She peered through the door’s peephole. Two men in Army dress uniforms. Both looked straight at her as if they could see right through the wood. Their stoic expressions made Bree think of the night they’d been told about Troy.
She immediately thought the worst. “Dad,” she whispered. Reaching for the doorknob, she steeled herself, tried not to let her wobbly legs collapse beneath her. She squeezed her eyes shut so hard she could see stars. Please, please, please, please. Let him be okay.
The bell rang again, and she jumped. Bree flipped the deadbolt and turned the doorknob. The unused door opened with its usual squeak and groan, and she stood face to face with two broad men who towered over her.
“He’s okay, right?” Bree said, although she knew she wasn’t going to hear the answer she wanted. “Tell me he’s okay.”
The man on the left stepped forward and plowed past Bree. His chest hit her shoulder, and the impact smashed Bree against the doorframe. The second man followed the first into the house. “What’s going on?” Bree said.
The second man dug his fingers into Bree’s arm, yanked her inside, and then threw the door shut and locked it with a quick flick of the wrist.
“Where is he?” the first man said.
It took Bree a few seconds to register the implication. “You mean he’s not dead?” Her muscles relaxed at once.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t…I don’t know. I thought you were here to tell me—”
“Where’s Dr. Sunderland?”
“I told you I don’t know. What do you want with him?” Bree fingered the cell phone in her pocket. The larger man grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the door. “We already checked the lab and know he left a while ago.”
“Get off me!” She jerked away from him, but he kept his grip firm.
“Take it easy,” he said. “Once you tell us where he is we’ll leave.”
“I’ll look upstairs,” the other guy said. “Keep an eye on her.” He raced up the steps two at a time.
Bree shot her foot toward the soldier in front of her, but he took a quick step back, avoiding a blow to the knee. Somehow, he kept his hold on her arm. “Where’s your dad?”
“Not here,” Bree said, finding more courage. “What makes you think you can just force your way into people’s houses and do whatever you want?”
The soldier cracked a little smile. “We do what we have to do, especially when it comes to national security.”
Bree knew that was bull. If these guys were legit, they’d have name tags on their uniforms and they wouldn’t have barged into her house.
“What does my dad have to do with national security?” she asked.
The man didn’t answer.
The other soldier came down from upstairs and said, “All clear.”
At that moment, Bree heard the garage door open. Her dad was home—she didn’t know if she was relieved or scared. The other soldier raced down the hall and moved into position near the door.
“I’m home,” her dad called as he entered the house from the garage.
“Watch out!” Bree yelled.
Although Bree couldn’t see her dad, she heard him say, “What’s the meaning of this?”
“Get in there,” the other soldier then said to her dad.
Her dad came up the short flight of steps that connected the garage to the main floor. His arm was bent behind his back; the other soldier gripped it tightly at the elbow and forced him forward. He shoved her dad into the room but remained in the doorway to block his escape.
When her dad saw Bree, his face reddened and his fingers balled into fists. “Get your hands off her.”
The soldier hesitated and then released Bree. “We’re not here to hurt her. Not yet. But we need you to cooperate and you’re not doing that. We already warned you once.”
“I’ve done everything you asked of me.”
The soldier cracked a knuckle. “We know what you told General Maberry, and we’re counting on you to do the right thing here, Dr. Sunderland.”
“And if I don’t?”
Bree gasped, surprised at how bold her dad was.
“It’s not a matter of if. We expect you to do it. Test the DNA the way we want and everything will be fine.” He looked over at Bree with a wicked grin. “If you know what I mean.”
“Keep her out of this,” her dad said.
“Do what you’re told and you won’t have to worry about her.”
“You have kids?” her dad asked.
The soldier hesitated, and his face paled. There was a hint of emotion in his eyes, but he fought it back. “None of your business,” he snapped.
Her dad grabbed Bree’s hand, pulled her toward him, and wrapped his arm around her. “Then you know what I mean,” he said. “She isn’t involved in this, so leave her alone.”
The soldier dug two fingers into her dad’s shoulder. Punctuating each word, he said, “That’s up to you Dr. Sunderland. Let’s go,” he said to the other soldier, who pushed past Bree and her dad. The two men strode out the door, shutting it firmly behind them.
Her dad raced to the door and locked the deadbolt. “Did they hurt you?” With three large steps he reached Bree’s side.
“I’m fine, Dad. Really.”
He hugged her harder than he had in a long time and then stood back to look her over. “Are you sure?”
“What did they want? What aren’t you telling me?”
“I don’t know, Bree. I wish I did.”
Bree knew that look all too well. If she pushed him too hard, she’d never get answers. Struggling to keep her voice quiet and calm, she said, “I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you want.”
Now she couldn’t help herself and raised her voice. “What I want is the truth. And you’re not giving it to me.”
Her dad shook his head. “I’m sorry, Bree, but it’s better if you don’t know. For your own safety.”
“Stop trying to protect me. I’m old enough to handle it, whatever it is. And I have a right to know.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I thought we were in this together. I thought you wanted me to help with the bog body and the wound repair serum. I thought you cared.”
“I do, more than you’ll ever know.”
“Then why won’t you tell me anything?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“First Kelsi, then the camo dudes and the disappearing woman, and now this—they’re interested in the lycanthrope DNA for a reason. Why is that?”
“I don’t know,” her dad said abruptly as he glared at her.
He had to know something. Why else would he have admitted he was keeping things secret for her safety?
There were too many people after the lycanthrope DNA. She would find out why, no matter what it took.
Chapter Forty-Five
Dr. Sunderland shut his home office door and called an encrypted number to leave a message.
Three minutes later his cell rang.
“This is General Maberry. Tell me you have good news.”
“No.”
“Then what’s so important that it couldn’t wait until morning?”
“Call off your men.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The goons. In camo or dress—I don’t work better while harassed.”
“I didn’t send anyone.”
“Who else knows what I’m doing with the DNA?”
“No one. Why? What happened?”
Dr. Sunderland spoke between gritted teeth. “Two Army guys showed up at my lab and then two more came to my house.”
“Who were they?”
“How the hell should I know? It’s not like they wore name tags.”
“Well, what did they want?”
“They threatened me and my daughter.”
“Did they hurt you?”
“No. But you don’t threaten my family and expect me to kee
p working. I’m finished.”
“But what about my men? My soldiers? My son…” General Maberry’s voice trailed off, and then he cleared his throat. “If this technology helps us dominate the battlefield, prevent injury, and heal our wounded soldiers, we have to keep working on—”
“I’m done. I mean it,” Dr. Sunderland said. The instant the words left his mouth, he felt awful. How could he turn his back on the soldiers when they needed him most? When they were risking their lives for their country…for him…for Bree? He hung his head. What kind of person did that—let soldiers die when they could have lived? Tears filled his eyes. He swallowed hard and shoved away his feelings as best he could. He couldn’t think like that. Not now. There was nothing he could do to help General Maberry’s son; the damage to his body was too extensive, even if General Maberry refused to accept it. And he couldn’t worry about the other soldiers. He had to worry about Bree.
Dr. Sunderland slid his phone shut while General Maberry was still talking. He may have bigger problems than he realized. If General Maberry hadn’t sent those men, who did? And how did they know about his research?
Chapter Forty-Six
The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
General Maberry slammed a manila folder onto the conference table. Then he stood before his officers with his hands clasped behind him—not at ease, but in the hopes of not hurting anyone with them. He’d been though a lot with these men—the Twin Towers, Iraq, Afghanistan. It was unconscionable that one of them might have betrayed him.
“Dr. Sunderland says he’s being harassed and that someone threatened him.” His men’s expressions revealed nothing. They didn’t move a muscle. Their eyes remained fixed on him, as they should be. “Anyone have anything they want to tell me?” he asked, hoping no one did.
“No sir,” they all answered, almost in unison.
“Good. But if I find out someone’s doing something behind my back there will be hell to pay.” General Maberry knew the relief he felt would be short-lived. Someone knew what Dr. Sunderland was researching, someone who wanted the technology. And as soon as this meeting was over, he’d have to investigate who was behind the threats. After scanning his officers’ faces, he said, “Be seated.”
General Maberry waited until the chairs quieted before proceeding. “Dr. Sunderland surrendered his research this morning. That’s it—he won’t go further.”
“So what now?” Webb asked.
“Are we moving forward without him?” Hewitt said.
“Absolutely.”
The officer directly across from General Maberry spoke up. “But how, sir? Dr. Sunderland’s the only one who knows the technology.”
“Then find me a scientist who can complete the project. It might take some time for him to catch up to speed and figure out how to test it on humans, but we’ll get there, with or without Sunderland.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Webb closed Hewitt’s office door behind him and moved away from the door. “I only have a minute,” he said quietly. “What are we going to do about Sunderland?”
Hewitt had already been formulating a plan. “Forget about him. It’s obvious the threats didn’t work or he would have moved faster on the project instead of telling Maberry that he was finished working on it. Parker has been duplicating Sunderland’s work step by step. The only disadvantage we have is that we’re missing last week’s report. I wish Sunderland had had a chance to test it on humans. But we’ll just have to take it from here. It’s a risk, but it’s one I’m willing to take.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Grover Ridge Park, East Milmore, Virginia
Bree was so glad Liam had returned from his trip. She headed straight to his car. He leaned over the passenger seat and opened the door for her.
She climbed in and gave him a hug. “Thanks for meeting me.”
“Your text said it was urgent. What’s wrong?”
“I’ve been going crazy waiting for you to come back.”
“I missed you too,” Liam said, moving in for a kiss.
Bree pushed him away. “This is serious. I couldn’t talk about it to anyone else, and I don’t know what to do.”
Liam kissed her cheek anyway. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”
Now that Liam was here she didn’t know where to start. With the research, she decided—it was her greatest excitement and her biggest fear. She filled Liam in, even on the stuff she previously had kept secret. Then she told him about the Army guys and the woman who had approached them outside the lab.
Liam looked dumbstruck. “Wow. I don’t know what to say. I knew you and your dad were excited about finding the DNA, and I knew you were experimenting with it. But what’s up with the Army guys?”
“I know, right? It all sounds so crazy, but it’s true.”
“This isn’t good. Whatever these guys want with the lycanthrope DNA and what you’re dad’s doing with it…it’s too dangerous.”
“Maybe I should go to the police or contact the CIA or the FBI or whoever.”
“You think they’d believe you?”
Bree shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably not. And even if they did, they won’t do anything to stop it. Whoever is behind this is part of the government.”
“So what now?”
“I don’t know. My dad won’t listen to me and…” Her eyes welled with tears. “If my mom or Troy were alive they’d know what to do. They’d get him to stop somehow.”
Liam touched her arm. “Well, I’m here for you now. We’ll figure this out. I promise.”
“Thanks.” Bree wiped a hand across her eyes. Was it a trick of the tears or did she see movement from the woods bordering the parking lot?
Liam followed her gaze. “What is it?”
“I thought I saw someone.”
Although she was safe inside the car with Liam, Bree’s heart pounded. She scanned the woods. Nothing. Not a person or a squirrel or even a leaf blowing in the slight breeze. Then from behind a wide oak stepped a man. He was tall and thin and wore a ball cap low on his head. Plain blue jacket. Jeans, sneakers, and dark sunglasses despite the overcast sky. A non-descript disguise.
An unleashed cocker spaniel dashed out from behind the tree, and the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag. Bree laughed with relief, and Liam joined her. “Guess I’m just jumpy,” she said.
“Yeah, well, you never know,” Liam said. “Especially with all that’s been going on. Let’s talk to my da. Maybe he can help.”
Bree considered the idea. “I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone, not even you. And there’s nothing he can do right now. Maybe after I find out what’s going on.”
“And how are you going to do that?”
“As soon as my dad goes to bed, I’m sneaking out and going to his lab. Charlie’s working a second shift tonight—he’s the security guard—and he likes me. He’ll let me in.”
“And then what?”
“Then I’m hitting my dad’s safe and seeing what he’s hiding in there.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No, I better do it myself. I’m family. You’d be breaking and entering. I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
“I could wait in the car.”
Bree nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll text you as soon as my dad’s light goes out, and I’ll meet you over on the corner of Evans and Barkley. If you pull up to the house, it might wake him. He’s a light sleeper.”
Liam nodded.
“And Liam?” This time, Bree leaned toward him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
“It’s a go.”
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Hewitt rolled a pen between his fingers and then set it down on his desk, not wanting Webb to think he was nervous. This was the best news he had gotten in a long time.
“I’m sure,” Webb said. “Park
er added the accelerator from Sunderland’s wound repair project to the virus he made containing the lycanthrope DNA sequences.”
“How long will it take to work?”
“A few days.”
“That’s great.” Hewitt pumped his fist in the air. “Schedule the men for injections tomorrow at fourteen hundred hours. This time Friday, we’ll have our super soldiers.”
“Done.”
“And what about Maberry?”
“As far as the Army’s concerned, this isn’t happening.”
Hewitt smiled. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
Chapter Fifty
The Delcore Institute, Rivershire, Virginia
Bree and Liam pulled up to the lab. It was deserted except for a lone blue car in the parking lot, which Bree assumed was Charlie’s.
“Wait here,” Bree said. “I won’t be long.” She shut the car door quietly and headed for an entranceway bathed in yellow by a light fixture over the door. Everything seemed so different in the dark with only a series of small, evenly-spaced ground lights illuminating the walkway. In the shadows, trees and plants moved in the breeze, as if waiting for the right moment to leap from the ground, run after Bree, and snatch her into a death trap. She hurried along. At the door Bree could see Charlie at his desk, his head down in a book.
Bree banged on the door. Charlie looked up and gave her a smile mixed with confusion. He rose, hiked his pants, and then lumbered to the door a little too slowly for Bree.
A flick of the lock and Charlie opened the heavy glass door. “What are you doin’ here? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, pushing past him. “It’s fine. I just forgot to do something earlier.”
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