by Sydney Addae
“What happened?” Angus asked.
Hawke repeated the tale.
Angus laughed as turned on his tablet. “That’s wickedly well done.” He grinned as the screen flicked to life and looked at Silas. “I choose three people with high-security clearances, who live alone and will get me closer to our targets.” He read the data on each person and gave his suggestion.
“Victor Humphrey is my suggestion. A career officer who spent five years working directly with Major General Lee.”
“From Honduras?” Silas asked, intrigued.
“Yes. Seems he was Lee’s right hand and was recently reassigned to General Straits.” Angus looked at Silas.
“Do it,” Silas said. If they could make Lee’s life miserable he was all for it. The man abused the Knights in the worse way. Court marshaling the man wasn’t enough in Silas’ book. He wanted blood for blood.
Angus grinned. “I’ll grab him at home tonight. He lives in a gated, high-security community, I’m sure his home has the best system as well.” Grinning he looked at Hawke.
“Are you making fun of me?” Hawke asked.
“No, just making sure you’re up for the challenge. I scheduled the plane and will leave in two hours. I’d prefer to be there before he arrives home tonight. Once he’s in bed, I’ll check his memories and transmit what they’ve already done and what’s going on now.”
Silas liked that better than Angus going to the Pentagon to grab information from Admiral Bents or General Strait. The idea of putting one of their people in a position of power held merit but required more time than they had now.
“I have something that can be uploaded to their system. It just passed the last set of tests,” Hawke said.
Angus met Silas’ gaze.
“What is it?” Silas asked.
“I created a program that will hide and work in the shadows that will eventually allow access to sensitive information. Once uploaded, it moves quickly, throws off several false cues to hide its origins and destination. If it makes it to a certain file type, it’ll merge and become indistinguishable from that file.”
“If it’s on their servers, we can’t access the information,” Angus said.
“Not from here, but we have several pack members with high-security clearances who can access information anonymously.” He looked at Silas.
“Miller can enter a file, read it and no one will know he’s accessed it?”
“Right. If the program allows him access that means it’s merged and will cover his footprint.”
“That could be a big help in planning defensive maneuvers,” Angus said.
Silas agreed, he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it now or wait.
David tapped on the door and waited.
“Come in,” Silas said and watched Storm and David enter.
“We found it,” David said looking tired and wrung out. “Taurus’ pack. It’s here.” He placed a large map on the table in front of Silas. Storm moved to stand on Silas’ left, while David remained on the right. “Oil, food, lumber, home building supplies were shipped to this location within the past year. He’s been traveling between here and the States for a year and a half. We used the satellite and saw movement.” He slid a few pages with images of people, to Silas.
“We weren’t able to get an accurate accounting of how many are in this pack, but based on the supplies we’re thinking a hundred’s at the low end,” Storm said.
Silas looked at the information with satisfaction. David and Cain were scheduled to leave tomorrow. “This is important information.” He looked at David. “Once he learns the Knights are in the area, expect some kind of attack or foul play. I need to know if the locals prefer Taurus or are interested in my leadership. I don’t want to challenge Taurus if the people are content.”
David nodded. “Understood, Sir.” Silas stood and slapped David on the back. “Go get some rest, your flight leaves early.”
“Thanks, I’ll see you in the morning.” David looked around the room and nodded to each person.
“Have a seat, Storm.” Silas pointed to a chair. “There’s a chance our pack’s being set-up for a counter-intelligence operation. The government wants to know our weaknesses and may send individuals to gather that information.”
Storm nodded.
“You haven’t been with us long, what would you say are our weaknesses? If you were preparing an attack, not physical, but to gain information, what would you do?”
“I was warned not to cross into your land, the States, without permission which means it’s a well-known fact that you monitor and protect your borders. But that was against pack, I don’t know of anything in place that keeps humans off pack property.”
“There are protocols that are a part of our beasts. Just as you cannot tolerate another male’s scent on your mate, our beasts know when another beast enters our territory. Humans don’t count to our beasts. But on land we own, humans are not allowed, there are several protections in place. I want you to sneak into several pack properties to test our security. You’ll need to put your beast to sleep and break-in as human as you can.”
Storm’s eyes lit. “That sounds like fun. Will they know I’m coming?”
Silas shook his head. “Only if they sense your wolf, otherwise, you’ll be human deep. Remember, I told the Alphas a few days ago to be vigilant, and I want to test them. Start with Alpha Jayden’s lands in Maryland whenever you’re ready. I’ll send you a list of others I want to be tested. Once we start, word will get around and it’ll become harder. That’s okay. The goal is for you not to be successful, but give it all you’ve got, not to get caught.”
Storm nodded. “I’ll arrive there later today.”
Silas clapped him on the shoulder. “Good job. Let me know when you leave.”
Storm stood. “Yes, Sir.” He left.
“I wish I could see that,” Angus said before glancing at his watch. “Am I uploading the program into the system?” He looked at Silas.
“Give it to him, Hawke. I’ll decide after we learn what information Humphrey’s has. Like I said, I don’t want the chameleon anywhere near that place.” Silas ran his hand through his hair and released a long breath. “David did a great job on this. Really proud of him.” He looked at the others. “That pup’s going to make a fine Alpha one day.”
“I told you that 20 years ago,” Angus said standing. “He’s methodical, doesn’t rush to make decisions, weighs things and executes with precision.”
“Yeah, he does,” Silas said with pride. He loved all his pups and for a long time didn’t see much of himself in any of them. David was an interesting mix of him and Jasmine. If pushed, David would knock an adversary on their ass before they realized what happened, his bite really was bigger than his bark.
“He plans to work in the lab when he returns,” Hawke said standing and stretching. “I'm looking forward to it.”
Silas stood. “Let me know when you’re in the air,” he told Angus.
“Will do.” Angus left, Hawke and Silas followed.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER, Silas and Jasmine lay in bed talking, and waiting to hear from Angus. The long day was far from over. Angus was in Maryland heading to Humphrey’s home. Many things could go wrong, but Angus had been breaking and entering for years. Plus, the equipment Hawke gave him would disarm and rearm any system.
Waiting was hell on the nerves. Jasmine ran the flat of her palm across his chest and kissed his wolf tattoo.
He covered her hand with his. “I can’t imagine how I’d govern the pack without you. Navigating this changing world would be impossible without your insight. You came into my life at the perfect time, a time when change was on the horizon. The Goddess mentioned change but never really explained it.”
Jasmine snorted. “That’s not surprising.”
He squeezed her hand. “Even though I never trusted the humans, I never imagined we’d be at odds like this either.”
“I’m in,” Angus said. “Completed security
scan, it’s clean. Just placed the sleeping gas in the bedroom, reset the alarm and hiding in the basement.”
Silas released a long sigh and told Jasmine.
“See, stop worrying,” she said and snuggled closer.
“When he arrives back in here,” Silas said. Angus used the chameleon to travel commercial and picked up a rental. If Alpha Jayden was being watched Silas didn’t want a connection made.
“He’s home, and not alone,” Angus said several moments later.
Tense, Silas sat up, prepared to destroy any threat to his brother. Jasmine scooted forward and rested on the headboard.
“A work colleague came by to pick up something. Wait... no, they’re being intimate. This won’t take long.”
Silas told Jasmine and they both laughed.
“Took longer than I thought, they talked afterward, had a bite to eat, she’s leaving now. He rearmed the system and returned to his bedroom. I’ll wait until after he finishes his shower to release the sleeping agent.” Angus chuckled.
The sound eased Silas’ tension along with the constant chatter.
“Okay. He’s in bed watching TV. I’m releasing the sleeping vapor. Is Hawke ready?”
Silas added Hawke and Jasmine to the link. “We’re here.”
“Mask in place, going upstairs,” Angus said.
Jasmine smiled.
“Engaging chameleon.”
“My, my Humphrey’s been a bad human,” Angus said. “Hawke, he’s got access to systems he shouldn’t know about. Ready?”
“Yes,” Hawke said.
Angus passed on high security, classified information to Hawke. “General Lee’s not in jail. He’s working with Admiral Bents who is the person who authorized the Knight’s experimentation in Honduras. Humphrey is the liaison between Lee and Bents. Here is the location where Lee is continuing his operations.” He gave them the addresses, phone numbers and the location in Maryland where Lee lived under a different name.
“There is an active counter-intelligence operation against you, in particular, Silas. They want to control you and seek a way to do that without hurting innocents. They’re trying to find a way to separate the wheat from the chaff, guess who’s not the wheat?”
Silas appreciated Angus’ calm methodical manner of sifting through Humphrey’s memories, it was a gold mine.
“Where and when will the operation start?” Silas asked.
“It’s still in the prep stages, he’s not directly involved with it. They’re recruiting wolves for different purposes. Some are being trained to replace the Knights and to fight against our pack, should the need arise. Others are being used in experiments with Lee. All the wolves volunteered and are being paid although they don’t fully understand what they’re being tested for. Assholes,” Angus said.
They would all be eliminated. “What about Taurus?” Silas asked.
“Nothing yet,” Angus said.
“Personal stuff, personal stuff, oh... here’s something interesting. Humphrey thought Lee was going to pin the Honduras screw-up on him and has a flash drive hidden away with proof. I’ll make a copy and bring it back with me.”
“Good, might give us some leverage for breathing room,” Silas said feeling better about this trip.
“This is interesting, Bents shared confidential information with Lee, Humphrey has proof, it’s his get out of jail free card. Lee doesn’t know he has photos of the files. This guy doesn’t trust anybody.”
“Can you blame him?” Silas asked as a plan began forming in his mind. He’d need to get pack members who worked in janitorial services at the Pentagon involved.
“Is that information on the same disk as the other or separate?” Hawke asked.
“I don’t know. I’ll go and get it to give his mind a break.”
Silas tapped the desk thinking through plans and discarding them until he came up with something suitable. Hawke how close is Lee’s hiding place to Jayden’s northern pack lands?”
“About 50 miles as the crow flies.”
“Thanks.” Silas watched Jasmine as she walked toward the kitchen. “I’m thirsty too,” he told her.
“I know.”
“Storm?” Silas reached out to Storm and hoped he hadn’t approached the pack lands yet.
“Sir?”
“There’s a matter I need to be handled, quietly, and efficiently.”
“I’m at the perimeter of Alpha Jayden’s pack property, you want me to change direction?”
“Yes. For now.” Silas gave him the location and directions to Major General Lee’s hidey hole. “He may have surveillance, possibly security, he is the officer who performed the tests on the Knights in Honduras. I wish I could personally handle this.” It angered Silas’ wolf that he hadn’t been able to deal with the men responsible for experimenting on his Knights. This opportunity to correct that matter had been dropped in his lap.
“No, Sir, they’re watching you. Do you want him removed? Or left behind?”
“Removed. Alpha Jayden will meet you with a chemical agent that will paralyze Lee as soon as he inhales it. Take him to a place Jayden tells you. He’ll remain there until I’m ready. Leave no trace. Disable all his equipment or have Hawke do it.”
“Consider it done, Sir.”
Silas contacted Jayden and gave him instructions to keep Lee unconscious. The chemicals were untraceable and undetectable during an autopsy. Every Alpha kept some on hand for emergencies. He would keep Lee alive until the time was right. A plan was forming to burn these bastards.
“Silas?” Angus called.
“Yeah?”
“I’m copying every flash drive I found in his cubby hole and making copies of his files. This guy is paranoid or preparing to make a fast break. He’s got an extra passport, cash, spare sets of keys and money in a Swiss account. I need another hour or so before I can leave.”
“The sleeping agent remains in his system for six hours, right?”
“Yes, but I can release another one, it won’t hurt him, just deepen his sleep.”
“Do it. I want you done and back here for breakfast with your mate,” Silas said.
“Sounds like a plan.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
GENERAL STRAIT ARRIVED at the testing facility at noon for his meeting with Major General Lee. Yesterday the General had contacted his office regarding test results from the previous day.
Strait had been in meetings all day yesterday dealing with deployments and Senate hearings making it impossible to get away. He and Lee agreed to meet today.
“Where’s your boss?” he asked Lee’s assistant.
“I don’t know, Sir. He hasn’t arrived.”
“Hasn’t arrived? Since this morning?” That surprised General Strait. Lee was an early riser and a stickler for time.
“No, Sir. I had to cancel a scheduled meeting for this morning. He’s not answering his phone either.”
General Strait looked around the plain office space. No one, not even Lee’s assistant knew his real identity. He and Admiral Bents had gone to great lengths to hide the man. Where could he be? What was so important?
Lee’s office door was closed, probably locked given how paranoid the man had become. “See if you can reach him on the phone again.” He watched as the hapless woman made the call and shook her head.”
“No answer, his voicemail isn’t set up.”
General Strait nodded. “If he comes in or calls, have him call me. As soon as you hear from him.” He pointed at her.
“Yes, Sir.” She shrank back from his pointed finger.
He left and once he made it to the highway, he called Lee on their secure line. When no one answered he knew there was a problem.
“Bents?” he turned his vehicle around and headed in the opposite direction.
“Yes?” the Admiral said.
“Lee’s missing.”
“Missing?”
“He didn’t come into work today, we had a meeting scheduled at noon to go over somethin
g he discovered. Did he say anything to you?”
“Briefly, but I was dealing with the colossal screw-up on this intelligence operation. Seems to be on track now.”
“I’m headed to Lee’s place now to check on him. It wouldn’t be good for anyone else to get their hands on whatever he wanted to show us.”
Bents sighed. “Seems we’re constantly bailing him out of one problem or the other.”
Lee was a personal friend of General Strait. “Only because he’s loyal to those he served and took the fall for following orders.”
Silence.
“There’s that,” Admiral Bents said a few moments later. “Let me know what you find.”
Strait clicked off and tossed the phone into the passenger seat. When he arrived, the place was eerily quiet.
He pulled his vehicle behind the house, so it wouldn’t be seen from the road. Taking out his pistol, he stepped carefully toward the back porch which faced a large clearing, with a forest beyond. A mile in the distance was another cabin with smoke spiraling from the chimney.
“Lee?” He moved, one foot in front of the other until he reached the door. No telling what Lee rigged as security around this place and he would prefer not to get shot. He tapped the bottom of the door with his foot and stood back.
The door swung open and then almost closed.
“Damn.” He moved carefully inside and looked around. Nothing. The place had been cleaned. Had Lee left town on his own? Or had someone taken him? Strait searched all three rooms in the cabin and came up empty. There wasn’t anything to show someone had lived here for the past four months.
Where had Lee gone? More importantly, where were the notes from their research?
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE NEXT MORNING, SILAS and Jasmine had breakfast with David. He seemed well rested and while not super-excited, it was apparent he looked forward to roaming the wilds of Canada.
“You’re flying into Toronto?” Jasmine asked.
