by Maya Banks
Zach, who’d headed the recon of the partially underground compound in the Mojave Desert, had uploaded scanned schematics from ground and air surveillance. Using a high-tech classified heat-seeking device, they’d been able to identify three heat signatures just hours before on the periphery of the compound where old jail cells were housed. And Beau had been able to confirm that Ari was one of those heat sources by pinpointing her location with the implanted tracking device. Thank God they’d at least gotten that accomplished before everything went to hell or they truly would be uncovering a needle in a haystack, and he shuddered to think of Ari being out there and him not having the first clue where to start their search for her.
The building used to be a sanitarium in the 1800s. The prison cells were later added in the early 1900s when the hospital had turned into a maximum-security prison for the criminals clinically insane and exceedingly dangerous to society.
The place was creepy as hell and had been deserted for decades. Or so the records stated. It was owned by a corporation not publicly traded and there were zero public records on file for the company that pointed to yet another dummy corporation. Things got interesting, however, when Eliza uncovered a link between PRI and the fictitious corporation that owned the facility.
PRI, or Psychic Research Incorporated, leased the main holding as well as half a dozen outbuildings on the sprawling thousand-acre parcel. Coincidence much?
Apparently some nut research foundation was not only active in cultivating and exploring psychic phenomena, but had invested a mind-boggling amount of money into an actual breeding program disguised as a surrogacy foundation called Creative Adoption Solutions.
Beau had a sickening dread that Ari was a product of that breeding program; and worse, courtesy of Eliza’s mad hacking skills, further digging had uncovered a complicated and well-disguised record of substantial “investments” to the foundation by none other than Franklin Devereaux.
How to explain to Ari that not only was she the product of an experimental birth, but that his own father had a significant role in funding its “research”? Suddenly Gavin Rochester’s association—and subsequent visit to Beau’s father a mere day before his parents’ suspicious deaths—seemed not only plausible but in fact highly probable.
Neither Beau’s nor Ari’s fathers was a shining example of the founding principles of capitalism and success the old-fashioned way—working your ass off and earning it. No, these two men were so steeped in shadowy dealings that they’d never hold up under concentrated scrutiny no matter how well they covered their tracks.
The question was whether Ari’s father had had a hand in Beau’s father’s—and mother’s—untimely deaths. The “coincidences” were mounting and were quite staggering. He was disgusted by his father’s participation in something so completely fucked-up and wrong. But then it seemed, the more he discovered the kind of man his father was, the more he realized that he was likely only uncovering the tip of the iceberg, and God only knew what other nefarious acts his father was involved in.
Beau sighed because it was one giant clusterfuck of epic proportions. If Ari’s parents were recovered alive, the bombshell of the true circumstances of her birth and his father’s role in the whole sordid affair was going to be one big-ass hurdle for Beau and Ari to overcome in their relationship.
Ari could only be expected to forgive so much, and she was already reeling from the shock of finding out she wasn’t Gavin and Ginger Rochester’s biological daughter. The additional information could simply prove too much for a woman already on the verge of breaking.
“I only have two heat signatures now,” Zack said grimly. “They haven’t moved in half an hour. Same spot. Completely still. Seems suspicious as hell.”
Beau swore because he didn’t have time to check Ari’s position within the compound because they were seconds away from go time. His only choice was to go in and turn the entire building upside down to locate her.
The others readied themselves for the helo drop just yards from where the cells were located. It was the most likely place to stash prisoners, though now there were only two visible heat sources, where before there’d been three.
Beau should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. His pulse had accelerated upon learning there were three people housed in a single cell. It sounded too good to be true. But Ari had been there along with two others, and their heat signatures signaled that they were all alive. Heat meant life. They’d planned to go in guns blazing, using some serious shock and awe, cause as much confusion as possible, set up explosive diversions so the fuckers wouldn’t know which way was up or down and would have no idea where Beau and the others were coming at them from.
He forced himself to calm. One thing at a time. If Ari’s parents were in the cell, they’d go in, secure the two prisoners and stash them so they were out of the line of fire, and then Beau was going to take the entire compound apart piece by piece until he recovered Ari. Once he was assured of her safety, he didn’t give two fucks what happened to the rest. As far as he was concerned, this entire facility was evil and twisted and the world would be a better place without its existence. Because if Ari had indeed been a part of some fucked-up program disguised as a surrogacy organization then it stood to reason others had been as well, and if taking out the building and the assholes responsible for so much pain and grief saved others the same, then all the more reason to bring it down and reduce it to rubble.
With the helicopter now in position, Beau and the others rapidly descended the ropes, dropping to the ground below while the chopper hovered in place. As soon as they were in position, the helicopter streaked away to the designated rendezvous point, a designated “safe zone” that was easily defendable and where they could be assured of the safety of Ari and her parents.
In full military gear, they raced to the outer wall of a cell two down from where the heat signatures had registered. Dane and Zack quickly set the explosive that would create a large enough entry point into the facility so they could get in and hopefully out with at least Ari’s parents.
In thirty seconds, the explosive was set and Dane motioned for them all to take cover. As soon as everyone had ducked from sight, Zack triggered the explosion and a loud boom shook the ground. A large chunk of the stone wall simply disappeared in a cloud of dust and rubble and even before it cleared, Beau was on the move, the others falling into position as they one by one ducked through the opening and inside the gloomy, dank, dungeonlike building.
The first thing Beau registered as they surged out of the cell and into the long hallway was the sound of gunfire. Close.
Fuck!
A female cry arose, sharp in the ensuing silence. Then more gunfire. Beau’s pulse exploded and he rapidly motioned the others to be on the ready.
They spread out, quickly pouring down the hallway in the direction of the sounds of shots fired and the feminine cry of fear. At least he hoped it was fear and not pain.
When they reached the open cell door, a gruesome sight greeted them. Gavin Rochester had taken down two armed men and was systematically taking apart the third and only remaining assailant.
When the man managed to break away from Gavin’s enraged grasp and lunged for Ginger, Beau didn’t hesitate. He put a bullet through her attacker’s head and he dropped like a rock, mere inches from where Ginger stood, pale, frozen, eyes wide with shock and fear. In the attacker’s hand was a wicked blade, one he clearly intended to use to take Ari’s mother out, and if it weren’t for Beau’s sudden appearance, the man would likely have succeeded in his desperate attempt to lash out.
Gavin whirled, eyes cold, enraged, prepared to take on the new threat. He was an impressive sight even with blood dripping from multiple wounds.
“Stand down!” Dane barked. “We’re on your side.”
Beau took a step forward, careful not to trigger any violence from Gavin, who was clearly determined that no harm come to his wife.
“Ari came to us,” Beau said in a calm
voice. “I’m Beau Devereaux. These are my men. We need to get you out of here now.”
Gavin visibly relaxed and now stark fear replaced his earlier fury. Ginger flew into his arms with a cry, burying her face in his chest as her body heaved with sobs. Gavin tenderly cradled his wife’s head with his palm, holding her tightly. His gaze lifted to Beau’s and the raw agony, fear and emotion in his eyes were stark. Beau nearly flinched from the very real pain in the older man’s face.
“Ari,” Gavin said hoarsely. “You have to find her. Save her. She let them take her. Wanted them to take her because she planned to destroy the entire damn building. She instructed me and her mother to remain in one spot so she could protect us and how she was able to do it I have no idea, but she erected some sort of force field around us. The bastards opened fire on us and the bullets just bounced off.”
The incredulity in his voice was evident, but Beau only nodded because none of this information surprised him. He’d witnessed firsthand just how powerful Ari was. But fear skittered up Beau’s spine, because the protective shield had obviously been breached, which meant that Ari had faltered at some point. He shook off the paralyzing, gut-wrenching thoughts of her being incapacitated. Hurt. Dead. He couldn’t—wouldn’t—go there.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about your daughter’s power, sir,” Beau said. “Now, we need to go and I need you to tell me every single thing you know so we can find Ari. But you and your wife have to be out of the way and safe.”
When Gavin started to launch a protest, Beau immediately shut him down.
“With all due respect, sir, if you love your daughter, if you want her safe and alive, then you’ll go with my men and you’ll remain out of the way. We can’t afford any distractions or hindrance and you would be both. Let us do our jobs. I will not rest until I have her back.”
The last statement came out fierce. Not the words of a man simply doing his job. There was a wealth of emotion in those words, but they slipped past his lips, heavy on his heart, determination beating as incessantly as his pulse.
Gavin’s eyes flickered and he stared hard at Beau in response to Beau’s choice of wording. His gaze narrowed, almost as if he were trying to discern Beau’s interest and whether it was purely professional or if it was . . . personal.
Ginger too looked up, turning to face the man who’d just declared he’d save her daughter. She studied him even as Beau’s men surrounded them and began herding them toward the door.
Ginger paused when they reached the point where Beau was standing, waving off the efforts of his men to get them on the move. She reached out and gently touched Beau’s arm.
“What is my daughter to you, Mr. Devereaux?” she asked softly.
“She’s everything,” Beau said bluntly, not even trying to disguise his own vulnerability, the wealth of emotion he was sure shone in his own eyes.
It should have made him crawl right out of his skin to make such a personal, open declaration in front of two people who were strangers to him as well as his entire team of operatives. But he didn’t give two fucks, because damn it, she was everything. His everything. Without her, his life would be incomplete and he didn’t give a shit who knew it.
Ginger squeezed his arm and then to his surprise, she leaned up on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across his cheek.
“I think my daughter could be in no better hands,” she whispered. “Bring her back to me, Mr. Devereaux. I’m begging you. Bring our baby back to us.”
Beau gently touched her elbow, guiding her toward the hallway so they could be taken to safety.
“I will get her back,” Beau vowed, including Ari’s father in his sweeping gaze, one firm with resolve. “You have my word.”
Just as they reached the cell where the explosives had carved out an exit through the wall, the ground beneath them quaked and rolled, nearly knocking Ginger off balance. Gavin made a grab for her, securing her against him as they all looked around in bewilderment.
The entire building began to shake. The walls vibrated. Dust kicked up and swirled. Objects began flying around the air in a vortex that resembled a tornado. In the distance, loud cracking and splintering sounds erupted. Harsh shouts of fear, muffled by even more quaking.
The sound of grown men screaming in fear and pain sent a bone-deep chill through Beau.
Again the floor literally rolled beneath their feet. A crack appeared in the concrete, rapidly snaking its way along the floor, opening up, widening. Then more. Like a spiderweb, smaller cracks burst through the floor and raced in all directions. It was like experiencing an honest-to-God earthquake. A huge one.
Unease crawled up Beau’s spine even as he shot an urgent look in Zack’s direction. Dane’s expression was grim with the realization that had hit them all. Only Ari’s parents seemed bewildered and uncertain of what was happening. But everyone else knew.
Ari’s powers had been unleashed and this was only the beginning. Beau knew that the full extent of her powers had yet to be tested and that she was capable of so much more than that which she’d come into in a very short period of time.
“Oh fuck,” Beau swore.
“What?” Gavin demanded.
“What’s happening?” Ginger cried.
The desperation in both their eyes was evident. Fear. Worry for their daughter. They had no idea what Ari was capable of. They’d only gotten a taste of the full extent of her powers. Hell, Beau himself was certain he had seen only the tip of the iceberg and that now, unchecked, Ari’s rage would be a terrible thing to behold.
With the threat of her parents’ lives hanging in the balance, Ari’s fury would know no bounds. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to save the people she loved. And Beau was terrified for her. Because though Ari was steadily coming into her own and growing more adept at directing and focusing the awesome scope of her abilities, she was extremely vulnerable in the aftermath. She could die from a massive brain bleed or suffer a stroke she never recovered from. The probability of her incurring a debilitating injury was extremely high, and unless Beau got to her fast, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to save her.
“What the hell is going on?” Gavin barked. “Is my daughter in danger?”
Beau looked up at Gavin as they shoved out of the hole in the wall and stood outside the shaking building. Pieces of the roof, shards of glass from broken windows and even pieces of the stone exterior littered the landscape. Ari was taking down the building and everything in her path. With her in it.
“Sir, your daughter is the danger.”
THIRTY-FIVE
IT took precious minutes—minutes they didn’t have—for Beau to convince, or rather order Gavin Rochester to remain at the rendezvous point with his wife, the pilot and a very reluctant, displeased Eliza.
Dane had insisted Eliza remain behind and she was not chill with that at all. Her eyes had narrowed to glaring slits and Beau had heard more than a few curses tear past her lips. But when Dane had put it in the light of there needing to be at least two people on point to protect not only the Rochesters, but the helicopter as well, because if the helo was disabled, they were fucked in the middle of the desert, Eliza had grudgingly capitulated.
Still, Beau could feel the heat of her glare as he, Zack, Dane, Cap and Isaac rapidly made tracks back to the inner sanctum of the compound.
Zack walked ahead at Beau’s side, pulling up Ari’s position, as well as pinpointing the other heat signatures in the building. Beau’s eyes widened when he saw the screen flash and display the results.
“What the fuck?” Beau asked incredulously.
Dane caught up on Zack’s other side to peer at the device and then whistled.
“I’d say you’ve got one pissed-off hellcat,” Zack said.
Where before there were at least four dozen heat signals inside the building, there were now only a little over a dozen. As he’d noted before, heat meant life, and well, unless the device had malfunctioned, Ari had gone on a rampage and taken down three-fourths
of the men responsible for holding her and her parents prisoner.
“Ari is here,” Zack said, pointing to a blinking light at the end of a long corridor. “As you can see there are three heat sources there. But none between the cell where she and her parents were held and the room she currently occupies. Which means she mowed down anyone in her way.”
“And none there,” Dane murmured, gesturing toward one of the hallways that was bare of any heat source.
“The rest are here.” Zack pointed to a concentrated area where ten dots overlapped one another on the screen. “If we get lucky, we can slip down that first hallway that is across the compound from where Ari is, take out whoever the two blips are in the room with her then take her, and get the hell out before the others decide to come looking for us.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Beau muttered.
Beau would normally be more proactive in planning missions down to the minutest detail. But he had no objectivity for this one and he knew it. He also knew he couldn’t trust himself to make sound, unemotional decisions. Not when it came to Ari.
So he’d allowed Zack free rein, which probably didn’t sit well with Dane, but if it bothered the other man he didn’t show it. All he displayed was his usual determination to see a mission through successfully. Beau appreciated that particular trait, now more than ever. Because this mission was deeply personal and if it went to hell, Beau would go right to hell with it.
As they approached the wall of the prison cells, the pitched roof in the middle of the facility simply collapsed and flames roared upward, licking toward the sky. Smoke billowed in black clouds and the fire began to race across the rest of the roof.
Ash, cinder and burning debris blew hard over them, pelting down like a hailstorm.
“Your girl is wreaking some serious havoc,” Zack said, awe in his voice. “I think I might be in love.”
Beau merely stared, more worried than ever, as they closed the remaining distance, picking up speed until they were at full sprint.