“How long before they come looking for
him?”
“I don’t know. He’s been out for a while. Keep
your eyes on those security cameras, they may try to override them
again like they did before.”
“Yes, Sir,” one of the three men
said.
Tyrese jerked and then vomited as Silas pushed
the poison out of his system.
“What the hell? I told you it was too much
right after the gas.” One of the men said stepping to the side,
loosening his hold on Tyrese’s arm. “You, get a mop and clean this
shit up.”
“Yes, Mr. Brown.”
They dragged Tyrese further into the area. His
head reeled from the toxic mixtures colliding in his
system.
“Just a few more minutes and I’ll have most
of this out
,” Silas said.
“Hang in there, Rese
,” Tyrone said
giving him an energy boost that helped him stabilize. “
Make sure
they pay for what they’ve done.”
“Will do,
” Tyrese said as he was pushed
onto a long metal table. “
They are strapping me in, what do you
want me to do?”
he asked Silas.
“Wait. I still don’t understand who
they are and what their end game is. Are they new threats? Or the
arms and legs for the Liege? Maybe they knew Hickle was a weak link
and fed him bullshit which he passed on.”
“They are expecting someone to come
rescue me.”
“Who? Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Brown and Crawford strapped Tyrese to the table
with metal cuffs and walked off.
“This isn’t the right one, what happened?”
Brown asked the other man.
“I don’t know. Maybe one of them will be on the
rescue team. If that’s the case, we need to repair that room and
get ready. It took him a while to pass out. If they send more than
one person to rescue him, we’ll need more.”
“That’s what makes their blood so valuable.
Just think of how potent the drug will be, we won’t need to use as
much and can double or triple our production. Already got buyers
lined up,” Crawford said.
Tyrese’s stomach clenched. He told Silas what
he heard.
“Blood? I thought we were finished
with that crazy bullshit when the fool died in the hospital. Don’t
allow them to take your blood; Angus was weak for days.”
“Yeah, I won’t.”
“Who are they expecting?”
Silas asked
the question Tyrese had given a lot of thought.
“I still don’t know. Could be
anyone.”
“I wonder if the Liege is involved,
Lancaster specifically. It’s hard to believe he wants them to make
drugs. He’s never done that before, plus he knows better than
anyone what the results would be
,” Silas said.
“Is Lancaster here
?
They didn’t
mention him.”
“We have not identified the third person in
the room upstairs, he hasn’t moved. Listen and remain alert, I want
to know more
,” Silas said.
Tyrese moved his right foot, testing the metal.
It held tight. “
Yes, Sir.”
“I’m sending Asia.”
Tyrese didn’t think that was the best idea but
he remained silent.
“Hawke is working on correcting the poison
here at the compound. Tyrone and Davian are with Rose and my pups.
Leon and Brix are on the coast. Angus… he’s not here. I’m running
out of people I trust to help you shut down whatever is going on
there. So, I’m sending Asia
.”
“Yes, Sir. How do we handle
things?”
“After she arrives, terminate Brown
and Crawford, as well as the three others. I want both of you to go
through everything in that area, bag and tag for transport here.
I’m sending her and a complete forensics team. They’ll drop her off
and then go to the underground parking area Hank found. You’ll need
to open the gate for them.”
“They have a large operation here. I wonder
how many pack members they’ve drained
.” It sickened him to
think of anyone falling victim to the greed of these
men.
“Whatever they’ve been doing stops
now. If they have an organization taking blood from full-bloods, I
want names and addresses to pay them a visit. This shit will be
addressed.”
Tyrese felt the heat of Silas’ anger through
their link. “
We’ll find it
.”
“If Lancaster’s nearby, Asia’s
father wants to settle a few things with him. If there is anything
left of the man when Asia and Hawke finish, I’ll send him to Lord
Barticus to remain in the dungeon with the rest of the
Liege.”
“Have you heard from Hickle? He claimed to have
some information on Knight and someone else,” Crawford
said.
“No. Not that I’m surprised. He’s always been
unstable,” Brown said
“But he sent this one to us as
planned.”
“Only because we never told him much of
anything. Chances are they know he stole the poison and he won’t
ever see the light of day again,” Brown said. “If they don’t come,
are you prepared to deal with Knight over his son?”
“Son? Is that who he sent?” Crawford
asked.
“Yes. Don’t you recognize him? It’s one of the
twins who works on Knight’s security team,” Brown said moving
closer to Tyrese.
“I didn’t at first but you’re right. Which
means he will definitely send someone to rescue him. We need to be
prepared,” Crawford said.
“We don’t drain this one,” Brown said in a hard
tone.
“Why not? The blood of La Patron is strong,”
Crawford asked.
“Family, the retaliation will be harder when
you mess with a man’s family. Which means Knight will not rest
until he feels an appropriate price has been paid for violating
this man. The others, yes. This one, no. I have kin I don’t want
harmed behind this,” Brown said.
“Okay, okay, don’t get riled. You know more
about that than I do,” Crawford said.
“Yes, I do.”
The footsteps walked away and Tyrese peeked
beneath lowered lids. Brown and Crawford spoke to the few men,
sending them scurrying out the room.
“Asia is over the fence
,” Silas
said.
“Has there been any movement
upstairs?”
“Not yet, she’s waiting for my
signal to proceed to the lab.”
Tyrese noticed Brown and Crawford staring at a
small bank of monitors.
“I’ll be damned, she’s tall but a small thing,”
Brown said. “Pretty and not what I expected to show up.”
“That’s her from the picture. The old man was
right, he does understand Knight,” Crawford said.
“There’s movement on the first floor.
Whoever was in that room is on the move,
” Silas
said.
“Three lab rats left here a few minutes ago,
can you see them
?” Tyrese asked.
“We have them in our sight and gave Asia,
their location
.” Silas paused. “
You can shut down the lab
now and then help her exterminate the rats.”
Tyrese morphed to his hybrid size. The metal
around his arms and legs, twisted and popped. He jumped off the
table and ran toward Brown and Crawford. Brown saw him first and
ran. Crawford’s mouth dropped open as Tyrese barreled toward him.
Grabbing the man by the top of his head, Tyrese twisted until it
broke from the spinal cord and then dropped him. Inhaling, he
sought out Brown’s scent and headed after him.
When he turned the corner, Brown threw down a
syringe and shook his head. The stench of a chemical solution stung
Tyrese’s nose. He reached for Brown. The man raced pass him, jumped
on his back and wrapped his arm around Tyrese’s neck. It happened
so fast, Tyrese stumbled back a bit.
“Bastards think you run the world,” Brown
gritted, tightening his hold.
“What?” Tyrese asked trying to make sense of
Brown’s enhanced abilities. The man shouldn’t have moved that fast
or been able to wrap his arms around Tyrese’s thick neck,
especially with such a tight grip.
Tyrese bulked to his largest hybrid.
“Hey!” Brown yelled as he slid down Tyrese’s
back.
Tyrese caught him in one palm and stared at the
red-faced man struggling to break free.
“Son of a bitch, I swear I’ll kick your ass for
this,” Brown growled, throwing ineffective punches.
“He took something and it changed him. Could
be the same thing the men at the Federal building took
,” Tyrese
said to Silas.
“Changed him how
?” Silas
asked.
Tyrese explained what happened in the past few
minutes. “
Should I kill him now?”
“Yes. I have forensics returning to the
property now. Hank is bringing them in through a garage that should
lead to the lab. After you finish with Brown, open all the doors
and then remove the three men on the first floor.
”
Tyrese morphed to his human form dropping Brown
in the process. The man jumped up and charged. Tyrese stepped aside
at the last moment and punched Brown beneath his chin hard enough
to send him flying backward into the wall.
Bleeding from his nose, Brown stepped away from
the wall, fists in front of him as he moved closer to Tyrese. When
he was an arms-length, Brown threw a punch and bobbed to the side.
Tyrese leaned back, watching the man responsible for the deaths of
his pack-mates.
Brown did some fancy footwork dancing side to
side in front of Tyrese and threw another punch. Tyrese caught his
fist and twisted his arm until it cracked.
Brown’s face whitened as he cried out in pain.
Tyrese released his arm and then powered down with his elbow into
Brown’s back, snapping his spine. Brown dropped to the ground,
gasping. Tyrese grabbed him by the hair and looked into his face.
“You don’t fuck with pack, not ever.” He broke his neck and tossed
him aside.
Next he moved to the security monitors. Asia
had moved in the direction of the house. He searched for the
controls and unlocked doors and turned off the security
system.
“The gate to the garage is open, drive
through and come in through that metal door on the left, follow the
corridor and it should bring you into the lab
.” He watched as
the van pulled into the garage.
On another monitor Asia walked in the shadows
toward the house. Tyrese searched for the three men on the
monitors. “
Hank, where are the three stooges
?” he asked
leaving the lab to find them.
“I don’t see them. They were on the
first floor but now they’re gone. Can Asia see them?”
“How would I know, I can’t ask or warn her
that they may be outside. Damn
,” he yelled, running down the
corridor toward the garage to get outside.
“They shot her. Get those bastards
!”
Silas yelled.
Chapter 22
Asia’s heart raced with excitement. La Patron
found the men who poisoned the pack. The fools had done it for
money and didn’t care about the lives lost or those fighting for
their lives in the compound. For that, they were judged and
sentenced. Thinking of the pups locked in the bomb shelter because
of these men, she had no qualms administering hard justice. Her
sword rested against her side and her beast yearned to
hunt.
“Your eagerness to terminate prey is
disturbing on a few levels
,” Hawke said breaking into her
thoughts.
Asia chuckled. “
I smell your jealousy
through our link. Admit it, you wish to change places with
me.”
“Ah, I do miss the thrill of the
hunt but I am close to finding a solution for the poison which will
bring my little one back into my den, so I will live through your
adventures.”
She smiled as the van stopped and she stepped
into the dark shadows. “
Thank you, I will attempt to entertain
you
.” The vehicle pulled off, she’d return to the compound with
Tyrese.
“You’re cleared to go inside the fence
,”
Hawke said.
Asia took off running and jumped over the high
enclosure. When she landed, she ran to the flower bed. Crouched low
she waited for the all-clear to proceed.
“There is a chance Lancaster is behind
this
,” Hawke said.
“I heard.”
“If you see him, remember I would like a few
moments alone with him, preferably alive,”
Hawke said. A flash
of anger mixed with determination ran through their
link.
“If I see him, I’ll be sure to tell
him that.”
“Don’t let them take your blood,
” he
said.
Mentally she rolled her eyes at the
ridiculousness of his comment. “
That’s not on my to-do
list.”
“Somehow they’ve developed some
type of drug that enhances human abilities, affecting them in a
similar manner as the collars the Liege created.”
“Hank told me.”
She looked through the
darkness and scanned the house. There was one heartbeat. Had Tyrese
already terminated Brown and Crawford? Not being able to link
directly to anyone other than her mate or mistress annoyed her more
at times like these.