by Faith Gibson
“Jules, what is it?”
Shaking his head back and forth, he roared, fighting with his beast to calm down. “We are going to get her!” he yelled. Julian shook his head again, and finally the shifter eased up enough that Julian could phase back. “Godsdamn, that was uncalled for,” he chastised aloud.
“What the hell was that?” Tessa asked from the porch.
“That was my shifter pitching a fit. I have never…” Julian pulled his ruined shirt off. “I hate to say it, but the beast might have a better connection with Katherine than I do. There is no other reason for it to have gone off like that. In all my years, that has never happened. I have never lost control.”
“Mates will do that to you,” Gregor said narrowing his eyes at his own mate.
Tessa shrugged. “Yeah, well, it’s mutual. Y’all drive us crazy too; we just control ourselves better.”
“I hope I can keep it together tomorrow when we get inside. If not, the humans are going to be in for one hell of a show,” Julian admitted. “At least they will think Everhart is the beast, and they won’t know who I really am.”
“Seriously, Jules. Are you going to be able to maintain control? I know the human guards can’t hurt you, but outing the Gargoyles is not on our list of things to accomplish tomorrow.”
“I think we will be fine once we get inside and it knows we are getting Katherine. I am going to have a long internal chat tonight. You would think with it being part of me, it would already know how fucking important this is.”
“Like I said, mates can have that effect. I’ve only ever phased without warning when Tessa was involved. I can’t speak for yours, because I don’t know what’s going on with Katherine, but as long as mine knows Tessa is safe, it remains calm.”
“We won’t know whether or not she is safe until tomorrow. One thing that bothers me is she is away from her family. If she were in New Atlanta, I would have expected her foster family to come visit her at the Pen at some point. She is down here, three states away from everyone she knows, and even then, the Feds have her locked in the basement. A basement not on any plans the public is aware of, which means they don’t want her having visitors. Is that not against some human code of ethics or some shit?”
“You would think so, Brother. But rest easy in the fact that this time tomorrow, she will be home with you. If you want her foster parents to be aware of her safety, I’m sure we can make that happen.”
“I will have to wait and talk to Kat. I don’t want to put the Praters in danger with the government. If they will torture Kat, I have no doubt they will torture her family as well. I don’t want them to worry, but at the same time, which is worse? Worrying or being in imminent danger?”
“You have a point. Now, let’s go back inside and try to relax. I’ll continue watching the monitors if you want to prepare supper. Or vice versa. I don’t mind cooking.”
“I would prefer you cook. I would hate to burn the house down if my evil half decides to throw another tantrum.”
Asshole.
Julian barked out a laugh, and Gregor and Tessa looked at him to see what was going on. “The bastard has decided to talk to me.” Truth hurts.
You’re gonna hurt if you do not get our mate.
I liked you better when you were quiet.
Get used to it.
Julian tossed his shirt in the trashcan before grabbing a soda out of the refrigerator. He and Tessa sat down in front of the computers and alternated their focus between watching for the agents and keeping an eye on the area leading to the basement. Gregor sang softly while cooking supper, something Julian hadn’t heard in hundreds of years. The sound was soothing to Julian, and the smile on Tessa’s face said it was to her as well.
A few hours later, Tessa put on the voice transmitter, and Julian hooked the phone up so the call couldn’t be traced. Tessa tested the transmitter several times before making the call. If Julian hadn’t known it was Tessa in the room, he would have sworn it was Agent Rayaz speaking.
Tessa dialed Everhart’s number, and they watched him on the monitor with the sound turned off. He was sitting on his sofa with a beer when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and frowned. Still, he answered, “Everhart.”
“Terry, this is Rayaz. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Rayaz? Uh, no. No, I’m good. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to talk to you about Katherine Fox.”
“What about her?” Everhart sat up straighter on his sofa, placed the beer on the end table, and leaned his forearms on his thighs.
“I think she’s innocent.”
“Rayaz, there’s a stack of evidence that reaches my ass against the woman.”
“I know that; I’ve seen it all. But the woman has been through some of the worst torture imaginable as well as going through intense cognitive probing. She knows nothing about weapons, the farm where the weapons were found, or the intel supposedly shared with our enemies.”
“Maybe she’s been trained against questioning.”
“My god, Terry, she’s just a reporter. She’s not a Marine or a soldier. I’m telling you, she’s innocent.”
“So why are you telling me?”
“I want to let her go.”
“You can’t fucking do that, Rayaz.” Terry stood from his sofa and began pacing the room.
Tessa sighed loudly. “I know, I just… I needed to run this by someone else. I know our bosses have something to prove, but I think putting this woman through any more torture is wrong.”
“Then find the evidence to prove her innocence. Until then, she needs to stay put.”
“I’ll do that. Sorry to have bothered you.”
“Rayaz, you’re a good agent. Don’t go soft on us now.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll talk to you later,” Tessa said and disconnected. “Turn that up,” she said, pointing at the monitor feeding from the agent’s home. As soon as Everhart disconnected from talking with Rayaz, he dialed someone else’s number.
“We have a problem. It’s Rayaz. She’s getting soft where the Fox woman is concerned. You are? Excellent. Then we won’t have to worry about her much longer. I’ll keep an eye on things and call you as soon as it’s done.” The agent disconnected his phone, tossed it on the coffee table, and resumed watching the baseball game as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Tessa slammed her hand on the table. “Whoever he was talking to must have something planned for Katherine. We need to get in there. Tonight.”
Chapter Eleven
“I need to find out who he called,” Julian muttered and began typing frantically on the keyboard. Knowing Katherine had already been tortured was bad enough, but to hear the agents were planning something else?
“Does it matter?” Tessa asked.
“Yes. If there is someone at the prison who is planning something, we don’t want to be surprised if we run into him or her.”
“I’m going to gather our things so we can move out as soon as possible. I think going in this late will work more to our advantage since there will be less people roaming around.”
Gregor pulled Tessa to him, keeping her from walking down the hall. “What will you say if someone asks why you’re visiting so late?”
“I’ll tell them we have received threats to Katherine’s life, and we need to move her to a safe house. It won’t be a lie.”
Gregor nodded, wrapping his hand around Tessa’s neck and pulling her down for a kiss. When she walked away, Gregor asked, “Julian, are you ready to do this, Brother?”
“I have been ready. What the… Fuck!” Julian leaned closer to the screen even though with his shifter sight he could see the information perfectly well. “Everhart was talking to the Deputy Director, Joseph Long.”
“Is he the same Joe Rayaz called?” Gregor asked.
“I have no doubt. This is his photo,” Julian said, pulling up a picture of the man and showing it to Gregor. “Do you recognize him from any of the prison f
ootage?”
“No, but I wasn’t looking for him. Can you run facial recognition to be on the safe side?”
“Yes. Let me just…” Julian tapped away at the keyboard and the program came to life on the screen in front of Gregor. “Here you go. Please watch this and let me know if he shows up.” Julian closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands, sending up another prayer to the gods.
Tessa returned to the living area with two duffle bags. “I think we should go ahead and put the prosthetics on now, that way if someone sees us going into either agent’s home, they won’t get suspicious. Did you look at the size of Everhart’s suits? We never had a chance to buy you one.”
“I did. The jacket will be snug, but the pants should fit okay with a belt. I doubt I have the jacket on long anyway.”
Tessa handed Julian his mask and showed him how to apply it so it fit properly. She applied the Rayaz prosthetic to her own face before tugging on the wig, and within half an hour, the two of them looked like completely different people. “Here are the fingerprint adhesives. These will alleviate worrying about our fingerprints rubbing off on anything.”
By the time they were ready to leave, Gregor still hadn’t seen the Deputy Director at the prison. “I’m ready on this end. Please be careful. Both of you. I know you’re Gargoyle, but I still worry.”
“We’ll be fine, Stone. You just keep your earpiece in so we can talk to you.” Tessa handed him a small transmitter that fit over his ear. It was exactly like the FBI used. Julian didn’t ask where Tessa got it. He already knew she had all kinds of technology she used when she’d been a Watcher for her family. She was a modern-day Lara Croft. “Julian, your earpiece is in the bag along with the serum and antidote. Gregor, here is the extra antidote just in case. The dosage is 10 cc. More is okay, but less won’t have the needed effect, and the agents could die without it. Julian, the serum is pre-measured in the syringe. There are zip ties in your bag as well.
“Once we have the agents subdued, we’ll meet up in the parking lot at FSM and walk in together. That way if anyone wants to question us as to why we’re there in the middle of the night, only one of us has to speak, and our story will be the same. We’ll get Katherine and take her out the back door. Should anyone alert the assistant warden, I’ll handle him while you keep getting your mate to safety. Once you’re outside, don’t worry about me. We’ll meet back here before we return to administer the antidote. Any questions?”
“No. We should be able to get in and get out quickly as long as we can get Kat’s cell open.”
“Rayaz should have a key card that gets us in. If not, we’ll let the shifter loose to take care of it.”
“Deal. Gregor, are you ready, Brother?”
“Yes, I am. Go get your mate, and Red… You better bring your pretty ass back to me in one piece.”
“Yes, sir,” she husked, kissing him deeply.
Julian was ready to get Katherine, but he couldn’t help thinking they’d forgotten something. It was too late for second-guessing. He and Tessa made their way to their rental cars. Tessa looked at him over the roof and said, “We’ve got this, Jules. Even if something goes wrong, we’ll wing it. We’re Gargoyle after all.”
He nodded, gave her a brief smile, and slid into the driver’s seat. He trusted Tessa, and he knew she would do everything in her power to help him get his mate out of FSM. It didn’t take long to arrive at Everhart’s home. Julian parked down the street, grabbed his duffle bag, and made his way to the back of the house. He typed in the security code to the alarm system and let himself inside. After retrieving the serum from the bag, he set the bag by the back door and reached out with his shifter hearing. By the slowness of his breathing, the agent was asleep. Julian padded silently to the back of the house and to the man’s bedroom. Julian jabbed the needle into the sleeping man’s neck and pushed the plunger until all the liquid was gone.
Everhart stirred, but Julian easily held him down with one hand until the poison took effect. As soon as he was sure the man couldn’t move, Julian grabbed the zip ties and secured Everhart’s hands and feet. He flipped the man over and zipped the bands together, effectively hog-tying him. If he were to wake up, he wouldn’t be able to get loose. Julian stepped into the closet and found a suit and shirt. He changed into the agent’s uniform before folding his own clothes and putting them in the duffle bag. Julian found the agent’s ID, clipping it to his pocket. Even though he’d never fired a gun in his life, Julian retrieved the handgun and holster, securing them to his left hip. He checked his reflection in the mirror. It was scary how, in less than an hour, he had become someone else.
Julian found the keys to Everhart’s car, grabbed his duffle bag, and left the house after resetting the alarm. He let out a breath as soon as he was moving toward FSM. That had been the easy part. The hard part was going to be seeing his mate and being able to keep his beast under control.
Of course Rayaz wasn’t asleep. That would have been too fucking easy. Oh well, Tessa never did like easy anyway. She pulled the syringe out of the bag and left the duffle on the ground outside the door. Once she typed in the alarm code, she let herself in. It didn’t take long before she was met by Special Agent Sonja Rayaz of the FBI. Tessa had never impersonated a government employee before, but she was ready should the woman come at her.
“Who… who are you?” Rayaz asked, frowning. It had to be some confusing shit coming face to face with yourself.
Tessa cocked her head to the side and said, “I’m Sonja Rayaz. Who are you and what are you doing in my home?”
“Your home? This is my home. I…” The woman shook her head and looked around. Tessa took advantage of the moment and advanced on Rayaz. Before she could get the needle into her neck, Rayaz spun around with a right cross, hitting Tessa in the face.
Tessa hadn’t been expecting the attack, but now that Rayaz had struck, Tessa was ready. Using her shifter strength, she did a leg sweep, knocking the agent to the floor. Tessa jumped on top of the other woman and pinned her arms down with her knees. She got the needle into Rayaz’s neck and pushed the plunger down. The woman struggled beneath her, but she was no match for Tessa’s half-blood strength, even if the agent did have quite a few pounds on Tessa. “Why couldn’t you have gone to bed like a normal person?” Tessa asked as she picked the woman up to take her to her bedroom. Once there, Tessa dropped her onto the bed and waited for the serum to fully kick in.
Rayaz’s eyes were wide as she fought the effects, but eventually she succumbed to the poison and her eyes closed. Tessa retrieved her duffle bag. After using the zip ties to secure the agent, she changed clothes. Tessa found the woman’s phone, weapon, credentials, and the door key that allowed her to access the prison. The drive to FSM took almost half an hour even without traffic. Unless he had trouble with Everhart, Julian would already be there waiting on her. She pulled into the vacant space next to him and parked Rayaz’s car. She grinned at him when they got out of their respective vehicles.
“Any trouble?” she asked.
“None. You?”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle. You should have seen her face when she got a look at me. That’ll mess with her head for a while. Gregor, can you hear us?”
“I got you, Red.”
Tessa grinned then asked Julian, “You ready?”
“More than ready. Let’s do this.”
Tessa and Julian strode into the prison like they owned the place. They had watched the security feed enough to know the drill upon entering. The night guard eyed them carefully as they each placed their right hand on the bio-scanner. “Agents, it’s a little late, isn’t it?”
“Criminals don’t sleep; therefore, neither do we,” Tessa stated in Rayaz’s voice.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” the guard said, looking at Julian. Instead of responding, Julian shrugged. The guard frowned at him before going back to whatever he’d been doing before they entered the building. Together they walked down the long corridor to the elevat
or that led to the basement. Once inside the lift, Tessa pushed the button for the basement but nothing happened. Julian held his key card up in front of a scanner. When the light turned green, he tried the button again. The lift began moving, and Tessa let out a sigh.
Gregor’s voice sounded in their coms. “We have a problem. The guard at the front desk called someone as soon as you walked away, and the other guards are on the move.”
“Keep an eye on where they go,” Tessa instructed.”
When the doors opened, they stepped out. Tessa turned in a circle. “Since there are only two hallways down here, let’s split up. You take the left, and I’ll take the right.”
As agents, they should know where they were going, but Tessa figured she’d wing it if anyone asked why they separated. The hallway she searched had several rooms, and it didn’t take her long to figure out Julian had been correct in assuming that’s where inmates were tortured. Finding the rooms empty, she turned to go find Julian when his panicked voice sounded in her earpiece. “She’s not here.”
“Shit,” Tessa hissed under her breath. She took off at a jog to the other hallway where Julian was standing in front of one of the cells, his hands and forehead pressed to the glass.
“She isn’t fucking here,” he growled, beating his fists against the glass wall.
“She has to be somewhere in the facility, Julian. Reach out with your senses and feel her. Gregor? Did you see anyone move her?”
“No. Let me rewind the feed and see what I can find.”
Julian pushed away from the wall and began pacing the hallway, and Tessa could only wait him out. What if someone had already gotten to Katherine permanently? Gods, if that was the case, Julian would tear the place apart.
She’s in the infirmary. Tessa looked around for the voice she’d just heard. “Stone, did you say something?”