by Vella Day
If he had time, he would also plant a device to pick up and relay the GPS signal from the cell phones near the office. That would allow him to intercept the texts and possibly the voice calls.
He was going in solo. Clay and Dirk were there simply to warn him if something unexpected occurred. Drake spotted his friends and telepathed he was there. To gain a different vantage point, he waited on the other side of the building and brought the binoculars to his eyes. Light glowed inside the building, but the windows were painted, preventing anyone from seeing in. Smart.
The wait was the hardest part of the job. To bide his time, he imagined Chelsea bent over a spanking bench. While he tweaked and pulled her nipples until she screamed his name, Kurt would slap her ass a pretty red.
Enough. He adjusted his balls. What had he been thinking? If he didn’t stay focused on the job, he’d never get inside. First thing he needed to figure out was how to get inside. A fabric company with a fire escape on the front sat next to the warehouse. A distance of about five feet separated the buildings. If he climbed up on the building on the left, he might be able to jump across the gap to the warehouse and find a way in from the roof.
He telepathed his intent to Clay.
Be careful.
Clay and Dirk had no idea how much was at stake. He wanted Mendez not only to revenge Jeffrey’s death, but for what he’d done to Chelsea. The man would pay if it was the last thing Drake did.
He surveyed the area and waited until all activity died. Since it was after six, he believed it might be clear. The big negative to his plan was that the fire escape was in plain view of passing cars. It was dark, but if a vehicle rolled in and headlights caught him in the act, he’d be S.O.L.
Being careful but fast, he dodged his way to the building and raced up the fire escape, making sure not to slip on the metal steps. Once on top, he ducked below the railing then checked if he’d been spotted.
His binoculars were military issue and had infrared ability. Both roofs had the same entrance on the top. Now all he had to do was jump the five-foot gap between the buildings. He kept low and made his way to the edge. He tossed his backpack onto the roof of Mendez’s building and prayed none of the equipment broke. Then he jogged back ten feet and raced toward the railing. He planned to jump and leap across. If he missed, he’d die. He might be a wolf inside, but his human limitations could be his undoing.
He pictured Chelsea and took off. He landed with one foot onto the railing, pushed off, and wind milled his arms as he flew across the gap. One toe barely touched the ledge, but his forward moment propelled him over. He landed with a thud and did a tuck and roll to stop. His heart shot to his throat. He definitely needed to go on more operations to build more stamina. He’d gotten soft playing with his computer.
His cell phone buzzed. Uh oh. It was Dirk. “Yeah?”
“Sorry, but the general just called. We got a lead on Elena Sanchez.”
Elena Sanchez. The name was so familiar. “Who’s she?”
“She was Couch’s secretary, the one who disappeared right after Liz Wharton paid her to quit her job.”
Trax had mentioned her. “I thought she went to Costa Rica.”
“Apparently not. Rumor has it Couch has her held hostage near the shipyard. Sorry, buddy.”
He’d come this far and wasn’t going to back down now. “I’m good. Go.” He understood if Clay and Dirk didn’t respond quickly, the general might become suspicious.
After Drake checked his pack to make sure his gear had survived the toss, he retrieved his picks in case he found the door locked. To his surprise, it wasn’t. One item he thought Mendez would have checked.
The damn door squeaked when he pulled it open. Holding his breath, he counted a full minute before he went down. He slipped in and waited once more, until he was convinced a pack of wolves weren’t about to charge up the stairs.
He edged his way down the two flights and tugged on the door that would get him to the main floor. That door was locked. He clicked on his headlamp and went to work with his picks. It only took ten seconds to open it. Old buildings weren’t sophisticated. If he’d been Mendez, he would have redone every lock in the building. Both Couch and Mendez were arrogant enough to believe no one would ever find the place.
Sorry, boys. You lose.
He flipped the headlamp to red and snuck in. The bank of overhead lights were off, a good sign the place was unmanned. By chance, he looked up and spotted the surveillance camera. He pulled out his black spray can, coated the lens, and then stuck one of his cameras underneath. Most likely they wouldn’t think to look there.
Since the lights were out in the factory, his red headlamp would appear on film, so he turned it off. If he didn’t have his pack, he would have shifted and used his own eyes to guide him.
Once he got used to the low light, he located the office and found the computer on the desk. He hit the space bar, and the screen saver came to life. Plugging in his device, he allowed it to search for the password. One minute went by, and then two. Even though it might be an hour before the workers came back, he was convinced there’d be a security guard somewhere. A one-on-one battle didn’t bother him, but if there were two of them, there might be trouble.
Bingo. The machine detected the password. He was in. He shoved his flash drive in the USB port and downloaded the files he thought were important. Time wouldn’t permit him to take everything.
A noise sounded on the main floor. Fuck. He removed the drive, closed the laptop, and shut off his headlamp. He fumbled in his pack for the GPS device and stuck it underneath the desk. Unless the user was nearby, it wouldn’t work.
Drake crawled toward the window and peeked out. Two men with flashlights were out there. They were too far away to tell if they were werewolves, but he couldn’t believe Mendez would employ anyone who wasn’t. It was safer to assume they were. If he moved closer, he’d be able to detect their scent, which meant they could smell him.
He waited another eternity, pissed he’d spent a few days scoping out this factory, and hadn’t realized Mendez had security. Being careless wasn’t his style, but with so much at stake, he’d been over-anxious.
Crap. The men were coming toward the office. It was now or never. If they found him in there, he’d lose everything. He donned his pack, eased open the door, and slid out, leaving a piece of folded paper in the jamb to keep the lock from clicking close. The problem was getting to the roof access. That door would attract too much attention. His best bet was to wait for the guards to patrol away from the side entrance and make a run for it.
They made a full circle, and because they were joking with each other, they didn’t even sense his presence. Losers.
Go now. He lowered his head and wove his way around the tables toward the door.
All of a sudden, the overhead bank of lights blared. Fuck. Hoping they were lousy shots, he dashed toward the door.
“Hey, you! Stop!”
That wasn’t a command he planned on obeying. Just as he reached the door and pulled it open, they opened fire. At least two bullets pinged off the metal walls, but one hit its mark. Jesus. They’d shot him in the ass. While not fatal, it would slow him down and make him sick. He had just made it outside and was running as fast as he could when the door behind him opened with a bang. Their snarls reached him first.
I’m screwed.
His car was too far away. He’d never make it. Drake spun and discarded his pack behind a bush. When he exited, he came out in his wolf form. His hindquarter wasn’t in good shape, as the poison had already taken hold.
Wanting to put as much distance between him and his gear, he went on the offensive. As least with the guards in wolf form, they couldn’t shoot a gun. Neither guard had looked particularly in good shape when in human form, and the two-to-one ratio wouldn’t have worried him, had he not had poison coursing through his system.
Instead of wasting energy circling and snarling, he charged, hoping to catch them off-guard. He succeed
ed in sinking his teeth into the first wolf’s flanks, but unfortunately, that exposed his rear. Wolf number two bit his ass right where he’d been shot. Pain streaked across his body. Fuck. His usual ability to heal was blocked by the poison. His rear dropped, and he was forced to retreat. When the second wolf sprang in the air, Drake managed to duck to the side and avoid the collision. Given he was younger and more agile, he spun faster and leapt at that wolf who was only now turning around. He got to him first and succeeded in biting his neck. The wounded animal stumbled back and must have decided his life wasn’t worth losing. After all, Drake was no longer a threat to the contents of the warehouse.
That left him with one wolf who seemed determined to win. Drake’s vision blurred as the poison ran rampant in his body. It seemed as if Chelsea’s cries of passion rang down from above, and a small burst of energy allowed him to attack. The two dug their teeth into the other, but Drake clawed the wolf’s face and blinded him in one eye. When the wolf disengaged, Drake took the man’s injury as time to get the hell out of dodge.
Mustering all of his strength, he sped away. As he passed the bush where he’d hidden his gear, he moved behind it and shifted. Once in human form, the pain grabbed him hard. His face bled, his clothes were shredded, and his ass screamed. He picked up the pack and darted away. Too bad his car was in the opposite direction. Now what the hell was he going to do?
Chapter Ten
Chelsea was watching television with Kurt when his cell rang. His fist clenched, causing her heart to speed up.
“Drake, where are you? Drake, can you hear me? Drake?” He disconnected and jumped up. “We need to help him.”
“What happened?”
“I’m not sure, but get your purse.”
He sounded scared and pissed. She ran to her room, picked up her bag, and hurried back. Drake might not be dead, but if he couldn’t even answer Kurt, he might be lying on the side of the road in trouble. Her stomach tumbled.
Kurt was already waiting outside. She dashed out and closed the front door, not sure if it locked. He started the engine and had seemed so anxious, she feared he’d leave her if she didn’t hurry.
Once she sat in the front seat and closed the door, Kurt took off.
“How do you know where he is?” Their conversation had been too short.
“I don’t.” At the end of the drive, he stopped and punched a few buttons on his phone. He handed his cell to her. “His GPS is active. Help me navigate to the spot.”
Glad to be able to give some guidance, her fear dissipated somewhat. “Did he say anything else?”
“No.” That no wasn’t a request for further questions.
She kept quiet for thirty minutes before her curiosity, or perhaps her desperation, got the best of her. “I thought you guys healed really fast.” She’d seen it with her own eyes.
“Not if he’s been shot.”
Oh, no. She remembered how sick to her stomach she’d been, and apparently, the poison didn’t affect her nearly as much as it would a werewolf. “Can’t we get the antidote?”
“Once I find him, I’ll call Dr. Deland.”
She recalled the man didn’t have regular eight to five hours and suspected he was on call for all members of the Pack.
She glanced down at the GPS. “Take the next turn to get on I-75 and head north.”
He did as she directed.
“Where was he today? What was he doing?” Chelsea hoped he didn’t give her the same B.S. about her not needing to know. This was Drake’s life they were talking about.
“Mendez, under Harvey Couch’s direction, runs a drug smuggling business. They’ve been able to keep under the DEA’s radar for a long time, but my brother was able to go undercover. He was a mule for a while in order to gain Mendez’s trust.”
Jeffrey sure had her fooled. “Something happened to that trust. Didn’t it?”
“Yes, but Mendez killed Jeffrey before we found out. I discovered the location of the warehouse of the drug smuggling operation at my brother’s condo.”
She put the pieces together. “You tried to apprehend him yourself?” She failed to keep the panic from her tone. Kurt could get killed going up against those men. Oh, shit. “If you were taken off the case, is that what Drake was doing?”
He nodded to the phone. “I’m guessing we’re heading to Gulfside?”
She shrunk the screen size. “Yes, but he’s a little south of there.”
“I’m hoping he’s in his car and not in Mendez’s custody.” He slammed the wheel. “I need to stash you somewhere.”
“No. Let’s get close to the spot. If it’s coming from a building, then I’ll stay hidden, but if he’s in his car, you need to take me with you.”
“I don’t like it.”
Too damn bad. “Now finish your story about Drake.” It would give them both something to think about while he drove.
“Drake is a computer technical genius. All he was supposed to do was go into the warehouse when the place was empty, plant some bugs, and hack into their computers.”
Was that all? “I’m guessing he got caught.”
“Seems so.”
For the next few minutes, she retreated to a happier place. She pictured Drake laughing and goofing around. She also remembered what an amazing lover he’d been until he became too excited and withdrew. Once he explained about the werewolf mating process, she decided he hadn’t been a jerk. Out of his comfort zone, he’d been a man who panicked, rather than one who didn’t care about her release.
The dot on the GPS indicated they were getting close. “Take the next exit.”
Once Kurt turned off, they appeared to be in the Florida boonies. There was a fruit stand situated at the end of a gas station, and that was it. She didn’t see any stoplights or other buildings.
“He should be close.”
Kurt slowed. It was dark, which made it hard to see a car on the side of the road.
“Take the next right. Drake should be there.”
Instead of turning, he passed the road. “I’m not taking any chances. It could be an ambush.”
Her heart nearly stopped. “You think they’d use Drake to kill me?”
He glanced over at her. “Yes.”
She slunk back in the seat. Her pits dampened and tingles raced to her fingers. He took the next right, which was a good half-mile farther down the road. Immediately, he pulled off to the side.
He faced her. “Get in the driver’s seat. You got your phone?”
“Yes.”
He removed his phone from her hand. “Wait here. If anyone approaches, leave. Don’t worry about me.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I plan to shift and come in from behind. If it really is just Drake in his car and the area is secure, I’ll call you, and you can meet us.”
“That works for me.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “Be careful.”
The bottled-up tension flowed out of her body. “You’re the one who needs to be careful.”
He pushed the door open and was gone in a flash. She slid over to the driver’s side and made sure the doors were locked. She turned off the headlights and leaned back for the long wait.
* * *
Kurt was scared. Drake should have been able to answer. He pictured him surrounded by ten men who were beating him senseless. By having Drake call, these men would know Kurt would come.
He shifted and aimed for the underbrush, but the thick growth made moving difficult. As he headed toward Drake’s location, he kept his focus, trying to sense other shifters. Even if Mendez’s clowns weren’t surrounding Drake, they could be on their way toward Chelsea. Fuck. How could he have been so dumb? He stilled and shifted back into human form. He pulled his cell from his pocket and texted her, not wanting his voice to carry.
Not at Drake’s location yet. Drive one mile west then turn around. Await further instruction. Don’t stop for anything. He put his phone on vibrate. He didn’t need her to call a
nd give away his presence.
Knowing Chelsea, she’d come back with some snarky response. Envisioning her starting the car and carefully driving away relaxed his muscles.
His phone lit up. Will do.
While relieved, he’d almost hoped she’d come back with a why. That would let him know she more or less was calm.
If he hadn’t been convinced he’d make better progress through this swamp as a wolf, he would have stayed a human. Once more, his bones cracked and his body bent and stretched as he changed form. Soon, he was a wolf once more. Here goes.
The branches snapped and crackled as he foraged through the underbrush. Only a few tree breaks existed where he could let loose and run. As he neared the edge, he spotted Drake’s car. Adrenaline shot through his system. Be careful. The interior lights were off and he didn’t see anyone in the car.
To be sure, he darted across the road, mostly to smell the area to make sure no one else was there. When he was convinced Drake had eluded Mendez’s men, Kurt shifted, hopefully for the last time, and crossed the road. No vehicles were visible. There were some homes down the road, but he and Drake seemed alone for the moment.
When he looked in the window, Drake was lying on his side. Blood covered his back and rear. His heart screamed. If his best friend was dead, he wasn’t sure he could go on. He was still reeling from Jeffrey’s death.
He checked the door. It was open. Good.
“Drake?”
He shook his friend and received a low grunt in response. His pulse slowed. First things first. He called Roger Deland, who answered on the second ring.
“Kurt? Something wrong?”
He relayed Drake’s injury the best he could.
“Can you bring him to the office?”
“Yes. Give me twenty minutes.”
“Good. I’ll be waiting with the antidote.”