Sharkbait Down Under

Vicki Lawrence’s POV

I woke up as we came to a stop, with Nicholas gently shaking me. “We have to get out,” he said.

I opened my eyes, and he helped me sit up. I looked around; we were in a courtyard, in front of a stunning Mexican estate. A stone wall and formal gardens surround the two-story adobe structure, which had statuary and carvings mixed in with the intricate stonework. The house itself was gigantic; it was three times the size of Leo’s house and screamed money. I could hear the splash of water from the water features in the enclosed patio area. “Where are we?”

“Master Vespucci’s estate,” I said. Her eyes got big; she’d slept through our discussions as we drove here. “Leo’s orders, I suppose we’ll find out soon.”

The others got out, and our door opened to reveal Master Vincenzo Milan from New York City. “Master Milan,” I said awkwardly, as I was on Nicholas’ lap. The Master stood back as Nicholas stood up with me. “Thank you for helping with our rescue.”

“Our problems were much larger than you girls, but I’m pleased you are all safe now,” he said. “Come inside, we need to meet with the others.”

He led the way through the mansion, past the high-ceilinged rooms and the priceless antiques. We met in the library, where a hidden passageway door was open into the room. A half-dozen vampires sat at the table with Leo, Adrienne, Ivan, and Hammer. Everyone got up to welcome the girls back, although I stayed on Nicholas’ lap during my greetings. I was so tired but so happy to see everyone, especially the young vampire nurse. “You survived,” I told the nervous woman after everyone sat down. “I’m glad. You told them where we were?”

“I did,” she said. “My name is Consuela; I’m a nurse, and Master Vespucci turned me by force a year ago. I couldn’t allow him to use you girls like that. Master Vespucci is dead now, along with his leadership.”

“She saved all of our lives, and I’ll never forget how much she risked to keep us safe,” I replied.

“That knife I threw at the guard came from Consuela,” Fiona said. “That probably saved Emily and Nicholas.”

I looked around the room. “I love the whole reunion vibe, but we’re not sitting in a dead vamp’s home for no reason. What’s the plan?”

Leo chuckled at this. “The gas explosion will destroy all the bodies and the evidence of your prison, but we needed a way to bring you back without exposing our work here in Mexico. We’re going to frame Vespucci for your abduction and allow the Mexican Police to free you.”

“Let’s go, then,” I said. Nicholas squeezed me tighter. “Look, the faster we do this, the faster I’m out of this place and back home.”

“Agreed,” Leo said. “We need fifteen more minutes for cleanup, erasing the files on the security computer, and setup. Consuela, we’ll lock you into the master bedroom. Your story is that after dinner, your new husband locked you in there, and you’ve been reading all night. You have no idea where Hernando is or what he has been doing, and you’ve never seen the girls.”

“I understand,” she said.

“Girls, there’s a room downstairs that will function as your cell. We’ll tie you up and leave you in there. When we’re all clear, we’ll call in a tip to the police and let them rescue you.”

“You’ll be down there for a while,” Consuela said. “You will have to trip the emergency lockdown on the safe room from downstairs. That starts a six-hour timer before I can open the room from the outside.”

“I could use a six-hour nap,” I said. “Let’s go.”

Everyone filed down the stairway to the safe room, keeping clear of the bodies strewn on the floor. It hadn’t been a painless death for the men, and for that bit of justice, I smiled. Nicholas carried me into a room that was bare of anything but some thin mattresses and a bucket. “Nice digs,” I said.

“I’m sorry, but it won’t be for long.” He set me on a mattress and left.

“Strip,” Adrienne said once the men were gone. We pulled off our clothing, and Adrienne attached the shackles to our ankles. “Use the bucket; the smell will help. Your story is that you were drugged and woke up here. Vespucci and two other men raped some of you, and you overheard they were saving you for an auction in Bahrain. Don’t volunteer anything else; after all, you’ve been stuck in this room, abused and traumatized. Use the link if you have any questions.”

“How do we set off the alarm?”

“I showed Carly the button on the way through. When the police arrive, I’ll link to you to activate the lockdown. Carly, hit the button, then get into the room and pull the door closed. It will lock behind you.”

“I understand, Luna.”

She looked at us. “I’m proud of you all. Get some rest after the lockdown, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Aunt Adrienne?” She looked back at me. “Get the rescue on video. We’ve missed almost a week of filming time, and we have a show to produce.” She shook her head, chuckling as she walked away.

“Really?” Fiona sat down slowly on the mattress, her injuries still bothering her. “A kidnapping and slavery ring took us, and you want it filmed?”

“It’s going to give huge ratings, and that means more money for us,” I said with a shrug. We could hear them heading up the stairs and closing the doors behind them. “One last sleepover,” I said as I laid back down.

Amy laughed and laid down next to me on the mattress, pulling me into a hug. “I’m going to miss you when you’re halfway around the world,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed this trip, even though the ending sucked.”

It was almost an hour later before Adrienne warned us the police were coming. Carly hit the emergency lockdown button, and sirens blared for ten seconds until the doors locked closed. She locked us in the room, and the wait started. I relaxed into Amy, letting myself sleep.

I must have been tired because when Amy finally woke me up, the six-hour delay time was almost over. “Any updates?”

“The police arrived just before ten, and Consuela is in custody. She gave the police the code to the safe room door, so they should be here soon.”

I yawned, still tired. “How are we playing this?”

“Frightened and confused is what Adrienne wants.”

I reached out to my Aunt. “I’m up now. Is everything ready out there?”

“Yes. Master Milan’s jet flew almost all the vampires and most of our people out of the country already; they’ve stopped in New Orleans and will be heading to New York soon. Most of the people in Cancun are on their way home, except those that flew here to be with you guys. We can fly straight home as soon as the police finish with you.”

“Which home?” It was a good question; I didn’t plan to return to the United States when my Pack was in Australia.

“Port Lincoln, silly. There’s still a marriage to take care of unless you’ve changed your mind.”

“Hell, no! I want him tied to me legally, too. He’s going to be a doctor someday, you know.”

“He’s quite the catch. Tell everyone to standby; they’re about to go in.”

I passed the word to everyone, and we waited for the cavalry to arrive. The police rushed into the basement, yelling for people to give up, then calling out “CLARO (Clear)” as they searched the rooms. A familiar voice yelled for me. “VICKI! AMY!”

“COLLEEN,” I yelled back. “IN HERE!” The twins started banging on the door as they yelled for help.

“Back away from the door, girls,” Colleen told us. The door was key locked, so we had to wait for one of their tactical guys with a crowbar to force it open. It finally popped open, and men in tactical gear with rifles surged into the room as we hugged each other in the far corner, all of us nude.

“LOS HOMBRES SALEN (Men get out),” a female officer ordered as we held on to each other. “Conseguirles ropa (bring them clothes),” she continued.

The men left, and Colleen came into the room with a pair of bolt-cutters in her hand. Behind her was a woman in an FBI jacket. “You found us,” I said as I cried with joy.

“We’d never stop looking for you guys,” she said as she hugged me, then Amy. As soon as Amy let her go, she started cutting the locks on our manacles so we could move freely.

“Special Agent Melody Price, FBI Mexico City Field Office,” the other woman said. “Are you girls injured?”

“Vicki and Fiona need to see a doctor,” Amy said. “The rest of us need food and water.”

A new female police officer came back into the room, carrying a stack of scrubs. Following behind were two female Emergency Medical Technicians carrying a stretcher. “Those of you who don’t need medical attention, get dressed, and we’ll get you out of here,” the officer said.

Everyone started pulling on the clothing, including me. Fiona refused help, dressing quickly despite the widespread bruising on her body. “I can walk out of here,” I said. I was the Alpha here, and I wasn’t going to go out on a gurney.

“I’ll help her,” Colleen said. A minute later, we were walking barefoot out of the storage room.

“Remember to look shocked at where you are, and tears won’t hurt,” I told everyone as we walked out. The stairs were a struggle, but with Colleen’s help, I made it up. The press was everywhere as we walked out the front door, cameras rolling and reporters shouting questions from their line behind the police tape. I waved and smiled for a few seconds as Colleen helped me forward. She took me straight to the ambulance, where Fiona was already seated.

“We’ll see you at the hospital,” Colleen said as the EMT got in with us. “It’s great to have you back.”

“Thank you,” I said as she closed the door. Over my objections, the EMT had me lie down and hooked me up to her monitors. My blood pressure was low, and she started an IV.

The media crush was even higher at the hospital. The emergency room doctor called in an OB-GYN when I told him about my ectopic and the treatment. They did another ultrasound and an X-ray, confirming I had an ectopic pregnancy, and the drug was resolving it. They were worried about my blood pressure, so they were keeping me for observation for a while.

I went up to a hospital room, where the police took my statement for an hour. I told them nothing of the cell below the warehouse, sticking to the story we’d put out. I told them about our capture, our time in the building, and our sale to a man. I knew what the other girls had said from our link, and I kept to the same details. “I’m so happy you found us,” I said as I finished with the rescue. “They were going to sell me into slavery.”

“The men responsible are dead now,” the detective told me. “We have your contact information, and I’m sure you’re eager to return home. We will contact you through the FBI if we have any other questions.”

“Thank you,” I said.

After he left, I could finally have visitors two at a time. Mom and Dad were first in. “Oh, baby,” Mom said as she hugged me close. “It’s so good to see you again!”

“I knew you’d get me back,” I said. After ten minutes that we mostly spent crying and hugging, they rotated out, and Nicholas came in with Hammer. Nicholas climbed into bed to hold me, while Hammer was nervous about something. “What happened out last night, Hammer?”

He used the link to answer. “Vespucci had almost a hundred of his men in that building, Vicki. Even with Cyprian’s help, we lost six werewolves and had another seven injured.”

“Oh, Luna, no,” I replied.

“One of Vespucci’s men is a Medical Examiner here. He issued death certificates for all the men who had heart attacks or drug overdoses, and the bodies got cremated right away to avoid autopsies. Their remains went back to the states already.”

“Who?”

He listed the names. Five were warriors, all single; two from Three Sisters, one from Stillwater, one from Keene Valley, one from Miesville, and Chairman Leland Carver. I knew both of the ones from Minnesota well, and their deaths hit me had. “What was Carver doing there?”

“Heading off a war between the wolves and the vampires,” Hammer replied.

Their time ended, and Leo and Adrienne were next in with me. We talked over the link about the aftermath; I found out my friendship with Vampires and Mermaids was both the cause and the solution to the conflict with Vespucci and his followers. “We have to capitalize on this cooperation now, or the goodwill we’ve garnered here will be lost,” I told them.

“Your wedding was where we planned to show how the Australian Council could make it work, but this rescue was a better example,” Leo said.

“I’m still getting married… but we will have to move it back a few days. Let’s do it on the 31st in Port Lincoln. We can attend the funerals and meet with the North American Council and the Alphas. They need to hear what happened from me,” I said.

“And Leo has a lot of explaining to do,” Adrienne added with a smile.