“Are you listening to me, Franklin?”
“Of course.” He lied glibly.
“Then what was I saying?”
“Um...”
She swatted him lightly. “I was talking about Netty’s arthritis and how much better it is lately. As a matter of fact, once we’ve rescued Miss Cassie, I’m considering moving back here.”
“Really?” Franklin folded his arms and considered the possibility. Maybe he and Meredith could start their own business... He chuckled at the frivolous thought. They’d be lucky if they survived their upcoming encounter with Aldrich. Time enough to think about the future once this mission was over.
*****
Air shimmered around her as Cassie began to teleport from the alley to the room she’d seen in the photograph of Kellen. She’d been picturing it in her head over and over again, nervous at the thought of travelling so far simply using the power of thought. While her head knew she’d be able to do it, a small bit of doubt had lingered, making her insides quiver and her palms sweat as she waited for the right moment to act. Sure, she’d put on a pretty good show for the others, but the truth was, inside she was a mess. What if there was someone in the room besides Kellen when she got there? Ryne said if that was the case, she was to leave immediately, but would she be able to teleport twice in such a short time? It was a physically and mentally draining process, though she hadn’t shared that fact with the others.
Thankfully, if the Alphas sensed her discomfort, they hadn’t said anything. She instinctively knew Bryan was aware of the state she was in; that strange connection that linked them together appeared to be working overtime lately. He was concerned for her, but at the same time confident that she could do the job. His kiss had provided further comfort, letting her know he cared about her.
The feel of his lips moving over hers, his tongue stroking hers, had filled her with warmth and desire. She loved the sensation of his hands on her, pressing their bodies closer together. To know that someone wanted her, all of her—including the wolf inside—was a heady thing given the fact that she’d envisioned a life alone. When she was with Bryan she felt secure and had a sense of belonging such as she’d never experienced before. It had been all she could do to let him go and not throw herself after him. Instead, she’d gathered some self-restraint and allowed him to leave while the wolf inside her had whined plaintively.
Knowing she had a job to do, she pushed the encounter aside—or at least to the back burner—and focussed on teleporting. Kane’s instructions from the previous day, while irritating when repeated ad nauseam, were helpful and she went through the steps he suggested until the energy inside her began to coalesce and shift, filling her with a strange vibrating sensation, as if every molecule of her body were alive. A buzzing sound filled her ears and then the alley seemed to disappear.
Now that she was actually doing it—teleporting across a distance—a certain thrill rushed over her followed by an enormous crashing sensation as she seemed to thump down onto the ground as if dropped from a height of a few feet or so.
The shock of the sudden stop and change of venue almost had her crumpling to the ground. Vaguely she was aware of the room around her, the fact that she was no longer outside in the cold, but mostly she was focussed on her rubbery knees and swimming head. Putting out her hand, she steadied herself against the wall while waiting for the room to right itself.
It was only a small moment of weakness, but Cassie cursed herself for it anyway. What if someone had been in the room? In the time she took to recuperate, they could have grabbed her! She tightened her jaw and resolved that, if she survived this escapade, she’d practise until teleporting came as naturally to her as walking.
Once she felt more stable, she started scanning her surroundings. Breathing a sigh of relief, she noted the room was indeed empty except for a figure slumped in a chair—Kellen! Pushing off from the wall, Cassie made her way over to him, prepared to tell him to be quiet, however it wasn’t necessary. His eyes were closed and his face was pale; he seemed to be unconscious.
She crouched beside him and covered his mouth with her hand just in case, then gave his shoulder a gentle shake. He mumbled, his lashes fluttered, but that was all the response she managed to induce.
Cassie bit her lip, her heart pounding, her stomach clenching. Something was wrong with him, but what? She scanned him visually then pulled his sleeves up. Needle marks were evident on his arm and a slight chemical smell permeated the room. Damn, he’d been drugged; there’d be no help from him if things took a turn for the worse.
His face looked slightly better than it had in the original picture she’d seen of him, but... Gently she ran her hands over his body then his skull, biting back a whimper of fear when she encountered a large damp lump on the side of his head. As she withdrew her hand from his hair, her fingers were red and sticky with blood.
Oh God. A long ago scene flashed before her eyes; her uncle lying on the ground with a trickle of blood easing across his forehead; Mr. Aldrich gasping for breath as blood gushed from his throat. Cassie shook her head and forced down the bile that rose in her throat. Kellen’s injury might not be that serious; head wounds were notorious for bleeding. The thought brought her little comfort when he was slumped and unresponsive beside her though. Frantically, she looked around the room, wishing she could just call for help, but knowing it wasn’t an option. There was no phone in the room of course and the only people in the penthouse were likely those responsible for the damage to begin with.
Taking a deep steadying breath, she wiped the blood from her hand on her pant leg, then cupped Kellen’s face in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. She whispered to him urgently.
“Hang on Kellen. I’ll get help for you as soon as I can. My pack...er...friends are waiting downstairs. As soon as they get here, I’ll call for help.”
She waited a moment, but Kellen made no response. Fighting off a feeling of despair, she straightened and headed for the door, opening it a crack and peering out. All was quiet. Mentally going over the map of the penthouse that Daniel had provided, she slipped out of the room, and began to move down the hallway.
This particular area of the penthouse seemed extremely cool and quiet, almost tomb-like, she thought, the thick carpeting muffling the sound of her footsteps. Pale off-white walls created an almost clinical atmosphere while a few modern paintings hung at evenly spaced intervals added jarring splashes of colour. Cassie was sure it was all very upscale but far from welcoming and she wondered how anyone could live in such a sterile atmosphere.
Three doors down, she was at what was supposed to be the main security room. She pressed herself against the wall, her heart pounding with the fear of being discovered, but at the same time filled with a strange sense of déjà-vu. This was so like what she’d done as a youngster, sneaking around her uncle’s house, spying on him and the servants. In a way it was thrilling to feel the adrenaline rush, the hint of danger. For so long her life had been dull and mundane that she’d forgotten what it was like to feel so alive.
Forcing herself to breath calmly, she slowed the thundering of her heart and tried to listen carefully, scenting the air as Bryan had done. The faintest of mechanical whirring met her ears and she identified it as probably a computer. The scents however... She frowned, trying to sort through them. A myriad of them drifted past; food, cleaning products, leather... Several humans were in the apartment and one werewolf too. That must be Marla, she thought to herself.
Unable to gather anymore information, she resorted to her tried and true human techniques, crouching down to press an eye to the slight gap between the door and the frame. What she could see of the room was filled with gadgets; banks of surveillance screens, buttons and switches. Definitely the main security room, just as Daniel’s plans had indicated. Unfortunately, there was a man inside the room, too. Damn! She’d have to get him out of the room or distract him somehow. Hmm... He seemed intent on studying the computer screen. Perhaps... Scannin
g the hallway, she noted a small nook just a few feet away. A large floor vase filled with decorative grasses was nestled in it. Well, it worked on Bryan.
Without a sound, she removed the vase’s contents and laid them on the ground. Then she picked the vase up and pushed the security room’s door open with the tip of her toe. It creaked lightly as it swung inward, the sound seeming as loud as a gunshot in the quiet hallway.
Her muscles tensed as she readied for whatever might happen. Seconds ticked by and she held her breath, ears straining to catch the sound of the man approaching the door to investigate what had caused it to move. Nerves made her palms wet with sweat and she held the vase even tighter, worried it might slip from her hands. More time passed and still nothing...
Exhaling slowly, she frowned in puzzlement, having expected the man to come bursting out of the room. Lowering her arms, she cautiously looked inside again. The man hadn’t moved. He was still intent on the computer screen! What held his attention so raptly? She squinted trying to get a closer look, then bit back a gasp... A porno flick?
Cassie rolled her eyes in disgust and shook her head. So much for the fear of being discovered! Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her grip on the vase and walked boldly into the room. Giving the man no time to react, or even turn around, she brought the vase down on his head. It made a satisfying crashing sound and the man slumped over in his chair with only the slightest cry.
Realizing the noise might have alerted someone, she pushed the man out of the way and went to work on the keyboard. Following the instructions given her, she turned off the security system and established a link with Daniel’s computer so he could purge Aldrich’s files of anything related to werewolves. In seconds an IM appeared on the screen. Daniel would call Ryne and inform him the security was deactivated, then start working his way through Aldrich’s computer system.
Feeling relieved that her part was done, Cassie turned and hurried back to the room where Kellen was. She’d agreed to wait there until the others had taken care of Marla and Aldrich. A smile spread across her face. It should be smooth sailing now.
*****
Bryan sat huddled beside a minivan, trying to relax his clenched muscles. He’d managed to make his way into the parking garage by sneaking in alongside a car. Then once inside, he’d located the surveillance cameras that were pointed at the entrance and put them out of commission. Finally, he’d jimmied open a side door to the parking garage, allowing Ryne and Kane inside. The entire time, he’d been expecting someone to notice the cameras at the entrance weren’t working, but as the minutes ticked by and no one arrived to investigate, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully, despite Aldrich’s purported vigilance, it seemed that not everyone was on the ball. Now hidden, the three of them awaited a call from Daniel telling them the security had been deactivated. Once that happened they’d use the elevator and invade the penthouse.
The waiting was killing him; knowing Cassie was upstairs by herself. What if she encountered Aldrich or Marla? She’d have no defences against either of them. He paused, frowning, then changed his line of thought. Actually, when he’d been grappling with her in his motel room in Vegas, she’d done pretty well for a supposed ‘poor, little rich girl.’ If he wasn’t a werewolf, he’d still have a lump on his head and tender muscles from where she’d kicked him. So perhaps she wasn’t completely defenceless, but he’d still feel better once he was in the penthouse watching over her.
A faint buzzing interrupted his musings. Ryne flipped open his cell phone, murmured a greeting, grunted in approval, and then quickly hung up.
“She’s done it.” Ryne’s crooked grin conveyed his approval of Cassie and Bryan felt a flash of pride that she’d not only completed her part of the job, but managed to impress his Alpha as well.
Kane slowly raised himself up and peered around the garage. “No one’s about. Let’s head to the elevator.”
Silently, keeping low and darting from car to car, they made their way to the private elevator that serviced the penthouse. A faint noise was coming from that direction and Kane put out his hand, gesturing for them to stay back. A quick peek revealed the cover was off the control panel and someone was working on it.
The three men shot each other looks of dismay and frustration.
“What the hell’s going on?” Ryne hissed the question as he hunkered down behind a limo.
“I don’t know, but I’ll take care of it.” Kane moved to leave, but Ryne stayed him with a hand on his arm.
“Better let me. You haven’t done this type of thing in a while.” Ryne started to stand, but Kane glared at him.”
“No. I said I’d take care of it.”
Bryan rolled his eyes.. “I don’t care who takes care of that joker. Let’s just get it over and done with.” He stood up. “I’ll distract the guy while one of you—and I don’t care who—sneaks around behind him.” Without waiting, Bryan strolled out of their hiding spot. There was a brief pause behind him, then the sound of movement. He gave a nod, thankful personalities hadn’t got in the way, and then moved ahead.
“Excuse me.” Bryan stepped up to the man working on the elevator, using a faintly accusatory tone of voice. Always act like you belong, even if you don’t; he repeated the rule to himself and raised his chin, ensuring his stance was wide and authoritative. “What’s going on here?”
The man jerked back, banged his head on the panel door, swore, and dropped the tool he’d been using on the ground. A metallic ring echoed through the parking garage. Turning around, he looked at Bryan, the scent of nervousness wafting out of him. “Um... I was just trying to fix the elevator. I had a report that it was malfunctioning.”
“Let me see your work order.” Bryan held out his hand and raised an eyebrow, his look demanding compliance. The guy was definitely feeling guilty about something and Bryan planned to use the fact to his advantage.
“Work order? Well, I...” The man stammered and shifted uneasily, darting his eyes around as if searching for an answer. “Ah... You see... I was just doing this as a favour for the guy who owns the penthouse.”
“A favour? Do you realize the servicing of an elevator can only be done by a qualified repairman? You shouldn’t even be opening the panel. What’s your name?” Bryan pulled out his cell phone as if he was going to call in a report.
“It’s Jeffries, but...?” The fellow huffed and threw his hands out to his side. “Listen, I don’t want any trouble—”
“Too bad, because trouble just found you.” Bryan looked pointedly over Jeffries’ shoulder. Jeffries turned...and met Kane’s fist. The man slid to the ground in an unconscious heap.
Shaking his hand as if trying to remove the sting, Kane grinned. “Damn, but that felt good. It’s been ages since I’ve had a chance to hit someone.”
A chuckle came from the side and they both turned to see Ryne lounging against the wall, one ankle crossed over the other, his thumbs hooked in his belt loops. “Nice to see that parenthood hasn’t turned you into a complete wuss.” He smirked before pushing off from the wall and wandering over.
Kane growled. “Just wait until you’re faced with your first dirty diaper, bro. I want to be there to see that.”
Bryan interrupted before they could start with the barbed comments again. “I’ll drag this guy into that little room over there and take his wallet. It’ll look like a mugging. You two take care of the elevator.”
Ryne raised his eyebrow and Bryan realized he was stepping out of line, ordering two Alphas around. His concern for Cassie was making him forget protocol.
“If you wouldn’t mind, that is.” He added a qualifier to his earlier demand and Ryne nodded in acknowledgement of his implicit apology.
Rubbing his chin, Ryne studied the control panel. “I don’t know, Bryan. I work on cars, not elevators....”
“What’s the matter, Ryne?” Kane asked with mock innocence. “Been stuck in Stump River so long that you can’t handle a machine fancier than an old
farm pickup?”
“Me? This thing is full of electronics. Aren’t you the one that studied that?” Ryne glared at his brother.
Bryan sighed, in no mood for sibling rivalry. “Please, just see what you can do...” He hefted the man over his shoulder, leaving the two Alphas to stare at the elevator and the open control panel.
*****
Cassie had managed to free Kellen and ease him to the ground. She’d have liked to have placed him somewhere more comfortable, but the room was devoid of other furniture. At least he looked bit more comfortable than he had with his arms bound behind him.
Sighing, she brushed his hair from his forehead and stared at his face. Her exact feelings for him were mixed. He’d been a good friend to her at a time when she’d had no one and for that reason, she hoped he’d be okay. But the stunt he’d pulled—planning to hand her over in exchange for money, even if he hadn’t really meant to carry it through—had damaged her faith in him. While she still cared for him, it was with a certain wariness now. Kellen might not be able to control his addiction to gambling and she felt sorry for him, but he was accountable for his actions. If they were ever lucky enough to get out of this, she was giving him an ultimatum. What he chose to do with it... Well, that would tell the story, wouldn’t it?
Glancing up, she checked the door again. She’d jammed the chair under the handle, not thinking it would stop anyone who was really determined to get in, but it might slow them down. Exactly what the benefit of that was, she didn’t know. It wasn’t as if she had a means of escape. Well, she could teleport out, but that would mean leaving Kellen behind which sort of defeated the whole purpose of the plan in the first place.
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