Cuts, bruises, and contusions covered his skin, and Carter winced at the depth of some of them. It would take a long time to heal from these wounds.
“Spencer,” he whispered.
He was surprised when Spencer’s chest rose and his eyes flickered open. They stared at each other for a few tense seconds before Spencer muttered, “Leave.”
Carter shook his head rapidly. “I can’t leave you here. What happened?”
“They found out I’m a traitor. They want to know who else is involved. You need to go,” Spencer mumbled, before a hacking cough forced to stop.
“I can’t leave you. I just can’t,” Carter said, shaking his head again.
“They can’t find you here. You need to save those people, those slaves.”
“And what about Romeo, your mate? Are you so ready and willing to leave him?”
“Leave,” Spencer slurred. His head dropped forward, his eyes closed, and Carter realized he was unconscious.
He stood and paced the room in front of Spencer’s prone body, his hands running through his hair and tugging at the strands. What could he do? He was all alone here, and he had no idea how to get him out. He could untie the knot that held Spencer in place, but he would struggle to carry him out whilst getting past the guards and the security systems they had in place. He really only had one option, and that was Hunter.
Hunter, I need your help.
Hunter, I need your help.
What’s wrong? Hunter straightened in his chair, drawing people’s attention towards him.
It’s Spencer. They found out what he’s been doing. I don’t know how to save him.
The words rushed through Hunter’s head, and he closed his eyes, trying to focus on the words that Carter said and not the emotions that poured from him. Hunter could feel that Carter was scared, terrified even, and he opened himself up to those emotions, sending his own soothing ones in return.
What’s wrong with Spencer? Why do you need to save him?
He’s in the basement. They’ve beaten him up and I don’t know if he’s going to live. I need to get him out of here now.
Is he conscious? As he asked the question, Hunter glanced over at Romeo, who was now stood, the color draining from his face. He mouthed ‘Spencer’ to Hunter and Hunter nodded.
He was for a few seconds, and he was able to talk to me, but he’s now passed out. He’s pale and clammy and it feels like his heart’s not beating right. I don’t know. He’s covered in bites, marks, as well as cuts and bruises. He can’t stay, Hunter. We need to get him away from here.
What about you? You can’t stay either. If you’re going to get him out, you need to come too.
Get him out, get my family free, and then I can upload the virus and leave. It’ll set them back weeks, if not months, when they have to reprogram everything I destroy. Spencer is a priority, Hunter. He’ll die if we don’t get him out.
Right, stay with him while I talk with the others. I’m just in a meeting with them now, looking at a way to get your parents out.
He’s going to need Romeo. He’ll need his blood once we get him out.
Romeo is here. I’ll talk to him now. I’ll get back to you when we have something in place but be careful. I love you.
I love you too, Hunter.
Hunter looked at Romeo and said, “They’ve got Spencer in the basement. They know what he’s been up to. Carter found him and he’s in a bad way. Carter’s not sure how much longer he’ll live for, so we need to go get him. They’ve worked him over pretty good by the sounds of it.”
“Where are they?” Chester asked.
“A place called Tatton Mansion.”
“Tatton Estate? The mansion in the surrounding grounds?” Silas asked.
“It was bought several years ago by some corporation.”
“A corporation owned by the vampires. The estate is completely walled in, so with some extra reinforcement, it would be a perfect place to stay,” Chester added.
“We need two teams then,” Ale said, staring at the laptop and pulling up blueprints for the mansion. “One to get Carter’s parents and the other for Spencer and Carter.”
“Carter’s staying,” Hunter muttered. “He wants to take down their security systems. He’ll leave after that.”
“I take it you will stay behind until it’s completed and then get him out?” Ale stated.
Hunter nodded. “If he releases the virus, and it does what he’s planned, it could have serious repercussions for them. It would certainly set them back considerably.”
“Romeo, you need to be in the group that goes after Spencer. You know he needs your blood.”
“And I should go along as well,” Jensen added. “Unless Niles could come?” He asked the question to Tank. “He’s a doctor, and I’m only a paramedic. He’d be much better than me.”
“His shift has just finished, and he’s on his way here now. He’ll make a stop by his house to collect everything he’ll need and then meet us here. I told him what Spencer is likely to have gone through.”
“Tell Carter to stay put and monitor Spencer’s condition. If it appears that he’s deteriorating, he needs to let us know immediately.” Ale looked to everyone gathered around the table. “We need to make our plans quickly. There can be no mistakes. We need to get Spencer and then Carter can do what he needs to do, and at the same time, we need to free Carter’s parents. We need to be fast, organized, and effective. We can do this, people. We trained for this when we were in the military.” When everyone nodded or voiced their agreements, Ale said, “Right. Let’s plan.”
Carter.
Hunter. What’s happening?
We will be hitting both locations at the same time, coming to get Spencer, as well as going after your parents. We’re just getting the teams set up now. Is there any chance you can get Spencer out of the basement and away from the mansion, or are we going to have to come in and help you get him out?
Carter stared at the limp body of Spencer. Could he carry him out? He bit his lip; he wasn’t a strong man, but he wasn’t weak either. But Spencer would be a dead weight and to get out of here, past security and out of the mansion... He shook his head.
I’m not sure, Hunter. He’s unconscious and I have to get past the security guards, plus get him outside of the mansion.
I might be able to meet you outside the mansion, but it can be tricky to get inside unnoticed.
It could be difficult too for you to get into the mansion without being seen. I know where all the cameras are. I can erase the videos after. Carter paced the room again, thinking hard. Okay, I can get him out of the basement and outside of the mansion. I’ll let you know where I am, and you can meet me. Once you have Spencer, I’ll head back inside and remove all traces of you being here. I’ll set the virus and then leave as well.
Right, I’ll get back to the others and let them know. If anything changes, contact me immediately.
Just hurry, Hunter. I’m not sure how long Spencer’s got. He doesn’t look good.
He felt Hunter’s presence leave him, and Carter squatted on the floor next to Spencer, feeling for his pulse again. It was still there, but it felt weaker than before. “Come on, Spencer, don’t leave me. Not long now and then you’ll be with Romeo. I know he’s waiting for you.”
There was no response from Spencer and Carter sagged, feeling the weight of the entire situation dragging him down. He had to be strong right now. Spencer and his own family needed him to be strong. He could do this. He had to do this because failure wasn’t an option.
Chapter Thirteen
Carter wasn’t sure how long he’d sat waiting for Hunter. There was no light in the room, but he knew it had been some time because legs had gone numb from where he was sat next to Spencer.
He jerked in surprise when he heard Hunter’s voice in his head. Carter, how is he?
He’s still out, but he is breathing. Other than that, I don’t really know, I’m not a doctor.
Okay, we�
��re ready to go here, everything is in place. Not long now and we’ll be outside the grounds and I’ll give you the heads up. Are you sure you can manage to get him outside of the building? The last thing we need is to put you both in further danger.
I’ll manage. Just be there to meet me.
I’ll be there for you, I promise. We’re leaving now, so about ninety minutes away. Can you hold on that long?
That will give me plenty of time to get outside. I won’t be able do it in one go, I can’t carry him that far. I’ve been planning how to do it, so I know exactly where I can stop at each point.
Good. Be careful, Carter. I don’t know what I’ll do if anything happens to you.
Be careful, promise. Now go. I need to get Spencer out of this room and up the stairs.
I love you, Carter.
Love you too, and soon I’ll be able to tell you to your face.
Carter stood, hissing at the pins and needles sensation in his lower limbs. He moved around to the back of the chair and worked on the knots of the ropes that held Spencer in place. At least it was a rope and not handcuffs because Carter had no idea how to get someone out of handcuffs. It took a good five minutes of prying and pulling and pushing to get the knots loosened enough so that he could pull them free, and as soon as they gave way, Spencer slumped forward and toppled out of the chair.
“Shit!” Carter hissed when he heard Spencer’s head hitting the floor.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it now and it was another injury to add to all the others he’d already suffered.
The blow must have done something to Spencer though because he moaned and his eye flickered open.
“Come on, Spencer. Time to get you out of here.” Squatting next to him, Carter tried to pull him up off the floor. “Spencer, I need you to help me. At least push yourself up off the floor.”
Spencer groaned, flailed around, but somehow, between the two of them, they managed to get him sat up. Both were panting heavily, and it looked to Carter that Spencer was about to pass out again.
“Just a little bit more. If we can get you stood up, I can put you over my shoulder and carry you out.”
“Go, leave,” Spencer slurred, struggling to get the words out.
“Only if you’re coming with me,” Carter told him, determination lacing every word.
Spencer grunted and somehow found the strength to haul himself up off the ground, and luckily Carter was ready for him, because the second he’d used all this strength, Spencer passed out again. Carter grabbed him as he fell and somehow managed to get him over a shoulder. He paused to catch his breath, the sudden weight dropping him onto his knees and he stayed like that for a few seconds, waiting until he felt certain he could stand and support himself and Spencer.
He stood slowly and stumbled under the weight, banging into the wall closest to him as he staggered to the side. He grunted with the impact and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, his body quivering under the strain. He didn’t know if he could manage, but he couldn’t fail. He couldn’t leave Spencer here with them, he wouldn’t survive.
Bracing himself against the wall, he pushed until he was stood up, and moving Spencer’s body over his shoulder to a slightly more comfortable position, he took several jerky steps towards the door. Once there, he braced himself against the wall again and opened the door before staggering through.
If he could just make it to the top of the stairs, then he could rest for a few seconds. Stairs were the main obstacle he needed to get past, otherwise they were both in deep shit.
Somehow, he managed to stagger along the corridor, using the wall for support, and by the time he stood at the bottom of the stairs he stared up at it, his heart sinking in his chest. He had to do this.
Grabbing the handrail, Carter started the slow ascent up the stairs, each step feeling like he’d ran ten miles. Spencer was unconscious, a dead weight on his shoulder that threatened to have his knees buckling, but Carter continued.
He battled on, each step like he was walking through mud and when he reached the top step, he slumped against the wall, sweat dripping down his body, his heart hammering in his chest, and his breathing rasping as he panted rapidly. His legs shook, the muscles burning from lactic acid build-up, but he knew that was the first step to getting Spencer to freedom. He would rest for a few minutes and then carry on. He had each stop planned out, each room he could hide in and rest.
Taking a final deep breath in, he opened the door and left the relative safety of the basement behind.
The van moved into position, hidden in the trees along the side of the wall that surrounded the mansion. Hunter checked all of his equipment, making sure his earpiece was in place, and then left the van.
The intel told them that the walls were monitored, and so Hunter had come up with a plan to get over the wall unobserved.
He turned when the van drove away and glanced at Chester who stood beside him. Both looked down at their watches, then at each other and waited. Jensen was going to arrange a distraction to give them a chance to get over the wall.
When the countdown on Hunter’s watch hit zero, Chester squatted and laced his fingers together, so Hunter could use them to push up off.
“Ready?”
Hunter nodded and put his hands on Chester’s shoulders, and his foot in his hands. “Three, two, one!”
Hunter pushed off as Chester threw him up and Hunter flew over the wall and landed in a crouch on the other side.
“I’m in,” he murmured, knowing Chester’s enhanced hearing would hear him.
He scanned the area, his enhanced vision picking up objects that humans wouldn’t have been able to see. He spotted the security guards making their rounds and waited until they passed the area he needed to run to. Once the area was clear, he made his move, covering the ground in seconds and slamming to a stop against the mansion wall.
He again scanned the area, holding his breath and listening to any sounds that appeared out of the ordinary. There were no approaching footsteps, and he reached for the side door that Carter had informed him about.
Fortunately, it was open, and he stepped inside and found the room to the right Carter had also mentioned. Inside the room, he stood and waited. It was up to Carter now.
As he was waiting, he heard Chester’s voice in his earpiece. “Carter’s family is out.”
Hunter quietly sighed, knowing how his mate would react to the news his family was safe.
Carter. In the building waiting. How far away are you?
He’s heavier than he looks. Be there in about five minutes. Had to stop and hide when Garrick came searching. They know he’s missing.
Shit, a complication we don’t need. On the bright side, your family are safe.
Thank fuck for that. Once we get Spencer out, I’ll head back to IT and fuck up their systems and then leave. You’ll still be waiting for me?
Not going anywhere without you.
The next five minutes were the longest in Hunter’s life. When he heard a scraping sound on the outside of the door, he moved behind it in case it wasn’t Carter coming through and he needed to attack.
It’s me.
He stepped forward and opened the door, pulling Carter and Spencer inside the room, and shut it quickly behind them. He helped get Spencer down off Carter’s shoulder, watching Carter drop to the floor, panting heavily.
“I’m all right, just tired. See to Spencer first.”
He glanced at Spencer’s naked body and assessed his injuries. He’d been tortured from the marks Hunter could see that littered his body. He was amazed Spencer was still alive.
He touched the earpiece and spoke to Chester. “I’ve got them. Spencer is going to need immediate medical attention.”
“Niles is here and ready, along with Romeo.”
“Out in five.”
To Carter, Hunter said, “Here, let’s get this blanket wrapped around him and then I’ll leave. How long do you need?”
“Fifteen m
inutes, twenty max. Need to make sure the virus is affecting the necessary systems and at an advanced stage that they can’t stop. This will destroy years of work and put them back by months. I need to do this, Hunter.”
“I know you do, and I’ll be waiting for you. As soon as you’re ready to go, I’ll be back for you.”
Hunter lifted Spencer and threw him over his shoulder, and then grabbed Carter, kissing him hard on the lips. “Go and keep safe. Contact me if anything happens.”
They both left the room, going in different directions, and with a final glance over his shoulder, Hunter stepped out of the mansion. He stopped against the wall and scanned the area, make sure the way was clear, and he ran as fast as he could back towards the outer wall. Even with the heavy load he carried, it only took him a minute to reach it, and Chester was stood waiting for him.
“Right, let’s get him over the wall. Niles, Romeo and Jensen are waiting on the other side for us.”
Hunter looked up and noticed Niles balanced on the wall. Niles grinned, saying, “The alarms are off here. Come on, pass him up so I can assess him and give him the treatment he needs.” Between them, they managed to get Spencer up and over the wall and soon all of them were in the van where Niles got to work. Hunter glanced at Romeo, seeing the shell-shocked expression on his face. He reached out and grabbed his shoulder, saying, “Looks worse than it is.”
“Don’t lie to me, Hunter. I’ve seen injuries like this before. I know how close to death he is.”
“Pass me that bag of blood I took from you earlier, Romeo, and I’ll start the transfusion now while I’m treating him,” Niles muttered, his focus entirely on his patient.
The rear doors to the van opened and Tank stepped in, the small place growing steadily crowded.
“What’s the assessment?”
“Spencer needs to go to hospital, but under the circumstances, hospital is the last place he can go. Romeo’s blood is being transfused now, but I need to get him back home and in the room, we have set up for emergencies.”
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