The Sigma Menace Collection

by Marie Johnston

  The twins, Malcolm and Harrison Wallace, continued to do their own thing, barely contained by the commander. They got along well enough with the other Guardians, but had not yet accepted them as the family they felt like to Mercury. Master Bellamy, the retired Guardian who trained and mentored them all, was the father figure Mercury never had.

  Otherwise, nothing had changed except the feeling that someone needed him. Now.

  Not bothering with any clothes, Mercury walked out the door and let his beast run.

  Sometimes they come back. That was a Sigma inside joke. Only it really wasn’t. Was Agent T enhanced enough to survive a throat slitting? It didn’t matter. Even if Dani dragged him to the bathtub, she couldn’t burn his body without drawing way too much attention. No one could be alerted because right now, fuck Plans A, B, and C. Sleazy Agent T dropped Plan A-plus right in her lap. Literally.

  As much as Dani wanted to shower the blood stains of Agent T off her, she needed to be covered in his blood. Just not as much of it. Not that she wanted to rush to the bathroom, strip down, and shower while a dead Agent was in her bed. So instead, she washed off her hands and face, gave her hair a quick rinse and then put it in ponytail.

  His blood was her freedom. And his finger? She’d get that after she packed. Rummaging through her drawers, she threw on her tactical pants and a fitted long-sleeved black shirt. After donning her boots, she proceeded to load up with every weapon she could possibly carry. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much as she hadn’t been promoted yet. Full Agents could own whatever they wanted. Recruits were given only the basics, nothing that couldn’t be defended against by the Agents if a recruit needed putting down. Dani was somewhere in between. Two guns and five knives were much better than nothing. She took what she could pilfer off Agent T’s body, which wasn’t much as he wasn’t loaded for a mission. His goal had been to finish what he’d started before with her, so he only carried the bare minimum. After strapping her gear in place, she wiped off only the handle of the knife she took Agent T down with.

  Dead men were heavy. Completely limp and malleable. Grunting and cursing, Dani wrestled with Agent T until she could cut away and strip off lightly-coated fabric from his blood-soaked shirt to stuff in her pocket. A little extra scent never hurt.

  Next, she rummaged through his pockets looking for his keys. After stuffing them into another pocket, she drew her knife once more and grabbed the Agent’s limp forearm, separating his right index finger from the rest. And this isn’t the worst I’ve done. She mused while she sawed away at the digit at the one-eighty her life had taken from a privileged, well-respected member of society to a hardened mercenary on the run.

  Madame G’s other drones may not be watching her that closely yet, since she just received the news of her expectant status. They may not even be sure that she’d jet as soon as possible, only that she and her baby-on-board needed to be protected, and that most likely included limiting her excursions into town. There was no doubt, however, if they had any inkling she wanted to cut ties with Sigma and leave, that she would become the most locked down, without-hope prisoner that was there.

  Agent X was a shifter and had all their heightened senses. The human enhanced Agents, like Agent E, also had heightened senses and increased speed. Dani was human. As much as she respected the two Agents, Dani didn’t trust them with ensuring her freedom. They may turn the other way when they saw normal shifters going about their lives, they may not have used unnecessary violence when dispatching feral shifters and insane bloodsuckers, but they at least did the minimum necessary to stay under Madame G’s radar. Madame G employed enough mindless killers, so she utilized X and E’s highly-skilled ways to further her own agenda, not to fuel her avid joy in slaughter and mayhem. No, X and E would not be alive if they did things like let the vessel carrying the coveted shifter baby go free.

  Escape came back to the fact that Dani was human. If she passed other Agents in the garages, they’d question her immediately. Recruits didn’t own vehicles and couldn’t drive unless they were issued a vehicle for a mission. She’d have no business in the garages. Her only hope would be to remain unseen. But to do so, she had to give off the least human scent as possible. Recruits weren’t granted any access to the loading bays without an Agent escort and she had to go through those to get to the garages. She knew Agent T’s obnoxious red Mustang sat in one of the bays, hence the reason for the index finger. Dani was grateful that the secure areas hadn’t been upgraded to retinal scans yet. Sometimes, it was the small things.

  Straightening up, Dani wrapped the finger in another little scrap of cloth she’d cut off to carry it in. It seemed less gross than shoving it in her pocket, plus she didn’t want to damage the print impressions on it. She fervently hoped the blood that covered her wouldn’t be too fragrant, but masked her scent adequately. If some of her scent remained, she trusted the gossip channels running through the compound. Many would assume that after his help during insemination, Agent T finally got a piece of her.

  A deep breath and quick mental run through the new and improved (and only) escape plan, Dani was ready. Opening the door a crack, she put her ear close to the opening. It was after midnight in a compound of night creatures. Agents would either be sleeping because they had day missions or were out for the night, but vampire Agents could be roaming. Recruits still trained during the day and any on field assignments would be out. She’d have to stay away from training gyms, the most likely spot to find anyone at this time of night.

  Hearing nothing, Dani crept out. Heart pounding, she carefully maneuvered the hallways. For three years, she’d been relieved to evade the enhancements Madame G assigned to those humans who were to become Agents. Oh, there was the curiosity about why, but her new status as the vessel for shifter babies answered some of her questions. At this moment, though, Dani wished for at least one heightened sense. But then she remembered the light she wished on, and the book she wished would slam Agent T’s head—one wish and done. All in her imagination? Did she somehow get three wishes and had only one left?

  No time to wonder. Time to get the fuck out. Dani made it to the stairs. Most residents of Sigma’s compound used the elevator. The stairs were dark and creepy, and poorly maintained. No matter how badass anyone here thought they’d become, they still avoided the stairs.

  As nimbly as she could, she took the stairs two at a time, getting it over with as quickly as possible. Glowing lights flickered along the walls, casting shadows along them. The faint sickly, sweet odor of death lingered, leaving those who braved the passage to ponder just who met their fate here, how long ago, and if were they still haunting the stairwell.

  By the time Dani reached the top, she thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest. At least she was close to the loading bays. The garages were on the other side of the brightly lit, wide open loading bay. Damn.

  Dani peered through the rectangular window in the door, she couldn’t see or hear anyone. Digging Agent T’s digit out of her pocket, she pressed it onto the scanner quickly before any second thoughts had her wondering if this was really going to work. Metal clunking inside the door told her it had and she crept inside.

  The bays were mostly empty tonight. Unfortunately, that left her with a lot of realty to cross without the benefit of cover. Dani crept silently along the wall in the direction of the garages, attempting to stay out of sight, but trying not to look like she was sneaking around. If her impromptu escape plan was successful, whoever was on security detail that night would be dead by morning. Everyone in that branch of Sigma knew about Madame G’s obsession with shifter babies and her maniacal drive to produce one for her own use. Dani suspected Madame G had practiced on herself many times over the years, using many different methods before searching for a suitable vessel to impregnate.

  Dani heard voices before she heard the click of the secure door to one of the training gyms unlock. Darting behind a stack of boxes on a pallet, she crouched low hoping to remain unseen. Only one of t
he gyms opened to the loading bay instead of locker rooms. Agents wanting to take a short cut to the lower levels sometimes filtered through the bays. Holding as still as possible, not even turning her head, Dani slowed her breathing, taking long, slow draws minimizing any sound or air movement as much as possible. There weren’t many vampire Agents; Dani didn’t care for any of them but knew their predatory senses were exemplary. She also knew vampires thought that anything not vampire, was prey. Their arrogance, combined with their distain of working with any creature below their perceived status, landed them on most other Agents’ “avoid” list.

  Would they head to the lower levels or to the garages? The night was still young in the blood eater’s world.

  “I smell T’s funk. Hope we don’t see him. I have a hard time not killing the bastard,” growled one.

  The other male snorted. “I wouldn’t even drain him, just take his head off.”

  “Truth. I drained one of the enhanced Agents once. Never again. I had the shits for a week.” Both males laughed as they walked out the door to the hallway, leaving Dani alone once again.

  She kept breathing at her slow, steady rate for several more seconds to make sure they didn’t come back to investigate. After a suitable amount of time, she straightened and headed straight to the garage entrance.

  Agent T’s finger worked once again to let her into the garages. She picked out Agent T’s ’Stang. He was obsessed with his precious car, trolled for women with it, and spent much of his time off duty buffing and polishing it. A character trait that used to annoy her to no end, she was now completely grateful for otherwise she’d never know what he drove or where it was parked.

  Trotting up to the car, anxious to get on the road, her nerves getting the best of her, she dug the keys out of her pocket. Climbing in and inserting the key, the sleek beauty fired up and settled down into a steady purr someone in some other situation would appreciate. But not her, she needed to get going. All the vehicles were parked so they were ready to drive out. And that’s just what she did, marginally avoiding squealing the tires.

  Hitting the controls to open the double-wide garage door, she steadily increased speed. The door was almost to the top when the security lights against the walls flashed, sirens filling the air. They found her! The door hesitated and began to lower. Dani punched the gas, the engine roared and the car shot forward. Narrowly missing the parked cars, she raced to beat the door. No matter what, she couldn’t stop now.

  The door kept lowering, sirens blared, red and blue lights lit up the walls as she flew closer to freedom. Sailing through the door, she ducked her head, as if that would help the car sneak under. Metal screeched, the Mustang jerked but pulled free.

  Dani maneuvered the sports car swiftly through the drive, heading to the road. A handful of men and women filtered out of the compound’s main entrance, weapons drawn, not knowing who or what their target was. At this point, they didn’t know Agent T wasn’t driving his car.

  Could this really work? Rising hopes were dashed as a rumble of thunder shook the ground. Madame G was into some freaky shit beyond the vampires and shifters that had become a normal part of her life in the last few years. Just what other paranormal hoodoo was out there Dani didn’t know. And she wasn’t hanging around to find out.

  Finally, on a straight stretch of road, Dani floored it. Lightning whipped around her. A crack of thunder rattled the windows, a streak of blinding light flashed across the hood, hitting a large tree next to the road just ahead of her. The tree trunk blew out, sending splinters raining down on the roof as she flew by. Another flash even farther ahead struck a tree at a narrower, weaker spot. Dani watched as if in slow motion the top two-thirds of the tree falling to block the road. Dani swerved as far she could, riding the ditch, almost losing control as large branches and leaves temporarily blocked her view. It sounded as if a thousand keys were scratching the paint, each in a different direction. If Agent T could indeed be brought back from the dead, this would do the trick. Triumphant, the Mustang cruised through the debris, missing the main part of the trunk.

  Dani let out a whoop and eased back onto the main part of the gravel road. She was smart enough to not go balls out, but pushed the speed as much as she could before she risked losing too much control on the loose surface. They would be following her, there was no doubt. Madame G, in her haste, created an obstacle with the tree that would only delay her pursuers.

  Dani screamed as a dark shadow landed on the hood. Fishtailing, she frantically tried to gain control. A sinister, pale face bared fangs through the windshield. The vampire pulled his arm back to smash the glass. His strength would be enough to shatter the glass and pull her through. If he got a hold of her, it was over.

  She slammed on the brakes, risking more fishtailing. Agent What’s-His-Letter flew off, stunned. As she slammed on the gas again, she punched the window control lowering the glass, and pulled her gun loose. Speeding forward, she aimed for the body that was righting itself in the middle of the road.

  Grateful for Agent X and Agent E and their thorough training with sidearms, she held the gun out the window with her left hand and fired off a shot. The male snarled at her, spun around and crouched, preparing to attack the car again. She hit him square on, his body flinging backward. The car shook and heaved when it ran over the rolling vampire in the middle of the road.

  Outrunning Madame G’s unnatural storm and the dark form in the middle of the road, Dani didn’t slow a bit. The vampire was only stunned and would continue his attack if she was close enough. They couldn’t fly like birds, but with their super speed, he could catch up and land on a moving target. She was almost to the paved main road and if she could make it there, not even vampire speed would be enough.

  Slowing only slightly, Dani turned onto the main road, almost losing control but recovered quickly. Glancing down the gravel road she had just turned off of, she could see headlights. They were after her. Sigma favored dark sedans and SUVs; sedans were inconspicuous and the bigger vehicles could get deep into the woods to dump bodies, and dark colors didn’t show bloodstains as badly. But they wouldn’t be as fast as her ride. Agent T and his sports car fetish were an asset to her freedom.

  Praying she would pass no cops tonight, Dani traversed the desolate back roads to Freemont. The headlights behind her stayed in the distance as she reached the outskirts of town. Slowing only to prevent an accident, Dani sped through the city heading south, aiming for the last bridge crossing the river that separated Freemont from West Creek. Pale Moonlight was on the outskirts of town and was the most likely place she’d find shifters. The most likely place she’d find Guardians. X was right, they would fiercely protect their young—if she could convince them she carried one. Madame G wasn’t omnipotent, but no one knew the bounds of her powers or the well she drew them from. Dani only knew the storm she had seen tonight, the one that attacked her, was a helluva feat and she could only guess what dark entity Madame G sold her soul to for those powers.

  No one had caught up to her as she crossed the river and maneuvered through West Creek. It wasn’t as large and sprawling as the city she’d just left, but Dani wasn’t as familiar with the layout. Her last three years were spent mostly on the road, returning to Sigma’s Freemont compound only to regroup and restock ammo before taking off again. That wasn’t the norm for most recruits. They were utilized in the field for the more foolhardy missions, but those showing potential were groomed and trained.

  Not Dani. Part of her deal when she signed on was hunting the males that destroyed her life. Killing her family in front of her eyes, laughing as they’d tried to run from the feral shifters. They’d gunned her dad down and were chasing Dani and her mother when distant sirens signaled help was on the way. Showing no mercy, intending to leave no witnesses, they decided to shoot the women and be gone before help arrived. During the shower of bullets, Dani’s mom had thrown herself over her daughter, saving her from the life-ending barrage.

  When the police a
rrived, they found Dani pinned under her mother’s limp body, bleeding from superficial wounds. Her mom had taken the bullets meant for both of them, saving her child like a mother was supposed to do. Like Dani was doing tonight. She felt the life inside of her and needed no pink line to tell her she was pregnant. Madame G made the mistake of thinking that a shifter’s young would gladly be turned over when the due date was up. This baby was all hers, regardless of paternity. And like the young’s grandmother, Dani was prepared to die protecting it. Refuge with the Guardians was the first step, then they would need to figure out what Madame G had invested in this child and if she had doctored the sperm sample before inseminating Dani.

  The club’s sign came into view. Dani needed to think about the rest of her plan. It had originally been to get to Pale Moonlight, find a shifter, and demand to see the Guardians. They had to be there. She heard stories of The Den. A hot streak of anger shot through her. What if she found the Guardians, her Guardian, and he was doing exactly what he’d done with Janice? Pounding began in her ears, the anger morphing to rage. What was this? She’d never even met the father of her baby—didn’t know what he looked like, but the thought of him touching another female incited her to homicidal levels. She was only weeks into her pregnancy, how was she going to last months?

  First, she had to survive tonight. The club was still going strong, the door opened and two forms wandered out, looking down the road in her direction. Damn. Of course they had spies on the shifters, and those spies were notified about the recruit in the red Mustang needing apprehending. She should’ve jacked another car in Freemont.

  Hitting the gas she flew past the club. The Guardian headquarters was supposed to be south of town. Maybe her mediocre lucky streak would continue and she would come across them while outrunning the men that had just jumped into a dark sedan and were in pursuit.