Breakfast was over and people had started to leave the table, their minds on the tasks for the day. Mox had snatched the last of the bacon before Samoa Joe could reach for it and smirked as he shoved the two pieces into his mouth.
"You win today," Samoa Joe grinned as he turned away. "Just remember, tomorrow is…" He stopped and reached into his jacket pocket for his phone. He frowned at the display and walked out of the room.
Mox chuckled under his breath as he patted Roman on the shoulder before leaving the room. He was halfway to the back door when his own phone rang. Pulling it out, he saw the name on the display and irritably grunted. "Moxley," he gruffly answered.
"I hate to disturb you this early, but did you speak with Alexa yesterday?" Regal asked.
Mox leaned against the wall, a chill running up his spine. "No. We exchanged texts Sunday evening. She mentioned she was seeing someone about that trust fund stuff yesterday after Court. I figured she got caught up in that. Why?"
"She hasn't shown up for work," Regal grimly answered. "Her car is in the parking lot, and she's not answering her phone."
Mox pushed away from the wall and rapidly walked back towards the dining room. "Let me call you right back." He almost collided with Roman and backed away a few steps.
"Roman, Alexa didn't show up for work today. Regal can't get her on the phone."
Roman froze at Mox's rapid speech. Before he could speak, Samoa Joe rapidly walked up to them.
"We have a problem," Samoa Joe roughly spoke. "The relief team for Ms. Bliss just called. They can't make contact with the two men who were watching her yesterday evening. They were to make sure she got home and keep watch on her until relieved this morning."
Mox began breathing faster. "She never showed up for work and isn't answering her phone."
"Joe, where is your team?" Roman crisply asked.
"At the building where she works," Joe answered. "That's where they were to relieve the guys from last night. They noticed her car in the lot but couldn't contact the other team."
"Could the team from last night have left once she got to work?" Roman asked.
"But she…" Mox began but stopped when Roman held up his hand.
"If they did, it's the last damn thing they'll ever do," Samoa Joe grimly answered.
"Joe, tell your team to stay out of sight but to remain there until further notice," Roman ordered. "Then get everyone back to my office." He turned to Mox. "Call Alexa's phone. I can think of a couple reasons why her car would be at work and she could be at home." He saw Mox's suspicious look. "She could've had car trouble so let's cover all the bases. Meet us in my office. I'll call Regal."
By the time Roman reached his office, he was speaking with Regal. "I'm mobilizing my people. Could Alexa have been called to see a client and called a Uber? Maybe her car battery died or something."
"Highly unlikely," Regal replied. "If she'd been unexpectedly called to see a client, she would've notified the office so her appointments could be adjusted. As for car trouble, if that happened last night, she would've called the auto service. Then I imagine she would've called Mr. Moxley for a ride."
Roman rubbed his forehead as he sat at his desk. He saw Mox in the doorway shaking his head. "My assessment as well. I just wanted to double check. I'll get back to you in thirty minutes."
"I'm going to her place, Roman," Mox agitatedly said. "Maybe she's sick or something."
"Could be," Roman calmly nodded. "Do you have a key to her place?"
"I'll bust the fucking door down!" Mox yelled. Then he shook his head as the others began arriving. "Sorry," he muttered.
Black was the last one to arrive and shut the door behind him.
Roman briskly began to explain. "Alexa Bliss has disappeared. She didn't show up for work, but her car is in the office parking lot. Joe's relief team can't make contact with the surveillance team from last night. And she's not answering her phone." He glanced at Mox who was beginning to pace. "It's very unlikely she wouldn't have made contact with her office. It's possible she's at her apartment but unable to answer the phone. Mox, what kind of lock is on her condo door?"
"One of those electronic key things," Mox answered in confusion. "She has a fob on her keyring and presses it to a sensor on the door."
"Jericho, get your kit and meet Mox at Alexa's place," Roman ordered, then he looked at Mox. "He'll be able to get inside without somebody calling the cops that somebody's trying to bust down her door."
Jericho was opening the office door even as Roman explained. "I'll be ready in two minutes," he promised.
"Wouldn't security be able to get in?" Ricochet asked.
"They probably could," Roman nodded. "But they might also call the cops. That's an option we don't want to be put into play unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Besides, they won't do anything for twenty-four hours," Jimmy pointed out.
"On the way, call your office," Roman suggested to Mox. "Tell them to get to safety until we get this figured out. Call Seth and warn him as well."
Mox nodded and quickly walked out to meet Jericho.
"Joe, make sure your other teams are in place and put them on alert," Roman ordered.
Samoa Joe nodded. "I'll work my contacts at the P.D. in case they got picked up."
"Maybe we'll be lucky and that's what happened," Zelina quietly spoke.
"It won't be so lucky for them," Samoa Joe grimly promised as left.
"Everyone else, hit the streets. Work every contact you have. Report in every hour even if you don't have anything," Roman ordered. "Track down every rumor floating out there."
"Maybe this doesn't have anything to do with Mox," Jey suggested. "Lawyers have enemies."
Roman nodded. "I'll work with Regal on that angle." He nodded in dismissal.
As they left, Black tapped Ali on the shoulder. "Work your contacts from here," he quietly ordered. "You don't leave Roman unprotected."
Ali started to protest, then silently nodded. You just didn't argue with Black's orders. He walked back into Roman's office. "I'll be in the library working my contacts," he quietly advised.
Roman hesitated, then nodded. "Black's orders?" he grimly smiled.
Ali briefly smiled in agreement before leaving. As he walked down the hallway, he came to the conclusion that some conversations were better conducted in privacy.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In any other circumstances, Mox would have enjoyed the ride in Jericho's car. It was a dark Maroon Porsche 911 Turbo sports model that was totally out of place in Roman's fleet of dark SUVs and sedans.
Jericho grinned at Mox's look of appreciation of the power and relative quiet engine. "This is the car that's used to get people attention," he explained as he smoothly navigated the curves on the long driveway. "People look at this car and keep their eyes on it. Comes in handy when we need a distraction."
Mox nodded as he pulled out his phone and dialed his business. "Nikki, it's Mox. Are Ryder and Kendrick there?"
"Yeah, boss. Actually, they're standing right here."
"Good. Put me on speaker."
Nikki frowned at the two men and motioned them to come closer. "Okay, boss. You're on speaker."
"Listen up. I need all of you to get to a place of safety. Shut down the business for now," Mox ordered.
"What happened?" Kendrick asked, shooting a concerned look at the other two.
Mox hesitated, then answered, "Alexa's gone missing. She didn't show up for work and isn't answering her phone. I'm on my way over to her place right now."
"No!" Nikki exclaimed.
"It may be nothing, but I'd rather have you guys out of there and somewhere safe," Mox continued. "Nikki, call Seth and have him come and get you and Mitch. His place is pretty secure. Make sure he understands what's going on. Guys, you need to get somewhere other than your residences if possible."
"My cousin and his family are out of town on a month-long cruise," Ryder spoke up. "He asked me to keep an eye on his place. He wouldn't mind if we stayed there. I can put my car in the garage." He suddenly grinned. "We're second cousins twice removed so it would be hard to connect us."
"Do it," Mox ordered. "Nikki, I'll let you know if we find out anything about Alexa. You can pass it on."
"We'll stay until Nikki's ride gets here," Kendrick promised. "We'll all leave together."
"Call me if anything happens or looks suspicious," Mox said before he disconnected the call.
"Roman could be right," Jericho commented as he pulled up onto the highway. "She could've had car trouble and be too sick to answer her phone."
Mox grunted. "You believe that?"
"No. I don't."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
As Kendrick and Ryder ran towards the shop to get ready to leave, Nikki pulled out her phone to call Seth.
"Hey, Nikki. How's your morning going?"
Nikki's green eyes teared up at the sound of Seth's cheery voice. "Awful," she answered. "Alexa's disappeared. Not at work or answering her phone. The boss is headed to her condo now, but he wants Zach, Brian, and I to get to safety. They've got a place to go, but he said to call you since I'm staying at your place. Can you come and me and Mitch? Brian and Zach will wait until you get here so we can all leave together."
"I'm on my way," Seth promised. "Are all the doors locked?"
"They are," Nikki promised.
"Are the others parked in the parking lot?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'll pull in there and come to the front door. Give me five or six minutes," Seth promised. He heard Nikki trying to calm her breathing. "Nikki, it'll be okay."
"Just hurry," Nikki pleaded.
"Walking out the door right now, sweetheart."
As soon as Seth got into his car, he pushed the phone button on the steering wheel and called Mox. He wasn't surprised at the brusque way Mox answered the phone.
"Rollins, you on your way to get Nikki?"
"Just left the bookstore," Seth answered. "I'll be at your building in a few minutes."
"What about your people?" Mox demanded.
"School's closed for the next two days," Seth replied. "The tutors are working from home making sure all their paperwork is up to date. Got wind of a 'surprise' inspection at the end of the week. We'd planned to take those days as in-service days anyway and didn't schedule any students. Bayley and Finn are at the bookstore. I'll brief them when I get back as well as the guys at the Deli."
Seth silently cursed the car ahead of him for slowing down before the traffic light turned yellow. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"Keep Nikki and Mitch safe…and your people," Mox grunted. "Then stay away from me."
"We've already had this conversation, and I believe you lost," Seth pointed out. "I'm not going to take any unnecessary chances, but I don't run when my friends are in trouble." He hesitated then warned, "Don't make me come and look for you."
"You're an irritating piece of shit," Mox snarled.
"And proud of it," Seth shot back.
"Fine. I'll keep in touch. Text me when you've got Nikki and Mitch back at your place." Mox disconnected the call as Jericho took the exit from the highway.
"So, Rollins is an irritating piece of shit, huh?" Jericho grinned. He ignored Mox's glare. "Sounds like he'd fit right in with the rest of us."
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"Good morning, Mr. Moxley. Ms. Bliss isn't in."
Mox forced a smile as he leaned against the security desk. "Yeah, I know, Jeffrey." He jerked his thumb at Jericho who stood to his right. "This is…"
"Christophe," Jericho interrupted in a French accent. He glanced around the entrance lobby with a superior smirk on his face, waving his right hand in the air. "Minimalistic. Utilitarian." He snarked. "Boring."
Jeffrey looked at Mox in confusion. "Uh…I'm doing some renovating in Ms. Bliss' condo. Christophe is the…"
"Do not say decorator!" Jericho arrogantly demanded. "I am a mood consultant."
Mox stared at him for a moment then looked back at Jeffrey. "Yeah. What he said. I'm going up to take some measurements while…Christophe…does what he does best."
"Yes, sir."
Mox gave the security guard silent props for not laughing in Jericho's face.
Jericho swaggered after Mox, turning his head from side to side, studying the décor with barely concealed contempt.
Jeffrey watched until the elevator door closed then shook his head. "Stupid idiot," he muttered under his breath. He noted the time the two men had arrived in the security log.
"Mood consultant?" Mox muttered as the elevator rose to the fourth floor.
Jericho shrugged. "Worked, didn't it?"
When they reached the door of Alexa's condo, Mox kept watch as Jericho pulled a small bag from his jacket pocket. "Hold this," he said handing the bag to Mox.
Jericho looked at the sensor, then pulled out a ring of small fobs from the bag. He found the one that matched the size of the sensor on the door. Then he removed a small electronic device from the bag and placed it next to the sensor. He put the fob next to the sensor then gently moved the device around the sensor until a small light turned green. With a soft click, the lock on the door disengaged.
"Try opening it," Jericho quietly ordered.
Mox reached past Jericho and turned the door knob. When the door opened, he entered the condo, followed by Jericho who gently closed the door behind him and locked it.
"Alexa!" Mox called out, heading for the bedroom.
Jericho put the ring of fobs and electronic device on the small table next to the door. He quickly scanned the living room, noticing that nothing seemed to be disturbed. He walked into the kitchen only to find it spotless. When he turned around, he suddenly stumbled back against the refrigerator, hand over his heart.
"Nothing's missing, and she's not here," Mox said as he walked back into the living room.
"Mox, what the hell is that?"
Mox looked over his shoulder to see Jericho pointing at the dining room table. "Huh? Oh, that's goo-goo."
"What the hell is a goo-goo?" Jericho muttered under his breath. He glared at the monkey doll as he rejoined Mox in the living room. "Does anything look missing?"
After a few seconds, Mox shook his head. "Not that I could see. And her bed was undisturbed. So was the bathroom."
Jericho sighed and picked up the ring of fobs and electronic device. He noticed that Mox was clutching the empty bag with a tight fist. "Okay, we're pretty sure now that she never made it home. We'll call Roman on the way back."
In the hallway, Jericho repeated the process with the fob and device until he heard the lock engage. Mox handed Jericho the back and tested the door to make sure it was locked. Both men were silent in the elevator to the ground floor. However, when the door slid open, Jericho morphed back into the mood consultant persona.
As he swaggered down the hallway with an arrogant sneer on his face, he loudly complained. "Simply stating accents are required to be blue simply doesn't give me enough information. What shade of blue? Sapphire blue? Sky blue? Ice blue? Prussian blue? Cornflower blue? Denim blue?"
He walked past the security desk without a pause in his stride or a glance at the security guard.
"Navy blue? Blue violet? Turquoise blue? Cerulean blue? Pacific blue? Robin's egg blue?"
Mox waved a hand at Jeffrey and shrugged as he followed Jericho out of the building.
Jeffrey deeply sighed as he noted their departure in his log. "Stupid idiot," he repeated.
In the car, Mox pulled out his phone and saw a text from Seth.
'Nikki and Mitch safe at home. Sending everybody else home early. Glad I grocery shopped yesterday.' Attached was a picture of Mitch sitting on a table with an opened bag of pretzels next to him.
Despite himself, Mox half-smiled as he texted back. 'Don't spoil Mitch's dinner. Doesn't look like Alexa made it home last night. Batten down the hatches. I got a feeling things are gonna get worse before they get better.'
Seth immediately texted back. 'Will do. Nikki said Kendrick and Ryder got somewhere safe. Says she's not telling me where. I think I'm hurt. Stay safe and in touch.'
Mox dialed Roman, not surprised when he picked up on the first ring and put Roman on speaker so Jericho could hear.
"No sign Alexa was at her place last night," Mox said without preamble. "We're on our way back. Any news on your end?"
"Regal said there wasn't anything wrong with her car. He was able to start it right up," Roman reported. "I said it was a good thing she had an extra key in her office. He said she didn't and that he started it thanks to a misspent youth. I didn't ask any more questions." He hesitated then continued, "Joe reported that one of his contacts at the PD found a record of two unidentified bodies being found early this morning by garbage collectors. Roughly five blocks from Regal's office building. Both had been shot. One in the back of the head and the other in the heart. Preliminary investigation was that the dead men were shot elsewhere and then dumped where they were found."
"Joe's men?" Jericho asked.
"Yes, and he's so angry he's spitting nails. Joe's contact was able to send a copy of a photo taken at the scene. It's them. Also, the coroner gave a preliminary time of death of between 8pm and midnight. Regal said the building security log showed Alexa scanned out of the building at 9:23pm."
Jericho exchange a look with Mox. "If the coroner's estimate is right, then it's probable they were killed between 8pm and when she clocked out at 9:23pm."
"Doesn't help us find her," Mox muttered, looking out the window.
"We're on our way back, Roman," Jericho said.
"See you soon," Roman answered, then disconnected the call.
Jericho started to say something to Mox then decided against it. If it were his wife that was missing, he wouldn't want to hear any meaningless nonsense either.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I don't want to hear excuses, T-Bar. I want results. So, you'd better not be sitting around on your ass because if you are, you'll wish you'd never been born."
Mox took weird comfort in the cold tone of Ali's voice. The threat wasn't shouted. It was delivered into the phone in a cold cutting tone of voice that promised no mercy.
Ali looked up as Mox stood in the library doorway. "Good. Do the job I know you can do. Make sure the others understand." He disconnected the call and tossed the phone onto a nearby chair. "Nothing at your lady's condo?" he gently asked.
Mox silently shook his head. "Anything?"
"Maybe. C'mon." Ali led the way to Roman's office and knocked on the open door.
Roman looked up from his computer. "Something?" he hopefully asked.
"Not sure," Ali shrugged. "I had T-Bar and his crew checking around the area where the bodies were dumped. He talked with a wino who admittedly was probably drunk last night. But the wino claims about nine last night he was rummaging around the alleys for food when he saw a couple of bodies being thrown out of the trunk of a car. He didn't want to get involved so he didn't call the cops."
Mox unconsciously leaned toward Ali in anticipation.
Ali continued, "T-Bar's crew is getting some food and coffee into the man. I emailed the pictures Samoa Joe got from his PD contact to T-Bar to see if he can positively identify them as the ones he saw."
"How close a look did he get?" Roman leaned back in his chair.
Ali apologetically shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. T-Bar's going to show him other pictures as well so we'll see if he can pick them out. He's also going to show pictures of cars to try and narrow it down. All the wino would say about the car was that it was big and dark."
Roman nodded. "That's the best lead we've got so far. Good work, Ali. Stay on top of it."
Ali flashed a quick smile and nodded before leaving.
"Nothing," Mox muttered, running a hand across his face. "We've got fucking nothing."
"If Ali's lead pans out, we'll have something," Roman pointed out. "If they can narrow down anything about that car, I can have Jericho and Black do a deep dive through the DMV records on both sides of the Mississippi river. Where is Jericho, by the way?"
"Said he was going to meet up with some of his contacts." Mox explained. Sighing, he sat in a nearby chair. "What are you working on?"
"Jey had an idea," Roman said, stretching his muscles. "This might not have anything to do with you or the upcoming trial. Lawyers make enemies. So, Regal…" he made quotation marks in the air "…accidentally sent me a list of Alexa's clients who may have not been happy with the outcome of their cases. Admittedly, it would be awfully coincidental. But we shouldn't overlook it, just in case." He briefly smiled. "On the bright side, it's not a long list. She's good at her job."
Mox fondly smiled. "Yeah, she is," he softly agreed. Then he shook his head. "I know I'm not that good with computers, but can I help? I…I need to do something."
Roman nodded. "Go grab some coffee for you and water for me. I'll get you set up on my spare lap top."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mox had lasted a couple of hours before snarling at the laptop and announcing he was going down to gym. He needed to either pound the heavy bag or the laptop. The only good news they'd received had come from Ali who reported the wino positively identified Joe's men as the dead bodies he'd seen. The bad news was that he couldn't identify the type of car he'd also seen. It was just 'big and dark'.
Hourly reports came in with little to no new information. The only other fairly solid information came from Jimmy and Jey whose street contacts reported that members of the Authority normally seen daily on the streets were rarely being seen that day. Roman set a silent deadline for himself of mid-afternoon to set up a face-to-face meeting with the Authority if they received no other information.
There was still an hour to go on the deadline when Roman's cellphone rang. As he picked it up, he noticed the display read 'caller blocked'. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. "Reigns."
"I'm looking at the lovely Ms. Bliss. She hasn't been harmed…but that could change depending on how this conversation goes."
Roman snarled at the electronically disguised voice. "Go on."
"And don't try to track this call. I'm using a burner phone bouncing signals of various satellites." The voice chuckled. "But, of course, you're familiar with that process."
"What do you want?"
"Come alone to an address that I will provide. We have business to conclude."
Roman forced a chuckle into his voice. "If you know so much, then you know I go nowhere alone. And if I give an order not to be followed, it won't be obeyed."
"At least you're not trying to lie to me. That's a good first step in maintaining Ms. Bliss' continued good health. Take a driver. One person who stays in the car when you arrive at the address. I see anyone else, I put a bullet in her head. Understood?"
"Clearly. Text me the address and proof that she's still alive." Roman frowned when the call was disconnected. He quickly texted Ali to come to his office alone and not to be seen.
By the time Ali arrived, Roman was staring at the text he'd received from the unknown caller. '2742 River Road. #17'. He held up a hand to Ali as he opened the accompanying video. It was timestamped three minutes earlier. Alexa was groggily drinking some water and murmuring something Roman couldn't make out. Then she slumped back onto the ground.
Roman shoved the phone in his pocket then opened a desk drawer. As he rummaged around for something, he quietly spoke, "We're leaving. The person who took Alexa just contacted me."
"The others are going to meet us there?" Ali asked, dark eyes flashing with excitement. "Should I get Mox?"
"You'll contact the others when we arrive," Roman ordered. He found the item he was looking for and shoved it into his left jacket pocket. He slid his phone into the right pocket. "And, no. Don't tell Mox."
He led the way out of the house and to the garage not realizing their departure had been noticed.
Mox stared down the hall in confusion and Roman and Ali left the house. "Anybody else here?" he called out as he quickly walked towards the back door. Not receiving any answer, he peeked out one of the windows and saw the two men disappearing into the garage.
Mox felt his back pocket to make sure his phone was there, then slipped out of the house and ran across the yard. He slid to a halt behind the garage as he heard one of the garage doors open. He peered around the corner of the garage in time to see Ali drive one of the dark SUVs out of the garage. As he turned onto the driveway, he glimpsed Roman in the back seat.
"Fucking hell," Mox muttered as he spun around and ran into the garage. Grabbing a set of keys off the key board, he ran to one of the other SUVs. He used the remote in the vehicle to open the garage door and slowly pulled out. He saw the other SUV turning left onto the main road and pulled into the driveway. He punched the button to activate the vehicle's phone. "Call Jericho."
Seconds later, he heard. "Jericho. Who's this?"
"Mox. Roman and Ali just left the house without saying anything to me," Mox explained, turning left onto the main road.
"WHAT?!" Jericho shrieked.
"I'm following them, but I don't know where they're going." Mox ignored the other man's shriek. "All I can say is that it looks like they're heading into Davenport."
"Roman must have received a call from the kidnapper," Jericho said in a calmer voice. "And demanded that Roman meet him alone." He muttered under his breath. "I'll contact the others and start having them pull back towards the city limits of Davenport on the south side," Jericho advised. "As soon as you know an exact location, let us know; and we'll move in."
"Done." Mox disconnected the call as he took the onramp on the highway. Traffic was heavier, and he needed all his concentration to follow Roman's car while trying not to be spotted.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The address turned out to be an abandoned business park/warehouse complex located between the territories of the Bloodline and Authority. Roman recalled that Vince McMahon's old organization had once claimed this area. But with Vince's removal from Davenport, neither the Authority nor the Bloodline had cared enough to take it over.
Ali parked in front of Building #17 which was one of the abandoned warehouses and turned off the engine. "I don't see another car."
"Probably hidden away," Roman grunted. "Give me a minute then text the others to get here immediately." He opened the door and saw Ali also getting out. "And don't follow."
"Got it," Ali dejectedly replied.
Outside of the SUV, both men looked around but spotted no one. Roman nodded once at Ali, then walked inside the warehouse. Just before he opened the door, he reached into his left jacket pocket and pushed a button on the small device he'd placed there.
Ali paced the length of the SUV then shrugged. "The hell with waiting." He pulled out his cell phone then spun around when he heard someone walk up behind him.
"Oh, it's you. Glad you're here," Ali grinned as he turned to look at the warehouse. "I'm texting the others…wait, how did you…"
Ali never spoke another word as the bullet from a silenced gun pierced his heart. He was dead when he hit the pavement.
The shooter leaned down and placed to fingers on the pulse point of Ali's neck. Satisfied the man was dead, the shooter calmly entered the warehouse.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
There was enough light coming in through the dirt-streaked windows that Roman could see the warehouse was basically empty with the exception of a few smashed open crates and debris possibly left from squatters or the homeless seeking shelter for a night. Partial walls separated the open expanse into smaller areas.
His footsteps echoed as he slowly walked around. He'd gone about halfway through the building when he saw the slumped unconscious body of Alexa lying against one wall. He glanced around then ran and knelt next to her. He reached out to check her pulse, then sighed in relief. Her pulse was strong and steady.
"Hands up, Roman. Stand up and move about fifteen paces to your right. Away from Ms. Bliss. I would hate to have her caught in a crossfire."
Roman's jaw clenched as he slowly obeyed. The voice was no longer electronically altered…and he immediately recognized it.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When Mox turned the corner and saw Roman's SUV parked two buildings away, he immediately parked and got out. He looked around but saw no one so he began running towards the parked vehicle. As he got closer, he saw a body lying on the ground.
"No," he muttered as he approached. Then he relaxed. The body was too small to be Roman's. He knelt next to the body then snarled under his breath when he recognized Ali. Stepping to the other side of the SUV, he pulled out his phone and called Jericho.
"2742 River Road. #17. It's an abandoned warehouse. Get here now. Ali's dead," Mox reported. "And I'm guessing Roman's inside the building."
"Son of a bitch," Jericho snarled. "I'm about two minutes away and the others are just as close. Wait for me."
"Can't do that," Mox said and disconnected the call. He walked back to Ali's body and searched him for his gun. Taking it from the holster at Ali's back, he checked to make sure it was loaded and flipped the safety off. Then he quietly entered the warehouse.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Now, take your gun out with thumb and forefinger only and toss it to your right. Toss it real hard."
Controlling his breathing, Roman obeyed.
"Now your backup piece."
Roman slowly reached to the small of his back and threw that gun in the direction of his first gun. "Gonna shoot me in the back?"
"No. I want you to see it coming. Turn around."
Slowly Roman turned to face Alexa's kidnapper. "Why, Joe?"
Samoa Joe genially smiled. "I'd be happy to explain. We have time. You see, Ali isn't making that call for backup."
"You killed him?!"
Just inside the building, Mox heard Roman's loud angry voice and stealthily moved in that direction.
Roman took a step towards Joe who warningly raised his gun. Roman stopped but furiously glared at him.
"Of course," Joe nodded. "I told you to come alone. You could've figured a way to do that, but you just had to insist on someone coming with you. Someone who would call in back up for you." He shrugged. "So, he had to die."
"You killed the men you send to protect Alexa," Roman guessed.
Joe nodded. "I couldn't take the chance that someone would see there wasn't a team on her. They were expendable."
"Expendable." Roman spat the word. "Like Ali?"
"You don't get it, do you?" Joe smirked. "The Bloodline is blood. Our blood! Samoan blood! Oh, we have others working for us, but what did you do? You put outsiders above your own blood."
Roman stared at Joe in surprised. "That's what this is all about?"
"Who should be standing at your side?" Joe seethed. "The twins? They're good at running their street contacts and that business. Jey might will grow into more responsibility someday. But who stands at your side? Jericho and Black! Outsiders!"
"I put the best people in those positions," Roman argued. "You have power, Joe. A lot of it. And a position of authority."
"But who was put into your place when you told us you were sick? Was it me? No!" Joe shouted. He took a calming breath.
"I needed you where you were," Roman's voice rose.
"And what about what I needed, Roman?" Joe angrily asked.
"You could've spoken up at any time," Roman pointed out.
"Wouldn't have done any good," Joe argued back. "Jericho and Black are your fair-haired boys. And let's not forget Mox."
"Leave Mox out of this," Roman warned.
Joe harshly laughed. "You spend Bloodline time and resources to get him out of prison. Bring him in and tell us he's your family. Like he's just as good as those with your blood," Joe snarled. "I take his little girlfriend, and you stop all our business just to get her back. You betrayed our bloodline! And all because your father took pity on a street dog when you were kids."
"So, what happens now? Do you really think you're going to get away with this?" Roman curiously asked.
"Oh, now you're going to die," Joe chuckled. "I've got plenty of money stashed away and the Authority is going to pay me even more money. Dwayne, of course, will assume the Authority is behind it. At least, at first…but by then he'll be at war with the Authority and too busy to look for me."
"Dwayne won't stop coming after you," Roman pointed out. "And neither will Mox."
Joe chuckled again. "I'm not worried about Mox."
"You should be."
Joe froze, hearing the voice from behind him. Then he relaxed. "Mox. I knew from when we put the screws to The Miz and his little entourage that you're a handy man to have in a fight. But I admit, this is unexpected. You realize, of course, that I can take Roman out before you can take me out."
"You sure about that?" Mox calmly asked. "Funny how some things stick with you even after a lot of years go by. Biology class. Tenth grade. Mr. Wilcox. That old man just wanted to retire. We really didn't learn a damn thing in that class because he just rambled on about all sorts of shit. But one thing stuck in my mind. He said there are two ways to instantly kill a man. One is a stiff-arm shot to a man's nose with the heel of your hand driving upwards. The bone goes straight into the brain, and the guy's dead before he hits the floor."
"And the other?" Joe calmly asked.
"Bullet at a specific point which cuts the brain stem from the body. That stops all muscle control instantly," Mox explained. "And that's exactly where I'm aiming."
Joe chuckled. "You talk a good game, Mox, but you're no killer."
"Wrong."
Roman dove to the floor when Mox fired. He watched with wide eyes as Joe fell face-forward onto the floor and didn't move.
Mox's eyes were fixed on Joe as Roman got to his feet and ran over to Joe. He checked for a pulse then looked up at Mox. "You actually remembered that from tenth grade?" he tried to joke. Then he stood when Mox remained frozen. He gently reached out and took the gun from Mox's hand. "Mox," he sharply spoke.
Mox's blue eyes jerked to Roman's face.
"Go to Alexa," Roman softly urged.
Mox turned and ran to the unconscious woman.
Roman saw his brother gently pull her into his arms. "She's drugged. Just needs to sleep it off." He watched for a few seconds then slowly walked towards the front of the warehouse.
He'd just reached it when the door flew open and he was confronted with Jericho and the twins pointing guns at him. Everyone lowered their guns.
"We heard a shot!" Jimmy exclaimed.
"I'm fine," Roman assured them. He looked past them as Aleister entered.
"Ricochet, Zelina, and Naomi are with Ali," Black quietly said, automatically looking around. "Ricochet is taking it hard."
Roman nodded, knowing how close the two men were.
"What happened?" Jericho demanded.
"The kidnapper called," Roman briefly explained. "Mox followed us. Alexa is fine…just drugged." He took a deep breath. "It was Samoa Joe. He was the kidnapper."
"Joe?" Jey stammered. "Our Samoa Joe?"
Roman nodded. "He kidnapped Alexa in order to lure me here. He'd made a deal with the Authority. He had a gun on me so…Mox killed him."
"Mox? Holy shit," Jimmy muttered.
Roman took another deep breath. "Aleister, call Paul Bearer. Have him open the mortuary for Ali…and Joe."
Black nodded and stepped away, pulling out his phone.
"Jericho, Jey, Jimmy, make sure this building is sanitized just in case the Authority knew this is where Joe…would make the hit," Roman ordered. "I don't want any possible evidence that could be linked to us. Don't take longer than an hour. And find the car Joe was driving and get it out of here. Jericho, is someone watching the road in case the cops or Authority show up?"
Jericho nodded, seeming to come out of his daze. "Some of my people are watching. We'll have plenty of warning." He looked around. "Where's Mox?"
Roman nodded over his shoulder. "In the corner…back there…with Alexa. Leave them alone until I come back. I'll talk with him. Oh, and both my guns are somewhere over there." He motioned over his left shoulder.
Black walked out with Roman. "Paul will be at the mortuary in fifteen minutes." He walked to Zelina who was standing at the front of the SUV that Ali had driven. He wrapped his arms around her for a few moments.
Naomi stood behind Ricochet with a hand on his shoulder. She looked up at Roman with tears in her eyes.
Ricochet sat on the pavement next to his friend, one hand on the back of Ali's head, fingers curled in his hair. He looked up as Roman knelt next to him.
"Who did it?" he asked, anger in his voice.
"Samoa Joe," Roman softly answered. He heard gasps from both women.
"Is he dead?" Ricochet demanded.
Roman nodded. "Mox killed him."
"Good." Ricochet's eyes moved back to Ali's body.
"Paul Bearer is waiting at the mortuary," Roman said after a few seconds. "Do you want to go with him?" When Ricochet silently nodded, Roman looked up at Naomi. "You and Zelina drive them there. Make whatever arrangements are needed. You have my full authority." He returned his attention to Ricochet. "We'll get him back to Florida to his family. I'll call Dwayne and have a plane sent."
"I'm going back with him," Ricochet quietly said. "And I'm saying there if Dwayne will have me. I promised Ali if anything happened to him that I'd look after his wife and daughter."
"We all will," Roman promised. "Come on, let's get Ali into the car."
Aleister and Roman helped Ricochet get Ali into the SUV. Naomi got behind the wheel and Zelina rode shotgun.
"Call if you run into any trouble," Aleister quietly told his wife.
Zelina nodded as Naomi put the vehicle in gear and slowly drove away.
Roman sighed as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "William? We have Alexa. She's drugged but otherwise appears okay. Come to 2742 River Road. I'll meet you at the entrance to the complex. Okay, twenty minutes."
When he pocketed the cell phone, Aleister quietly asked, "Did he give a reason?"
Roman nodded. "He didn't like non-Samoans in positions of authority."
"Then why not take out me and Jericho?" Aleister calmly asked.
"Revenge against me for, as he put it, betraying the Samoan bloodline." Roman rubbed his forehead. "He made a deal with Helmsley for, as he put it, a lot of money. Also had some stashed away to he was probably skimming some here and there. Said it would never be traced and he'd never be found."
"Did he?" Aleister coldly smiled. "I'm sure Jericho and I can find it."
"Good. It'll go to Ali's family," Roman decided. "When Joe's car is found, put his body in it and get it to Paul's mortuary. Tell Paul that Ali is the priority. Do the minimum necessary with Joe."
The two men walked back into the warehouse. They saw the twins busy checking to make sure nothing remained of their presence.
Jericho silently handed Roman's weapons back to him. "Found a backpack in the corner where Mox and Alexa are," he quietly spoke. "Bottles of water, needles, and small bottles of the drug that's kept her unconscious." He handed Roman one of the bottles, wrapped in a handkerchief. "Thought we might need it if we need to call a doctor. I'll make sure everything else is destroyed."
Roman took it and put it into his pocket. "Regal's on his way to get her. I'll give it to him. Let your men know to allow him to enter. He's driving a 2020 dark green Lexus sedan."
Jericho nodded and walked away to make the call.
Aleister joined Jimmy and Jey to help them finish sanitizing the building.
Roman watched them for a moment when walked to where Mox sat with an unconscious Alexa on in his arms. He knelt and got Mox's attention. "Regal's on his way to get her. We need to get her out of here."
Mox blinked twice then nodded.
Roman steadied the younger man as he slowly rose to his feet with Alexa in his arms. As the two walked out, Roman motioned to Jericho. "We're taking your car." He easily caught the keys Jericho tossed to him.
"It's parked in front of #18," Jericho called out.
Roman waved a hand in silent acknowledgement.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Roman parked the SUV by the front gate of the complex and glanced at his watch. He looked over his shoulder to the back seat where Mox sat with Alexa in his arms. She was still unconscious, and Mox hadn't said a word.
"Regal should be here in about five minutes," Roman quietly spoke. "I'll get out and meet him." He was relieved when Mox silently nodded.
"Roman?"
Surprised, Roman looked over his shoulder again.
"Can you let Seth know we found Alexa?" Mox quietly asked. "He can tell Nikki. And have her tell the guys that everyone needs to stay put until we're sure this is over. Maybe a couple of days?"
Roman nodded. "I'll do it now," he promised as he got out of the car.
As Roman got out, he felt something in his left jacket pocket hit his side. "Damn," he muttered under his breath. He pulled out the small recording device and turned it off. He shoved it back into his pocket and leaned against the side of the car. He'd listen to it later.
He pulled out his cell phone and found Seth's number. He punched it in and wasn't surprised that Seth picked up on the second ring.
"Roman? What's going on?" Seth asked. "Mox promised he'd be in touch."
Roman sighed at the worry in Seth's voice. "Sorry, but things started happening quickly. We found Alexa. She's safe." He waited while Seth relayed the information to Nikki.
"What happened?" Seth demanded.
Roman hesitated. "I can't go into a lot of explanations right now. Alexa was drugged. We're going to have a doctor look at her, but I think all she needs is to sleep it off." He rubbed his forehead. "It hasn't been an easy couple of hours."
"Are you okay? Mox?" Seth asked in a gentler tone of voice.
Roman glanced over his shoulder at his vehicle. "Physically we're okay. But it's not going to be easy to get over this."
"Roman…"
"Seth, I've got to go. A lot of this isn't my story to tell," Roman interrupted. "I'll try to stay in touch as best I can. Tell your people for now to stay put for a couple of days." He hesitated. "But don't be surprised if Mox pulls back for a while. He…he's going to need time to get over today."
"Like hell," Seth grumbled. "You're not going to let him pull away from you and neither am I. He'll get his space, but his friends aren't walking away. And you can tell him I said that."
Roman briefly smiled. "I'll keep that in mind. And I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Almost five minutes later, he saw Regal's car approaching and walked to the front of his own vehicle.
William exited the Lexus and met Roman. "How is she?" he asked.
"Still unconscious." Roman reached into his right pocket and handed the handkerchief-wrapped bottle to the attorney. "We think she's been injected with this. Do you have a doctor you can trust?"
"Several actually," William admitted. "I'll have one of them look her over."
Roman nodded and walked back to his SUV. He opened the back door and leaned in. "Regal's here. We need to get Alexa into his car."
Mox hesitated then slowly slid out of the car. He carried Alexa to where William held the back door of the Lexus open for him.
The attorney walked to where Roman stood as Mox gently put Alexa onto the back seat. "He doesn't look good."
Roman silently nodded. "It was bad."
Alexa moaned as Mox leaned in to fasten the seatbelt. "Easy, baby. Just making sure you're strapped in," he quietly spoke.
Alexa's eyes fluttered open for a moment then closed again. "Jon?" she murmured.
"Yeah, everything's okay. Go back to sleep."
"mmm….'kay."
Mox secured the seatbelt and started to move away.
"I love you," Alexa muttered.
Mox closed his eyes in pain, then gently kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered. Then he gently closed the back door and silently walked back to Roman's car. Without a word to either Roman or Regal, he got into the SUV.
"Take care of that boy," William briefly smiled.
"Take care of her," Roman nodded.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hours later, Mox looked up as Zelina entered the kitchen. She wearily smiled as looked at the platter of fruit and vegetables.
"I didn't know what people would want…if anything," Mox muttered as he concentrated on putting items on a plate. "But I know Roman can eat this."
"Thanks." Zelina took two plates from the cabinet and began putting items on them. "I'll take these to Aleister and Jericho. They're determined to track down Joe's movements."
"How's Ricochet?" Mox asked after a little silence.
"Broken," Zelina answered. "He refused to leave Ali tonight. But Naomi and I made him promise to come back with us tomorrow morning."
"Roman talked with Dwayne," Mox said after more silence. "He's sending two planes. One for Ali and anybody who wants to go to Florida for services. The other is for Joe's body. Dwayne said he wasn't having both on the same plane."
"Is Roman going?" Zelina asked.
Mox nodded. "Flat out told Jericho and Black he was going. Black's staying here. Not sure about Jericho."
Zelina studied the man on the other side of the kitchen island. "Mox, are you okay?"
Startled, Mox looked at the younger woman. "Me?"
"Yes, you," Zelina sadly smiled.
Mox shrugged. "Fine." He grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "I'll take this to Roman. See you in the morning."
"See you then," Zelina answered. "Fine, my ass," she muttered under her breath.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Roman didn't know how long he'd been wearily sitting on the side of his bed when there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in."
The door opened, and Mox stepped into the room. He set a plate and bottle of water on the bedside table. "Eat."
Roman started to shake his head, but Mox repeated. "Eat. You went off your meds today, but you still need to eat."
"Thanks, but…"
"Damnit, Roman, EAT!" Mox shouted. "You can't afford a setback! I…I…I don't wanna lose you to some fuckin' disease!"
Roman got to his feet and put both hands on Mox's shoulders. He held on tightly when Mox tried to step back. "You're right. I'll eat. I promise." He felt Mox begin to relax and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you, my brother. You saved my life today," he whispered. "Thank you."
"Mox, all we ask is that you do your best in whatever you decided to do with your life, watch out for Roman, and never betray him," Sika quietly spoke.
Mox recalled the words of Roman's father from over a decade ago. 'Whatever it takes, Sika. Whatever it takes.' He gently patted Roman's back.
After a few seconds, Roman released his brother and stepped back. "C'mon, sit down and talk with me while I eat." He sat down on the foot end of his bed and gently patted the mattress next to him.
Mox sat as Roman ate and they talked about everything but all the elephants in the room. By the time Roman had finished half the plate, Mox had curled up on his side and was fast asleep.
Seeing the lines of stress on Mox's face, Roman again silently damned Samoa Joe to hell. He'd never intended for Mox to be a part of the Bloodline business unless Mox chose to join. However, by saving Roman's life at the expense of Joe's, that choice had been taken from him.
Roman set the half-finished plate on the bedside table then walked to the closet. He pulled out a lightweight blanket and gently put it over Mox who didn't even stir.
Roman turned off the over head light and slid under the sheets. He had the uncomfortable feeling the fall out from Samoa Joe's actions would last for some time.