aHunter4Life (aHunter4Hire)

by Cynthia Clement

  She hadn’t wanted him in her life. She’d moved on with another man and had a child. She had put him behind her forever. He could accept that she didn’t want to be his mate, but what caused him anguish, was that she had blocked him.

  “We will need photos of the boys.” Partlan spoke to Agent Kelly. “Details of the ransom request would be helpful.”

  “I can’t give you either.” Agent Kelly pushed herself up from the chair. “I haven’t a clue who you are. You might be worse than the kidnappers. My superiors would have my job if I let you anywhere near the case. You already know too much.”

  “As you wish.” Partlan turned away from the agent and focused on Nikki. “Do you have a photo?”

  “Of course.” Nikki moved to a chest of drawers near the window. She pulled out a large picture and handed it to Partlan. “This is his most recent school picture.”

  Partlan glanced down and nodded.

  Partlan’s commands to Catal were by mind connection. “Go with Selena and get a photograph of her son. See if you can find out any information she didn’t tell the police.”

  Catal reached a hand to Selena. “We need a photo of Tarrin.”

  Selena hesitated a second. She refused his offered help and stood on her own. She walked to the door and Catal followed. They went down a hallway toward the rear of the house where he had first entered the premises. They passed the large kitchen and went through the laundry room. At the end of the room was a doorway that Selena opened.

  It was a small apartment. A main room with kitchen facilities and a sitting area, and two smaller rooms attached. It was sparsely furnished. There was a battered wood table and four chairs that held the chipped remnants of black paint. A threadbare grey checked couch and chair, and a small flat-screen TV on the wall. It was adequate.

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “Since I fled Columbia.” Selena went to the table and picked up a picture. “This is Tarrin.”

  Catal took the photo. It showed a solemn looking boy with dark hair and dark eyes. He frowned. If he hadn’t known better, he could have sworn the boy looked like a young Hunter. That was impossible. Hunters did not have children.

  “How old was he here?”

  “He had just turned seven.” There was a catch in Selena’s voice. “I had saved enough money for him to have a new outfit for picture day. He got to pick it out himself. He looked so handsome that day.”

  “He looks big for his age.”

  Selena nodded. “He is. That has made it difficult at school. The teachers and other children forget he is younger than he looks. Nikki and Steve are constantly complaining about his behavior with Gates.”

  “Is he in trouble a lot?”

  “No.” Selena’s lower lip trembled. “He is strong and sometimes forgets that when they wrestle together.”

  “You said he watches over Gates.” Catal looked up from the photo. “Shouldn’t that be the other way around?”

  “You would think so, but no.” Selena sighed and sat in a chair. “Gates is a fragile boy. The best thing his parents did was hire me to be his nanny. I swear he spends more time in our tiny apartment than he does in the rest of the house.”

  “You love both of the boys.”

  “Yes.” Selena looked up at him, her eyes full of fear. “I know Nikki and Steve don’t think of Tarrin in the same way. They only care about saving Gates.”

  “You didn’t have to be in trouble to contact me.” Catal put the picture in his combat vest pocket. “I have looked for you for years, but you blocked me at every turn. Even when I couldn’t sense you any longer, I continued to search.”

  “I had to put you out of my life.” Selena’s voice became strident. “After what you did to the others, I couldn’t bear the sight of you.”

  “What I did?” Catal frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  There was a knock at the door. Catal motioned Selena to stay seated, and then he opened the door a crack. It was Firbin. He threw the door wide and let the man come in.

  “Partlan is having a problem with the celebrities.” Firbin gave him a crooked smile. “Is it always this way with humans?”

  “Only the rich and powerful.” Catal shut the door. “Where is Ranon?”

  “He is tapping into the FBI surveillance. He will join us soon.”

  “Selena, this is Firbin. He is an expert in explosives.” Catal pulled out the picture of Tarrin. “This is the boy we are searching for.”

  Firbin took the picture and studied it for several seconds. He looked up at Catal with a raised eyebrow. “He is only seven?”

  “He’s big for his age.”

  Firbin nodded. “He is dark like a Hunter. That will make it easier for us to remember him.”

  Another knock at the door, and then Ranon entered. “We should leave.”

  “What about the paparazzi outside?” Catal took the picture of Tarrin and handed it to Ranon.

  “The FBI were thorough.” Ranon looked down and then handed the photo back. “We will start with their information from the paparazzi.”

  “How can they possibly help?” Selena sounded exasperated. “You’re wasting time going over the ground that the FBI already looked at.”

  “We never waste time.” Ranon’s voice was low. “Our methods may be different, but they are effective. You asked for our help. Do you still want it?”

  Catal could see the emotions that crossed Selena’s face. She had never been able to hide anything. There was fear, anger, doubt, and resignation. In the end she nodded, her shoulders sagging a bit.

  “I trust you.”

  “Good.” Ranon went to the door. “Partlan wants us out of here.”

  Catal and Firbin followed, but Selena’s voice stopped them. “You’re not going anywhere without me. I’m coming. This is my son and I’m tired of being left in the dark.”

  Ranon looked at him. “She is your mate. You decide.”

  The answer was easy. He wanted Selena next to him at all times. It might not be the best thing for the investigation, but knowing where she was would keep him focused on doing the job that needed to be done. He needed her near, but his need for her to be safe was greater. The only solution was for him to stay with her.

  “It’s too dangerous.” Catal crossed his arms. “I’ll stay here with you.”

  “No.” Selena’s voice was firm. “I don’t want you.”

  Catal pushed away the stabbing pain that pierced his heart. Her words were a death sentence in their finality. He turned to Firbin. “Will you stay?”

  “Of course.” Firbin walked over to the couch and sat. “I will make certain she is safe.”

  “Good.” Catal turned to Ranon. “Firbin can keep an eye on the developments here. That way we’ll be able to keep pace with the FBI.

  Ranon nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Catal looked back at Selena. She had her arms crossed tight as if she were trying to hold herself in place. He longed to gather her close and reassure her that everything would be alright, but she looked fragile enough to break. He wouldn’t do that to her. She was a proud woman.

  “I will let you know the minute we have news.”

  Selena nodded. “Thank you.”

  “I am always here for you.” Catal whispered the words to her through his mind. He wasn’t certain if she heard or not, but her shoulders seemed to relax. He nodded and then followed Ranon out of the apartment. Partlan was waiting for them in the hallway.

  “We will leave through the back and then circle to the front gates.” Partlan eased the rear door open. “The FBI still haven’t found how we entered.”

  “The guy in the monitor room should be awake soon. Then all hell will break out.” Catal’s voice was grim.

  The men raced in a crouched position until they reached the fence. Breanon was still in position, his rifle trained on the house. He lowered his weapon when they had climbed the fence. They made their escape without any noise. When they had circled back to the front, Malac j
oined them. Malac had completed his surveillance on the paparazzi, and photographed each of them. They went back to their van.

  Ranon handed Catal a computer memory stick. “This is the FBI information I copied.”

  Catal raised an eyebrow. “They didn’t see you?”

  “Firbin distracted them.” Ranon grinned. “The boy is learning more than just explosives. He thrives on this planet.”

  “I’m glad someone does.” Catal’s voice was dry. He loaded the stick on the computer and then took the camera Malac had used, to download the paparazzi faces. His fingers flew across the keys. He hacked into one of the secure police sites and ran the photos through their data base.

  “It should only take a few seconds to start bringing up addresses.”

  “What system are you using?” Malac leaned over his shoulder.

  “I’m trying the local police first.” Catal watched the screen as pictures flew by. “They’ll probably have most of these photographers on record due to previous run-ins with the stars. These guys aren’t selling pictures if they don’t create a bit of conflict. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll look into their driver’s licences.”

  One by one the pictures settled on the screen with addresses attached. Catal downloaded the information onto their portable units. Then he opened the FBI documents. With the other men leaning over his shoulder, they scanned the information. It was a pretty detailed list of the things the FBI had already done. There was one thing missing.

  “There is no mention of paparazzi at the soccer field.” Partlan leaned away from the computer. “Steve Walters said everything was normal.”

  “Normal for that man means photographers.” Catal nodded. “Some of these guys outside the house may have been there.”

  “They will have pictures.” Partlan moved to the front of the van. “We’ll divide up and start searching their houses and computers.”

  “We need to get the ransom money also.” Catal’s voice was brisk. “Chances are we’ll find the boys before it is needed, but we should be prepared.”

  “I’ve informed Ardal.” Partlan sat in the passenger seat. “Lorcan told him that there is a large enough stash in the Los Angeles area. We’ll take care of that after we visit the photographers.”

  Catal heaved a sigh. Lorcan had been the leader of his unit of Hunters before they had joined with Ardal. He had a network of safe houses and emergency monies stockpiled across the country. This was one of those times when Lorcan’s instinct for survival was a benefit.

  Breanon started the van.

  They pulled away from the curb and started down the road.

  Catal was empty inside. He had left a part of himself behind with Selena. Her words before he left were confusing and made him feel as if he were missing an important fact. He shook off the sensation. He needed to focus all of his attention on finding the boys. After their work was done, he would figure out why Selena had cut him out of her life.

  “Catal.” Partlan’s voice jerked him back to the present. “You and I are together. Breanon will stay with the vehicle, and Malac and Ranon will team up. Before we start, you need to explain about your pair bond.

  Catal sighed. He knew that his fellow Hunters would be curious. He had never mentioned having a mate before. What was the point when she had blocked him from her life years earlier? It wasn’t until he’d seen Ardal with his mate Fiona that he’d realized he had bonded to Selena.

  “I didn’t believe in pair bonds until Ardal mated.” Catal’s hands balled into fists. “I knew that I had a connection with Selena. We had met when I was leading a mercenary unit in Columbia eight years ago.”

  “So you bonded.” Partlan shook his head. “Why deny it?”

  “I wasn’t certain what it was. Lorcan had insisted that we not get close to the people we worked for.” Catal threw his head back. “None of us had ever been tempted by human women before. Being with Selena meant I was guilty of betraying everything that we stood for. I was not only attracted to a human, but deeply connected on a level I didn’t understand.”

  “So you bonded and mated?”

  “Yes.” Catal’s body shook with the remembrance of the mating. “We spent three months together. It was heaven.”

  Partlan cleared his throat. “What happened?”

  “We went out on a mission and when I came back she was gone.” Catal pushed back his pain. “There had been an ambush at the compound. Her brother’s security team was massacred. She was not among the dead, though.”

  “Surely you knew whether she was alive?” Ranon’s voice held disbelief. “You left without finding her?”

  “When I went on the mission, I still sensed her. Afterwards, nothing. It was as if she were dead, but I knew that wasn’t the case. If she had died, I would have died also. The connection was that strong.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I searched for weeks, but I couldn’t find any information. Eventually I had to return to my unit, but every opportunity I got, I went back and searched for her.”

  “A Hunter does not usually fail when he searches.” Partlan’s voice was skeptical.

  “I didn’t have the years of training that you’ve had.” Catal gave a weak laugh. “Only now do I know how limited I was in my searching. I never considered that she would have left her country.”

  “What will you do?” Ranon gave Catal a sympathetic look. “Is there any way we can help?”

  “She still blocks me. Her fear for her son has meant she has dropped some of her guard.” Catal looked out the window. The streetlights reflected back at him. Misery filled his soul. “The pain of being mated and then rejected is more than I could live with at times.”

  “How did she know to contact us about the boys?”

  “Her brother was the leader of a paramilitary group. He hired us through Lorcan originally. We always referred to ourselves as Hunters.” Catal turned back to face the others. “All these years of silence and she knew how to contact me.”

  Partlan nodded. “You have carried your pain alone. Now you have us to share it with. We will do whatever we can to ensure that your mate’s son is returned to her. Perhaps then she will listen to you.”

  “She doesn’t even know that I’m not from Earth.” Catal cleared his throat. “I didn’t trust humans enough to be honest with her.”

  “When the time is right, you will tell her.”

  They drove in silence until Breanon stopped the van on South Alameda Street in South Los Angeles. Malac and Ranon got out.

  “Our search is a block away on East 42 Street.” Partlan gave the instructions in a clipped voice. “We will meet you there when you’ve finished.”

  Breanon drove another block, and Partlan and Catal exited the van. The houses on the street were small with large iron fences and gates across the front yards. It was easy enough to find the one they were looking for and climb the fence. Breaking into the bungalow was a simple matter of jimmying the lock with a small slotted screwdriver.

  The stale odor of garbage and dirt assailed them when they entered the side door. The floor was littered with take-out restaurant boxes and dirty clothes. The main room had a torn leather couch and a huge table with computer monitors and keyboards set up. Partlan riffled through a stack of photos while Catal attacked the computers.

  He found a file with the date of the abduction and opened it.

  Success

  Pictures of a soccer field with young boys running around, filled the monitor. “This guy was there.”

  Partlan threw the photos aside and looked at the display. He pointed at one picture. “Magnify that one.”

  The image of Steve Walters and two boys running behind him filled the screen. Catal moved to the next one. Steve was talking to one of the other parents and the boys were moving away. He continued to scroll through the pictures. They documented all of Steve’s actions, but none of the boys after they started to play. When Steve left, the pictures changed to another celebrity.

  “T
here’s nothing there.” Catal tamped down his frustration.

  “It is a start. Copy the files so we can look at them more closely in the van.”

  They met up with Ranon and Malac at the van. They’d had no luck at all. They continued on in the same way through the night. They tracked down all of the paparazzi’s residences and checked their computers and photos. In total, they visited thirty residences. Only two other photographers had been at the soccer field the day the boys were abducted. They copied their pictures and when they were finished investigating, they loaded all of the images onto their computers in the van.

  Catal went through each of the pictures several times. He scanned the photos with the boys in them first. Next, he looked at the spectators. He made note of all those who were on the field that day and compared it to the FBI list. After a third run of the photos, he stopped at one that had bothered him from the first. He had to enlarge it several times to spot what was out of place in the picture.

  It showed Steve Walters arriving with the boys. Behind him, almost lost in the trees were two men. They had their cameras raised to their faces, but their clothes and posture were recognizable. They were two well-known paparazzi, brothers, who worked together most of the time. They always dressed in camouflage overcoats no matter what the temperature or weather. They were large men and looked like lumpy balls because they overfilled their pockets with camera equipment.

  The brothers weren’t on the FBI’s list of people at the park that day.

  “Did we find anything at Mike and Nathan Gordon’s house?”

  Malac leaned toward Catal. “They were home. We decided to try again later.”

  Catal nodded. He continued to scan the photos, stopping at one that showed the boys near the two photographers. They seemed to be talking together. In the next set of pictures, they were gone.

  “The Gordon brothers were at the park that afternoon, but the FBI doesn’t mention them.”