by Sydney Addae
Pietro paled as he babbled the answer. The clerk who greeted Thomas ran to the counter. “Sir. What is the problem?” she said in broken English.
Thomas tossed Pietro against the wall. Walked around the counter, picked up the paper from the floor and gave it to her. “He copied my information.”
Frowning, she looked at the paper, then at Pietro who stood slowly with his head down. “What have you done, Pietro? Why did you copy this?”
“To input later,” Pietro said.
“Why? The machine is working, you already used it, there was no need to take his information like this.” They spoke freely in Italian in front of Thomas.
Pietro straightened his shirt, glared at Thomas and walked away. The female’s cheeks reddened as she looked at Thomas.
“I’m sorry.”
“Manager?” Thomas said.
“Yes.” She held up her finger.
“It’s going to be a minute, hold your positions,” Thomas told the team.
“Sir? Vincent Barresi.” An older gentleman comfortably dressed in pressed trousers and a print shirt greeted Thomas in Spanish. “I understand there was a misunderstanding.”
Thomas held the man’s gaze for several moments. “That young man was stealing my information. I’d prefer to pay cash than take a chance of him selling it.” He spoke in a low voice, to keep the conversation between the two of them. “Don’t allow him to work the front desk where he can access credit cards. It’ll cost you in the long run.”
Barresi held Thomas’ gaze a little longer and nodded. “You may pay cash. I will speak to my nephew regarding his mistake.”
“Thank you. I don’t want any problems while I’m here or after I leave,” Thomas said as he peeled off several large bills.
Barresi’s gaze flicked to the money and then up at Thomas. “How long will you be our guest?”
“Two days.”
“I promise you will have no problems.” He took the cash and walked toward the front desk. Moments later he returned with Thomas’ room key. “If you need anything more, please let me know and I’ll make sure it’s done.” He ushered Thomas to the elevator.
“Lizzie, you’re up.”
That evening they all sat in the hotel restaurant eating dinner. Pietro had been sent home or some place before Lizzie arrived and there had been no other problems at check-in. The rooms were nice, not five star quality by a long shot, but decent. The food and wine list were excellent.
Damali and Pearl caused a stir when they entered the restaurant. Several men and a few women stared at the two women who looked like fashion runway models. Tip and Max flirted with them and eventually made their way to their table, keeping others away.
“Hello, are you enjoying your meal?” Matteo, dressed in a white collarless shirt, pressed black trousers and black flats stared at Thomas for a few moments.
“He’s altered like us but not quite,” Thomas told the others as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Yes. It’s delicious.” He waved to the chair. “Please have a seat, join me.”
Matteo stared at him a few moments, looked around the room at the others and sat. “I understand there were problems when you arrived earlier, I trust everything meets your approval.”
Thomas smiled. “Yes, this is a lovely hotel. Thank you.”
“How long will you stay with us?” Matteo asked, glancing over his shoulder at Lizzie.
“Just this weekend.” Thomas extended his hand. “Mi nombre es Tomas.”
Matteo glanced at the extended hand a second longer before accepting it. “Matteo.”
Thomas did a quick scan and released Matteo’s hand.
“To attempt to enter a man’s mind without permission is rude,” Matteo snapped.
“It is, my apologies,” Thomas agreed. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
Matteo stared at Thomas a few moments longer and leaned forward. “You are strong. So are the others. I have not seen anything like this before... why are you here?”
Thomas continued chewing his food while deciding on the right approach to take. “Your name was given by Rafe Alvarez. We’re following up on anyone who had anything to do with the man.”
Matteo looked thoughtful. “I worked with him for a week in Central America.”
“You knew him?” Thomas asked before taking another sip of wine.
“He was the client’s contact person. A bad choice in my opinion but...” He shrugged. “Where are you from? It’s been decades since I’ve seen or been around so many. How did you survive?”
“How did you?” Thomas countered while watching the man intently.
“It has been a struggle,” Matteo said as he leaned back in his chair.
“Would you like something to drink, Uncle?” one of the waiters asked Matteo.
“No. I am good. Tell Vincent to comp these meals and drinks.” Matteo pointed to Thomas, and the others. His gaze lingered on Lizzie a few moments. She smiled and nodded thanks to him.
He returned her nod.
“It is always nice to meet someone familiar, is there someplace we can talk? Catch up?” Thomas asked.
“Yes. I have a home nearby.” Matteo stood and moved to sit at Lizzie’s table. “Are you enjoying the mountainside?”
“It’s beautiful here,” Lizzie said. “How long have you lived here?”
Matteo chuckled. “We will talk of those things when the walls have no ears.”
Lizzie nodded. “This is a family-owned hotel?”
“Yes. It’s been in my family for several generations.” Matteo looked around the brightly painted walls and wood wainscoting. The large chandelier in the middle of the room and sconces on the walls gave the room a cozy, elegant feel. Pride rolled off him in waves as he nodded slowly. “Best investment ever made.” He winked at her. “You are very beautiful.”
Lizzie smiled. “Thank you.”
“Tomorrow there is a concert in town, would you like to attend with me?”
Her eyes brightened. “What time?”
“In the afternoon. It’s the festival entertainment, a live band of some sort,” he said.
She laughed. “You don’t know the name of the band?”
He grinned. “Not at all.”
“Do you know the name of the festival?” she asked with a slight smile.
“Hmmm, not really. There’s always some kind of festival going on. Hard to remember the names of them all.” He removed a flower from the vase on the table and handed it to her. “I’d just like to spend time with you.”
“Sounds like fun. I’d like to go,” Lizzie said.
“Thank you. You’ve made my heart soar.” He turned to look across the room at Thomas. “Ready?”
“Not quite. In about five minutes,” Thomas said.
Matteo nodded and looked at Lizzie again. “And to think, I almost didn’t come here tonight.”
Smiling, she twirled the flower between her fingers. “Why not?”
“Pietro’s always getting into some kind of trouble. I didn’t want to be bothered. Thomas scared Vincent and asked me to check him out.” Matteo shrugged. “Being around a lot of people... sometimes it aggravates me.”
She nodded slowly, looked over his shoulder and stood. “Thomas is ready.”
Matteo turned and stood. They all walked out the restaurant into the lobby and then outside.
“You have nice transportation,” Matteo said looking at their vehicles. He stared at Lizzie a few moments before walking toward his late model, silver SUV.
During the drive, Thomas monitored the conversations between Lizzie, Mia, Damali and Pearl.
“He’s cute in a Gerard Butler kind of way,” Mia said. “He’s definitely feeling you.”
“I think you’re right,” Lizzie said.
“What do you think? Interested or no?” Pearl asked.
“Yeah...” Lizzie said.
“I hear a but,” Damali said.
“Definitely,” Mia said.
“I need to know
more about him before I can say one way or another,” Lizzie said.
“Understandable. But he is cute,” Mia said.
Thomas wondered if Matteo had undergone experiments by the Liege. No question Matteo was an altered human but by who? When? And where? Once they arrived, Thomas would contact Angus or Silas for any questions they might have for Matteo regarding Rafe and his operation.
They arrived at what appeared to be a large ranch with heavy security. The guard held the gate open as they drove in behind Matteo.
Thomas was the last person to exit his vehicle. He opened his senses and inhaled deeply.
Matteo stood near the porch talking to Lizzie, Damali and Pearl who had ridden together. Noah and Mia stood listening slightly to the side.
“Do you trust him? Is this a trap?” Max asked.
“Trust? Not really. I’m more confident in our combined abilities to take down anything he or anyone comes up with. Consider this another exercise in working as a team,” Thomas said. Tip and Max walked slightly behind him to the others.
“Is everything alright?” Matteo asked Thomas.
“Yes, thank you for your hospitality.” Thomas glanced at the others and then at Matteo.
“Good, come.” Matteo entered the house first. Thomas entered next, followed by Noah and Mia. The others entered in a single file behind them.
“Can’t read him,” Mia told Thomas.
“Neither can I,” Thomas admitted as they left the living room and entered what appeared to be a media room.
“Please have a seat. Refreshments?” Matteo waved to a nearby bar.
“No, thanks,” they all murmured as they found seats.
“Angus, we’re about to ask Matteo Barresi questions, would you like to listen?” Thomas said.
“Yes. He’s the last name on the list. What do you think of him?” Angus asked.
“He’s altered like us but preserved somehow,” Thomas said.
“Really? Do you want me to link Hawke into the conversation?”
“Good idea,” Thomas said as he took a seat.
Matteo sat in a chair across from Lizzie and smiled at her. “Lovely.”
Lizzie smiled.
“What can you tell us about Rafe?” Thomas asked.
Matteo shrugged. “Not much more. I accepted a job in Costa Rica and had been there a couple days. He showed up and introduced himself as the attorney handling the transfer of the crystals. It took a little longer to secure them. I think he was having problems with his son or a close relative. He was upset over something. I saw him the morning I flew home. He took the crystals, and that’s all I know of the man.”
“Let me explain a few things so you’ll understand our purpose,” Thomas said.
Matteo met his gaze. “I would appreciate that.”
“We’re here on an assignment. Rafe used devices from the Liege to attack the local Alpha in Honduras.”
Matteo’s eyes lit with an inner fire. “No.”
“Yes. It was old equipment, didn’t pack a real punch, but it was still a surprise to see it in use. After questioning Rafe, there were a few names he mentioned as his contacts. Yours was one of them. That’s why we’re here. Tracking down Rafe’s acquaintances—”
“I am not his acquaintance,” Matteo snapped and inhaled. “I never should’ve taken that job. It’s bought nothing but problems.”
“What do you mean?” Thomas asked.
“Kirlethanium, do you know it?” Matteo asked.
Thomas frowned.
“Yes, it’s a crystal used by the people in Lyrill,” Angus said.
“No, what is it?” Thomas said.
“For most, it has no value. To others it means the difference between life and death.” Matteo leaned back in his seat and looked at them. “How have you survived the consequences of the Liege’s experiments all these decades?”
“Were you experimented on?” Thomas countered.
Matteo nodded, took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Yes. So were you. There’s a signature or something that I pick up whenever I come across one of... us. It is good to be with you, even if it’s just for a couple days.”
“We were dying,” Lizzie said.
Matteo’s gaze jumped to her. “No.”
She nodded.
“But you are good now?” Matteo asked.
“Yes. We found medicine that saved us,” Lizzie said.
“Where did he find Kirlethanium?” Angus asked.
“In Central America,” Thomas said.
“What did Rafe do with them?” Angus asked.
“He hid them in those old Liege devices as parts. Remember, he had a lot of them. Initially, I thought he was smuggling something into the country. Once I returned to the lab and dug deeper, saw the crystals, I realized my mistake. It would be easier to take them out of the country in a device than to declare they were stealing and smuggling those crystals,” Hawke said. “How did Matteo find them?”
“Matteo, how did you find the Kirlethanium?” Thomas asked.
Matteo offered a small smile. “It is my gift and my curse.”
“You can find natural elements?” Thomas asked, thinking it over.
Matteo looked at Lizzie and nodded slowly.
Angus whistled.
“When was he with the Liege? He looks familiar. Ask him where he worked?” Hawke said.
Thomas told Matteo about his time in the Liege castle, the surgeries and finally his escape. “We took a ship to America and moved to the west to hide from the Liege. Our numbers dwindled to what you see now,” Thomas said.
“It never occurred to me to run that far. Once the brilliant one bred his first pup, security in the lab was not as tight. I escaped one night when Greggor was deep into his cups.”
“Brilliant one? Wonder who that could be,” Angus teased Hawke.
“Greggor? He was there during the time I was in the lab,” Hawke said.
“You want me to bring that up?” Thomas asked.
“No, towards the end humans were no longer test subjects,” Hawke said.
“Have you found something that kept you healthy over the years?” Thomas asked.
“Yes. I told you. Kirlethanium.” Matteo ran his hand through his hair. “Initially, I thought that’s why you were here. Owen is running experiments using Kirlethanium and various elements. He’s out of control, like an addict. People are dying and all he cares about is the high and finding a way to live longer.”
“In Sterling?” Thomas asked as his team stilled.
Matteo nodded. “There’s another lab working on it as well.” He exhaled. “I won’t be a part of that madness. At first, I tried to help Owen, shared a crystal treatment with him but it didn’t work the same, it didn’t last.”
“Who is Owen?” Thomas asked.
“One of us. Turned into whatever we are by the Liege. He was dying, came to me for help for him and his woman.”
“He must be stopped,” Thomas said to gauge Matteo’s response. “He cannot continue to experiment on humans. His treatment of them is barbaric. We won’t allow it to continue.”
Matteo nodded slowly. “He’s very... unstable, dangerous. It is why I have heavy security and spend a lot of time in the mountains. It has always been a lonely existence, always hiding but now more so. When I am one with nature, no one can find me.”
“Dangerous?” Lizzie asked.
“He turns into a Berserker.” Matteo opened his arms wide. “No one has been able to win against him. The Polizia cannot stop him and leave him alone. I stay out of his way.”
“Ask him if Owen turns green like the Hulk?” Angus teased.
Thomas smiled.
“This is my fault. If I hadn’t tried to help him, shared the crystal with him, he would be dead by now and all those people would be alive,” Matteo said in a low, tight voice.
“Who bought the Kirlethanium? Find out about the client,” Angus said.
“You were trying to help someone, there’s nothing wrong
in that,” Lizzie said.
“Thank you,” Matteo said.
“Will you tell me the name of your client?” Thomas asked.
Matteo thought about it a few moments and shook his head. “No, my friend. I will not do that unless that person is somehow against you.”
“That’s fair,” Hawke said.
“Didn’t hurt to ask,” Angus said. “To recap. This guy was experimented on by the Liege. Has survived by working crystals and no doubt has a serious bank account if he can locate gold, silver, or diamonds.”
“True,” Hawke said.
“Someone hired him to find Kirlethanium. During the time he was there, someone caused problems for Lucian’s Pack in Costa Rica. My guess is so that this guy could do his work undisturbed. I’m betting the location of the Kirlethanium is on Pack lands,” Angus said.
“Sounds about right. The old devices were used as stunners, distractions to be returned to the client with the smuggled crystals. Who has them now? Owen? Or someone else?” Hawke said.
“My bet would be on someone else. If I had a limited supply of a crystal I wouldn’t give it to the equivalent of a meth-head, you?” Thomas said.
“Good point. I’ll update Silas. If you learn anything Pack related, let me know,” Angus said.
Thomas thought of something and looked at Matteo. “You mentioned extra security. Is Owen searching for you? Is he trying to force you to give him the formula?”
Matteo exhaled slowly. “I’m older and stronger, not physically, but I have control of my abilities. He would capture and lock me away if he could but there are few things that can hold me against my will.” He met Thomas’ gaze. “The only reason I have not left this area is because of my family. I fear what Owen would do to them if I left.”
“He’d take them hostage?” Thomas asked.
“That or use them in his twisted experiments,” Matteo spat.
“How do you protect them?” Lizzie asked a few moments later.
“I control the earth around the hotel and the town. Owen cannot cross.” Matteo frowned slightly. “He’s not strong enough. You on the other hand were.”
“The ground should’ve prevented us from arriving at the hotel?” Lizzie asked.
“Yes. Granted, I’ve never met anyone as strong as you. I could increase the repellent, see how that works,” Matteo said rubbing his chin. “Opens up a whole new set of challenges and considerations.”