by Sydney Addae
“Asia?” Hawke said.
“Nothing, just thinking of Sarita. Strange, this never happened before.”
“You’ve never been a mother before.”
“I’m in the middle of a bomb investigation and missing my pup. That’s not something I expected.”
“Will it interfere with your work?”
“No.” She looked in the direction of the crowd, but the woman had left. “If anything I’m more determined to find the bastards to make sure she’s safe.”
“Then it’s all good. Go back to work, Chief.”
She smiled at the warmth in their link accompanying his words. The security guard let the four of them in and locked the door behind him.
The bank wasn’t next door to the shopping center, a small vacant building stood between the two which minimized damage.
“Everybody okay, here?” Asia asked when no one said anything. At least nothing she could hear.
“Yes, a little shaken but otherwise okay. Mr. Jayden locked down the bank until tomorrow, we were waiting for the special investigators before leaving,” a blonde full-blood said eying Detective Karney.
“I would like to see the video footage from outside the building.” Asia looked at Karney and Solis. “Would it be possible to review all the street cams on this street?”
Solis glanced at his partner. “Yeah, should be okay. Are you going to interview them?” He glanced at the three employees and security guard.
“Yes, we’ll take care of that and share notes later, after the inspection next door.” She waved toward the blonde, waited for her to pass them and then followed. They entered the room in silence, Asia recognized the equipment, turned and dismissed the woman with a smile and thanks. Even Mistress commented on her improved social skills.
Tyrese walked to the console. Alpha Jayden left the recordings for them in a labeled box. They sat and watched the street.
“There,” Tyrese said pointing at the man with the over-coat.
Asia searched the screen for more suspects. She didn’t believe a man ended his life and the life of so many others, alone. Someone else had to be nearby. “Play it again.”
Chapter 5
Take-out containers littered the conference table. Ties had long been removed, and shirt buttons undone. Another security cam video played on the screen. After inspecting the remains of the building and discovering the scents were too mingled to differentiate, they returned to the station to review notes.
“I still don’t see anything that stands out,” Solis said stifling a yawn.
“Anyone,” Karney corrected taking another sip of coffee.
Solis glanced at Tyrese. “Don’t see anyone that stands out either, other than the brown coat.”
“We’re missing something then,” Karney said sitting forward staring at the tape.
Asia agreed. “Problem is they are all coming from different angles and it’s hard to catch everything. Is there any way to see them play together, like a movie?”
Karney sat back rubbing his chin.
Asia looked at Tyrese. “What do you think?”
“It can be done. Are there editing facilities here or nearby?” He looked at Solis.
“Not at the station but I know someone who owns a place we can use. They aren’t too far.” He stood.
“Wait,” Karney said. “Late as it is, shouldn’t you call first?”
Solis’ glance slid to hers as he picked up his tie. “No, she said I could drop by anytime.”
“This late? Are you sure this place has an editing studio?” The skepticism in his voice made it clear he didn’t believe his partner. Considering Solis couldn’t say he spoke to the person through their mental connection, placing a call to placate his partner prevented awkward questions.
They disposed of the litter while Solis talked briefly on the phone. Tyrese placed all the tapes in his bag and walked toward the door.
“She’s waiting,” Solis told Karney with a smug smile.
“Good, let’s do this,” Karney said heading out the door.
A car pulled up with the security detail La Patron assigned to Asia and Tyrese. Solis gave the address and they made the drive in silence. She sensed Solis and Tyrese spoke through their links and tamped down the aggravation of missing the opportunity to hash out ideas with her team.
Ten minutes later the car stopped in front of a large, non-descript, brick building. A tall, dark haired, female, full-blood stood in the door. Asia sensed two other full-bloods in the building. She threw out her senses and realized full-bloods were in nearby homes and businesses.
“Welcome, I’m Nayla,” the female said. “Come this way, the technician is here and will edit the tapes.”
Asia nodded and followed the others inside. Karney took a second glance at the beautiful woman, almost tripping over his feet. Nayla’s eyes widened and then looked away. They entered the office and Tyrese spoke with the technician while Nayla escorted them to another room and offered refreshments. Karney was the only one to accept.
“Mistress?” Asia called out to Jasmine hoping ten o’clock wasn’t too late.
A few moments later she received a response. “Asia, is everything okay?”
“No. I need my links re-opened to talk privately with my team.” She didn’t mean to complain, but the three of them could discuss pack protocols, the rebel situation, or any number of things right now if she could mind-link with them. With Karney in the room, she was the only full-blood mentally and physically silent.
“Silas mentioned that earlier. Any luck with the Goddess? My guess is she’s the one to handle that. If Silas could, he assures me he would’ve re-opened them long ago. He prefers to talk to you personally without riding my connection.”
“I know. Patience is a virtue I don’t have.” She updated Jasmine on the case.
“Good idea to see all the angles at the same time, it’ll give a better picture of what happened. Asia, I haven’t been onboard with the Goddess that long and how everything works through Her. But, everything happens for a reason. At the brink of death, you stepped through that door and then stepped out changed. For the better I believe. If you cannot link with others, it’s for a reason, don’t know what, but there’s a reason. Master what you can without the link.”
Asia frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Right now, you’re waiting for the tech to create whatever. Instead of talking to your team, you’re talking to me. Maybe we’ll say something that helps you in some way, not in terms of solving your case, I’m not that good.” She chuckled.
Asia smiled.
“But if speaking to a limited audience, me, Hawke, or your mom is all you have right now, then that’s all you need. Find a way to use those connections to get the job done. The rest, talking to your teammates or Silas, isn’t your first line of communications. Don’t get frustrated over something you cannot change. Change the way you view the situation.”
“Life for me changed in so many ways lately, I hadn’t considered this as a part of those but you’re right. Limited voices in my head isn’t bad, especially since I would give my life for those voices I hear.”
“See, that’s what I’m talking about. Change isn’t always bad, look at me and Silas. When we met he hated humans, and wasn’t too particular about me. Now his pups are half human and his mate is one hundred percent, non-shifting human.”
Asia smiled. “And he is irrevocably in love with you, Ma’am. As you say change is not always bad.” The lights dimmed. “Thank you for taking the time to hear my complaints, my thoughts are clearer now. The tape is starting.”
“Okay, let me know if you find anything,” Jasmine said.
The tape rolled to its conclusion for the third time. “Play it again, and slow down when I close my hand,” Asia said holding her hand in the air watching the screen. As the image of a shadow of a man came into view, she balled her fist. The frame stopped. She stood and walked closer to the screen. Something about this guy tugged at her
memory. The way he moved and stood seemed familiar. Given she had been around over a hundred years there was a lot of data to dig through.
“What you got?” Tyrese said coming to stand next to her.
“Look at how he’s standing, the way he moved, he never looks up, seems he’s looking everywhere even though he’s still,” she said.
“Military? Formal government training,” Tyrese said slowly. “I see it. Let’s play it again, this time I’ll look at him differently.”
Asia agreed.
The tape ran again. A sense of rightness settled on her shoulder as she watched the man’s movements, he glanced at the store several times and then walked off when the brown coat walked into the store.
“I know this guy,” Asia murmured as she rifled through her mind for more clues about his identity.
“You do?” Solis asked.
“Quiet,” Tyrese said.
“Play it again,” Asia murmured, certain now that she had met this man at some point while working as a spy-enforcer-terminator for the Liege.
The tape rolled. This time when the man moved, recognition clicked. She jolted in confusion. “What’s Xavier doing there?”
“Xavier?” Tyrese asked.
She shook her head as memories flowed; Xavier rose like a specter. The man had been pronounced dead a long time ago. But then again so had she.
Asia returned to the table as her thoughts settled. Munitions and weapons expert, spoke and read five languages, excelled in hand to hand combat, Xavier’s resume read like something out of a Marvel comic, except the man was real and deadly.
“Hawke, I need you to find someone for me.”
“Give me a name, I’ll find you a location, love.” She told him the name and everything she remembered. “Chances are he’s deep under cover, new identity, everything.”
“Got it. The Liege had me find people like that all the time and I failed once. I couldn’t find you.”
“Be glad you didn’t. I doubt I would have ever turned up at your lab to meet you.”
“Good point. Since Damian’s here with Sarita watching a cartoon, I’ll go down to the lab now and get this for you.”
“Thanks, love you.”
“I love you too.” Sexual energy rolled through their link accompanying his words. Aware she had an audience, she cleared her throat and told them what she knew of the man.
“Xavier Rush, former CIA agent, formally classified as deceased.”
Chapter 6
Henry looked at the wolf laying on the long wood table in the barn with a raised brow. When they reached the area where they’d seen wolves before, his older brother Vern had pulled out some device he got from some group online and searched the area. They had to move fast since only one wolf was alive. He had no idea what happened to the others, must’ve been something they ate or something tried to eat them. Either way, the dart gun hit the animal from a long ways off and worked really fast.
Vern spent a lot of time online following what Henry termed, conspiracy theories. The latest being men who turned into wolves. His brother had a membership in a group and received their hunting kit to track these men. Wolves he corrected. Hunting men was illegal.
“Are you sure he’s one of those shifter’s they been talking about online?”
“He’s bigger than any wolf we ever seen, aint he?” Vern said walking around the table taking pictures with his phone and poking the wolf with a short stick. “Told you, Werewolves are real.”
“Stop that, he might wake up.”
“Not with that elephant serum I got in my kit. It’ll knock anything out, guaranteed.” Vern hitched up his pants and then grabbed his bag. “We need to get some of his blood and send it in for the reward. You have to record everything for proof the blood came from this wolf. Hope him being black don’t cause a problem.” He pulled out alcohol swab packs.
Stunned by the amount of supplies, Henry gasped. “Where did you get those?”
“I bought a venipuncture kit online. Cool, huh?” He grinned.
“Yeah.” Kind of creepy too, but Henry knew better than to say that.
“I got capped hypodermic needles, container tubes and everything else to get a good sample.” He handed Henry a pair of gloves. “Just in case there’s something… well, can’t be too careful.”
Silently Henry agreed. Vern connected the needle to a tube and held it to the light. On the table there were several empty tubes. How much blood did Vern plan to take? Henry prayed the large animal remained unconscious, otherwise… they’d be dead.
Henry started recording.
“No need to clean the area,” Vern said in a low voice and then he stuck the needle into the underbelly of the animal. Within seconds, blood filled the tube. Vern disconnected the tube and handed it to him.
“Place this in that container while I fill these.” He replaced that tube with another empty one. When they had ten tubes of blood, Vern pulled the needle out, tossed it into the haystack and then repacked his kit. Henry turned off the recorder and slid the phone into his pocket.
“Let’s go. I need to process the paperwork and send these in.” Henry picked up the needle kit while Vern carried the container holding the vials of blood. When they reached the door, Henry looked over his shoulder at the wolf lying on the table. A chill rippled down his spine. All his life he followed his older brother, and couldn’t stop now if he tried. But something told him they’d just crossed a line that would impact their lives forever.
Turning, he moved swiftly into the sunlight and headed for the car. Vern sat in the passenger seat waiting.
“Maybe we shouldn’t have done that,” Henry said turning the key, unable to shake the chill.
“Too late, it’s done. Let’s go, time to make some money,” Vern said, his tone hard.
Henry did what he always did, he followed his brother’s orders.
Chapter 7
Asia and Tyrese pulled up to the brick home located in the middle of the block. She looked at the address Hawke had given her and verified they were at the right place. Xavier Rush, now known as Herbert Green, resided in a middle class neighborhood with children playing outside, and older couples working in their gardens. Interesting place for a former assassin.
Using her chameleon bracelet, she altered her appearance slightly so he wouldn’t recognize her, opened the passenger door and stepped outside. They agreed she and Tyrese would go in alone initially. After confirming Xavier and Herbert were the same, back-up would be available if necessary.
Solis and Karney had returned to the store to seek other clues and finish interviews.
Tyrese knocked on the door. Someone was inside. The older man who opened the door reminded her of Rush but she couldn’t be sure. Hawke had hacked into a secure database and gave her more than Rush’s location.
“Can I help you?”
Tyrese grabbed the man by the neck and pushed him back into the house. Asia had stood close to Tyrese to block the movement from prying eyes, and walked in behind them, closing the door. Tyrese held Xavier by his neck, his feet off the floor.
The pistol he’d been holding hit the carpet. Asia kicked it to the side, walked around behind him and pulled down his pants. She smiled when she saw the birthmark on his right cheek.
“Hello Xavier, we came to talk to you about the grocery store bombing yesterday. My friend here can smell a lie, and he hates it when people lie to him, so be very careful how you answer,” Asia said while scanning his home for cameras and other devices.
“You’ve got the wrong man,” Xavier said, his voice a ragged whisper.
Tyrese dropped him and then lifted him by his shirt. “Wrong answer.” He slapped Xavier across the face, leaving an imprint. Blood trailed down his chin.
“I checked your birthmark, you’re Xavier Rush, former CIA, and so much more. Right now tell us about the bombing yesterday,” Asia said.
“Who are you with?” he looked at her and then at Tyrese.
“Not importa
nt,” Tyrese growled.
“Of course it’s important. You shouldn’t be here, or know who I am, there’s been a breach somewhere and I want to know what’s going on. I’ve done everything I was told and never had a problem before,” Xavier argued.
This was the Rush she remembered. By the books, solid, not easily shaken. “You know the drill, we can’t tell you. But by your own admission, us being here had to come from higher up. Something’s not right, yesterday wasn’t supposed to happen. We need to know why you were there. Who sent you?”
Tyrese allowed Rush to stand but held onto him.
“Yesterday had nothing to do with any op. I was just in the area.”
“You’re lying,” Tyrese said. “We’ve been ordered to discover what happened yesterday by any means possible.”
Xavier’s neck pinkened. His lips tightened and then relaxed. “I was asked to watch the store, that’s all.”
“Did you know about the bomb?” Asia asked.
“No.”
“Lying,” Tyrese snapped.
“No one told me exactly, I suspected a bomb,” he corrected.
“Why did you walk off when the bomber entered the store?” Asia asked.
“That’s all I was supposed to do.”
“Watch to make sure he went inside?” Asia clarified.
He nodded.
“And then what?”
“Then I came home, fixed supper.”
“So the bomb didn’t surprise you?”
“Not really.”
“Who sent you to the store?” Asia walked to them and looked in his eyes.
“Not sure.”
“Lying, again,” Tyrese said.
Asia placed her hand on his shoulder and activated her chameleon. She didn’t want to exchange bodies, she would only access his memories.
“Who sent you to the store,” Tyrese asked, his palm stretched around Xavier’s neck.
At the question, Asia saw a woman talking to Xavier. In the conversation he called the woman’s name. Ruth. Asia searched his memories and collected everything on her.
