by Chant, Zoe
Callan opened his mouth to ask him what he meant, but then his diprotodon shook its head, warning him off.
Not here. Not now.
It could clearly sense something Callan’s human side couldn’t.
But Trent, apparently, hadn’t gotten that memo. “Why would he do that, if you’re right here?”
Euan glanced at him, his lips tightening in annoyance, but he said nothing.
“Trent –” Callan started to say, but Euan shook his head to cut him off.
“No. It’s fine. You’d all have to know sooner or later anyway.”
Callan frowned at the uncharacteristic softness in Euan’s voice. He glanced across at Hector, and found him looking just as baffled as Callan felt.
“I asked to be the one to tell you, which is the only reason Robb hasn’t,” Euan continued after a moment, his voice still soft, but now there was a hint of strain in it.
“Tell us what, Euan?”
Trent’s tone of voice was confused, but Callan could sense real concern behind the question. Euan took a breath, his chest rising and falling as he prepared himself for whatever he had to say.
“I can’t shift. Not at the moment – maybe not ever again. I don’t know at this point. No one does.”
Callan stared at him in shock. He could sense Hector and Trent’s own surprise and horror. Glancing at them, he could see it reflected in their faces.
“You can’t –?” Trent cut himself off, shaking his head as if he couldn’t quite understand. “But… how? What happened?”
Euan grimaced. “It’s not something I can talk about.” His voice was low, strained. “I’d rather you didn’t make me. I can tell you it has nothing to do with anyone else, though – no Hargreaves, no serums. Nothing like that. It’s me. I’m the problem.”
“I’d never – shit, mate, I’m so sorry,” Trent said, his voice cracking slightly. Euan and Trent might not have gotten along – and might have had the personality clash of the century – but now, when something serious was obviously happening, Callan could see that the hostility had fallen away.
Callan understood why. His own shock at what Euan had told them was still sinking in.
To not be able to shift seemed impossible to him at this point in his life. No matter how annoying his diprotodon sometimes was, to be without it wasn’t something he could imagine – wasn’t something he wanted to imagine.
He remembered what Euan had said, when they’d been discussing shifter abilities, and how they worked: The ability to shift is mental as well as physical – you need both. You need to be able to reach out to your shifter with your mind. Physically, you can still shift. But mentally, you’re cut off from it.
He wanted to ask Euan if he knew firsthand what he’d been talking about, but Euan had just told them not to ask him about it, and Callan knew he ought to respect that.
“It can come back.” It was Hector who spoke up next, voice quiet. “Trust me, Euan – I know that feeling. But –”
Euan cut him off with a quick shake of his head. “I know you do. But it’s been weeks now – not just a couple of hours. But I’d rather not have any of you pity me, thanks.”
There was a rough edge to his voice now, his eyes flashing. Callan didn’t blame him, but his anger wouldn’t help him.
“No one pities you, Euan,” he said. “We’re just concerned. Worried. Like we would be for anyone.”
Euan looked up at him, and for a moment, Callan was shocked by the pain he saw in his eyes. But that was understandable. Callan couldn’t imagine how he’d feel in his place.
“I know. I know.” Euan raised a hand, running it over his face and through his hair. “I’m… sorry. I am. But dealing with this… it hasn’t been easy.”
Callan was about to tell him he understood, but stopped as Trent raised a hand, putting it on Euan’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Euan. I had no idea. I wouldn’t have… I would have cut it out, if I’d known. I wouldn’t have been so…” He trailed off.
“You wouldn’t have been such a prick?” Euan glanced at him, mouth twitching. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to say anything. You really think I want you guys tip-toeing around me, treating me like I’m china? This is hard enough as it is.”
“Fine, fine,” Trent said. He let out a low, shaky laugh. “I can keep being a prick then, if it makes you feel better.”
“Like you could stop,” Euan shot back.
Trent laughed again, and Callan could feel the tension in the air beginning to ease. He was still shocked by what Euan had said, but it was clear he didn’t want them to crowd him, cloying him with their concern. Euan had always struck Callan as a lone wolf, who worked best by himself.
But he had to know that if he ever did want to reach out, any one of them would be there for him.
“Fine, I’ve said what I needed to say,” Euan said. “You know why I won’t be going on this mission with you. And now, for God’s sake, let’s get back to work, and figure out how we’re going to get this done.”
Callan couldn’t argue with that.
He turned to Ella, who’d been silent as they discussed Euan’s lost shifter abilities, clearly not wanting to interrupt as they’d discussed it.
“Ella, I have an idea,” he said. “But it means you might need to work with us. Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?”
His shifter instincts were screaming at him that in no way could his mate be exposed to danger, conflicting with his knowledge that Ella was strong and brave and could handle herself – and the knowledge that time was running out for her father, and they had very few options open to them.
Ella held his gaze as she nodded firmly.
“I’m ready. Just tell me what I have to do, and I’ll do it.”
Chapter 16
Ella shivered, despite the warm night air. They were about a kilometer from the industrial estate, and Callan was fitting her with the wire that would allow him to hear everything that went down during her meeting with the two Hargreaves agents.
Callan glanced up at her as his fingers gently taped the tiny listening device to her side. “Are you all right?”
Ella gave him a tight smile, though she knew that her nervousness must be obvious to him.
“Yeah. Of course.”
She might be nervous, but she was also determined. She knew she had to see this through – and besides which, she trusted Callan. She knew that as long as he was here, she’d be safe.
“Just remember, you won’t be alone, whatever happens,” Callan said as he finished affixing the wire, before rolling her top back down to conceal it. “Brooke will be right there.”
“That’s right. I will.”
Ella looked up, trying to smile. They’d met Brooke – the other agent assigned to help them – here outside the estate. She’d been waiting for them in a van filled with more high-tech equipment than Ella had ever seen before in her life. She’d thought that kind of thing only existed in movies, but clearly, she’d been wrong.
Brooke herself had been down-to-earth, shaking Ella’s hand and flashing her a wide grin. Ella didn’t usually find herself liking people quickly, but in Brooke’s case, she couldn’t help it.
“I’ll be right there in case anything happens,” Brooke said. “No worries.”
“I wish I was going in myself, but I’m a little more noticeable than Brooke,” Callan said.
Ella could hear the tension in his voice – and feel how desperately he wished he was the one going with her.
“The main thing is, we get your father out of danger,” he continued after a moment. “After that, we move in. But before we make any moves, you need to be out of the area. So once you’ve made the exchange, make sure you get out of there. And if anything happens, you just run, okay? We’ll be there. You won’t see us until after you’re out, though.”
Ella nodded. “Okay.”
She understood what she had to do, but she also knew that things were unlikely to be so simple.
“And what if –?” she began to say, before realizing she couldn’t quite make herself finish the sentence.
“Don’t you worry about what ifs right now,” Callan said, voice steady. “Let us deal with that. You just keep your eyes forward, do what you need to do, and know that we’ve got your back.”
Ella nodded. “Okay.” She glanced at Brooke. “And how will you…?”
Brooke winked at her. “Like this.”
She shimmered, the same way Ella had seen Callan and Hector do. She held her breath, wondering how whatever Brooke’s shifted form was would fit inside the confines of the van. But instead of growing into a huge beast, Brooke simply disappeared.
Is this some other kind of power? Ella thought, blinking in surprise. Invisibility?
But then, a movement on the console in front of her caught her eye. Leaning forward, Ella realized Brooke hadn’t disappeared at all. She’d become a tiny, tiny lizard.
“A skink shifter?” she asked, as the lizard shot across the desk, propelled by its miniscule legs, its lithe, silvery body moving like a dart.
Callan nodded, smiling. “Good for covert work. Good for getting under doors, hanging out on walls… and she’ll be able to ride on your shoulder, just under your collar. No one will know she’s there.”
Ella had to admit she was fascinated. She’d never thought of that – and for some reason, she’d simply expected that all shifters would turn into large, fearsome creatures. She could definitely see the advantages of having a tiny little form that could climb walls, skitter under doors, and hide in plain sight.
I’m never going to be able to look at spiders the same way again, she thought, as she held out a hand, allowing Brooke’s skink form to scuttle up her fingers and along her arm. And I’m going to have to get them all out of the room before I get undressed for a shower.
Brooke dashed up her shoulder, her tiny feet raising goosebumps on Ella’s skin as she settled just under the collar of her shirt, disappearing beneath it.
“Just don’t forget she’s there,” Callan said. “And don’t forget we’ll be there too, just in case anything goes wrong. I know the Hargreaves agents will be on their guard, and might even be expecting us. But at the moment, they know that if they want those notes, this is the only way they’re going to get them. And if we want your father, this is the only way we’re going to get him.”
“You both know you might be walking into a trap,” Ella said, swallowing. “It’s just a matter of who can spring it first.”
“You may be right, Ella.” Callan’s voice was serious. “But we don’t have any other choice.”
Ella nodded. Tension wound tight in her chest. But she knew if she wanted to help her father, she’d have to keep her nerve until this was over.
“You’ve got the USB?” Callan asked.
Ella held it up to show him.
“Everything on there will automatically obliterate itself in half an hour,” Callan said. “And it’s not everything, anyway. It’s enough to pass muster if they take a quick look, but it’ll still be incomplete. To be honest, I’m not comfortable with Hargreaves even having what they have. They can afford the best scientists in the world. Even with the information that’s on your necklace, there’s a chance they’d be able to fill in the gaps eventually. But the only thing we can do for now is stick to our plan.”
Ella took a deep breath, tucking the USB into her pants pocket. “All right. Let’s do this.”
* * *
The deserted industrial estate was eerie, to say the least. Ella looked around her, fighting against the feeling that she was definitely not supposed to be here. It reminded her of the time she and a few friends had snuck into the grounds of their high school in the middle of the night. That had had the same feeling: a weird sense of transgression, of being somewhere they weren’t allowed to be.
Back then, it’d been fun and exciting. Now, it just felt terrifying.
Massive buildings and warehouses rose up all around her, empty and desolate. There was a huge carpark to her right, totally empty of any parked cars, of course, and lit with flickering fluorescent street lamps. It was clear this place was totally deserted – it was an empty concrete jungle, silent and devoid of life, but at the same time, filled with unknown danger.
Like I said, Ella thought. Terrifying.
As if in response to her fear, Ella suddenly felt a golden throb of light around her heart. It was almost as if the mated bond was reminding her that it was there – that Callan was there. She knew this situation was dangerous, but she also trusted him completely. She knew he was watching her carefully, staying out of sight until her father was out of danger.
Ella swallowed. She couldn’t let herself think of any other possibility right now. From what Callan had told her about Hargreaves, they seemed capable of anything. But for the moment, if she wanted to get through this, she had to believe her father was okay, and waiting for her somewhere close by.
“Oh, so you finally show up.”
Ella froze, sucking in a shocked breath as a voice rang out from above her. She looked up, eyes wide, searching the side of the building for the source of the voice.
She could see nothing – at least until something suddenly dropped from one of the railings that ran along the side of the building, coming to land in the shadows below.
Holding her breath, Ella waited.
She’d been told not to make any move until directed to, and she knew Callan could hear everything that was going on through the wire taped to her side. She was happy to wait.
“Well, if you want to see daddy dearest again, I suggest you come with me.”
The man emerged from the shadows, his short, stocky body moving with an odd, almost feline grace. As he passed through a shaft of light, Ella caught sight of his face. He was definitely the same guy as the one who’d attacked her and Callan in the mountains, with his red hair and cruel features. She’d know him anywhere by now.
“I want to see him before I agree to anything else,” Ella said. “You won’t see what you’re after until I know he’s all right.”
“Fair enough,” the man said, tilting his head. “But you’ll still have to come with me.”
Ella hesitated. She wasn’t sure she wanted to go anywhere with this man that might have a limited number of entry or exit points.
And where’s the other one? The man who flew off with my necklace?
Involuntarily, she glanced around, though she knew she wouldn’t be able to see him unless he wanted to be seen.
“Why can’t you bring my father here?” she asked.
“Because that’s not what I’m telling you to do,” the man growled. “Do you want to see him or not?”
Ella hesitated. She wasn’t sure if heading inside a building was part of the plan, but on the other hand, she didn’t really see how she could refuse. The building the man was gesturing to was an old warehouse, and Ella counted six doors – one big enough for a truck to pass through – along the wall, along with several windows.
Not exactly slim pickings for points of escape, she decided, and began following the man to the building.
The light inside was dim – Ella blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Once she could see better, she realized just how cavernous the space was: a massive old factory floor, complete with a conveyor belt and steel gantries that ran along the walls and overhead, and suspended pipes running in every direction. The floor was solid concrete.
It was exactly the kind of place a shady organization would do a hostage exchange, Ella thought, swallowing heavily.
It’s okay, though. Callan and the others have my back. Brooke’s right here on my shoulder, so –
But a moment later Ella’s thoughts ground to an abrupt halt – her breath shuddered in her throat, and even her blood seemed to pause in her veins, her heart stopped in her chest.
Because standing there, in the middle of the factory floor, was her father.
Ella wasn’t sure how, bu
t she still recognized him after all these years: he was older, of course, than she remembered, his shoulders more stooped. In her mind, he’d always been a neat man – fastidious, almost, with his hair combed neatly back, his glasses perched on his nose. The man she was looking at now was disheveled, his hair falling over his face, his clothes worn and stained.
But it’s still him.
Ella wasn’t sure how, but she knew.
Her heart restarted with a heavy thud, and she gasped out the breath she’d been holding in.
“Ella…”
Confusion swirled in her head. She knew that voice. She’d heard it on the phone only hours before. That had been shock enough – but it still hadn’t seemed quite real to her. Seeing him here now, before her very eyes…
It really is him.
“Ella, I’m sorry.”
Somehow, the sound of her father’s voice jerked her out of the semi-dreamlike state she’d drifted into, and back into the real world. The real world where she still had to keep a level head on her shoulders, and keep things together until Callan and his team could move in.
“Ella, I never meant for any of this – I wanted to keep you away from all this –”
Her father’s voice cracked, and he stopped talking.
“There, you see? We’re as good as our word.” A second voice spoke up, hard and cold.
In her shock at seeing her father again for the first time in twenty years, Ella hadn’t noticed the man standing behind him, in the shadows.
Ella closed her eyes, pushing down the flood of emotion that had suddenly been undammed within her.
Not now. Just hold out a little bit longer.
“All right, fine,” she said. She did her best to make her voice sound cold, dispassionate. She didn’t want to show any weaknesses in front of the Hargreaves agents. “Give me my father, and you can have what you want.”
