by Unknown
room, carefully taking in the very formation of the building. Think, Marrok.
“What do we know about them?” he asked Alexander, ignoring his puzzled expression. “We
know they have plenty of money and unlimited funding. They have equipment that probably doesn't even have an official name, yet. The sky is the limit with them, right? I want to tear this place up, inch by inch, but I don't think we're going to find the answers here. They'd be stupid to return, and they are anything but stupid. We're wasting our time right now, but hell if I know where else to go.”
“Alonzo and his wolves have been exploring the caverns and tunnels underground, but there are
so damn many of them that it will take forever to get through them all,” Alexander told him, his voice revealing his frustration. “I'm starting to feel like a rat shifter in a maze.”
Marrok's frozen mind spun, his wheels turning sluggishly. His concentration was shot all to hell.
It had to stop. Losing his focus wouldn't help Taylor.
He thought back to the night she'd been rescued. It had been the scent from Neal's shirt that led the wolves to the door, literally. Maybe they could find their new hideout if he could find something, anything, that belonged to the commander. He turned to Alexander. “I want to return to the research facility. I've got an idea.”
* * * * *
They entered into the facility the same way they'd done in the past. Marrok hadn't returned with
them after they'd rescued Taylor. He'd been away from her for too long to consider leaving her, and the other men hadn't expected anything different.
Alexander led him to the top, where the offices were officially located. Even after a month, the facility reeked of fear and desperation within its hallways. Too many lives had been altered or ended in these dark depths. No wonder it was called Hell's Pit. There was nothing to be found inside but torment and death.
“There's a light switch next to the door,” Alexander told him, his blue eyes glowing in the dark as he searched for danger. The facility was empty of any life, though. It was silent and sinister, now nothing more than an empty, haunted shell.
The fire had ravaged a lot of the hallway, not to mention, the bombs the soldiers had put off.
There had been safety measures taken by the humans in case of fires, though. It was evident by the ceiling sprinklers. Had they not been there, the entire place would have went up in smoke.
As it was, it looked like a war zone as they moved down the hallway. Black soot lined
everything, the air full of residual smoke. “Has anyone determined where he maintained his quarters?
He must have had one, unless he has a residence somewhere close by.”
“I didn't think of that,” Alexander admitted, understanding dawning on his chiseled features. “If we can pick up his scent, we've got them. Who knows? Maybe all this time he has lived somewhere around Jagged Rock. If so, that's probably where they are headed.”
Moving from room to room, Marrok finally saw the large, embossed sign that proclaimed the
last office as the one they were searching for. “Bingo,” he growled out, stalking through the open door.
A quick flip of the switch revealed a once-luxurious office, complete with televisions that would have allowed him to monitor any part of the facility.
“What a sick bastard,” he muttered, shaking his head. He continued his inspection, not wanting to miss a single detail. A large bookshelf dominated one wall, a sofa resting against the opposite wall.
Two doors stood side by side. One was an empty closet, the other a bathroom with a shower.
Alexander stood next to the sofa, inhaling deeply. “I'm not picking up any scents here, but it's likely they have simply faded.”
Marrok nodded, moving over to the desk. It was large, heavy enough to have taken several men
to carry it in. He flipped it over with one hand and inspected it. Immediately, he found what he was looking for.
The secret drawer was hidden underneath the bottom drawer, set far enough back it would have
never been conspicuous. With one hard yank of his powerful hand, he broke through the lock and laid the drawer on the table next to him.
Digging through, he picked up a scrap of stretchy material, wondering what it was for. As he
held it up to Alexander, his expression turned to one of pure disgust. It was a thong, specifically designed for men, with a smiley-face pouch in the front. Even worse, the tip of the pouch was stuffed, compensating for the commander's obviously tiny male part.
“I'm going to have to singe my hands with fire to get the funk of that off my palms,” he growled out as he tossed it to the floor.
“I hate to say this, but it would probably have his scent,” Alexander mused, his expression one of absolute repugnance.
Marrok leveled an exasperated look at him. “You want to be the one to sniff them?”
“Fuck, no,” Alexander replied, his lips twisting in distaste. “Where the hell is Connor when you need him?”
At his words, both men remembered the condition of the other man. “Shit,” Alexander said,
shoving a hand through his hair. “For a moment, I forgot. It's just too damn much to take in. Wolf Town wouldn't be the same without Connor. He keeps half of the settlement pissed at him, but he always manages to make us laugh.”
Marrok thought back to the night he'd discovered him in the tree. He shared it with Alexander, ending it by saying, “You know damn well he wasn't bird watching.”
Alexander rubbed at the back of his neck. “What in the hell is it with the Amish that keeps
drawing him to them? They credit Connor with saving the life of one of their own, but in the same breath they made it clear they wanted no further contact with any of the residents from Wolf Town. All of us are more than happy to honor that, except for Connor. I just don't understand him.”
Marrok pulled out a packet of pictures. “You would have to be nuts to understand Connor,
which is something I'm not, at least, yet.” He flipped open the flap, sucking air through his teeth in rage. “I might be after this, though. All of these pictures are of Taylor,” he growled out in rage and horror.
Some of the pictures were mundane, photos taken of her eating or sleeping. Others went far
beyond horrific, taken while they were doing tests on her. He shoved the packet in his pocket, intent upon destroying them as soon as possible. He'd ensure they never came back to haunt her.
“What else is in there?” Alexander asked, moving over to help him. There were several folders
that they scanned through, but they contained nothing that would help them, immediately. The only other contents was a keyring, which he made sure to slide in his pocket, as well.
“What a sterile excuse for an office,” Marrok spit out, hands on his lean hips. “Most people
bring some small piece of humanity into the space they spend their time at, but not this asshole.”
Alexander snorted as he looked down at the yellow underwear. “I'd say it's a pretty accurate
representation of the man that worked in it, if he could even be called that. What a disgusting waste of space he is. He obviously has issues with his masculinity. This facility was probably an out for him, an escape from reality. His reality is about to be rearranged when I get a hold of him. The bastard doesn't deserve to live after everything he's done.”
“Agreed,” Marrok replied, his handsome face lined with anger. He stalked over to the
bookshelf, perusing the contents. His thoughts were occupied. It took him several seconds to notice the change in the air.
His eyes widened as a new scent teased his nostrils. It was cool but slightly wet, the scent
earthier than the air in the room. He looked at the bookshelf with fresh eyes, searching for any clues that would reveal what was behind it.
“There's something behind this bookshelf,” he muttered, quickly throwing the books
on the
floor. “Maybe even a hidden passageway. We need to figure out how to get it open.”
“You're shitting me,” Alexander replied, quickly joining him. Between the two, the shelves were cleared in under a minute. “I'm not seeing a latch or anything to release it.”
“Neither am I,” Marrok ground out, squeezing his large hand into a fist. With one powerful
punch, he forced his fist through the back, leaving a large hole in the wood when he pulled it back out.
Alexander gave him an appreciate look. “Well done,” he said drolly, his eyes flashing with
amusement. “If all else fails, try brute strength.”
Marrok grunted, using both hands to rip the hole wider. Wood flew in all directions, until he
enlarged it enough to stick half his body in. His eyes immediately acclimated to the darkness.
“It's definitely a tunnel,” he called back to Alexander. “Not big enough for a vehicle, but more than big enough for people on foot. I can see lights installed on the rock walls with electrical wires connected to them. This tunnel has been used often. I'm guessing mostly by the commander.”
“Scent anything?” Alexander asked behind him.
“Not yet.” Marrok climbed through easily, searching for some way to turn on the lights. He
couldn't imagine any human traveling back and forth without them. He found it located next to the back end of the bookshelf.
Flipping it on, he surveyed the tunnel. It was man made, of that he had no doubts. The surface of the floors and walls were smooth and level, something that could have only been accomplished by machine. He couldn't scent any human life, but it wasn't unusual. If his suspicions were correct, it wouldn't have been used since their rescue.
Alexander followed him through, his movements agile despite his large, tall frame. The
guardians were all lithe and flexible, their bodies completely conditioned. Alexander was both king and lead guardian, and it chafed him to have to wait until an area was deemed safe to enter.
Marrok pulled out his cellphone, hoping he'd have service. If he didn't, it would be the first time his phone had failed him. Alexander made sure the guardians had the best phone service money could buy, using technology generally limited to only military personnel. Punching the number for Alonzo, he was relieved to hear it ring.
The other man answered immediately. “Alonzo, it's Marrok,” he stated grimly. “Were any of
you aware of the hidden tunnel behind the bookcase in the commander's office?”
“One sec,” Alonzo replied, surprise evident in his low voice. “Let me put you on
speakerphone.” The sound quality changed before he continued, “What's this about a tunnel behind the bookcase?”
Marrok filled him in while Alexander examined their immediate area. Alonzo whistled. “No,
none of us were aware of it. Do you want me to notify the guardians and send them over?”
“I think that would be a good idea,” Alexander spoke up, turning back to Marrok. “There is
power in numbers, and we need to get a move on this. The day is passing by quickly, and I want us to be in place before they hit anywhere near hear. It will be easier with everyone here.”
“I'll spread the word. Expect us in about half an hour. I've got a team out right now, exploring the area that was reported to be the commander's new hideout. It's a little over an hour away from here, so they will have to join up with us later.”
“Did they find anything?” somehow Marrok doubted it.
Alonzo confirmed it. “No, nothing,” he replied with disgust. “I'm starting to believe it was a setup, but why?”
“I think I can answer that,” Alexander told him. “They wanted us out of the way so they could
slip in and get Taylor. By sending us out here, it would kill two birds with one stone. Carlos figured we would be here by the time our pack realized something was wrong, and possibly have already
discovered we had a false lead. After that, we would never suspect he's really here in New Mexico. I'm sure he planned on us being long gone by the time they made it back here. Too bad for them, it didn't quite work out that way.”
“Ah,” Alonzo said, meaningfully. “That makes perfect sense now. Are you two going to follow
the tunnel on in?”
“Absolutely, and we're going to pray like hell with each step that it takes us somewhere
important,” Alexander replied. His face was shadowed with sadness, his blue eyes tireder than Marrok could ever recall seeing them. “If it doesn't....” He let his voice trail off, leaving the thought unspoken.
He didn't need to continue. Every werewolf there was aware of what would happen if they couldn't find the hideout.
This was a side of the king that not many people ever got to see.... Or ever would. No matter
how dire the circumstances were, Alexander was always in control. This was different, though. Marrok should know. He was experiencing the exact same emotions.
“If you don't hear from us by the time you get here, we want some of the team to follow us
through the tunnel. We don't know how deep it's going to go, and we might lose reception. Do you have a supply of two-way radios?” Marrok was thinking fast, attempting to cover all the bases. They didn't want to leave anything to chance.
“We have a ton of them in storage. There hasn't been much use for them since cellphones came
out. I'll get someone to get them ready. You two be careful, you hear? There is no telling what kind of traps are rigged up in there. Carlos is playing for keeps, and in his eyes, nobody is expendable.”
“We will. Be safe yourself. We'll see you when you get here.”
They ended the call. Marrok changed the ring tone to vibrate and slid it in its holder. “Let's get a move on,” he growled out, his body tensed and ready for action. “I'm so ready to put an end to this bastard.”
Alexander gave him a half-hearted smile, his blue eyes flickering briefly with amusement. “I
know what you mean,” he replied, moving down the corridor. “The sooner, the better.”
Chapter 12
The men walked through the tunnel, surprised when automatic lights replaced the traditional
ones about five minutes into their journey. “Bet that made it handy for our good buddy, Carlos,”
Marrok ground out sarcastically as he peered down the tunnel. They'd been descending ever since leaving the outside of his office.
The lights lit the way for about thirty feet, leaving nothing but darkness beyond it. His wolf didn't detect any danger, but the lighting certainly left them at a disadvantage. He moved forward cautiously, Alexander hot on his heels.
The tunnel wasn't quite large enough for two men of their sizes to walk side by side, so Marrok went first. After all, it was his responsibility to protect Alexander, despite his grumblings. He threw a look over his shoulder, surprised to see how far down they'd come.
Alexander turned and peered behind them as well. “Bet that incline is a bitch going back up, at least for a human.”
Marrok shrugged, his long legs allowing him to move fast. “Too bad he didn't trip and break his neck while he was at it. It sure as hell would have saved us a lot of trouble.”
At the next set of lights, the tunnel leveled out and widened into a cavern. They advanced
quietly, but there was nothing there but a few mice that scurried off at the sight of them. It looked like a storage room, packed high on the sides with boxes and lidded barrels.
“Well, well,” Alexander drawled out, staring at a jeep parked next to the wall. “What do we
have here?”
Marrok walked across the room for a closer look. A flash of metal at the ignition revealed the keys were in it. He hoped into the driver's seat. “Care to take a ride?”
“Don't mind if I do,” Alexander replied, jumping in next to him.
The jeep started easily. Marrok swung it around and d
rove down the corridor, headlights off. It was risky taking the vehicle, especially considering how loud it was in the tunnel, but it might come in handy later on that evening.
The men remained quiet for the next ten minutes. They passed a multitude of metal doors along
the way, some of them average-sized, while others were large enough for vehicles to pass through.
Many of them had bio-hazard warning signs sealed to the front. “What do you think they are keeping in there?”
“God only knows,” Alexander replied, his voice thick with disgust. “In Hell's Pit, anything is possible. After our men have went through it all, I'm tempted to blow it up. Leaving it in a halfway usable condition is just asking for trouble in the future. If not from another organization like this, than teenagers looking for a little fun. There has been too much evil done down here already, and I'd like to see a permanent end to it.”
“How would the humans explain it, though?”
Alexander shrugged. “I'm sure Alonzo could think of a good explanation. It's not like there are a lot of humans around here. Maybe he could say it was an earthquake, but in all seriousness, I doubt anyone would come looking.”
“Might be for the best,” Marrok responded, his eyes peering into the darkness ahead of them.
He was completely focused on his task, refusing to allow his mind to ponder on the hundreds of things that could possibly be happening to his mate. They were on the road. That wouldn't leave Carlos much room to play.
Alexander stared at him, his eyebrows drawn down in a frown. “I don't know how you did it,
Marrok. All those years you spent without Taylor, but you managed to not only be a guardian, but an outstanding one. How in the hell did you pull that off?”
Marrok dodged a natural rock formation, handing the jeep smoothly in the darkness. “That's an
easy answer. I had nothing left to lose.”
Alexander looked away, shaking his head in bemusement. “I just want you to know I respect
you, and I'm grateful for your years of service.”
“Thank you, My Liege,” he replied formally, slightly embarrassed by the attention. “Are we