by Vella Day
“No.”
So much for communication. To keep his mind occupied, Jay kept watch on her car to make sure someone wasn’t tailing her or trying to run her off the road. When the motel came into view, Riley pulled in but Sarah sailed on by. Crap. What was she trying to pull?
Riley cut the engine, and acted as calm as could be. “You aren’t worried that she sailed on by?” Jay asked. “I didn’t see a tail.”
“She’ll be back. Head on in while I do another perimeter search.”
Given Riley’s level of confidence, he suspected he and Sarah had cooked up this diversion. With his head down, Jay kept an even stride as he entered the room. Once inside, he spent a minute straightening up the place since the beds were still unmade. Not needing the maid to show up, he placed a Do Not Disturb sign on the door.
Ten minutes later, Riley entered with Sarah. No sooner had Jay made sure she was as comfortable as could be at the table than Riley stepped to the door. “Going to check the outside again,” his partner said, his voice sounding strained.
Riley had just done a search. “Do it later. We have a lot to discuss,” Jay said, trying not to sound miffed.
Riley glanced from Sarah to Jay. “Take notes.” He then left.
Stunned at Riley’s reaction, Jay pulled out his phone and brought up his notepad ready to jot down names, times, and places. “Okay, tell me what you know.”
She leaned forward, and her V-neck green scrubs exposed full breasts that seemed to beg for release. If she’d been a Halfling, her urges would match his and they might be satisfying their desires first. Too bad, she had no idea how much he was suffering or that he was her mate.
“The new facility is in a warehouse about ten miles northwest of here. It used to house lumber, but the company recently went bankrupt. Since Statler needed a place to keep the women safe until he sells them, he transported them there.”
“What’s their mental state?” Sarah would know. She’d been with them for months.
“As you would expect. When they aren’t drugged, many are combative, although a few have given up the fight.”
The whole concept that another person would do this to an innocent woman sickened him. “How are they housed? In separate rooms like before or in one large place?”
“They’re on mattresses on the floor in two different rooms. We didn’t have time to bring the beds.”
He wasn’t sure if he liked two large rooms or ten individual ones. “How many guards does he have?”
“At the moment, four, but only two are there at any one time. They work twelve hour shifts.”
He liked those odds. “Do you know if all four have been enhanced?” Regardless of his skill level, going against a wolf who didn’t respond to the poison in gunpowder or who would heal faster than shit, wouldn’t be wise.
“I don’t know. Two of the men are new since we’ve moved. I’m kept in the dark about a lot of things. My roommate is seeing one of the guards, but I don’t think he’s even told her whether he’s been given the treatments.”
Jay didn’t like not having all of the facts. “Can you draw me a picture of the layout of the warehouse?”
She smiled and his balls drew up tight. Look away. Jay glanced to the door. “Are you coming back?” he telepathed to Riley.
“Soon.”
This was not like Riley. Unless he was…
Well, I’ll be damned.
Chapter Three
General Armand checked his computer one more time and found the email he’d been waiting for. It was from Trax Field, his security expert. He read the update and smiled, letting the glow of satisfaction wash over him for a few seconds before heading to the conference room for the briefing. This might be his last chance to take down his nemesis, Paul Statler, and he wasn’t going to fail.
Armand had his fill of the man wielding his power without concern for others by performing unspeakable acts. With Sarah Osmond on the inside, Armand’s team just might succeed in ending the man’s reign of terror forever.
As soon as Armand stepped inside the conference room, his men immediately quieted. Everyone but his tech expert, Chris, was seated. “Gentlemen and lady.”
Never had Armand imagined having a woman on his military team, but the Pack had benefitted from Mackenzie Wagner’s talents time and time again. She and Chris complemented each other very well.
“Let me update you on our progress. Because I wanted to have eyes and ears both inside and outside of Statler’s warehouse before I send in Tyson and Ford, I had Trax and Dante head on up to a safe house in Lippett Falls yesterday to put in some surveillance equipment near and in the warehouse.”
“How do they plan to get inside, sir?” Ford Summerville asked. “His old lab had either an eye or fingerprint scanner in place on most doors.”
“Just hold on. I’ve got that covered. I know people who know people.” It was his favorite phrase and elicited the usual chuckles. “With a little persuasion, Trax and Dante were able to exchange places with the men Statler hired to do the installation. According to Alltel Security, Statler doesn’t plan to be there long and wasn’t interested in anything too sophisticated.”
“They still need to watch out. I’ve seen Statler hire outside sources and eliminate them just as they finished the job,” Ford said.
Armand had considered that. “They’ll be careful. They plan to be in and out in a day. I imagine even Statler will think twice before taking out a shifter.”
“Have Dante or Trax spoken with Statler?” Ford asked.
While Ford’s face remained devoid of expression, one of his incisors had extended, which didn’t surprise Armand. After Ford and Tyson had failed to capture Statler the last time, they were desperate for another shot, and he couldn’t blame them. Statler had captured their mate.
“Trax spoke with Statler by phone,” he answered. “But no, there are no plans for them to meet, which is a good thing. I fear Trax would try to take him out on his own, and as good as Trax is, he might lose the battle.”
“What about me and Sam, sir?” Brandon Crenshaw piped up.
“I’m getting to that. I want you two to head security here in Gulfside.”
Mackenzie, their mate, reached out and clasped Brandon’s hand. “Thank you, sir.”
Brandon glanced at his mate then back at him. “All due respect, sir, I hate the fucker as much as anyone. I want a piece of him.”
“Understood, but should Statler manage to escape again, I’m betting he’ll make a beeline toward me. The only way for him to temporarily stop the pressure on his operations will be to cut off the head of the queen bee, so to speak.” As hoped, the group chuckled at that analogy. “Chris, can you put up a map of the area, along with the PDF that Sarah sent for the layout of the warehouse?”
“Can do.” For the next few minutes, Chris described the intel he and Mackenzie had gathered on the personnel and the surrounding area.
Drake Stanton tapped his fingers on the table, probably wondering what his role in all this would be. Armand always had a fondness for him and Kurt. “Drake, I know you want to be a part of the takedown, too, and you might be. With Chelsea being so far along in her pregnancy, I want you two to stay here and help Sam and Brandon with security.”
His shoulders sagged—hopefully, in relief. “Yes, sir. Chelsea will appreciate it.”
He nodded. “As for the last two of my team, I want to keep Clay and Dirk on reserve in case something comes up we don’t anticipate. It’s possible we’ll need someone to pose as a buyer for the women.”
Clay sat up straighter. “Do you really think Statler won’t have our mug shots on file? Our acting job the last time we posed as buyers might have worked with John Hood, but I doubt we can pull it off a second time.”
“Let’s hope not, but as I said, only if we need you.”
Clay and Dirk both nodded.
“You all have your assignments. Fingers crossed, people.” He glanced at the two men who were critical to the opera
tion. “Ford and Tyson, please stay.”
Understanding it was go time, the team stood and filed out.
* * *
Even though his partner was in the room with Sarah, Riley couldn’t remain outside for too long. His actions would imply he was a coward—and he definitely wasn’t one. Just because he didn’t know how to handle having a mate, didn’t mean he had to fold.
If he was going to be the one to break into this warehouse and help the women escape, he couldn’t afford to miss any details, but damn, he needed a clear head, and Sarah was messing with it big time.
A mate? Really? It was the last thing he wanted or needed. Riley had seen the way his roommate’s hair had sprouted the moment he spotted Sarah, which implied she might be his mate, too. While the two of them had shared women many times, it was never with the intent of having a permanent relationship. They had jobs to do—jobs that took them away for long periods of time. If either of them had to worry about keeping their woman safe, he could lose his edge.
Suck it up.
Riley entered the room and had to exhale to keep his wits about him. Sarah had a map spread out in front of her and Jay was leaning close, his eyes almost greenish gold in color. Okay, that confirmed his suspicion. Sarah was Jay’s mate, too, which worked in Riley’s favor. He’d let those two go off into the sunset, while he did his job.
She looked up at him and smiled. Shit. His attempts to calm his libido just went out the window. Focus. “What did I miss?”
“All clear out there?” Jay asked with way too much cheer in his voice. “She’s getting to you, isn’t she?” he telepathed.
“You’re a fuck, you know that?” “Yes, we seem to be the only guests here.”
“Good. Pull up a seat. Sarah has drawn detailed plans of the warehouse and also has a list of the guards and their schedules.”
“Great.” Riley yanked the luggage stand over and sat on it. The dump was not designed to be a conference room.
“When was the last time you spoke with your boss?” Riley asked, feeling more secure when discussing the case.
“Two days ago.”
“What did he want to speak with you about?” he asked.
“Nancy, one of the captives was rather sick, and he wanted to know how she was progressing. He’s rightfully worried she might die. I suggested we send her to the hospital, but he said we couldn’t afford Nancy leaking the location. He said to pick up something in town for her.”
“I’m surprised he didn’t bring in a doctor. If she dies, or is too sick to sell, it’ll cost him,” Riley said.
Sarah nodded. “And it will be my head if she doesn’t make it.”
Riley had seen one of his foster siblings die because their foster parents couldn’t afford the care. “Is there anything we can do to help?”
“I need some strong antibiotics, but without a doctor’s prescription, I can’t get it.”
He glanced over at Jay. “If we can secure what you need, do you think Statler will know where the medicine came from?” Her eyes sparkled as if he was some hero, but now wasn’t the time to tell her he wasn’t one by any stretch of the imagination.
“No. I can give him some vague explanation for her recovery.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” A flood of endorphins rushed through him. Helping someone, however small, felt good.
Jay spoke up. “Do you know when Statler will be back in the warehouse?”
“No. I was aware of his comings and goings in the lab, but as soon as your men compromised the old place, he’s become too paranoid to stay there for any length of time. He’s definitely spooked.”
Riley wasn’t sure if that would help their cause or if it was more of a problem. He picked up the map and studied it. “Its simplicity bothers me. One entry door opening into a large area will make sneaking in difficult. We might have to pick off the guards one by one.”
“We only have two there at one time, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Statler brings on more men. I didn’t mark it on the map, but the doors to the women’s quarters are key-coded. I have the combination, so that won’t be a problem.”
“Is the place alarmed?” Jay asked.
“Other than the main door, not that I can tell. The internal doors don’t have anything other than that keypad. As I mentioned, my roommate is dating one of the guards, Russ Sizemore, and according to him, Statler doesn’t plan to be in town much longer.” Sarah leaned forward. “If Statler isn’t there and there are only two guards, I bet if you called in help from Tyson and Ford, the four of you could overpower the men and free the women.”
“I wish it were that simple,” Riley said. “If we aren’t successful, Statler will head underground for an indeterminate period then emerge to kidnap and sell others. We have to have a foolproof plan to put an end to him.”
She stabbed a hand through her luscious hair, as if the stress was getting to her. “You’re right, but do you think you can do it in three days?”
“Fuck if I know, but we sure as hell are going to try.”
* * *
Connolly McLaughlin parked a mile from Statler’s warehouse, shifted, and then headed in on foot—or rather on four legs. He wanted to understand the comings and goings of Statler’s operation and learn what it would take to breach it without anyone the wiser.
As he neared the warehouse, screams and grunts sounded, sending his senses into high alert. He might have been more cautious had the whines not come from a female. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Connolly charged in, branches cracking under foot. The attacker, a man of average stature, looked up and let go of the woman he’d been holding. Her eyes glazed over as she crumpled motionless to the ground. Holy fuck. Anger ripped through Connolly faster than water could fly over a dam after a heavy storm.
He growled and edged closer, trying to decide how he wanted to kill the bastard. Then reason intruded. Given the man’s uniform and his proximity to the warehouse, he might be more useful alive.
The guard shifted into his animal form and raced toward Connolly, saliva dripping from his mouth—a sure indication he intended to kill. While this werewolf could have been one of the enhanced breeds, Connolly would take his chances. Born of Scottish descent, he was larger and fiercer than the werewolves bred around here. Being meaner and more determined convinced him he’d win this battle.
Incisors glistening, the guard launched himself at Connolly’s neck but he was able to twist out of reach at the last minute and even managed to chomp on the guard’s rear as he flew by. His reward came when the animal yelped.
Over confident from the small victory, Connolly was distracted for a brief moment, giving the wolf enough time to swirl around fast and swipe a sharp claw across his face and neck. Fuck. That stung like a bitch.
He’d pay for that.
Blood dripping from the guard’s flank, he circled Connolly, clearly waiting for the right moment to charge again. The man’s breaths were coming out increasingly faster, indicating the guard was losing strength.
Move now.
Connolly dropped back on his haunches and lurched at the wounded man. He dug his teeth into his neck, deep enough to immobilize him but not enough to kill. When his adversary collapsed, Connolly shifted into his human form.
He stood over the guard and kicked him hard. “That’s for punching a woman.”
His gaze shot over to her. Her green scrubs were stained with flecks of blood and dirt, and her face was badly swollen. Geezus, the man would suffer for this.
From a previous reconnaissance, he hadn’t spotted any cameras this far behind the main structure, but that didn’t mean someone wouldn’t come out to look for this guy. It was time to move them both.
Chapter Four
Connolly was barely able to contain himself from breaking down the warehouse door and demanding justice. Only a true, sick bastard would harm an innocent woman. If the other women hadn’t been inside, he’d have found a way to destroy the building and everything inside it, but he h
ad a larger mission to accomplish.
With a lot of effort, he managed to carry the downed guard and the girl back to his vehicle. Because the guard had lost a lot of blood, he’d passed out and had been unable to shift into his human form.
Connolly had been tempted to take the girl to a hospital, but without even knowing her name, he might be accused of harming her. Her injuries looked bad but were hopefully superficial. With care, he suspected she’d heal. The guard on the other hand, didn’t have long for this world. What little time he did have left, Connolly was going to enjoy torturing him. Having served as an interrogation expert in the armed services, Connolly had hundreds of ways to extract information. His main concern was whether this guy was privy to the inner workings of Statler’s organization.
When he pulled up to his safe house, a large van sat in the drive. Good. Help had arrived from Florida. Carrying both of the injured parties inside, he called to the two men he’d yet to meet. All he’d been told was that they had a way to get inside the warehouse.
Two beefy looking men, both of whom were dark haired and resembled each other, were setting up a shitload of monitors and other surveillance equipment in the living room. As soon as they saw what he was carrying, they rushed over. “What happened?”
“I’ll fill you in later. While I get the girl to my room, mind making sure the man stays put?”
“You got it.”
Connolly would deal with introductions when he had a free hand. The woman moaned and something inside him stirred, but he refused to identify the emotion. He toed open the door to his room and carefully placed her on the bed. Her eyes were closed, but she was jerking and thrashing as if she was clawing her way to consciousness. The only reason Connolly would consider leaving her alone—even for a minute—was because he needed to find some aspirin for her.
“You need help?” one of the men asked as Connolly headed toward the kitchen. “Your brute just roused and shifted back into human form. Guess he thought he could escape. No need to worry, Dante is making sure the guy doesn’t move again.”
