Twisted Truths

by Rebecca Zanetti

  “Copy that.” The line went dead.

  She bit her lip and turned back to the computer.

  “Sounds like we have the cop,” Elton Cobb said from the doorway. “I won’t allow him to be killed, Isobel.”

  She turned back around. “There are always casualties in a campaign, my love.”

  Elton shook his head, his blue eyes so dark, sizzling. His blond hair was trimmed short, and in his light T-shirt with camo pants, he looked like a soldier. “Malloy is a cop, and that means something.”

  Oh, for goodness’ sake. Why must she soothe male egos all the time? It was tiresome, but she slid on a smooth smile. “I understand you were a sheriff, dear, but Malloy is working with Denver. With Heath and Ryker. The men who killed your brother.” She kept her voice calm when all she wanted was to give him a good slap. But he was useful, and even more so, Elton Cobb was dangerous. She needed to remember the existence of the man he kept carefully banked. The one who’d kill without mercy.

  “I know,” Elton snapped.

  She breathed in slowly. “Are you going to protect Detective Malloy at the expense of getting justice for your sweet brother?” Ned Cobb had been a weak, pathetic loser who’d beaten kids to make himself feel like a man. “He deserved better than to die the way he did.” She almost choked on the words.

  Elton’s chest heaved. “You’re right.”

  “I’ve been laying our trap across the Internet the last couple of hours.” The idea of finally catching all of her boys nearly made her giddy. She was born for a purpose, a grand one, and that was to create them. Beyond science and beyond even faith, she’d taken the male form and improved it. From brainpower to muscle to heart—she’d done that. Pride and something deeper filled her. Something beyond mere mortal.

  If her boys thought they could leave her, could just go live normal lives, they were wholly mistaken.

  She wasn’t delusional; she knew she wasn’t a god. Yet God, if one truly existed, had given her gifts to change the world. And she was going to do it, one male specimen at a time. “Elton?”

  His focus cleared. “Sorry. I was thinking about what I’m going to do to Denver. His silent, innocent act never worked on me.”

  She nodded. “He was very clever.” Of course, she’d made him that way. “I have a plan that will glean both of us justice, my love.” Not for one second would she allow Elton to harm Denver. But there was no need to tell him that.

  His eyebrows rose. “Is that a fact?”

  She barely kept from clapping her hands together. “Yes. I’m formulating it now and will get you up to speed once I figure it all out.” She glanced toward the picture of her daughter on the desk. “Audrey will be giving birth soon.” Audrey had married one of the Gray brothers and turned her back on everything important. “I must get my hands on that baby.” To think that one of her soldiers had procreated. The child would be something…new.

  “All in good time,” Elton said. “First we get Denver, Ryker, and Heath. Then those three will get us the Gray brothers.”

  That was somewhat her plan with a couple of mutations thrown in.

  Elton cleared his throat. “So have you, um, decided?”

  She lifted her chin, rather appreciating his temerity. “Yes. I already had my eggs harvested last month when you were touching base with your department in North Carolina.”

  His eyes flared. “I was retiring, Isobel. In order to give our projects here all of my time, as you requested.”

  He was retiring from being a simple sheriff, which was good. The man had more potential than he realized, or she wouldn’t care for him. He wouldn’t interest her to this degree. “You’re still in the prime of your life, darling,” she said, letting her voice go breathy. “We have a bigger calling, and you’ll do more good with our new enterprise.” Of creating and training the next generation of soldiers. “I already have three requests for our soldiers from different governmental entities.” She needed her boys back first.

  Elton swallowed. “You harvested your eggs?”

  “Yes.” Thank goodness she hadn’t gone through menopause yet. She’d take her samples and make new babies. Oh, she’d give Elton one just to keep him tied to her. But her other material would be combined with her earlier creations. Those soldiers who were so much more that she’d ever hoped. “Would you like a boy or a girl?”

  “Why would I want a girl?” he asked, his frown deepening.

  Why indeed? “Then I’ll make sure we have a boy,” she soothed. “As soon as we get my soldiers into place, we’ll find surrogates like before. I’ll find just the right one to carry our child.”

  Elton patted his very flat belly. “I’m not too old to have a child.”

  “You’re barely over fifty, my love. These days, that’s young. Very young.” Maybe she could splice the insecurity out of whatever child they created. It was so tiresome. That was one reason to have a girl. Women were so much stronger than men. Naturally. Of course, she’d changed that with her boys. What could she do with a female she created in the lab? Audrey had been an unfortunate accident, so Isobel had just let her be. She tapped her finger against her lip.

  Her egg with one of her soldiers. Interesting. It’d be difficult to choose which one. She could use specimens from several, but the idea of having several teenage girls running around someday made her blanch. One. She’d just choose one for a girl.

  Her laptop let out a sharp alarm, and she swiveled to read the code flashing across the screen.

  “What is it?” Elton asked, snapping to attention.

  Her chest filled with the thrill of the chase. “It’s Denver. I think I can find what he’s been up to.” She set her nails on the keyboard and started to type.

  Oh. Her boy was good, but she’d taught him everything he knew. She had him.

  Yes.

  * * *

  Noni held the gun tightly, fine trembles coursing through her arms. This was crazy. They were chasing a speeding ambulance down back roads and definitely away from the city with a bleeding veterinarian in their backseat. She turned to check on Tina. “How’s your head?”

  “Fine,” Tina said, her hand pressed above her eye. Her thick black hair had been tied at her nape and out of her face. “Bleeding has almost stopped. Now tell me who has Jamie. What is going on?”

  Denver leaned over the steering wheel, his focus absolute. He didn’t utter a word.

  Noni bit her lip. “Somebody who is after Denver thinks maybe you and Malloy have information about finding Denver and his brothers.” She didn’t care if it was a secret. Tina had been shot at and kidnapped. She definitely deserved some truth. “We’ll get Malloy back. I promise.” No, she couldn’t make that promise, but again she went on instinct. “Right, Denver?”

  “Right,” he said grimly. He looked toward her. “Can you trade places with me?”

  She gaped. What was he talking about? This wasn’t a television show. “Sure.” This was crazy. She gingerly set her gun on the dash. His seat was all the way back, so she nudged over and almost sat on his lap, putting her hands inside his on the steering wheel. He smoothly slid out from under her, and her butt hit the warm seat. She tried to scoot forward to touch the gas pedal.

  “Use the button,” Denver said patiently, keeping his foot pressed to the gas.

  The snowy world sped by outside.

  She looked and found the button on the door, pressing it forward until she could reach the pedal. Then she set her foot next to his, and he let up.

  She kept the pace going.

  “Whew,” Tina muttered from the backseat. “You two are insane.”

  Noni clutched her sweaty hands to the steering wheel. “What’s the plan?”

  He took out his own gun and shoved the temporary plastic away from the passenger side window. “I’m going to shoot the tires. As soon as they stop, you stop. The two of you stay in the car.” His hand looked steady as he pointed the gun out the window. “Try not to hit the ambulance if we go into a slide.”
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  Panic clicked through her until she couldn’t speak. So she nodded instead.

  Denver glanced over his shoulder. “Tina? Seat belt.” Then he took in Noni. “You too.”

  They both fastened their belts.

  Denver turned back to the window again, aimed, and fired. Even though the gun was outside the window, the sound was deafening. He shot again. The right rear tire of the ambulance blew into pieces. The vehicle swerved crazily, smashing up the snowbank into the hill.

  Noni pressed on the brakes and the car skidded. She kept control and rolled to a stop on the passenger side of the ambulance.

  Denver was out of the SUV and firing toward the front of the ambulance before she could take a breath.

  Tina screamed and scrambled out of her belt. “Don’t shoot Jamie.”

  “He won’t.” Noni released her belt and grabbed her gun, pushing from the car. She pointed it toward the back of the ambulance and slowly walked toward the rear doors.

  Denver was instantly at her side, shoving her behind him. He reached the back and yanked open the door, staying behind the metal.

  “What the holy fuck?” came from the back.

  Denver peered around the door. “Malloy?”

  “Yeah. Get me the hell out of here.”

  Tina rushed forward and leaped into the back of the ambulance.

  Noni peeked around Denver to see Malloy sitting up and hugging Tina. His legs were strapped to the gurney, but it looked like he’d gotten his arms free. “I’m, ah, drugged. Who did you just kill?”

  Noni gaped and looked beyond Malloy to a man in all black slumped over the steering wheel. His head was turned and his dead eyes seemed to look back at her.

  “We have to go,” Denver said, jumping into the vehicle and releasing Malloy’s legs. “Can you stand?”

  “Yes,” Malloy snapped, his brown eyes somehow both cloudy and furious. He stood, and Denver shoved a shoulder beneath his arms.

  Tina scrambled around and grabbed several medical supplies from bins. Noni braced her feet and helped Denver get Malloy out of the ambulance, then into the backseat of the SUV. Before she knew it, they were speeding in the other direction, Tina double-checking Malloy’s bandages.

  “I need to get to the station,” Malloy barked, his face pale.

  “You’re getting out of town,” Denver returned, taking a sharp turn on the ice. “All of you. There’s a helicopter that will provide transport, and you’re taking it.”

  Noni shook her head. “I’m not leaving.”

  “Not a chance,” Malloy said wearily, setting his head back on the seat.

  “I’m staying,” Tina added, taking a good look beneath a compress on Malloy’s arm. “This one was a through and through. Not sure about the leg yet.”

  Denver cut Noni a furious look, and she sat back in her seat, not breaking eye contact. He finally had to turn away to watch the snow-filled road. Nearly thirty minutes later, they pulled into what looked like a cut-down wheat field to see a helicopter waiting, silent and ready. Three men flanked it, all armed with really big automatic guns like the ones on television.

  “Are you kidding me?” Malloy muttered. “Who are you people?”

  Denver stopped the car, took his gun, and jumped out. “Everyone out. You’re going to safety.”

  “Not until we get the baby,” Noni returned, grasping her own gun.

  “Damn it.” Malloy groaned as Tina helped him out of the SUV.

  One of the armed men reached into the helicopter for a silver briefcase and jogged over. He was dressed in black and had various weapons visible along his body. His chest was wide, made wider by a bulletproof vest. “You Denver?”

  “Yes,” Denver said.

  “This is all we could come up with in the short timeframe. We can get more by tomorrow—just let us know what you want.” The guy’s dark buzz cut caught snow, and his eyes were hidden by aviator glasses. But he moved like he could fight. Smooth and graceful. “Is there anything else you need?”

  “Your vest,” Denver said. “I could really use that.”

  “Sure.” The guy released the Velcro and shrugged out of it, handing it over. “Anything else?”

  Whoa, this was just weird. Noni took a step back.

  Denver visually scouted the area before answering. “Yeah. These three need to be taken to safety. When they’re in the air, contact Jory and find out where to take them. I also have two fifty-something women en route to South Dakota who will need to be picked up at some point.”

  Malloy watched the exchange, his eyes hard. “I’m not going anywhere. I should arrest all of you.”

  Noni winced.

  Denver sighed. “Malloy? You’ve been shot, and your lady is in the crosshairs. Stop being a hero and get on the fuckin’ helicopter.” He turned toward Noni. “I’ll get Talia and bring her to you. This has become way too dangerous, and you need cover.”

  “No,” Noni said softly, knowing if she left she’d never see him again. Oh, she trusted he’d find Talia and send her to Noni, but he’d be gone. “I’m staying. My baby will need me.” A good mother would never desert her child. She was going to be a good mother.

  Malloy leaned against the SUV, his face pale with what had to be pain. “I’m a cop, dumb-ass. Somebody just shot and kidnapped me. That means I stay here and fight.” He turned toward Tina and tugged on a piece of her long hair. “I don’t know these guys, sweetheart. I think we can trust them, but you’re not leaving, either. You’ll get full protection from my people.”

  Denver looked at all of them, fury in his gaze.

  Noni swallowed and walked around the SUV to get in the passenger side. Chills swept her, but she held her head high. “Let’s go,” she ordered.

  Chapter

  18

  Denver’s anger grew as he drove back to the safe house on the lake. Sweat broke out on his forehead as he tried to rein in his fury. How was he going to keep everyone safe if they didn’t do what he damn well told them to do? Madison and Cobb had seriously upped their game in trying to take the cop, which showed they were either desperate or getting too close. Madison didn’t seem like the desperate type.

  When they arrived at the icy parking area outside the cabin, he parked and tuned in his senses. Nothing.

  He and Tina helped Malloy inside, and he watched as she checked his wounds again. The arm wound was easily bandaged, but the leg still had a bullet in it.

  “We have to get you to the hospital,” Tina said, her dark eyes worried.

  “Take it out,” Malloy countered. “It’s not deep or near an artery. Just take it out, T.”

  Denver gritted his teeth. “Knock it off. Let’s call your people and get you to safety.”

  Malloy’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh, I’m not leaving. I’ve had it with this shit. I want to know the entire story. Now.” His forehead was sweating, and pain etched into the sides of his mouth, but his gaze was clear. “Or I’m arresting you.”

  Denver fought a grin. The cop couldn’t arrest a gerbil at the moment, but his determination was admirable. “Well, we might be able to come up with a plan.” He moved to the table where Malloy already sat. He’d like to see the baby-trafficking gang taken down completely, and Malloy could accomplish that. “All right. But everything you hear, you keep to yourself. Forever.”

  As Noni put together a breakfast of eggs and bacon, and as Tina sorted the medical supplies she’d nabbed from the ambulance, Denver gave the entire truth of his life to Malloy. All of it. He held nothing back. The words flowed from him and something released.

  It felt good to finally be honest with Malloy. He was a decent guy. If he still liked Denver, or at least still tolerated him, after knowing everything, then maybe the truth wasn’t so bad. Maybe Denver wasn’t so fucked up.

  The cop listened, no expression on his face, until his chin just dropped. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Supersoldiers? Government spies? Genetic manipulation?”

  Denver dug into his eggs, his
shoulders feeling lighter, and then told Malloy the full story about Noni, the gang, and Talia. He tried to banish the irritation he still felt about Noni refusing to go to safety, but it lay there, just under the surface. Along with guilt.

  It ate at him, and he let it in so he could deal with it. His ears burned, but he forced himself to continue. He’d seen a cop nearly be killed, and the idea of Noni getting harmed pricked awareness along his every nerve like he’d been stung by fire ants. So he kept his voice level and answered every question Malloy had.

  Malloy eyed his eggs but didn’t eat. “I take it that my knowing this puts me in the crosshairs of the Gray brothers? They’re coming for me?”

  Denver shook his head. “No. They think you’re family.”

  Malloy paled even more, for the first time showing emotion at the entire story. Was that panic? “Shit.”

  Denver coughed out a laugh. “Yeah. So. Welcome to the family.” He looked at Tina. “Can you get the bullet out?”

  She winced, stress darkening her eyes. “I can, but it’s going to hurt. I have only a local in the materials I took from the ambulance, and that won’t diminish the pain enough. There’s also the chance of infection. We should go to a hospital.”

  “Not a chance,” Malloy said. “I need to start coordinating our plan for tonight. When we get the baby.”

  Denver leaned forward, his mind rapidly calculating the facts. “The bidding closes at five, and I’ll make sure I’m the high bidder. The exchange probably won’t be until tomorrow. They’ll want to get everything in place first.”

  “You’re right,” Malloy said thoughtfully. “But you can’t do it alone now. A gang this large, one spanning states? You need the authorities to get them all and do it fast. You can’t take the next fifty years to go after them one by one. You need me.”

  Denver paused. The detective was probably right. He couldn’t spend his life going after each member. But the cops could. All right. Time to coordinate. “I’m doing the exchange, though. That’s nonnegotiable.”