by Rayne Reilly
Jake shook his head and exhaled loudly. "You two have just dropped a ton of information on me that you should have told me days ago."
Placing both hands on his desk, he was silent for a moment.
Julie and Xander exchanged a look of worry.
"It's no wonder the S.A.C. has been breathing down my neck. I can't believe they knew about vampires all along and kept it from us. They should have told me about this Doctor and his experiments. We might have solved this case ages ago. I'm not impressed that they've made a fool of me."
He took a long look at Julie and then Xander. Exhaling loudly once more, he spoke again.
"You stay on the team until we solve this. When it's done and I confront the Shifter Alliance Council, we'll talk again."
"Thank you, Jake," Julie said and smiled. She beamed at Xander and reached out to touch his hand. He placed his other hand on top of hers.
The office phone rang. Xander and Julie remained seated while Jake answered.
"Jake Braedon," he said into the phone. There was a pause as he listened.
"Where?" Jake jotted down an address on a piece of paper and laid down his pen.
"I'll send out some agents right away. Thanks for calling me first."
He hung up and handed the piece of paper to Julie.
"They've just found another body," he said. "Here's the address. Go to the scene and see if you can find out anything before any other investigators get there."
Jake looked back and forth between Xander and Julie. His face lit up as though he had remembered something.
"Remember that warehouse I sent you to check out a few months back? You told me at the time that you had heard about a drug being made that would harm shifters. Do you know more about that? Could that be what the experiments are about?"
Xander gasped and pressed his lips together. "Of course...damn it. I should have thought of that. I should have realized that Dimitri was behind that."
"Would you care to fill us in?" Jake asked.
"When I worked briefly for organized crime, there was talk about a street drug that harmed shifters. At the time we weren't sure if shifters were making it or if they were the target for the drug. The existence of the drug was only a rumor. I never saw it or the results of anything related to it. There were only whispers by a few Senior Agents.
"It never occurred to me that this was my father's doing. I never mentioned it to him, and he never mentioned the drug to me. I thought the medications that Megalos Pharmaceuticals was working on were --" Xander stopped speaking. "How could I be so naive? No wonder they had me transferred to the Shifter Task Force. They wanted to make sure the drug operation wasn't found.
"I'm sorry, Jake," he apologized. "I didn't know. I was only told to keep the F.B.I. away from the warehouse so that my father's operation wouldn't be interrupted. I didn't make the connection until just now. If I had known..."
"You told me that you found no trace of anything then. Was that the truth?"
"Yes. I called the Vampire High Council to tell them they could move back in there and that we would close the case. I don't know what happened there after that. I didn't return again. I was telling the truth about not finding anything. I only mentioned the drug rumor that day to have an excuse to go there myself. My father told me to deny the existence of vampires and his illegal laboratory."
Jake shook his head and gave Xander a scolding look. Xander knew that he had been used by his father and had let it happen because of his need for approval from the man. Feeling ashamed and angry he looked at the floor.
Jake spoke up. "I want you to go back and take another look around. See if there was ever a drug lab there. Report back to me if you find anything."
Xander nodded and looked at Julie who was giving him a questioning look. He spoke directly to her. "That happened before you started working with us. I was told by Dimitri that they might want to reuse the facility. I'd forgotten about it." He said apologetically.
Jake cleared his throat. "Just get to the crime scene."
Xander and Julie left the office in silence.
***
Julie turned to face Xander as they entered the elevator and folded her arms across her chest.
"Do you mind driving today, since you know where we're going?"
Xander bit his lip and looked a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry I didn't mention the warehouse sooner. I feel like a fool in all this. My father has played me."
Julie didn't say anything for a moment as she studied Xander's face. She wasn't sure how, but she knew he was telling her the truth. Why am I so attracted to you?
She sighed and turned to face the doors. Xander interrupted her thoughts.
"I want you to know that you can trust me," he said, reassuringly. "I would never do anything to harm you. I want my father to pay for what he's done, and I want the abducted shifters found just as much as you do."
Julie turned to see him looking at her. His face was filled with emotions that made her heart beat a little bit faster. She reached out and touched his forearm feeling a little embarrassed at his blatant affection for her.
"Thanks, Xander. I believe you. I just don't want any lies between us," she said.
The light, playful manner that they usually shared had disappeared. She wanted things to go back to the way they were, where he flirted shamelessly with her, and she pretended she didn't love it. The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the lobby. Julie took a deep breath and released it.
"So you gonna drive or what?" she asked playfully and punched his arm.
Xander smiled. "I'll drive."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Julie and Xander approached the scene of the crime with the second dead shifter body. It was covered with a plastic sheet, and the police crime scene unit was still on the scene.
"Any sign of what may have killed the victim?" Julie asked the young male medical examiner.
"No. But I think we're looking at the same killer, though. This victim is a female in her late twenties. Her wrists have ligature marks on them indicating she was restrained. Just like the male victim. There are also some puncture marks on her arms, possibly from an intravenous drip. We'll be able to tell you more once we get her to the morgue and I do a full autopsy."
Xander rubbed his hand along his jaw and cheek. He felt disappointed in himself for getting caught up in his father's illegal activities. He had told himself that he was only keeping the vampire race a secret. He didn't allow himself to think that his father would take out his hatred on innocent shifters. Over the past couple of days, Xander had come to the realization that he was not like his father at all. In fact, his distaste for his father's ideals was now causing him to hate the man that had raised him. How dare he and this doctor do the things they were doing. Another innocent shifter lay dead because he had underestimated his father. Xander looked at the body and then at the M.E.
"How long has she been dead?" he asked.
"Time of death is around midday yesterday. She was likely dropped off here during the night."
Julie thanked the Medical Examiner and turned to Xander.
"I think we need to check out that warehouse now. If there is any chance of finding something that may lead us to the place where they're holding the shifters..." she didn't finish her sentence.
Xander raised one brow. "Agreed. Let's go check it out."
***
The warehouse was located in an older industrial part of the city. It looked as though it had been empty and neglected for a while. The doors weren't locked, and access to the large building was easy.
"So do the vampires own this?" Julie asked curiously.
"The Vampire High Council own a lot of properties all over. This place was owned by my father's company. I don't know if it still is or what they did here."
Julie looked around the large empty industrial warehouse. It had a cement floor, stained in places with some unknown substance. There was a metal framed ceiling and fluorescent lighting, thou
gh there were no lights on. The only light flooding the space came from the small door they had entered through, and the large bay doors on one wall, with tiny windows to let in the light. Here and there were a couple of wooden tables stacked against a wall but no other furnishings and little to indicate what may have gone on in there. It was evident that it was not a sterile environment and any drug being made there would not be created in the best conditions. Using her excellent sense of smell, Julie checked every inch of the facility trying to find clues. She found nothing to indicate that shifters had been there. Only humans.
Xander stood by the door with his hands in his pockets.
"Did you find anything?" he asked.
Julie shook her head and raised up a corner of her mouth in disappointment.
"Me either. I didn't think we would. I'm sure now that my father has kept much from me."
"We need to find out what properties he owns in Portland." Julie said.
"The problem is that he could be hiding behind one of the other council members...having them own the building while he uses it."
Julie scratched her forehead in thought. Her phone rang. Reaching into her pocket to grab her cell, they both stepped outside and closed the door behind them.
"Williams," she said.
"Hello, Agent Williams. I'm calling from the medical examiner's office to let you know that we received the toxicology results on the first murder victim. There was a combination of unusual medications found in his system...and a lot of it. I don't know why someone would mix these drugs together. I've sent a copy of the file to your office."
"Thanks for letting me know." Julie sighed.
She hung up and looked at Xander. "I take it you heard what the M.E. just said?"
Xander nodded and furrowed his brow.
"I think it's time we spoke to my father," he said.
"I couldn't agree more," Julie said as she and Xander walked back to his car.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Xander led the way as he and Julie marched quickly past Dimitri's surprised male assistant and into Dimitri's office.
Dimitri was standing by one of the large windows looking down to the street below.
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" he asked without looking in Xander's direction.
"How dare you use me like this?" barked Xander. "You had me cover for you while you abduct and kill shifters!" Xander's voice was thick with emotion.
Dimitri turned to face his son. His face changed to one of horror when he saw Julie standing close to Xander. He quickly composed himself.
"And how dare you bring that in here with you?" he asked, his words dripping with venom.
Outraged at the blatant hatred toward her, Julie lunged at Dimitri. Xander grabbed her arms and pulled her up against him. She was surprised to realize just how strong he was.
Xander leaned down to whisper into her ear. His voice was calm and deep. "Don't let him get to you. I will not let him harm you."
Julie pulled herself away from Xander. She straightened out her clothing as she looked up at him with anger flashing in her eyes. "It isn't him hurting me that you should worry about," she growled.
Dimitri let out a maniacal laugh and walked toward the pair. His hands were at his sides. His fake human disguise did little to hide the creature that he was. Julie's nostrils filled with his stench; a strong smell of sulfur and something floral that she didn't recognize. She put her fingers under her nose to try to dull the smell.
Up close, she could see that he was wearing make-up. She noticed the windows of his office were tinted to keep out the sun. She couldn't believe this was Xander's father.
"We know about the drugs you're creating," Julie spat.
"Drugs?" he laughed. "I own a pharmaceutical company...of course, we manufacture drugs."
Xander stepped closer to his father. He kept his hand out in front of Julie to stop her from advancing. A deep growl rumbled in her chest, but she remained where she stood.
"You're making drugs to kill shifters...we have proof. Tell me where the shifters are being held?" Xander asked.
"I told you before...you don't give me orders. I give them." He said to Xander.
Dimitri shoved his hands in his pockets and began to pace. He turned on his heels to walk back toward the window and turned to face them both again.
"Since when do you side with these animals, anyway?" he asked Xander, nodding in Julie's direction.
Her lip curled, but she didn't move.
Dimitri continued speaking. "You have been nothing but a disappointment to me," he said looking at Xander.
"How long has Doctor Green worked for you?" Xander asked.
Dimitri's brows shot up.
You didn't expect me to know that did you? Xander thought.
"You're nothing but a coward," blurted Julie. "You aren't even able to take the shifters without sedating them. Hell, you get others to do the dirty work for you. You're the worst kind of coward there is."
Xander was surprised at her outburst. He stepped close to her. Dimitri's eyes flashed, and he flew quickly across the room. Suddenly, he was inches from Julie's face. A flash of his fangs told her that he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. She didn't back down as he stared at her with contempt. She bunched her fists and readied herself for whatever he was about to do. Xander quickly pushed Julie back and stepped between her and Dimitri.
"Father, you need to stop with this vendetta of yours. Shifters are not a danger to us. When will you realize that?"
"You've been listening to that shifter sympathizer, Oroc again. There will never be an alliance between them and us. They are animals. Nothing more."
Julie's hands were still clenched in tight fists. "How can you say that?" she countered. "We have every right to be here just like you. At least we don't feed on humans."
Dimitri scoffed. "You're a child, as naive as my son here...a son who forgets that he is not human, even if he happens to look like one."
He stared at Xander with a look that sent shivers up Julie's spine. She had seen enough to know that he wasn't going to give them the answers they sought. She stepped back and reached for Xander's arm. Xander turned to look at her.
She whispered. "It's time to go."
Xander turned back to his father. "Will you not tell us why you are doing the experiments?"
Dimitri walked away and stood by the window again. Xander stood watching him, his face filled with hurt and sadness. Julie felt a lump in her throat and bit her lip. Even after everything his father did to him, Xander still expected the man to show some sense of right and wrong. Julie knew that Dimitri only dealt in hate and Xander was better off without him.
"Get out and take your pet with you," Dimitri said.
Julie's blue eyes darkened, and her body began to vibrate with anger. She stalked toward Dimitri one more time. Xander quickly put his arm around her shoulder and marched her out of the office.
Julie growled all the way to the elevator. The white tiger in her wanted to rip Dimitri's throat out.
How dare he think he is better than I am?
***
Ten minutes later, Julie was beginning to feel calmer as they sat in Xander's car.
Xander broke the silence between them. "I'm sorry for the way he spoke to you. I told you, he hates shifters," Xander said as he placed a hand on Julie's knee.
She saw the hurt in Xander's face when his father had said he was a disappointment. The cocky, self-assured Xander was gone and was replaced with a man who, for the moment, resembled a young boy looking for his father's approval.
"I can't believe he's your father. Are you sure?" she asked.
Xander let out a laugh. "Yes. Unfortunately."
Julie waved a hand in front of her face as though she were swatting a fly.
"Don't listen to the crap he said in there. You have a lot to be proud of starting with the fact that you're nothing like he is," she stated confidently. She reached out and took Xander's hand in hers.
&nbs
p; He didn't resist and instead gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. He brought his eyes to meet hers and smiled a little.
"I'm used to it. He's spoken that way to me my entire life. The man has no love for me. Only contempt. I had hoped that by working with the F.B.I., I could make him proud."
He chuckled again and turned in his seat a little more. He took Julie's hand in his. "Thanks," He murmured.
Julie tilted her head. "No problem," she replied. She stared at him for a moment. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"
With a little half-smile, he squeezed her hand again before letting it go and sitting back. "Of course not."
"Why is your last name Bachman instead of Megalos?"
"It was my mother's name, or so I'm told. I'd rather have her name than his." He asserted.
"Where is your mother? Is she alive?" Julie asked.
***
Xander's mind drifted back to when he was a young child.
He had been playing outside all alone when he heard the sound of another child's laughter. He looked across the garden to see one of the female human servants playing with her son. At that moment, he felt an emptiness that only the love of a mother could fill. He ran inside the huge mansion searching for his father. He found him at his desk pouring over some papers.
"Father!" he called out from the doorway.
Dimitri looked at his son. There was no smile of acknowledgment, only a blank stare.
Xander rushed to his father's desk and placed his young hands upon it.
"Do I have a mother?" he blurted with the naive innocence of a child.
Dimitri placed his palms down on his desk and spoke.
"She was a weak human servant who wasn't even strong enough to give birth to you without dying. No, you do not have a mother," he said.
He motioned with his hand to shoo the boy away and went back to his reading.