by Natalie Grey
Hsu stared at him, trying to decide if this was a dream of some sort. Blood loss, probably. Was she dying? Was she actually here, on the roof, or was she still in the stairwell, just dreaming about taking her revenge?
The man looked her quizzically. “Are you all right?”
“Trying to decide if this is real.”
“Ah. Quite real, I assure you. Now, if you’ll excuse me for just a moment.”
Stephen stepped away, nodding to Jennifer where she sat guard.
She made a little puffing sound. She would watch the scientist to make sure the blood was being absorbed properly and the bandages were working. She settled down on the cool concrete and nosed at the scientist when she tried to push herself up. A tiny growl and a shake of her head told the woman to stay put.
Stephen walked away a short distance, to speak to ADAM. He knew he should be angry. In fact, he had experienced a moment of pure, visceral rage as he saw Gerard fly away. The last thing he’d wanted was to be a minute too late again.
But not only was Jennifer not on this helicopter, he’d had the perfect idea.
“ADAM, would I be correct in assuming that you can send messages to any and all of the facilities?”
>>Yes.<< ADAM sounded curious. >>What would you like me to say?<<
“Explain to them that, after deliberations, this experiment has been deemed to be a failure. They will all receive raises and glowing recommendations, but should start the process of dismantling the labs and wait for trained personnel to come pick up the Wechselbalg.”
>>And then you won’t have to fight at all. That’s very smart.<<
“Coming from you, I’ll take that as a massive compliment.” Stephen grinned. “And I suppose it goes without saying that this message should be from Hugo, right?”
>>I assumed as much.<<
“Just one more thing, ADAM. Put in there that Gerard has unfortunately had to be fired, but has taken a helicopter and may arrive at any of the facilities. It is my—Hugo’s—wish that he be apprehended, and that they should not hesitate to use force if necessary. Even deadly force.”
>>I admit that I am somewhat surprised you do not wish to take revenge on him yourself.<<
“I would like to,” Stephen admitted. “He’s a sociopath, and he has caused a great deal of suffering. However, one of the things I learned in my years is to arrange the world so that I don’t need to do everything myself.”
>>I see.<<
“Which isn’t to say that I was perfect,” Stephen hastened to add. “As you will know, when Bethany Anne found me, I had retreated from the world in defeat, thinking I could control nothing. I was wrong. But there is still much to be said for delegating, even if others don’t know you’ve done so.”
>>That seems a very practical outlook on life. One moment while I send this message. Sent. All administrators should receive it within minutes, and I will continue to track Gerard’s helicopter. By the way, the bomb containment units have arrived.<<
“Containment units?” Stephen walked over to look at the monitors. Black casings now surrounded each of the bombs, and were rolling slightly over the not-quite-flat cobblestone streets.
>>It’s the same material as Pods. It should contain any blast, though we will have to come up with a story to explain it. Due to the time sensitivity, there was no way to avoid people seeing them land. Someone should go pick them up.<<
“I’ll do it. And we’ll need a Pod for the rest of the team. We’ll want to make sure we’re all cleaned up and re-armed before we head to whichever facility Gerard is at.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It was pouring rain as the helicopter touched down and Gerard looked around the deserted roof.
The administrator should be here to welcome him. Yes, the weather was forbidding, but that was no excuse.
Nevertheless, the lights glowed warm inside the stairwell that led to the rest of the building.
With a scowl, Gerard stopped the rotors, opened the door, and made for the stairwell.
He didn’t run. If anyone was watching—as they should be, given that he’d sent advance notice that he was coming—they would not see him run frantically through the rain.
He tried not to limp, as well, but that was difficult. He’d managed to have an EMT brought to the helicopter, a man who widened his eyes at the bullet wounds but patched them up ably enough. Still, the more Gerard sat, the more his leg and arm both ached.
He made a promise to himself as he walked through the pouring rain and hauled open the door: if that scientist somehow survived, he would make sure to hurt her exactly how she had hurt him. He wouldn’t be surprised to meet her again. She seemed to weasel out of every trap set in her way.
But she wouldn’t last long once he rose to power. Once everyone was desperate to curry favor with him. She would have a price on her head, and someone would bring her to him.
All in good time.
He made his way down the steps, and was already one floor down when a door slammed open and steps hurried toward him.
The administrator, finally! Gerard stopped and raised an eyebrow so that the man could see he wasn’t amused by this delay.
When the man came around the corner, though, Gerard could hardly conceal his surprise.
Most of the scientists he’d met were pale and painfully uneasy in their own skin. They looked like the sort you could knock over with a single punch. This man, however, was tall and broad-shouldered, with a nose that looked like it had been broken at least once, and watchful eyes.
And he didn’t look at all frightened of Gerard.
“Are you the administrator?” Gerard asked warily.
“I am.” The man studied him. “And you are Gerard Cordova, yes?”
“Yes,” Gerard said shortly. He went to push his way past the administrator.
The man’s arm moved out to stop him, his hand closing around the injured arm with surprising strength.
Gerard shuddered with pain, and for a second, the man looked at him carefully.
“Because, we have received word from Hugo about you.”
For a moment, there was real fear.
Had Hugo survived? If so, he would never tolerate Gerard’s desertion. There would be a price on Gerard’s head, and he would die in agony as Hugo watched…
Then he remembered the truth. Even if Hugo lived, he could never win against Gerard.
Not now that Gerard had decided to make his move.
Gerard smiled at the man. “And what have you heard?”
“That you had to be let go, and have apparently not taken the news well.”
Gerard did not let his smile waver, though his mind was racing. That didn’t sound like Hugo. Hugo would have said something about honor and loyalty. Which meant…
Those clever bastards. It was TQB, it had to be.
He could play the game, too. He smiled regretfully. “I’m not sure we should speak here. The truth is… well, let me explain.”
He thought the man might object, but a moment later, he stood back, instead, to let Gerard lead the way.
They walked to the fourth floor offices in silence. Once or twice, Gerard caught the coppery scent of his own blood, and hoped that the administrator did not smell it as well. He was oddly uncomfortable having the man at his back. Gerard was rarely physically intimidated by anyone, but this man had an air about him that said he could handle himself in a fight, and that he just might fight dirtier than Gerard did.
Gerard did not want him to see any weakness.
In the administrator’s office, he made a point of taking the chair behind the desk. He pressed his fingers together as he looked up at the man’s face.
“So, Doctor….”
“Elasov,” the man supplied.
“Doctor Elasov. I was afraid that you might receive Hugo’s message before I arrived.” Gerard shook his head regretfully. “You see, Hugo has not been well. You can understand, I am sure, that we did not want to say anything about this until now
. We were hoping he would recover. However, it appears that will not happen, and thus, that we must take matters into our own hands to bring these experiments to their rightful conclusion.”
“Hugo said the experiments were to be shut down.” The administrator’s face did not even flicker.
“I’m afraid he was incorrect. Well, I am sure he believed what he said. But as you and I both know, these experiments must continue.” Gerard smiled. He wanted the man to warm to him, to be on his side.
It was not usually something he cared about, but he did not like the man’s flat-faced appraisal of him.
“So much technology lies just outside our grasp,” Gerard explained. “Why, if we but increase our efforts, we could—”
He broke off as the door swung open and the scientists came in.
Every one of them looked like as much of an athlete as the administrator, and indeed, most of them had shoulders that strained at their lab coats. They looked at Gerard curiously.
Gerard looked at the administrator, raising his eyebrows in a silent question.
“They should hear this as well,” the administrator said, with a shrug.
Those were not his decisions to make, but Gerard would let that slide for now.
“Very well. To catch all of you up, there has been an unfortunate incident with Mr. Marcari. He is unwell, and has begun turning on all of those who were once closest to him. While we are sure that he will recover someday, for now, we must continue his work without him.”
There was a stony silence. The scientists staring at him were no friendlier than the administrator.
Gerard’s nose twitched. The smell of blood seemed to have gotten stronger. He cast a quick glance at his arm and shook his head. No blood was seeping through the bandages at all.
He was imagining it.
“What I wish, more than anything, is that when Hugo recovers, he will find this program complete.” Gerard tried to smile. He stood, brushing the desk with his fingertips, and kept the smile on his face as he looked over the sea of flat expressions.
What was wrong with these people?
“And, of course…” He tried to ignore the prickling sensation that something was wrong. “The best way to do that is to redouble our efforts. I would like to have each one of you select your most advanced subject for a demonstration tonight. We will begin immediately.”
Silence. Not one of them answered.
“I will go change,” Gerard announced, “and then we will begin.” He was starting to be genuinely angry. They were hardly convincing him of their loyalty to the project.
He strode to the side door that led to the administrator’s personal apartments and yanked it open.
And almost retched on the floor.
The bodies lay all across the room, blood pooling beneath them. The faces were shocked, wide-eyed, panicked—and utterly still. Claw marks raked across their chests.
Gerard felt his chest constrict. The blood he’d smelled…
The sound of ripping cloth caught his attention and he turned quickly, stumbling on his bad leg.
The people who had filled the room were not the scientists. They were wolves, advancing on him with their teeth bared.
“No! NOOOO!”
But they were on him a second later, snarling and ripping as they tore him limb from limb, and the last things Gerard saw were yellow eyes and bloodstained teeth.
One of them changed back, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth and laughing. He looked into the room where the rest of the scientists and guards lay dead, and then down at Hugo’s emissary.
Finally! After the days and weeks and months in this godforsaken place, they had relaxed. And the Wechselbalg had taken their revenge.
He spread his hands and turned, smiling. “Brothers and sisters, we have done it. We have killed the emissary. We will kill Hugo, too.”
The wolves yipped in agreement. They were panting with the excitement of the hunt.
“But when everyone who participated in this is dead, we will not stop there.” The man shook his head, a smile on his lips. “No. We will not stop until the humans who allowed this to happen know the error of their ways. We will not stop until humanity itself realizes that we are the true masters of this world, until they are the ones who slink in the shadows and we are the ones who rule. We will not stop until the world is ours!”
He threw back his head and yelled his fury as the wolves howled in agreement.
The world would pay for what it had allowed to happen to them.
Epilogue
“I’m confused. Don’t we have to, you know, save the world?” Jennifer gave Stephen a grin.
He shot a look over his shoulder as he led her through the halls of the Archangel. “Sure. In the morning.”
Jennifer laughed.
Her laughter trailed off when Stephen opened the door to their room. It was lined with candles and chrysanthemums, her favorite flower. A full bathtub, piled high with bubbles, stood in the corner, and a mouthwatering dinner was laid out for them.
“This is…” She looked over at him. “Did you really come up with all of this on your own?”
“I did.” Stephen picked up a glass of wine and handed it to her with an artful bow. “Not just a handsome face, you know.”
Jennifer smiled as she drew him close. “That dinner looks amazing, but maybe a bath first.”
“Should I go?” Stephen asked courteously.
“You are so old-fashioned.” She kicked the door shut and grinned at him. “You’re not going anywhere.”
—
Safely returned to the Meredith Reynolds, Bobcat walked through the hallways, casting frequent glances over his shoulder.
Bethany Anne was going to absolutely ream him out sometime soon. She’d said something about giving him time to “make up a good story,” but he knew he’d be on the receiving end of every ounce of her creativity when she gave him hell later.
For now, though…
He slipped into his private rooms and gave a sigh when he saw her.
Her. Absolute perfection.
“You’re even more beautiful than I remember,” he whispered. He walked forward to kneel in front of her, gazing up adoringly. Her scent surrounded him. “You’re absolutely perfect.”
The vat of beer bubbled, releasing its heady scent into the air as Bobcat laid his cheek against the copper.
Author Notes - Natalie Grey
Written May 6, 2017
Thank you so much for reading book 2 of Trials & Tribulations! When Michael and I first started talking, he asked about my favorite characters in the series and Stephen had already emerged as an early favorite. Getting to write about Stephen and Jennifer has been incredible!
As some of you know, I’ve also had a pretty cool milestone recently: the release of the first book in my new SHADOWS OF MAGIC universe. BOUND SORCERY was an amazing project, and I am already working on Book 2!
I hope you’ll check out Nicky’s story – there’s magic, snarky druids, kickass heroines, punch-in-the-face worthy villains (who get smacked down, don’t worry!), and just a dash of romance. Happy reading!
As always, a huge thank you to the beta readers, the entire team, and most of all to Michael for allowing me to write in the Kurtherian Gambit world!
Sincerely, Nat
If you would like to join my mailing list, here is the link (and thank you!)
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/w0k9j4
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written May 6, 2017
Thanks to Liza Meyer and Keith Verret for the final WTF Where is the book? Posts ;-)
Here we go, the second book in Trials and Tribulations and can I say THANK YOU that not only did you read the book, but you are reading these Author Notes, as well?
I have to admit something. Fifteen minutes ago, I was editing Awakened by Ell Leigh Clarke and myself when I happened to update a fan on Facebook with the latest Timeline to all things Kurtherian (It i
s here, if you would like to see it: http://www.kurtherianbooks.com/timeline.)
While I was updating the request for the timeline, I happened to see the post where I was talking about THIS book coming out.
OH MY GOD I FORGOT! I had been waiting for a final cover from Jeff Brown for this book (we went from concept (what I showed everyone on Facebook) to concept 2, concept 3 and to me receiving the final finished cover about an hour ago.
I saw the final come through, but my laptop was having problems, so it didn’t refresh my content, and I didn’t “see” the final image. It was just a lined box with nothing inside. However, by clicking on his name in Slack, it dropped the highlight to let me know he had something new and there is no reminder when you do that.
Then, I forgot he sent it until the Facebook comment of saying “I’m refreshing!” and my blood went cold.
Oh holy crap I forgot! I jumped up, ran (ok, I’m almost 50, I walked quickly) into the kitchen to pull this together and get the book up on Amazon and notify everyone on Facebook we are waiting on THEM.
Not me.
At least, I hope it isn’t me.
Now, Jeff gave me the image only one hour ago as I write this, so it isn’t like I’m too late, but I’m ashamed I even let it slip forty-five minutes like this.
Plus, I didn’t have the Author Notes done!
Man, I seriously dropped this ball.
I hope you enjoyed Damned To Hell and I want to THANK the JIT team that helped catch a few last minute screw-ups by the authors as we changed some locations and then boofed it up. We had a few discussions on whether Peter / Nathan / Stephen would act the way they did (and did some re-writes and discussions internally about guys, their motivations when their protective instincts rise up) and generally, loved Bethany Anne focusing on her shoes ;-)