Pitbull_Special Forces_Operation Alpha Read online

  “Maybe.”

  He rose to his full height and began tracing the area around the vehicle. Anke followed, looking down at the ground, unsure what they were looking for but figured that was better than sitting around doing nothing.

  “Do you see the shadow on the ground?” Daniel asked.

  Anke nodded.

  “Look there…” He pointed to one side, then the next. “What do you see?”

  “I’m not a cop, Mr. Hunt.”

  “You don’t have to be.” He rubbed at the ground with a finger then sniffed it. “How do you think the cop shows get written? Not by police officers. All you have to do is think with a logical mind. You’re a smart woman. Tell me what you see.”

  Anke inhaled and checked out the spots he’d suggested. She walked forward to look at it from a different angle. “The shading is different.”

  “Precisely. Usually, a car bomb has a very narrow blast radius…”

  “Blast radius?”

  Daniel hunched down to inspect the ground. “Sorry. The blast radius is the distance affected when the explosion happens. A car bomb, on this side of the world is usually used to take out the person inside the car.”

  “So, the radius wouldn’t be wide.”

  “Exactly. So, this blast was set to take out the driver. Look around you—what would you blow up down here?”

  Anke had to admit, he had a point there. She sighed and hunched down beside him. “They were definitely targeting the person inside the car.”

  Daniel nodded. “The shape of the lighter shade tells me another vehicle was parked right here when the blast went off.” Daniel looked off toward the burnt-out car. “If they were this close, they needed to be to set off the explosion.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Remote control. They wanted to make sure the driver was dead.”

  “That does not instill any hope in me.”

  “Me either.”

  “So, what we have so far is, Claudia wasn’t driving her car but the person inside the car was meant to die—but how do they know someone else would be driving the car?”

  “I don’t know.” Daniel rose and began peeling off his gloves. “There isn’t really a way to tell, especially in the dark. I want to think the car has been stolen and they merely followed the thief. That’s better than thinking someone wants to blow Claudia off the map.”

  “I’m going to have to agree with you there.”

  Daniel grunted as he glanced around. It was almost as if he was taking a mental picture of the area. He reached up and pressed the tab at his ear. After a few seconds, he chuckled.

  “Smartass. We found the car,” Daniel was saying. “I think someone else was driving it. There’s also evidence of a second car. Yeah, I know. If I need help I’ll give a shout.”

  Anke wrapped her arms around herself and headed back toward Daniel’s truck.

  “You okay?” Daniel jogged to catch up.

  “What is she into?” Anke asked. “Her car is in the seventh layer of hell burnt to shit. What is she into?”

  Daniel opened her door. “I don’t know. But, from experience, whatever it is—it’s not going to end well.”

  “I was afraid you’d say that.”

  Anke climbed up with his help and after he closed the door, she slipped on her seatbelt.

  Hennef sat east of Sankt Augustin. The population wasn’t much smaller, sitting at around forty six thousand a mere seven years ago. It’d been quite some time since Pitbull ventured into Hennef and he wasn’t sure how Claudia made it there. They were raised in Dusseldorf which was about an hour and a half away.

  Then again, he had no clue how things got so damn screwed up.

  Checking his mirrors, he switched lanes to get around a truck then hung a left, following the GPS’s instructions. Claudia had typed in the address and he hadn’t bother checking to see where he was actually going.

  Henenf was only about a twenty minute drive from Sankt Augustin—his sister had been so close, yet so far away from him. It stirred something inside him and he refused to let it bubble to the surface. He had nothing to be guilty about—all of this was Claudia’s doing.

  He’d tried for years to be there for her, to give her what she needed. In a perfect world, as the older child, Claudia would be the one to sacrifice for him, protected him. Yet, he’d almost died—twice—trying to be the brother to her he thought she deserved.

  By the time they arrived, the sun was gone, and night had descended over Germany like an ominous cloud. From time to time he’d glanced over at Anke and when she hadn’t been studying him, she was staring out the window. A part of him wanted to say something for she seemed so worried. But he didn’t know what to say to not make things worse. She already thought he was an asshole but he just couldn’t help it. They didn’t have time for him to tell her the sordid history between himself and his sister and he doubt she’d be around long enough to get it.

  He used the drive to put himself in a better frame of mind. When he finally pulled up before the house, Pitbull was over this entire situation. He killed the engine and allowed his eyes to wander the street for any anomalies.

  “Why are we stopping here?” Anke asked. “The apartment is up there.”

  Pitbull shifted in his seat so he could unbuckle his seatbelt and allow it to slip behind him. “Take a good look, Ms. Fischer…”

  “Anke—please.”

  Pitbull offered her a glance before returning his gaze ahead. “Okay, Anke. Look around—primarily at the vehicles on this street. The people who live here are poor. Given not as bad as Metro Valley but the residents are barely making ends meet. Do you see what’s wrong with this picture?”

  For a moment, Anke said nothing. She removed her seat belt and leaned forward as if thinking seriously about his question.

  “Um…all these cars are like mine—beaten up, has more mileage than is probably safe. Yet, there’s a shinny, new one sitting right there.”

  “Very good.” Pitbull felt pride swell in his chest and he wasn’t quite sure why. He tapped out the license plate number into his phone and saved it. “That car is out of place. The people who live here, do so because they can’t do any better. If someone can afford such a nice car—they’d not be living here.”

  “Makes sense. What are you thinking?”

  “I’m thinking…” Pitbull glanced over his shoulder before turning forward once more. “We find another way in. If they are watching Claudia’s place, we don’t need to start a fight before we have all the information.”

  Pitbull started the engine and turned the truck around. He drove a little ways down and pulled onto a side street where he parked and they both climbed out. Under the cover of darkness, he led her through someone’s backyard then slipped around a few tresses and into the back end of the apartment building. Someone had used a cinderblock to prop the door open, probably to let out the stench of stale cigarette and cat pee wafting from the place.

  How does one go from a millionaire to this?

  He allowed Anke to enter ahead of him, so she could lead the way to Claudia’s suite then let themselves into the apartment. Thankfully, the lights had been left on so there won’t be a reason to arouse suspicion. “Stay away from the windows.” He advised.

  Anke nodded.

  He looked around the apartment, trying to find anything that would tell him what happened to Claudia. Anke had been correcting in sounding the alarm. The place was torn up well and good. But if they—whoever they were—had his sister, there would be no need to rip the place apart. There especially wouldn’t be a need to stand guard over the apartment.

  In the bedroom he came across a closet with newspaper clipping on him. There were a few from some of the high-profile busts CIRO had done. The team tried to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible. But sometimes, they had to tarry at a scene because of protocol or to ensure it was clear before handing it over to the cops. Those were the moments reporters snapped pictures of them—often times
they wore their masks but other times, not.

  He frowned and continued perusing the clippings. She had when he was chosen out of thousands to join CIRO. Claudia even had clippings from the raid they’d done when Miracle was kidnapped. Getting her back had been an unsanctioned job but after she was safe the news broke. A part of him softened then but another part of him knew she wouldn’t have had to save those if she’d shown more interest in him when she had the chance.

  The room was plain enough—no pictures on the walls, not much in the closet. The only furniture was a chair in one corner with a robe strung over the handle, one beside table and the large bed. Aside from the mess the intruder had made, the room was clean.

  Irritated, he walked away from the closet and to the side of the bedroom window. He eased the curtain aside slightly and peered out. The car was still there, the figure in the front reading.

  Allowing the curtain to fall back in place, he ventured out to the kitchen where he found Anke leaning against the sink.

  “Well?” she asked.

  “I don’t think she was kidnapped,” Pitbull said. “She left in a hurry, yes, but when the place was rummaged through, I don’t believe she was here.”

  “How do you know?”

  “My sister always kept a travel bag under the bed. It’s a habit she picked up from our father who was constantly travelling for work. It’s kinda like a go bag.”

  “A go bag?”

  “Yeah—it has the bare necessities, a change of clothes, money, meal replacements, nutrition bars...”

  “Why would she keep that?”

  Pitbull shrugged. “Like I said, a habit she picked up from our father. But, it’s gone.”

  “How do you know? It’s been a while since you’ve seen her.”

  Pitbull said nothing. He simple pushed to the tips of his toes and felt along the top of the cupboards. When his hand finally hit something, he pulled it down and showed it to her. “Old habits die hard.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Her rainy day fund.” He dropped the jar on the table. It then rolled and fell to the floor. “Some habits we never break.”

  “It’s empty.”

  “My point exactly.” He was already pulling out his cell phone. “She has everything about my life in her closet for the past seven years. So, she’s been living here for a while. Why pick now to run? Something spooked her—something she knew wouldn’t end well.”

  “What do we do now? Do I need to warn Ruby?”

  “Who is Ruby?”

  “A friend of ours. We are always together. I mean, thinking like a cop she could be in danger, right?”

  Pitbull exhaled hard as he pressed the phone to his ear. “Tex…”

  “At your service, brother.”

  “Anke was right. Something did happen to Claudia.”

  “It’s Anke now?” Tex drawled. “You move fast.”

  “You’re an ass.”

  “I’ve been told.”

  With a shake of his head, Pitbull put Tex on speaker. “Okay, horn-dog. You’re on speaker, so behave.”

  “I think I’m about due for a spankin’ so…” Tex had dropped his voice to a low, sultry hum.

  Pitbull glanced over at Anke and though he shook his head, a smile spread his lips. “See? I can’t take these fools anywhere. Could we focus for a second?”

  “Oh sweetheart. You’re no fun—I’m always focused. Give me something to obsess over, would you?”

  Pitbull relayed the license plate number to Tex. Turned out the car had been stolen. “Well, there’s my reason to confiscate it?”

  Tex laughed. “You be careful. I’ll tell the others.”

  “Oh, and Tex, Anke and Claudia has this friend…”

  “Ruby,” Tex said.

  “How did he know that? How do you know that?” Anke asked.

  Tex laughed. “Oh, Darlin’ – pray you never have to find the answer to that. I’ll get eyes on Ruby—make sure she’s safe.”

  “While you’re at it.” Pitbull interrupted them. “Could you please look into Claudia’s background?”

  “Pit…”

  “I need to know what she’s been up to.”

  “All right, brother. But I fear I should go on record as to say you may not like what I find.”

  “Noted.” Pitbull hung up and pressed his eyes close. A part of him didn’t want to know what Claudia’s life had been since he left to join the academy. But if there was something in said past to help find her, he didn’t have a choice. If they wished to find Claudia they couldn’t leave any stones unturned.

  “You think she was into something illegal?”

  “I don’t know.” He lied while handing Anke the phone. “Stay here.”

  “Are you kidding? You can’t just leave me here!”

  “I have to have a word with the men watching this apartment. I don’t want to have to worry about you getting shot. Just—stay here.”

  He could see she wanted to argue but he turned out the door again before she had a chance to. Quickly, he exited the way they’d come in then snaked his way around the building. Thankfully, he was a lot closer to the vehicle than he’d thought and managed to sneak up to the side of the window with his gun drawn. Using his foot, he tapped the side of the car. “Polizei! Ich will Ihre Hände sehen!”

  The man reached toward the passenger seat but Pitbull cocked his weapon. “I don’t believe you heard me.”

  The man stopped and shoved his hands in the air.

  “Good boy. Now, stick them out the window.”

  When that instruction was followed, Pitbull leaned forward and opened the door. He pulled the man out, twisted him and shoved him up against the side of the car. After he’d cuffed him, he patted him down and found a handgun shoved in the back of the man’s pants, a taser in a side holster and some weed.

  “Want to tell me why you’re here?” Pitbull asked. He finally hit a wallet and pulled it out.

  The man said nothing. There wasn’t anything in the wallet but some money, a matchbook from a strip club and a few foreign coins Pitbull had never seen before.

  “No?”

  The man said nothing.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Pitbull put the wallet back into the man’s pocket then shoved him to his ass on the sidewalk. “You don’t have to say anything. Your face will give me all the information I need.”

  After taking a picture of the man’s face with his cell, Pitbull sent it to Tex. He put in a call to the local police to have the man taken in then transferred to CIRO headquarters in Sankt Augustin.

  With the commotion over, he searched the vehicle and found three cell phones, all burners, a wad of American dollars, a crumbled up map and a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk. It seemed his new friend had come prepared for war.

  He got Anke and they sat together in the front seat of his truck. “What in the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, Claudia and where are you?”

  “What do you mean by this time?”

  “You’re her friend. You should know.”

  “It seems Claudia didn’t trust me much. She has a brother—that’s something you would tell your best friend, right?”

  “I didn’t tell my guys about her,” Pitbull said. “It wasn’t something I set about hiding from them. She said I was dead to her, so I gave her what she wished for. It was nothing personal.”

  “What’s the story between you and Claudia, really?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” He turned on the ignition. “Let me take you home so you can pack a bag. Until we figure this out, I can’t leave you alone.”

  “I’m pretty sure I don’t need round the clock bodyguards.”

  “Well, we’re going to agree to disagree on that.”

  He could tell she wanted to argue. But Anke clamped her mouth closed again as though she thought better of it.

  Did I just win an argument with Anke Fischer?

  Small victories Pitbull.

  There was something
about Anke—something incredibly intriguing. She seemed to have an independent spirit, a strong will he usually valued in a person. After all, she’d showed up at HQ for days, repeatedly until he stopped what he had been doing to focus on her.

  As he followed her instructions to her place, he couldn’t help letting his mind wander back to the first time he’d seen her. With mocha skin, plump lips, brown eyes that looked as though the wrath of hell had passed through them toward him—she’d been furious with him. When he had her alone in the office, Pitbull remembered the way her dress hugged her curves, the swells of her breasts at the neck and the way they rose as she folded her arms across her chest.

  There was no doubt about it. Anke Fischer was a gorgeous woman—just not his type.

  And what is your type?

  Shut up brain.

  He turned the ignition off and was reaching for the door handle when she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Electricity charged through him as he turned to look at her.

  “Where are you going?”

  “In with you.”

  “Um…” She glanced around. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

  “Anke, we don’t have time for this.”

  “And I don’t need a bodyguard to grab things in my apartment.”

  “What exactly is your issue?”

  “I’ve seen your place. This is a dump in comparison.”

  Pitbull sighed. “That’s what you’re worried about? Anke, I’m not here to judge you. I need to make sure you’re safe. We can either go in or we could go back to my place and you can wear some of my clothes.”

  She pushed air out her lips causing them to flutter before releasing him. Pitbull let himself out of the truck and followed her into the two story walk up. Her apartment was on the ground floor in the back. Sure, it wasn’t a palace, but it was warm, clean and welcoming. After clearing the interior, he sent a text to Beast about Ruby. Then while he waited for her to gather her things, Pitbull inspected the pictures on the wall.

  One in particular drew his attention. It was with Anke and his sister. Claudia looked full of life as she laughed at something Anke must have said. She wasn’t all skin and bones anymore like he’d remember. Her hair was short but wasn’t anything new. After years of drug use, her flowing, sunlight hair had become coarse and damaged. The light in her green eyes had returned—something he never thought had been possible. He only assumed by the time Anke had met her, Claudia had cleaned herself up.