He held me tightly by my elbows and let me pound away at his stone hard chest. I stopped and began sobbing. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and stroked my hair. “I’m sorry I left you alone for so long. What is it that scared you?”
I was still completely hysterical. I felt guilty that it took a glass of champagne and three or maybe four beers to make me realize my selfishness. I was done being a victim. “Scared? You think I’m scared! I’m not scared Thane Ganyon. I just need to get out of here. I want to leave. I don’t want to be here anymore waiting for the next bad thing to happen.”
“I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
His reassurances meant nothing to me at that moment.
“You don’t understand. This isn’t just about me. I have a family, and they need me! I can’t just sit here any longer while they’re out looking for me. I have to find them.”
“I can’t let you do that, Lexie.”
“Then you haven’t chosen me. You still choose him.”
I shoved him away from me and began walking towards the water. I sat down in front of the crashing waves and rested my chin on my knees. He followed and sat beside me. “I guess some things never change.”
“What’s that supposed to mean, Lexie?”
“I mean, my parents didn’t choose to have me, so they dropped me off on the doorstep of a church. Every time the Sisters at the orphanage would find a home for me, I’d be brought back because the wife couldn’t handle how her husband looked at me. Now you, you’ve made your choice. You choose to keep me safe, so he can come home and use me for whatever horrific purposes he intends, all for your own personal gain.”
“Lexie, that’s not fair!” His response was a growl.
“Isn’t it, Thane? You know what’s not fair? Being brought here to be tortured over and over again. I don’t know what’s worse, being ravaged by Link, or falling in love with you only to be cast off like an old holey sock. Both hurt, but at least when he’s done, the physical pain will subside and turn to numbness.”
“Lexie, I…”
“Save it for someone who gives a damn!”
I sprung up from my perch on the sand, never looking at him, and I began to walk away. Before I could bat an eyelash he grabbed me and spun me towards him. I had no time to react as he tightly pushed his warm lips against mine. He wrapped his arms around my waist and grabbed the back of my neck. I reciprocated by wrapping my arms around his solid neck pulling him ever closer into our kiss. Using his hand he grabbed my thigh and hitched it up to his waist, all the while holding our most passionate kiss. My lips parted and his tongue found mine. I grabbed hold of his shirt collar and tore it open revealing his enormous chiseled chest. The buttons from his shirt popped off and scattered somewhere on the sand. I ran my fingers the length of his torso causing goose bumps to form on his moist skin. Our breathing, his heart pounding, and the crashing of the waves were forming together to make the most beautiful of melody. He gently laid me atop the soft white sand, placed his hand under my sweater, and began to softly circle my stomach with his fingers as he kissed my neck over and over again. He placed his hand on my breast and ran his other through my disheveled golden tendrils of hair. He looked deeply into my eyes to make sure I was ready. I reached for his neck and pulled him closer to me, not wanting to be more than a millimeter away from him. I placed my smoldering lips to his and flipped him onto his back. As I sat on top of his abdomen I removed my shirt. He lay in the sand with an awestruck look on his face.
“Stunning,” was all he said as he sat up and buried his face into my neck, licking, sucking, and nibbling me into a lust filled frenzy. He reached around to unfasten my bra when his cell phone began to ring. We both groaned as he pulled the phone from his pocket. I got up from his abdomen and found my sweater. I shook the sand out of it before tossing it over my head and slipping my arms through. He sat in the sand watching me with a pained expression as his cell phone continued to ring.
“You should answer that.” I was unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. He nodded and begrudgingly tapped the screen.
“Ganyon….Tonight?....To which location?.....Tomorrow then. OK…..Yes of course. She’s here; I haven’t let her out of my sight.”
He winked at me as he growled his last sentence into the phone with authority. I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes at him. He ended the call and gracefully sprung up from the sand. He walked slowly towards me and wrapped his arms around me.
“Who was that?” I wasn’t trying to hide my annoyance.
“Link. He had to take a few acquaintances to Domus Aurea.”
“And, this concerns you why?” The sarcasm was dripping from my tone.
“That is no concern of yours beautiful, now shall we pick up where we left off?”
“He’s coming back, isn’t he?” The sadness and panic I felt were overwhelming.
“Not for awhile, but I do have to leave tomorrow.”
“You’re leaving me here, alone?”
He grabbed me into a bear hug and kissed the tip of my nose. “Of course not. You’re coming with me.”
I was relieved. The thought of being here alone when and if Link showed up was too much to bear. I kissed him back and wrapped my arms around his neck to squeeze him back.
“Lexie, I promise I will get you out of here. Even if he takes the last breath from my body, you will be free.”
“Freedom would suck without you Thane.”
“That’s why I have to do this the right way, and then maybe we both can have our freedom together.”
I stared over his shoulder at the crashing lake waves. I became lost in their hypnotic rhythms as we cuddled on the beach.
“Lexie?”
“Umhmm?”
“Are you really falling in love with me?”
I could feel the fire of a blush heating my cheeks. I was glad there was no moon so he couldn’t see my embarrassment. I carefully contemplated my response. What if he didn’t feel the same way? Could I handle his rejection? Honesty is always best, and I truly was falling in love with Thane Ganyon. I couldn’t imagine a moment of my future without him. “Yes, I am.” I stated meekly, my voice cracking.
He pulled me away from his embrace and held my face in his hands. He looked directly into my eyes, almost as if examining them.
“I fell in love with you the first moment I laid eyes on you.”
His kiss was passionate. I never wanted it to end. I wanted to hold his lips to mine for as long as eternity would allow. We slept in each other’s arms on the beach that moonless night, waking when the fiery blaze of the rising sun cast her glow upon us.
Chapter 11
Vegas
Evie
My flight to Vegas arrived right on time. Way to go Delta! I hated long flights, and was so looking forward to a long hot shower. The airport was quiet as I quickly made my way to the baggage claim. The fellas were nowhere to be found, and it took forever for the luggage to finally come down the belt. I threw the six suitcases onto a luggage cart, found a bench and waited for the guys to arrive. I phoned each of them about a hundred times, never getting an answer. In my haste I neglected to find out where they were staying. At four thirty I finally got tired of waiting. I had picked up Cam’s and Paul’s scent trail in the baggage claim area. I wasn’t nearly as talented at tracking as the Bronx Brothers, but I could probably find my way. Lexie’s bags were once again posing a problem. If I left them, she would kill me. An MGM guest services van had been parked outside of the airport. I approached the driver. He was an overweight, middle aged, balding specimen. Way too many cigarettes and donuts had aged him quickly. “Can I get a ride to the hotel?”
“Are you a guest, ma’am?”
“Not yet. I’m hoping there are vacancies.” I figured I could get the luggage and myself a ride to the hotel, and double back to the airport on foot to track Cam and Paul.
“I’m sure we have a few rooms left.”
“Thank y
ou very much.” He loaded the luggage into the trunk. I gave him a one hundred dollar bill for his troubles.
“No ma’am. Thank you!!
He drove exceptionally fast to the hotel, which I appreciated. I’d never been a fan of all the lights in Vegas. It seemed too chaotic. I preferred a more tranquil setting. I’d stayed at the MGM before, but I was still awestruck by its size. The only room available to me was a lavish suite, which I paid for with my CIA credit card. I would have some explaining to do during the next audit. My bags were waiting for me when I opened the door to the room. It was exquisite. I dropped my carryon in the vestibule, and headed straight for the bathroom. The bathroom was far too extravagant for my simple tastes, but the shower looked inviting. I could have stayed under the calming hot water for days, but alas, all good things must come to an end. I dried off quickly, and wrapped the towel around myself. I grabbed my laptop and cell phone from my bag. I hopped onto the warm, inviting king sized bed and rolled onto my stomach. I placed my cell phone beside the laptop. There were still no calls from any of the guys. They must be having one hell’uva time helping Lenny forget about Lexie. The computer would have to wait. I rolled off the bed and walked across the room to my suitcase. I chose my usual, a pair of dark blue jeans and a light blue cotton ribbed tee shirt. I slipped into a comfy pair of tennis shoes, put my cell phone in my front pocket, my room key in my back, and headed out the door. The airport was a quick walk from the strip. I picked back up on Cam’s scent outside of the main terminal doors. I followed the scent north up Paradise Road, then west down Tropicana. I passed the entrance to the MGM. I walked swiftly. The scent turned back north onto Royal Ridge Way. I knew exactly where they had gone. I didn’t need a scent to tell me it was heading straight for The Palms. The Maloof brothers had created a perfect getaway for horny young bachelors like my fellas. I made sure the scent trail led to the Palms, and headed back to the MGM. They were probably passed out drunk anyways, and I wanted no part in the cleanup of puke in the morning. I’d let them sleep off their drunken stupor while I went to work. In three days I’d been coast to coast and was still no closer to finding Lexie. I knew who had her, but I had yet to narrow down a location. I had been following hunches, and so far all I was getting was more and more questions. I finally reached the hotel entrance when my cell phone rang. I answered, not looking at the caller ID.
“Where in the hell are you guys. I waited for like an hour and a half!”
“You’re no longer in Washington DC, my dearest Evie? My, my, you’re a hard one to keep track of.”
The voice sent shiver up and down my spine. I couldn’t let on yet that I knew his identity. “Who is this?” I demanded forcefully.
“Remember dear…I am God! Creator of all, destroyer of anyone who defies me.”
“OK then God. Why are you calling me?” I decided to play along.
“Perhaps I just wanted to hear your voice. Is that such a crime?”
“No, it is not a crime. A crime would be holding an innocent girl against her will!” I was smug.
“Clever little Evie. Lexie is not being held here against her will. In fact she is rather enjoying a taste of the finer life. Oh and speaking of taste, her flavor is exquisite.”
“Her flavor?” I was instantly sickened.
“Tisk tisk chere Evie. Precious time is wasting, isn’t it? Perhaps you will be attending our wedding? I’ve called to personally invite you.”
I felt as if I’d been punched squarely in the chest, my heart ripped from the now empty cavity. “Our wedding?” I asked meekly.
He laughed evilly. I shivered.
“Oh, Evie, silly child. My wedding to my dear sweet kitten, Lexie. It will be quite a gathering. Shall I put you down as attending?”
I punched the little red end call button so hard I almost put a hole through the phone. My eyes were burning as I tried to fight back the tears. It had only been a few days. She couldn’t possibly love him. Had she gone off the deep end? I raced through the lobby to the elevators. I would not cry in public. At least I could finally answer her question. What would I say to her? Yes, Lexie, I can cry. Oh, and by the way, I was once married to the monster you’re about to walk down the aisle with, but he didn’t want me. This whole situation was absurd. She couldn’t be shallow enough to fall for him in less than a week. I wiped a tear with the back of my hand as I got on to the elevator. Upon entering my room, I threw the phone against the wall. I ran for the bed, hoping for a good cry. A good cry can always help to put things into perspective. My laptop was still open on the bed, and I noticed two messages from Lenny in my inbox. The cry would have to wait. The first was information he’d gathered on Operation Pride. Very Interesting was all he wrote. I opened the attachments and began browsing through the classified documents.
Chapter 12
Operation Pride
Evie
The file contained every ounce of information on The Pride, from beginning to end. I started with the oldest documents first. Lenny had amassed an unbelievable amount of information. I’d assumed he’d somehow hacked into Laughlin’s personal computer, or managed to get into the CIA servers that most of us don’t have clearance for. The oldest document was an email between my husband, Jacks and Colonel Laughlin. Jacks was explaining a genetic experiment he had been toying with. He had found a way to intertwine interspecies mammalian DNA. He had been successful in creating a new species of cat/gorilla. Once he had combined the cat and gorilla DNA, he mixed it together with stem cells. By injecting the mixture directly into the marrow cavity of the femur, it allowed new strands of DNA to be formed. The process took between forty-eight and seventy–two hours, but once complete, the gorilla began to exhibit feline tendencies. Apparently Laughlin was intrigued, because his reply was swift and short. He had arranged a meeting. Several more emails between Laughlin and various heads of our military detailed the experiment. Laughlin felt Dr. Jackson Kendell could create a new breed of super human warrior to be used as a front line of defense for our military. Emails detailing progress on the experiment flew back and forth between all branches of the military and even the White House. The sun was starting to shine over the eastern mountains of Las Vegas. It looked like it was already getting hot outside. I decided to give the guys a few more hours of sleep. I needed to read. I was never going into a situation blind again. Recon, my ass! Laughlin sent us to slaughter! 2005, the first cat/human DNA experiments began. There were heated arguments between Laughlin and Jacks. Laughlin felt it best to use lions. He felt their very nature made them better hunters and soldiers. Jacks felt tiger DNA would be more useful. He argued that tigers stealthier and more cunning than the lion. Leave it to Jacks to put style over substance. The military faced a dilemma. They needed human test subjects, but were unwilling to break the rules of the Geneva Convention and test on prisoners of war. They did not want to use valuable military personnel. A good soldier was already so hard to find. The outcome of this experiment on humans was completely unknown. Jacks recruited a few of his college buddies. Dr. Thane Ganyon, Dr. Michael Slaten, and Dr. Diane Waters were the first to sign up for the experiment. Jacks also volunteered himself. Laughlin documented the experiment minute by minute. If successful, it would be recreated to construct an unstoppable army of super human beings. The date, ironically, was three days after our honeymoon, the day he disappeared from my life. This was the information I had been searching for. It was staring me in the face yearning to be read. It took a few moments to gather my composure. I was angry and relieved all at the same time. Laughlin had documented minute by minute the entire day my life went on a crazy detour. I took a deep cleansing breath and continued to read. Jacks had chosen Bengal tiger DNA. He was not one to be proven wrong. Dr. Thane Ganyon was injected with the DNA from an alpha male lion who was housed at the National Zoo, and raised by humans. Dr. Michael Slaten was given the DNA of a wild African lion who was found wandering the savannah alone. Dr. Waters was injected with DNA from a California mountain lion. The f
our participants were given heavy sedatives and pain killers. Scientists, doctors, and anesthesiologists monitored the participants every heart beat. Approximately sixty hours into the experiment, the medical team began to slowly wake the participants. Waters was the first to awaken. Laughlin thought her transformation to be a success. She seemed calm and relaxed. Jacks was the next to wake. Laughlin noted his relaxed demeanor. The medical team was busy pulling IV’s from Waters and Jacks when Slaten woke. Laughlin noted that he seemed agitated and out of control. The science and medical team struggled to restrain him. Ganyon was stirring when Slaten attacked and ripped the throat out of Waters. He began massacring the medical team. Ganyon woke quickly upon hearing the screams and pulled Slaten away from the terrified people. While Ganyon was attempting to calm Slaten, Jacks snapped Slatens neck, completely decapitating him. Laughlin noted that Ganyon and Jacks seemed in complete control. Despite the massacre, the first experiment was deemed a success. The alpha male lion that had been used to transform Thane was tame, raised by humans. Jacks had chosen the Bengal tiger DNA, and there was no notation as to its origin. I knew already that my brothers and sister had also been created from a tame lion, which was a wise move considering the reaction from Slaten. Poor guy. There were all sorts of congratulatory emails about the successful transformations of the two men. Laughlin noted they were sent away to be monitored for progress before any additional experiments were to begin. Next, there were several pages of progress notes regarding the two men. Dr. Ganyon was adjusting well. Jacks did not like the confinements of the experiment and continued to express his dissatisfaction, sometimes verbally, sometimes physically. Many of the progress notes questioned the mental stability of Jacks. Delusions of Grandeur, schizophrenia, and multiple personality disorder were thrown around quite frequently in the progress notes. I thought about the unpredictability of a tiger’s behavior. Was it Sigfried or Roy that was attacked? Either way, it was a great tragedy. I always hated passing the tiger cage at the zoo, because it was as if they could read your every thought and were waiting for just the right moment to escape from the cage and devour you. The thought of seeing the extra intelligent eyes of the big zoo cats made me shiver. Several pages of notes from 2007 were about various soldiers that had come up missing while on duty. All were around or near Jacks and Ganyon at the time of their disappearances. Strangely the soldiers would reappear days later, stronger and faster than before. Laughlin suspected that Jacks was creating a new army of lion or tiger half-breeds with the help of outside scientists. He alerted the heads of the armed forces. Jacks and Ganyon were to be immediately destroyed. Laughlin fought for rehabilitation. Big mistake Laughlin, you idiot! Ganyon and Jacks were able to escape from base one day, and they never returned. Immediately following, thirty-two soldiers went AWOL. Laughlin instantly recognized his mistake and began begging anyone who would listen about creating more half-breeds to destroy Jacks and his brethren. So we were told we were being created to fight terrorists, but in reality we were created to cover up a big military mistake! Damn Laughlin!!! I picked my cell phone up from the floor, and dialed Cam. No answer. Lenny, no answer. Brent, no answer. Paul, no answer. I called the Palms. I was connected to their room. It rang and rang. I looked at Len’s second email. It was simply titled, They’re here. I could physically feel the blood drain from my face. I was completely engulfed with terror. I rushed from the room and ran to the Palms. I showed my CIA badge to the desk clerk to get their room number. Of course they chose the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa. I ran, no I flew up the stairs as fast as my legs would run. I burst through the hardwood doors and bounded into the suite. The fellas belongings had been ransacked. Clothes, electronics, lap tops, cell phones, and papers lay scattered across the suite. Blood was pooled everywhere. There must have been a massacre. I dialed Las Vegas CIA headquarters. Someone would need to clean this up, and I shuddered at the thought of some poor unsuspecting maid stumbling across this blood bath. Plus, this didn’t need to make tonight’s top story on the local news. I sat down in the middle of the floor. I was in a complete state of panic. I was alone. No Cam giving me the reassurance I needed. No Bronx Brothers to make me laugh when things got too serious. No Lenny and his dirty jokes. What would happen if I just gave up? I could return to Nashville, my condo was still there waiting for me. Live a normal life. Would that be a crime? They’re probably all dead by now anyways. I shuddered at that thought. Lexie and Jacks were going to be married. She would have a privileged life for sure. I’d always wanted to open a nightclub, maybe now was the time to realize that dream. Would he continue to look for me? Would he still want to destroy me, even if I was not a threat to him anymore? Jacks had already destroyed me once. The Evie he knew existed only in a memory now. So what if he destroyed me. He’d taken everything that was important to me for a second time. I would not let him do it again. The agents from Las Vegas CIA arrived within minutes. My badge meant I didn’t have to answer any questions. It was better that way. No sense in involving innocent unsuspecting humans. I gave the names of my fallen friends and ordered a swift clean up. I could barely maintain my composure around my fellow agents. I had to get out of there. I was suffocating on memories and misery. Without any argument the lead agent stepped aside so I could leave the scene of the massacre. I knew I was next. If Jacks could find me, I’d be history. Fight or flight that was the question at hand. I spent the next twelve hours wandering the streets of Las Vegas. I stopped in various casinos and put a nickel or two into slot machines to pass the time. I was adrift in a sea of thoughts leading me in opposite directions. It was ten at night before I returned to my suite at the MGM. My mind was finally made up. I was no longer being lead by my head, but I was following the orders of my broken heart. I couldn’t live through another loss. I loaded Lexie’s luggage onto a cart and rolled it down to the concierge desk. I gave the concierge Jacks address in Arlington, Va. I instructed the concierge to have the luggage sent to Mrs. Lexie Kendell at the address. I gave him five hundred dollars for his trouble. He seemed trustworthy enough. I returned to the room, grabbed my carry on, and my suitcase. I checked out and walked slowly to the airport. American Airlines was offering a red eye to Nashville, boarding in forty-five minutes. I boarded the plane without looking back.
The Pride Page 9