. Her blood splattered to my face as I was standing inches from her, must've nicked her artery when she groaned and put pressure on her wound.

"Fuck! your belt, wrapped it, damn it!" She cursed when I did as I was told, trickled of sweat run down her forehead. The other agent behind us grabbed her and pull her away from me after assessing the situation and helping her out of the house.

Ella came running to my arms and she cried when she thought she got me shot looking at Jill's blood on my shirt, and my face.

"I'm okay, sis, just don't pull this stunt again." She sobbed in my arms telling me how sorry she was. "I know, come on, let's get you to Brice."

She pushed herself away from me and looked straight into my eyes. "He's okay? he's alive?"

"He is, and Grady is pissed at you. Me too actually, but I'm just glad you're okay." I hugged her again and let her cry in my arms just like she was still our little Ella, who cried so hard when she fall and hurt her knees as her bicycle slipped and hit the pavement.

We ride back to the safehouse and Jill got treated immediately by the in-house doctor. Grady was quick to put Ella in his arms, after yelling at her. I look at my twin and shook my head telling him silently not to be so hard on her. His eyes were a bit glassy, there was extra pressure on his shoulder but I was not letting him take the guilt road.

"Come on Ella, let's get you freshen up before you settled in with Brice." And the mention of his name made her look around for her fiancé.

"He's in the guest room." I was given a summary by one of our men that Brice was recuperating in the other room, the doctor was giving him IV fluid to stabilize his body to the drug effect, and he should be fine in a couple of hours. Just a bit groggy. But he'll be good as new in the next twenty-four hours.

I took Ella to another room, fresh clothes had been laid out and I gave a towel and ushered her to the bathroom. "I'll have a cup of tea waiting for you after your shower, then you can see Brice." She was reluctant, she wanted to see him right away but I gave her the stare, and after all the things she put us through she finally relent and do as I told her.

Now, I just need to lay down and have my cigarette to flush the day away.

If only.

I groaned and push myself to meet Grady in the other side living room. It was the master bedroom, and I don't know if I was ready for another problem. But I need to know what's going on with Jacqueline,

Oh, hell no.