“Maybe,” Still she didn’t meet his gaze. Reaching over, his fingers gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him.
The passion that had filled her eyes moments earlier suddenly changed to ones filled with apprehension. One thing that he’d learned from his mate over the past few months was that she only avoided eye contact when she was fighting a silent battle within the walls of her mind.
She allowed him to hold her gaze for a moment until she jerked her chin out of his grasp and looked away while cupping her hands around her cup. Sighing, he relaxed beside her as his eyes were drawn to the stars above.
“Some of the members of the pack were wondering where you were. I think they miss you too.” He whispered the half truth. It was true that others had inquired where his mate was and why she wasn’t dealing with pack matters alongside him. Honestly, he had to wonder the same thing.
“I think its best that we keep some distance between the pack and your freak of a mate.” The bitter words left her mouth with a scowl across her brow.
Jerking to face her, his eyes narrowed on her. Freak of a mate? Where would she have gotten such an idea? Sure, many of the pack members and elders were wary of her because of her lack of a transformation, but did she really think that made her an outcast?
“Aria…is this about the night of your transformation?” Without as much as a flinch, she kept her gaze trained straight ahead. “Listen. You’re the first human mate that hasn’t transformed and is still alive. As I told you once before, most human mates aren’t as lucky to go through their transition and come out alive. That doesn’t mean that the pack hates you or even fears you, they just don’t know what to say.” He assured her.
“It doesn’t matter.” Shaking her head, she turned to look at him. The concern that colored his eyes made her heart skip a beat, but now was not the time for such things. “I’m not worried about what your pack—”
“Our pack,” He corrected with a knowing look. Tilting her head to the side she conceded.
“Alright, I don’t care what our pack thinks of me or not. When I accepted you I accepted everything and if that means putting up with some folks that think I’m not good enough then so be it. But there is something more important we need to talk about.”
Doyle could feel his bear stirring with interest as he waited for her to continue. When she simply stared at him, he asked. “What is it?”
“I had the same dream again.” His expression lightened with familiarity at the mention of the dream. The first night the dream came to her, she’d called out in her sleep before leaping out of bed with the scent of fear perfuming the room around them. He hated that she was still being plagued with the same dream—a reminder of her darker days.
“Was it any different?”
“No. But I believe I know why I’m having them. I’m remembering things—things that could lead us to where Malca is.”
“They’re just dreams...” he murmured.
“Just listen.” Standing, she began pacing across the short grass at the base of the bottom step. “In the dream, do you remember the other doctor that was in the room?”
“Yes, but that doesn’t have anything to do with Malca or where she is.”
“But it does. Dr. Vega was one of Malca’s top genetic researchers and if anyone knows where Malca is or what she’s really doing it would be her.”
“But Raoul—”
“Raoul hasn’t made any sense of any of the files we found including the disc. This could be the best lead we will ever get.” Sighing, she stopped pacing and moved to stand between his spread knees. Curling her fingers in the fabric of his jeans, she raised her tired eyes to his. “Something else is about to happen, Doyle. I feel it but no matter what I do I cannot remember what it is. It is as if something is blocking me from remembering what it is. What I do know for certain is if we don’t do something soon, it will mean disaster. We will never know any peace in our lives nor will the people that she’s taken if we don’t do something to stop her.” Reaching out, his large hand cupped her hips with slow gentleness.
“I promised to do everything in my power to make you safe and if this is the best course for us to take I will follow your lead on this.” Pulling her down onto his lap both of his arms surrounded her. Pressing her tightly against his chest, he felt a wave of happiness flow over him as he simply held her.
“We need to find her and soon.”
Leaning back to stare up at her, Doyle nodded in agreement. “I know the best tracker for the job and I know he would love to help.”
* ~ * ~ *
Ripping her gloves off her hands and tossing them aside, Dr. Gabriella Vega’s critical eyes turned solemn as she looked down at the occupied autopsy table. Lain out was the body of the sixth captive to die from the effects of the latest serum. This time it was a girl that was too young to even be out of high school, much less have to suffer the evils of a corrupt scientist.
What a waste of life. Shaking her head, she moved back to the borrowed work space that housed all her notes on this particular subject. Bending over the desk she began reporting her finding of the autopsy. Usually such an autopsy wouldn’t even be done on a test subject as Dr. Malca saw them all as acceptable losses. With test subjects dropping like flies just after a few days of injections she planned on getting to the bottom of it.
However she still was unable to pin point the real reason that was causing so many deaths. No heart failure, no brain damage or any type major trauma occurring. It was as if someone had simply snuffed out the fragile flame of life from these people. Pinching her lips together in anger she snapped the file closed. This couldn’t go on.
Moving back across the room, she set the file on the side of the table as her hands slowly drew the thin sheet up over the face of the girl until her whole body was covered respectfully. Once she left here the body would be taken to the crematorium to be disposed of and her file would also be erased and with it any evidence that she was ever here.
Reaching up her fingers circled the gold cross that hung from around her neck with guilt. Had she had a family or dreams of her own? Silently she wished she would have known her name. None of the scientists were permitted to know any names of the test subjects; instead they were all assigned a sequence of numbers and letters. It was something Malca insisted on, a way to make sure her researchers were reminded that these people had no higher worth and keeping individual compassion to a minimum.
When she had received a request to study genetics on a higher level a decade ago, she was thrilled when Malca had offered her this job and a chance to stay in America. But now she wished she had never accepted Malca’s offer to be a part of it. She had convinced herself that what Malca told the test subjects was true, that they were helping people and would be set free once they were done. Lies, every word of it was nothing but lies. She had been aiding the devil and now she would end it. No longer could she turn a blind eye to what was really going on.
Lowering her hand from her cross she picked up the file before crossing to the door. Jerking the handle more roughly than needed she entered out into the brightly lit hall. Gripping the file to her chest she made her way down the long hallway, only stopping to nod in acknowledgement to passing soldiers as she was greeted. She never spoke to Malca’s soldiers, they were all her pawns and their loyalty lied with her alone. If her plan was to be successful she couldn’t afford the soldiers looking at her more closely.
Taking a left turn she took the stairs leading down toward the third level where hers and all the other researcher’s offices were housed. She struggled against her inner need to run to her office and close the door, instead she took calm steps down the colorless hall to the last office on the left. Grasping a hold of the door handle she was just about to turn it when a voice startled her from behind.
“Dr. Vega, where have you been all day? You missed another meeting.” Travis, one of her fellow researchers scolded harshly. Turning to look over her shoulder she faintly smiled at
him as she worked to keep the file concealed along the side of her white lab coat.
“Sorry, I had some things to do.”
“You’re lucky that Dr. Malca wasn’t there or you may be looking for another job. This is a serious job—one you are lucky to even have, I’d watch how much you slack in the future.”
Nodding she kept a calm expression as she replied, “I understand. Don’t worry; it won’t happen again.” Looking unconvinced, Travis mumbled something under his breath before moving past her toward the stair well.
Staring after his retreating form she couldn’t fight her upper lip curling in disgust. Travis was by no means an attractive man with his thinning blonde hair and big belly that hung over his belt. He certainly didn’t make up for what he lacked with a kind personality. He was always rude and treated her like she was a bug in his path. If given the chance he would throw her to the wolves without a second thought.
After making certain he wasn’t hanging around she quickly moved into her office. Closing the door behind her, she strode across the small space to take her seat behind her cluttered desk. Reaching into a drawer along the side she pulled out her small personal laptop. Flipping the screen up while keeping the laptop on her lap and out of sight, her fingers began flying across the keys with shear desperation.
Using her own personal server, she began hacking into Malca’s secure file network. She silently thanked her luck that she had been an amateur hacker in her teenage years. Gathering everything she could, she made copies to her hard drive. If she was going to destroy Dr. Malca’s whole plans she needed to gather all the information she could. Just as she thought she had copied all the familiar files she saw a file that wasn’t created by a scientist or researcher. The file was encrypted with the name: Genesis. As her mouse pointer hovered over it a sharp knock echoed off the other side of her office door causing her heart to pound in alarm.
Pushing aside the fear that threatened to choke her, she quickly copied the rest of the files including the encrypted one and managed to close her laptop just as the door was pushed open. Raising her eyes she took in the startling sight of a tall, scowling soldier standing in her doorway. Wearing a black shirt and camouflage combat trousers as many of Malca’s soldiers did, the man intimidated her instantly. Had they caught her? Before she could ask what he wanted, the soldier took a slow step into the office and approached her desk. Coming to a stop but a foot from her the soldier spoke in a chilling tone.
“Doctor Malca would like to see you in her office.”
Nodding carefully, she worked to not show how nervous she really was. “Tell her I will be there as soon as I can.”
Scowling down at her with a hard expression he shook his head. “I am no one’s messenger. I am here to personally escort you there…now.”
Narrowing her eyes at him she turned her chair to the side. “Very well, let me grab my purse before though.” As he rolled his eyes and looked away briefly, she grabbed her large shoulder bag and quickly shoved her laptop and the autopsy file into it before his eyes circled back to her. Standing she slung the strap over her shoulder as she came around the desk.
“Ready when you are.” She replied, taking a step closer.
Nodding curtly, the soldier allowed her to exit first before closing the door behind them. Coming up beside her he led the way back up the stair well and from there he maneuvered them into a service elevator. Once inside confined space of the elevator she briefly allowed the heavy fear to crush her. Had she been caught? Swallowing against the tight lump in her throat as her heart began to beat so fast that she was certain that her escort could hear it.
As the door slid open the soldier pressed a hand against her lower back, ushering her out into the empty hallway and toward the large office located at the end of the hallway. Stopping in front of the closed door, the soldier reached past her to knock.
“Come in.” the two words echoed with a superior tone, making it impossible to mistake whose voice it was.
Stepping back the soldier allowed her to enter the room alone before closing the door behind her. Gabriella flinched at the sound of the door slamming closed behind her. Jerking her attention to the other person in the room, her gaze collided with Malca’s cold face from across the wide room. Dr. Helen Malca sat behind her desk, scowling with her lips pinched into a thin line.
Her gaze was drawn to the scattered files across Malca’s desk, it was then she realized that they were her files. Jerking her focus away, Gabriella watched as Malca rose from her chair. Moving around her desk, her thin hands smoothed over the invisible wrinkles of her lavender blouse and dark navy skirt.
“What do you think you’re doing here so late, Gabriella?” Malca asked with a suspicious look.
“I was just going over some files.”
Shaking her head slowly, Malca scowling eyes suddenly narrowed dangerously at her. “You misunderstand me. What do you think you’re doing here at this time? It’s well past three in the morning. You know the rules; no one works off the books when I’m here.”
“I understand. I just wanted to get to the bottom of this issue with the serum.”
“There is no issue with the new serum—it’s perfect.” Malca replied smugly.
Gabriella felt her Latin blood boil at Malca attitude. The serum was killing people and she called it, “perfect”? “So perfect that it has killed six people already?” she hissed out taking a step toward her superior.
Scoffing, Malca waved her outburst away. “Those were test subjects; it is perfectly understandable that some are not going to be strong enough to breach like others have done. And furthermore, I forbid you to conduct any future autopsies when a test subject's usefulness is concluded. You’re here to study the results and improve them.”
Tightening her hand around the strap of her bag to conceal the shaking of her hand, Gabriella took a calming breath. “I apologize that I didn’t consult you before performing the autopsies, however I believe the serum is flawed and is contributing to the six recent dead test subjects. I recommend that we relook over the recent samples for any abnormalities.”
“No.” Malca’s eyes glared back at her with anger.
“Dr. Malca,” Gabriella pleaded as she held out a beseeching hand. “I beg you to allow me to reevaluate the serum and spare what lives I can in the process.”
Chuckling, she shook her head at the begging of her researcher. “Do you think I care about any of those test subjects? I thought what happened at base five would have demonstrated that I care only about results and anyone that doesn’t feel the same way can follow those unfortunate dead into the ground for all I care.”
Malca’s words carried with them the last images in her mind of site five. She’d been there the day Malca had given the order to destroy everything—including the test subjects. Too many had died that day in a blood bath of Malca’s senselessness and pride. Soldiers…test subjects…all gone because only two test subjects out of sixty had breached.
“You brought me here years ago because you said you were working on creating miracles for all people and I wanted to be a part of this. But I cannot stand by and not question the problems that are evident.”
“And what problems are there to question, Doctor?” Malca asked with an air of smugness.
“You’re killing innocent people. What you’re doing isn’t right…it’s immoral.”
“All scientific discoveries came by making sacrifices.”
“Not like this. How many laws are you willing to break or how many lives are you willing to destroy before you are satisfied?”
“Put a bandage on your bleeding heart, doctor and find your scientific mind!” Malca shouted, lightly brushing a stray hair out of her face. “The question you need to ask yourself is if you still want to be a part of history in the making, isn’t it?”
Taking a step toward her, Malca gently brushed a dark strand of hair that had escaped her long braid behind Gabriella’s ear. Gabriella forced herself not to jerk from Mal
ca’s soft gesture as it caused her stomach to turn sour. At one time her touch would have made her seem motherly, now it felt like a snake circling its prey within its coils.
“I value the work you’ve done, Gabriella. But I will not abide people who step out of line. Do me a favor and go home for a few days and think it over. Come back when you’re ready to do the work of a scientist and not a bleeding heart.”
“As you wish,” it was a challenge not to rush out the door like her fearful mind demanded. Instead she turned and slowly exited the office without a backward glance. She was all too aware that she was being watched by the soldier that stood guard outside of the office door as she waited for the elevator doors to open. Once inside she let out a breath of relief as the doors closed, shielding her from sight as the elevator descended to the parking lot.
* ~ * ~ *
Once the door closed behind Gabriella, Malca smirked knowingly. How gullible. “You can come in now.”
The door to her office opened again as Wyatt, one of her loyal soldiers and head of security entered holding a tablet in his hands. Moving across the room he came to stand in front of Malca.
“What did you find?” she asked.
“You’re not going to like it.” Pressing the touch screen on his tablet he turned it around for her to see. A black and white video played on the screen showing Gabriella hacking into their private secure server.
Her lip curled with mild amusement. “If I wasn’t upset by this I would suggest that we hire her to redo our security systems. What did she get?” her eyes jerked from the screen as she moved around her desk with barely any interest.
“Everything, even the file on project: Genesis.” Freezing in mid step, Malca curled her fingers into a tight fist before turning back around.
“What?” she hissed out lowly.
“I believe that she intends to run with the information she has and probably sell it.”
“No, it is much worse than that!” she bit out as her teeth clenched tightly together. “That information could ruin everything if she actually is able to open that file and if it gets into the wrong hands.”
Big, Bold & Bearing (Grizzly Affairs Book 2) Page 2