by Jana Leigh
“TMI, TMI, my ears, they are burning,” Rissa cried and put her hands over her ears. “I was talking about all the phone calls and shit, staying up late, and having to listen to the men whining about being tired, Jeeze.”
Calli laughed and said, “Yeah, and more punishment this morning.”
Cherri glared at her and said, “Shut up, us getting caught was all your fault. So I don’t want to hear it. We're going to go and get my hair fixed and then the works. I'm serious, no bitching.”
The girls groaned and then shuffled behind her as they entered the spa Cherri loved. Sabrina, Trina, and several others of the women Enforcers were standing guard. Before they walked out, each of them were tagged like a fucking animal with locators. Declan had been the one to shoot them with the small chip earlier. Cherri thought her mate took way too much pleasure of sticking them in the ass with a needle.
Since the Head Biotch announced her plan last night, Ms. Praton and Brooks had been pouring over the books and guides in order to try and stop them. The sad part was that in the near future, they all knew that was not going to happen. They had accepted their fate, called their families and explained briefly about what was going on. The moms were ready to begin the picketing of the capital building. It had taken massive amounts of threats to get them not do that.
The only good part was that the Drekinn Agency had enough clout to remain an entity, even if it wasn’t the one in charge. This meant they would be able to get some information, but not a lot. Ms. Praton said she was leaving certain key people at the Agency. She was going with them in hiding as Pillar. Ms. Praton was going to disappear for a long time.
True to her word, the bitch had called the humans and claimed that they were instituting a Pack at the Drekinn. Kade had first caught wind of it and freaked out, but the girls had not been surprised, she did what she said she was going to do.
The Ice Queen had charged that they were breaking the law, and wanted the Warlock to test them for the bonds of a Pack. If they did, the group would be imprisoned and separated. That was not going to happen. Her threat last night had apparently been a reality. She already knew what was going to happen.
They owned several buildings that the Ulfer would never find. They were already preparing them for their arrival. Thankfully, one of them was a huge group of buildings in a small compound; it used to house some kind of Ambassador or something. The walls and the fence were at least still there. They would be able to protect themselves a lot more, make a small fortress just out of the reach of the Prentiss Agency. The good thing was that they had a witch right now that was putting wards on the buildings to make sure they would stay hidden. This was kinda their last hurrah. None of them knew if they were going to be able to get out again after the decision from the humans came down today.
Kiki walked behind them stiffly, he was not happy about being here, but Cherri insisted that he come. They entered the spa and Cherri saw the owner smile and come forward. “You're the talk of the town ladies, I have your rooms ready, no one will know you're here, they have been swept for vids,” he whispered to Cherri and then held her hand.
“Rickie, it's lovely to see you again,” Cherri said. She loved this place. Rickie knew exactly what was going on. He had his ear to the ground, and began whispering the support that the girls had.
She could hear her friends grumbling behind her and then she heard the squeal she had been waiting for, Kiki was back. The atmosphere of the spa had triggered it. Cherri had wondered if the smells and the sights all in one would be enough; after all, this was Kiki’s favorite place in the world.
“OMG, you have the new colors out. I can’t believe it. I have been waiting ages for this color. Dominique, can I have all my nails done in this color, and please find me a better outfit, this is too confining. I have been in a fucking cloud for like a week and now Kiki is back, girls. Watch out.”
Cherri and her friends turned, grinned, and watched as Kiki took his clothes off as Dominique led him to the back of the spa into a room. Well at least something was changed back to normal. They could maybe celebrate tonight; Cherri turned and caught Thomas holding back his grin.
“Ladies, follow me,” Rickie said and walked down the hallway to where the rooms were. Cherri and the others always shared one and so they were put in the largest room they had with their regular people working on them. When they were finally in their chairs and relaxed, Cherri said quietly, knowing the women who were massaging them would never talk, they had been vetted.
“What are we gonna do?” Cherri said.
“We're going to leave the building the way it is. Under construction, cause we will return when this is all over, and we will have our homes like we wanted. Until then, we go to ground. I say the compound, we offer anyone who feels the pull of the Pack to come. I think we can house a lot. We tell the rest to play the game the Prentiss Agency pulls until we can come back,” Calli said.
“This is shit; we're going to have to go into hiding just like fucking criminals. It sucks,” Rissa said.
“That’s ‘cause it's down to day five and you're waiting for your mates. Don’t worry, I bet they find us,” Cherri said, patting her friend’s hand.
Rissa rolled her eyes and then said, “Whatever.”
The girls relaxed and listened to Kiki chattering in the background. Calli was using her com link to talk to the office and keep updated on moment to moment things. Kade was there and not happy about it. Cherri knew her mates were both out front in the shuttle waiting for them. They agreed to drive and come to the spa, making sure they were safe, but refused to actually come in.
Before the appointment, they had sent in a barrage of Enforcers to check the place out. No one was hidden in the towels so the girls were allowed to go in.
“Cherri, honey, thank you so much, I'm sorry I was such a bitch!” Kiki called and the girls laughed.
“As long as you are back!” Cherri said.
“Oh I'm back, and I'm gonna make up for lost time. I can’t believe Thomas allowed me to throw away all of my clothes. That asshole, he knew it was a momentary lapse in brain function. I mean really, throw away my taffeta. Do you know how hard it is to find that stuff? I'm so pissed,” Kiki groaned.
“I told you so," Calli said. “When will people begin to listen to me? I always tell you the truth, Drag Queen, Gay, Ugly Hair Cut and Hairy Legs, all of it. I swear.”
Cherri smiled, and then noticed the man standing at the door. He looked like he was strung out. “Hey,” Cheri said just as the man began to run for Rissa who was not paying attention.
Calli tried to move, but she was trapped in the chair, and Cherri did the only thing she could. She leapt of out her chair and tackled the man. He wasn’t going to get close to her friend. Rissa screamed and Calli yelled into the com link. The room was flooded with people. One of the Enforcers bent down and picked Cherri up and when she turned to smile at her friends, the man struck.
Calli pulled her gun and shot the man right between the eyes, hitting her mark a second too late. Cherri had not had a chance to react, damn it.
He hit the back of her calf with a syringe and plunged the liquid in and began to cackle. It took moment for the burning to start. Shit, he had stuck her with the stuff they had been looking for. She wished she had a chance to talk to Declan before this had happened. She had an idea of what they had used to try and change the shifter's DNA.
Cherri watched as her mates ran through the door and fought to get to her as she fell. The crazy part was that she looked up as she lost consciousness and looked at the vid that was playing. There was a ceremony going on of some kind and the President was walking out on the stage with the Ice Queen from last night.
Fuck, how had she not recognized her? Because why would you think the human President of the United States would be married to the lioness who was trying to destroy them? She wanted desperately to yell at her friends, but she was unable to. The burning of the injection was traveling through her veins and she ho
ped her mates would be able to help her.
***
They made it back to Drekinn in time to hear that they had issued arrest warrants for them. Kade was barking out orders to the Enforcers and directing Cherri to be brought to the lab. Declan knew there was something in the lab that would help. Cherri was too smart not to have studied this. He hoped her could figure it out in time.
Nik carried Cherri into the lab and laid her down. “What can I do?”
“We're going underground. We have to grab all this stuff and take it with us. She had the cure here,” Declan said and Calli snorted.
“Dude, she had the cure for everything. What was she injected with?”
“I'm not sure, I would guess maybe the drug they're trying to give to the shifters to change their DNA,” Declan said and ran his hand through his hair and looked around the room.
Ms. Praton walked into the room and said briskly, “We need to move. Bring everything you have.”
Rissa stood by the door helplessly and Calli stepped in front of her and said, “Not your fault. Now do your thing.”
Rissa nodded and turned to Ms. Praton. “You’re sure it's time, once I start, it can’t stop.”
Kade entered the lab and said loudly, “Yes, fuckin do it and let’s get out of here.”
He was the Alpha, he made the call.
***
“CODE PURPLE!” Rissa called and watched as her friends grimly grabbed Cherri, her bag, and vials that were left in the cooler. They had their plan.
To the people working at the Drekinn Agency, if a Code Purple was called, it meant that the place was to be evacuated and employees were not to report to the building again. Instead they had their other official titles in the other Agencies. They could hear the bustle of people moving to the elevator pads.
Rissa calmly punched in the numbers to the panel on the wall. Ms. Praton stepped up and gave her confirmation code and they nodded to each other when the loud, baring sirens went off. They had ten minutes.
As the group made their way to the tunnel shuttle, they didn’t speak. They only listened to the sound of the computer generated voice around them calling for the evacuation. It was a surreal feeling, after all these years, to know they were leaving the building for the last time.
When they entered the bottom floor led by Kade, they all paused for a moment. There were a group of Enforcers who stood waiting by the landing pad for them. Kade stepped forward and said, “Evacuate.”
The man who seemed to be the leader said, “We are, with our chosen Pack.”
Kade and Calli smiled and nodded. Cherri and her mates were settled into the first shuttle with several Enforcers. Rissa leaned in and said, “It's preprogrammed, don’t touch anything and it will take you there. We'll be right behind you.”
Declan nodded and watched Cherri closely. Her breathing was labored, and he needed a place to evaluate her better. Nik looked at him worriedly and nodded as they shut the door.
Ms. Praton stepped forward and shimmered. Pillar was here to stay, Brooks nodded and frowned but got into the shuttle with her, and the procession continued until Rissa stood with only Kade and Calli on the landing pad next to the panel by the elevator.
The countdown raged around them and Rissa checked a second time to make sure the transfer of all the files was complete. With so much information flowing out of here, to the humans who were watching it had to look like they were having a massive power surge. They would be called, the humans, it was arranged, to come to the building and help. But nothing would be able to be done. On the outside, it would look like the building had basically been fried from the inside out when it was all said and done.
The reports would go out to the heads of the other departments of the Drekinn that this part of the Agency was closed. They would only be dealing with helping out the shifters medically and also with finding families. That was it. The once powerful agency would only look like a Social Services Center.
The real Drekinn would be in the new compound. Everyone was there now. The humans would not be able to find them with the wards the witches set up. The tunnels were now blocked and coded only for their use. Rissa had taken care of that, not that the humans actually wandered down there, but someone could decide that they wanted to look at the old tunnels.
As the last of the shuttles pulled out, Calli turned to her. “Well, Ris, do it.”
Rissa nodded and took a deep breath; she punched in the code and then heard the snapping of the doors all around them. “Well, there's no going back now,” Rissa said sadly.
The voice over the loud speaker died off, Rissa had killed it, everyone should be out of the building and the destruction would begin. There was a chemical in the walls of the building she had designed that when met with another unusual agent would melt everything around it. By the end of the day, the building would be a mess of beams and holes.
They got into the shuttle and as it pulled away, they could see the sparks coming from all of the computers and lights. The self-destruction code they entered would wipe all of the computers in the building. Nothing would be able to be recovered if anyone were ever able to get into the building.
Chapter 15
Kade and Nik walked through the crowded halls of the new compound they were hiding in. The Prentiss Agency was going to win the vote of the humans next week, and there was nothing they could do. They were on the most wanted list.
“What do you need?” Kade asked.
“Declan is with Cherri, I have her resting comfortably. But I don’t know what to do, she needs the antidote. She was injected with the drug they have been using to change the Ulfer’s DNA,” Nik said grimly.
When they arrived, they had taken Cherri to the already set up medical wing. The place was much larger than what any of them thought. Built in the early centuries, it had stood empty because it was so outdated. The grounds were amazing though. Trees surrounded the estate, so they could shift and run without having to worry. None of them could remember a time where they had been able to let their animals run free like this. They had been too worried about the humans. This life was so much different. They hadn’t ventured out on the grounds, not until the made sure the wards were holding, but they had more than a thousand acres of land surrounding them, all inside a high powered fence. Rissa and the other computer geeks were also setting up the alarm system and security. Well, Rissa would when she left Cherri’s side.
The main building had seventeen bedrooms that were currently filled with members of the new Pack. Basically they were in a fortress. The only way in was the shuttles underground. And only select people were being told about them, so they could join them if they chose too. Their families had remained silent for fear that they would lead the Prentiss Agency to them. But they were making plans, everyone was sure of it. The moms would never stand for this.
The men were walking to the medical wing. Cherri had just finished her first round of tests and they all wanted to know what the hell they were going to do. Nik had been forced to leave the room when he saw how helpless she was. It was not his mate. She was strong and bitchy.
As they walked, they talked about the changes that were going to need to be made. Kade was in his role as Alpha and Nik was his right hand, they could feel the need for Declan to be there with them, as well as the other Betas that were missing.
Kade hadn’t figured out yet all of the roles they would play in the Pack, but he knew that his wolf was demanding that they find the right ones. The call of the Pack was beginning to get stronger. He had no idea how they had missed this feeling before. It had to be because they had been taught not to search out their Pack. All of this lost time, the shifters could have been doing good, helping the humans, but they refused out of fear, and now Kade wondered if it wasn’t out of control from certain shifters.
They set up a computer lab and com center to monitor what was going on. When Rissa destroyed the Drekinn building, all of their computers had been transferred to here. They had lost no dat
a.
Brooks was heading the Enforcers, and currently was focused on training. They had never been in a battle situation before and the men needed training. This was going to be a battle. They were going to have to take back their right to be a Pack, and to be in the human world.
They had begun monitoring the news channels and they were all on the most wanted list. The Prentiss Agency had stepped in before the vote and said they had done research. The things they were saying were ridiculous, but since they couldn’t come out of hiding to prove they were being set up, they just had to sit a listen.
The men that had followed them were all assuming duties that they had been assigned to in the past. They were lacking in the tech department, but Rissa was the one in control of everything, her best nerds had followed them and that was all they needed.
***
Pillar was attempting to call her contact to find out what was really going on. The head of the Prentiss Agency was a short, little man who looked like a weasel, literally a small weasel. She knew that he was just a mouth piece, someone was behind him. And she wanted to know who. So far all she had been able to dig up were the basics.
She waved at the guys as they walked by the office she was standing in. All these years she had kept this secret for the spirits, and now they wanted her to actually do something. She wished for a brief moment that she already had her mates. All the shielding she had been doing was blocking who it was. She wanted someone to lean on, someone to talk to. It was driving her nuts being all alone out here.
Even though she was now just a Pack member, the people were still treating her like a superior; she wanted to be normal for a while. The only one who looked at her like that was Brooks, and that was because he was basically an asshole.
She also knew that the changes that were coming were not going to be what everyone expected. So she was going to go to the med wing and let them know exactly what she had found out. They were going to be a little surprised as was she when she figured out her dream.
