Fated To The Soldier Fox (Special Ops Shifters: Dallas Force Book 3)

by Meg Ripley

  Jack tipped back in his chair and folded his fingers together in front of his stomach. “No offense, but this doesn’t really look like anything the DHS would poke their nose into any further.”

  Winston spoke up now, far more serious than he’d been back at that dive bar. “I’ve been at the dealership several times, as a few different people, of course. I’ve inquired about several vehicles and asked him questions about things like financing, where he gets the cars, his family. He comes across incredibly confident and pleasant. He never offers anything unusual when it comes to money, and he hasn’t exactly invited me back to his compound to discuss the matter further. He acts like a regular guy, but we know from our satellite imagery that there’s more to it than that.”

  “There’s also the fact that the people who do seem to be living in this little village don’t leave very often,” Erica added. Her voice was smooth, like she was speaking to a wild animal she was trying to tame.

  Jack liked it, and once again, he found his fox reacting to her. He blinked and clenched his teeth, forcing himself to focus on her words.

  “We’ve set up some discreet cameras on the nearby roads so that we could more accurately monitor who’s going in and out,” Erica continued. “Ben leaves every morning, goes to work, and then goes back. That’s not unusual, but we’ve recorded at least fifty people going in and only a select few that actually come back out for supplies or to run errands. It’s always the same ones, which means the rest are either forced to stay behind or are brainwashed against leaving.”

  “Is it possible they’re being killed?” Jack asked. It was a terrible notion, since impromptu settlements like this often consisted of families in his experience.

  “We don’t believe so,” Roger said. “They’ve planted quite a large garden, something much bigger than only a handful of people could possibly need, and someone is taking care of the livestock, too.”

  Jack rubbed his jaw. Winston had mentioned shifters, and Jack very much wanted to know exactly what evidence had pointed him in that direction, but that would be a conversation for another time. “No offense, Mr. Worth, but all I see here is that we’re concerned about someone who’s bought a bunch of land and brought in people so they can help him run the farm.”

  “That’s exactly the problem.” Erica addressed him instead of Roger, and those viridescent eyes burned straight into him. “We know there’s something strange going on, but we don’t have any definitive evidence. The Department can’t just go charging in without the risk of facing some serious backlash. We have to go in and get that evidence, and once we do, we can dismantle this issue before it becomes a true threat.”

  Jack’s eyebrows drew together. “But how do you know?” he challenged.

  The steadiness in her eyes wavered for only a moment before she tipped her chin up slightly. “With all due respect, Mr. Denton, I’ve been working in this field for a long time. I understand you’ve performed plenty of extraction missions, and you’ve done your share for this country with your own counterterrorism efforts. An intelligence officer goes through extensive training, but it’s the experience of actually doing the work that gives one a sense of people. I don’t have concrete proof. That’s what we need from you. For right now, I just know.”

  Roger gave a bit of a chuckle. “It might sound odd, Jack. I know your service with the military meant most things were fairly straightforward. It’s not always like that with us, and Ms. Brewer has one hell of a reputation for sniffing out the bad guys. Just trust her. I do.”

  If the man heading up the Counterterrorism Mission Center could accept her feelings about this, then so could Jack. “Okay. So, what’s the next step?”

  “Direct infiltration,” Winston announced. “Spying on them from afar isn’t getting us the results we’re looking for, so we need someone to get on the inside. We want someone to become part of Ben’s little cult or whatever it is and discover what’s actually happening.”

  Jack raised an eyebrow. “Then why would you need me? I thought that was your specialty.”

  His old comrade gave a half-smile. “Yes, but I’ve already wasted it on all the times that I’ve been to the dealership. You know I do a killer job with my disguises, but our exposure rules limit me from diving any further into this personally.”

  “We don’t know what kind of security they may have at the compound, beyond a few watchmen here and there,” Mr. Worth added. “To keep things as safe as possible, we’d like to send two agents in. We’ve decided that’ll be you and Erica.”

  Jack tried not to jump up out of his chair and protest. He’d worked with all sorts of people before, and he’d never been one to think a woman wasn’t perfectly capable of this job. In fact, some of the women he’d encountered overseas had been the most critical in helping him. But Jack could practically feel the energy between himself and Erica crackling in the air. It was a recipe for disaster, and yet once again, he had no choice but to comply. “When do we leave?” he asked gruffly.

  “In two days,” Roger replied promptly. “We can spend tomorrow discussing the mission in further detail and packing you up for the trip. In the meantime, we have all the cabins here rented out just for ourselves, so you’ll have a place to stay.” He picked up a key on the table near the computer and handed it to Jack. “There’s a path out the back door. Stick to it, because the land is pretty swampy here and you can ruin a boot without any effort at all. Take a right at the fork and you’ll find your place.”

  “I’ll walk with you.” Winston was on his feet, and the two men were out the door.

  When they were out of earshot of the main cabin, Jack glanced around him. “Do people actually rent this place out? It’s pretty primitive.”

  “Hey, it’s got Wi-Fi and cable. What more could you ask for?”

  “Maybe some idea of why you think shifters are involved with this Ben guy?” It was frustrating to know that even with the security clearances both he and Winston had, there were still some things they couldn’t discuss in front of Mr. Worth. That only made the job more difficult, and it meant Jack had to watch his back even more than he did when working with the SOS Force.

  Winston let out a long sigh. “You know, I’m surprised how you reacted to Erica back there.”

  Jack paused. Had Winston felt that tension between the two of them as well? “What do you mean?” he asked innocently.

  He lifted a shoulder. “She told you she just knew there was something suspicious about this Ben guy, and you didn’t seem very accepting of that. But it’s really no different than what we experience, Jack. I know you’re a shifter. I knew it from the moment I met you, just as you must have known about me. Sure, occasionally, we can’t quite tell, but you know how it is. I don’t think Erica’s intuition should be dismissed any more than our own.”

  Jack nodded. “I see. So you’re saying you sensed something about the man?” He was glad to guide the conversation back to the mission instead of focusing on Erica.

  “Like I said, I’ve been there several times. He keeps his animal quiet, though. I can’t tell what he is; I just know it’s there. And when I’ve studied the satellite imagery that the DHS has so carefully collected, I’m noticing more than just livestock. No one else pays attention because they’re only looking for humans.” Winston ducked under a branch that had grown out over the trail. “You’re really going to have to watch your back, Jack. I’d much rather go in myself than send someone else to do a job I’m perfectly capable of, but like I said in there, I’ve already been on the scene too much. You’re the only other one I trust with this.”

  They walked on in silence for a moment while Jack debated saying anything more. Winston was, however, one of the few people he knew he could trust with his life. “What about Erica?”

  “What about her?”

  He ran his fingers over his lips, concentrating. “She’s not a shifter.”

  “No.”

  “Doesn’t that go against your plans of keeping shifters
on shifter business?”

  Winston glared at him, the dim light of the darkening woods casting shadows on his face. “There’s only so much I can do. She might not be one of us, but I do trust her. She’s earned herself quite a reputation, just as you have, and the small amount of time I’ve spent with her since we arrived has shown me that she’s competent and level-headed. I don’t think you have a better option.”

  They arrived at Jack’s cabin, and he used his key to unlock the door. The space was much smaller than the one in the main building, but at least the rustic appeal hadn’t been tarnished by the presence of computers, desks, paperwork, and government employees. A small kitchenette sat in the far right corner, the queen bed only a few feet from it. Directly in front of the door was a small seating area. The place might’ve felt claustrophobic if it hadn’t been for the vaulted ceiling and the French doors at the back.

  “Think it’ll do?” Winston asked, one eyebrow raised.

  Jack nodded as he dropped his pack on the floor. “I’ve certainly experienced worse.”

  His old friend clapped him on the shoulder. “My cabin is just a little further down the way if you decide you want a drink later.”

  “Thanks. And Winston?”

  “Yeah?” The older man turned in the doorway, expectant.

  “I appreciate you thinking of me for this mission. I won’t thank you for getting me involved, not until we see how it goes, but it’s nice to know my work hasn’t been completely forgotten.” Jack really meant that last part. He’d lived in a world entirely different from most Americans, one they didn’t even know about. He’d done things and he’d seen things, and even though he might be hailed as a national hero for his actions, no one would ever know about most of them.

  “I wouldn’t think of putting any bastard’s life on the line but yours,” Winston said with a grin. “Get some sleep, Jack. It’ll be a long, boring day tomorrow while Roger goes over all the tiniest details you could possibly imagine.”

  “I will.”

  But he couldn’t. Jack didn’t mind sleeping in a strange place. The bed was even pretty comfortable compared to what he’d slept in out in the field. The little cabin was cozy, and he could see it being the perfect place for a young couple looking to escape the rigors of daily life.

  For Jack, though, it only left him with his thoughts. He took a quick shower in the small bathroom and tried to sleep. Despite the comfort of the mattress, he tossed and turned. His body and his brain were far too awake. Getting up, he attempted to watch television, but there was nothing on. He felt restless, filled with the need to do something productive. Really, though, he knew there was only one fix.

  Jack opened the door at the back of the cabin and stepped out onto a small porch. The deck boards were splintery under his bare feet, and the humid air threatened to suffocate him. Jack tipped his face back to the moon, a waxing gibbous with thick clouds slowly streaming past it. The cicadas sang loudly, filling any parts of the air that weren’t already choking with water vapor, and a mosquito squealed in his ear. It was a miserable time to be human.

  But not a fox. Jack didn’t bother taking any precautions before he let go of his human shell. The others were likely locked away in their cabins this time of night, and if they didn’t think they could trust him, they wouldn’t have brought him in. His spine rippled as his bones shifted position, his skin tingling as thick red hairs shot out of it in every direction. A thick, luxurious tail extended behind him as his hands and feet curled inward and morphed into black paws. Jack rolled his head to the side as his face extended into a snout, and the sound of the night around him instantly changed as his ears moved up the side of his skull.

  God, it felt good to be himself again. Jack enjoyed quite a bit about human life, but there was no greater feeling than the freedom of being a fox. He padded softly off the deck and down onto the swampy ground. His weight was delicately balanced between his paws, meaning he didn’t have to worry about sinking in like he did in his other form. His tail provided balance as he moved among the trees, wandering away from the direction Winston had indicated his own cabin lay.

  A small noise, so tiny he never would’ve heard it if his vulpine ears hadn’t picked up on it, caught his attention near the root of a tree. Jack paused, listening, watching, waiting. Soon enough, a tiny face poked out of a hole and looked around. It didn’t see Jack, still as he was, and it darted out onto the ground. Jack’s entire body came to life in the spirit of the hunt as he went after the mouse. His muscles moved without any conscious thought, keeping him light and silent along the forest floor.

  The mouse realized it was being pursued and scurried along faster, but Jack already had the advantage. He pounced, his teeth swiping up the tiny body and tossing it down his throat. A fox didn’t exactly smile, not the way humans did, but he certainly felt the corners of his mouth pull back as he moved on. This was exactly what he needed. Jack liked people. He liked the feeling of brotherhood that came from working alongside those he trusted most, and he pulled in a certain amount of energy from knowing that the others on the Force always had his back.

  There was something incredibly soothing, though, about having time alone. He wasn’t the only creature in these swampy woods, not by a long shot, but none of them were like him. Jack moved silently, knowing he could remain completely hidden from the world for a long time if he chose to. This was a therapy he’d employed all during his life, including his time in the Army. It hadn’t mattered if he was in basic training or on a top-secret mission overseas, Jack took any opportunity he could to let the other side of himself free. He needed that feeling of wild abandon, of letting himself simply be an animal. There were so many expectations that came along with being a human, and he could only handle them for so long. No one had ever spotted the agile fox darting around the edge of camp here or skirting around an Army base there. There would be only so much time that he could pretend to be a feral creature, though, because civilization needed him.

  Stepping out into a clearing, Jack paused as the clouds parted and let the moonlight filter down onto the wet grass and illuminate his fur. He backed up as he realized he’d been so involved in his own pursuit that he’d hardly even realized he was no longer alone. The clearing he currently stood in served as a back yard of sorts for one of the cabins. A lone figure stood on the back porch, her hair lifting in the slight breeze.

  Jack studied her, realizing after a moment that it was Erica. She looked completely different from this angle, her arms spread and her hands braced on the railing as she tipped her face toward the moon. Her eyes were closed, her chest rising and falling in long, meditative breaths. Maybe it was just the celestial glow on her face, but she had the beauty of a goddess.

  He shifted his paws as she slunk further into the shadows. Even in his animal form and from a distance, Erica did things to him. Saliva dripped from his pointed teeth and his heartbeat quickened. Despite his normal instincts to remain hidden from any potential enemy—and humans were always potential enemies in this form—he found himself fighting the urge to lunge forward, dart across the field onto the porch, and curl up around her feet. It was the most ridiculous notion he’d ever had, whether as a fox or a human, and he mentally chastised himself for it.

  Jack was already putting himself in a precarious position by going on this mission. He didn’t need the DHS digging into his current job with the SOS Force, because that could potentially lead to his biggest secret being brought out into the open. Even heading into this terrorist’s compound meant putting himself and others like him at risk, since it was likely they were dealing with other shifters. How could he possibly explain himself to Erica if the truth came out?

  His mind flicked through all the possibilities. He envisioned Erica realizing that Ben Jones or one of his recruits was something other than human. The horror and shock on her face were clear in his mind’s eye, and he was already rehearsing how he would de-escalate the situation. Even worse, the next image was Erica catchi
ng him mid-shift and understanding that he, too, was one of them. Encounters he would never have coursed through his brain, preparing him for any situation. It was an exhausting state of mind sometimes, but it was one that came naturally for him. Jack told himself that this was exactly why he was so good at his job. He couldn’t see the future, but he was constantly preparing for it.

  Suddenly, Erica’s head tipped forward. She straightened, no longer leaning on the rail as she looked around the clearing. Her green eyes had turned teal in the moonlight as they darted from side to side. “Who’s there?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Jack heard it loud and clear.

  He turned and raced back through the trees toward his cabin. She couldn’t possibly have seen him. Even when he’d stepped fully into the clearing, Erica’s eyes had been closed. He felt his mind trying to run through scenarios again, visualizing Erica telling him about her odd encounter behind her cabin the night before and how she had the distinct feeling she wasn’t alone.

  No, he told himself as he paused just before reaching his cabin and shifted back to his human form, just in case anyone had been watching. Erica didn’t know him, and from the way she’d spoken to him at their meeting, she didn’t really care for him, either. Unless she thought there was a very good reason—like public safety—she wasn’t likely to come running to him with her fears.

  Jack slipped back into his cabin and locked the door behind him. He took a brief tour of the small building, just to make sure no one had crept inside while he’d been gone. All was secure, and he flung back the sheets before crawling between them.

  Though his body felt better from the swift run through the wilderness, he struggled to fall asleep, his thoughts consumed by Erica.