by Sydney Addae
“What the hell is going on?” Silas asked injecting the right amount of surprise and disbelief into his voice.
Lee waved down his question and dismissed the soldier. When they were alone, he waved Silas closer to the holes drilled in the plastic wall.
“Are you okay?” Silas asked, sounding concerned while taking in Lee’s haggard appearance. The man looked as if he’d aged exponentially in the past hour. If Silas didn’t know exactly when Lee had been arrested he would have sworn it had taken place hours ago.
Lee shrugged. “Things will play out the way it’s meant to be. Listen, things are going to be crazy in a bit.” He glanced at his watch. “Chances are good he knows and are sending in a team right now.” Lee took a deep breath. “No telling what he’s going to do.” He met Silas gaze. “Keener did you destroy all the order invoices?”
Silas frowned and nodded slowly. Keener had destroyed them.
“Think, you gotta be a hundred percent sure, the last thing I want is you dragged into the shit-storm headed our way. Did you destroy all traces of the orders for me?”
“Yes, yes, what shit-storm? What are you talking about?” Silas asked with a smidgen of pride at the scent of fear wafting from Lee. The man knew he was in trouble and not just from his bosses.
“Leave early. Take the rest of the day off, get out of here before La Patron arrives,” Lee said.
“La Patron? The head Alpha? He’s coming here?”
Lee swallowed hard and nodded. “Him or one of his inner circle, same thing.” Lee looked around and then met Silas’ gaze. “If I were you, I’d go home.”
“Is the lab still shut down?”
Lee shrugged.
“Can I do anything for you?” Silas hoped Lee would tell him to take the chemicals with him.
“Not much can be done for me at this point. Crall’s sharp.” He hissed. “Knight played us like a fucking fiddle. He knew. Caught us right out, no way to explain this one.” Lee walked around the cell with his head down mumbling. Silas wanted to laugh but held out hope Lee would share more.
“I’ll go check the computer again but I deleted everything as soon as I pressed order. Then I’ll go home.” He walked off a few steps, looked over his shoulder and tried to muster concern for the disgusting bastard. “Are you sure I can’t do anything for you? This isn’t right, you’re a General for Christ’s sake.”
Lee snorted. “Life’s about choices, Keener. Go ahead, get out of here while you can.”
Silas headed toward the door when Franz entered. He nodded and continued walking even though he wished he could stay and listen. After Angus met with Lee, Silas would have Crall restrict Lee’s visitors. Hopefully Lee would tell the good doctor where he hid the chemicals. Otherwise, once the Knights were better and left this place, he would go room by room until he found them.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
WALKING BACK TO THE pharmacy, Silas wondered what Lee and Franz had to talk about. “Hawke?”
“Sir?”
“Can you access the cameras in the containment area of the research lab? Franz and Lee are having a conversation and I’d like to know what they discuss.”
A few moments later, Hawke returned. “No, Sir. It’s on a closed loop for that facility only.”
“Thanks,” Silas said as he nodded to the security guard standing near the pharmacy drinking coffee. Silas chuckled over Lee’s response over La Patron having played the Joint Chiefs. So far, the Admiral and the others had no idea Crall had recovered the Knights but they would soon. He wondered if they would contact him or make it necessary for him to contact them. Either way the Knights program was officially shut down over breach of contract.
“How are my Knights?” Silas asked Crall as he re-entered the pharmacy.
“Coming around, slowly but I see signs of progress. Is Grenwald good? Can we trust him to do the right thing?” Crall asked. Silas debated whether to share Angus’ identity but decided against it. Crall only knew help was nearby but not exactly from who.
“I’ve been told he was good. Let me know if you have any problems or concerns,” Silas said as he walked behind the counter.
“Yes, Sir. I’ve alerted Miller on the success of my mission, when will you notify the Joint Chiefs?”
Silas explained the chemical warfare tip he received and the importance of retrieving the notes and samples of the chemicals. Angus and Hawke had been searching every data base they could access and came up empty.
Crall whistled.
“That’s another mission, yours is to leave as soon as they’re able,” Silas said.
“Yes, Sir. Another hour tops and they should be strong enough.”
“Good. Do you think Lee will share information regarding his plans with anyone there?”
“He doesn’t strike me as the type to talk. The look of resignation on his face when I took control said he expected this and accepted his fate. That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t attempt to continue testing if he could, just that he’d accept his punishment, which is going to be severe.”
“Hmm, he’ll continue to breathe, so not that severe,” Silas said.
“Barely. What he, they, did to the Knights is a big deal and he knows it. I can’t imagine how they thought they’d get away with it.”
Silas agreed with Crall. “They wanted to strip our ability to communicate with each other, with our beasts. The only way to do that is to kill us. Maybe they realized that and decided on chemical warfare?”
“The chemicals would need to kill both sides, including our human part. Which puts all humans who come in contact with the chemicals at risk. We live in cities, and rural areas as well as our private land. There’s no way to kill us all without killing themselves.” Crall paused. “They know all of this. Have they found a way to work around it?”
“That’s why we need the notes and not just the chemicals,” Silas said frustrated with the delay and new dilemma.
FRANZ STRODE INTO THE containment area mulling over how to get Lee’s cooperation. If only he’d known the full-bloods in Lee’s control group had been turned into super-soldiers he would have acted before now. The Sups, Tasha particularly, were getting restless and pushing him for more drugs to give them an edge. He’d used his meager supply, still they insisted he find more. Franz worried over their increasing lack of control. He hadn’t been able to locate Roderick, his former supplier, recently. The man had disappeared. Grenwald thought the idea of researching someone else’ work beneath him and refused to analyze the serum.
Lee was the key.
If the man would take the pole out of his ass for a few minutes he might see the benefits of them working together. He stared at the General for several seconds thinking of the best way to gain Lee’s interest.
“Sir,” Franz said as he moved closer and saluted the fallen General.
Lee glanced at him, nodded and continued staring at the wall.
“The men formally under your care are waking.”
The General’s head snapped up, his gaze sharpened as he looked at Franz. “You saw them?”
“I followed Grenwald, saw them with General Crall for a few moments before being sent away,” Franz said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen full-bloods so... in such good shape. Soldiers?”
Lee hesitated and then nodded.
Now they were getting somewhere, Franz thought. “Special team? Your team?”
Lee exhaled. “Not mine. Military. Special forces.”
That surprised Franz. He had heard rumors of an elite group in the military but didn’t know they were full-bloods. He frowned. If those men were a part of the military, what were they doing here? And what about those collars? He recalled hearing something about those years ago. Was Lee and Grenwald doing research on soldiers? That explained Crall’s sudden visit and the General’s confinement.
“Glad they’re on our side,” Franz murmured while glancing at the General who would face charges for sure.
“Yeah,” Lee said and stared at the
wall again.
“Are they enhanced?” Franz decided to get straight to the point. Either Lee would help or not.
General Lee frowned. “Enhanced? With drugs?”
Despite the furrowed brows, there was a light of interest in the General’s eyes. “Yes. I’ve heard there is a serum that increases their capabilities. Are you familiar with it?”
The General nodded slowly. “Heard about it several years ago. What’s your interest?”
“The Superiors. They weren’t always that way. Over the years I’ve assisted them in their rise to the top,” Franz said watching the General closely. They both knew what he’d done would be frowned upon in the military and was illegal in Honduras.
“You gave them the serum?”
Franz nodded.
“It worked?”
Franz nodded again.
“That explains their erratic behavior, a common side effect of the serum. One of the reasons it cannot be used by soldiers,” the General said pointedly. “When they lose control, they disobey orders, create their own paths and disregard the mission, they aren’t soldiers.”
“What about the collars?” Franz asked.
Lee met his gaze. “What about them?”
“Do they allow you to control them? To bend to your will?” Franz moved closer.
Lee stared at him for several seconds and smiled. “You’ve lived amongst them, how long?”
Pride stiffened his spine. “Over ten years,” Franz said.
“Then you must know there’s nothing we can do to bend them to our will. With one word or order from their Alpha, those men will rip this place apart and leave. None of us can stop them.”
Franz snorted. “We’ve got weapons that’ll stop anything.”
“You take out those four and hundreds will replace them and it’ll happen so quick, so smooth you won’t be ready or suspect it.”
Franz waved down the speech. “In the absence of an Alpha?”
Lee’s gaze narrowed. “Alpha’s are the strongest in the group and are responsible for the safety, health and well-being of the pack. Unless the full-blood is a loner, there’s always a leader, an Alpha,” Lee said. “Tell me something, are you the Alpha of the Sups?”
Franz shrugged. “Not really. They listen because I have something they want. Or had something. My supply’s gone.” He looked at Lee. “How long before the effects wear off?”
“As far as I know the changes are permanent.”
Franz stared at him for a few moments. Was it possible? Had the members continued taking the serum when they didn’t need too? As much as he hated anyone knowing of his mistake, he needed answers. “If they continued taking the serum, would that ratchet the side effects?”
The General stuffed his hands in his pockets and studied Franz for several seconds. “I don’t know, it’s possible” he said finally. “It’s been years since anyone’s discussed the serum or researched it. What I do recall is the change magnifies whatever is already in the person.”
“Has it ever been tested on our soldiers?”
“Humans?”
Franz nodded and gave the old man points for not spouting hypocritical outrage over the notion.
“No... that serum has not,” Lee said while staring at the wall. “They’ve had other tests.” He looked at Franz. “The idea of a human military fighting force as good as those men has been tested and tried a multitude of ways. But we aren’t the same. Can you imagine a team of peace-keepers who speak mind to mind, with great strength, extremely flexible and difficult to destroy?” He waved his hand. “I mean a bullet in the leg, arm or an extremity won’t slow them down. Remarkable, just remarkable.” He shook his head.
“I’ve never seen or heard of this group, so I’ll take your word.” He paused. “Why are they here?”
“Classified.”
Franz nodded. “The death last night.” He looked at the General. “The Sups say they didn’t kill those two Red-Wolves. Is it possible your men are guilty?”
“No,” Lee said adamant.
“The kills were quick, efficient, missing the sloppiness of the Sups. It’s possible those professional soldiers are responsible,” Franz said considering.
“One soldier snuck out, went to get the lay of the land, not understanding the turf wars, wrong place, wrong time. Self-defense... maybe. He returned, communicated with the team, told to lay low, wait... could be any of those things. In reality, you don’t know. Because you don’t know what’s going on inside them. I’m sure they knew General Crall was on the way.”
Lee’s face reddened as his jaw tightened. “You’re wrong. On several levels, you’re wrong. None of them killed those men.”
Confident he had the General’s attention, Franz moved so they’d be face to face. “What makes you so sure I’m wrong, Sir?”
“If they were caught in a turf war there would be no bodies found. There would be nothing to indicate they’d ever been in town, nothing. They’re ghosts when they work.”
“With all due respect —”
The General pointed at him. “I’ve seen them in action, you haven’t,” he yelled and then snapped his mouth tight for several moments. “The rest of that’s possible, although not probable. Not the deaths, not that.”
“Sir, I’ll take your word for it. Everyone else... I don’t know how they’ll respond. Red Wolves are out for blood and they’re vicious. The government wants to avoid an all-out war even though they won’t get directly involved. They’re looking for a scapegoat.”
“What?” The General faced him fully. “They know nothing of those men. They’ve been here the whole time.”
“The Sups were here yesterday and sensed them, it made them antsy. They accused me of bringing in other full-bloods to help. Then the patch test, that was a fucking disaster, they left here pissed.”
“Your problem, had nothing to do with my men,” the General said.
“Our problem. Understand, the Sups believe they are the top pack because they’re enhanced. They now think you, I or the military have brought enhanced wolves on their turf. They feel threatened. They believe your men killed the Red Wolves to start a war to get rid of them and take their place.”
“What? That’s ridiculous. Why would the military be concerned about a small local pack?”
Franz shrugged and fought to keep his face neutral. Those assholes in Washington had no idea how to kingdom build one pack at a time. He knew better than most how loyal full-bloods were. They’d saved his ass more times than he wanted to count. He glanced at the clock. A group would arrive at the lab any moment now to ask questions and demand to question those wolves.
“I don’t have an answer for that.” Franz took a step back. “By the way, I noticed collars in the room with your full-bloods. Did you use them to keep them in line? To make them obey?”
The General glared at him. “No, doesn’t work like that.”
Franz waited a few seconds to be enlightened but the General didn’t speak. “If you need anything, let the soldier on the door know. We take care of our own.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
INTENT ON CONTINUING his search for General Lee’s chemicals, Silas stopped in the middle of the corridor near the pharmacy. A peculiar, guttural sound snaked through the air from outside. A low snarling sound of many voices, rising and blending, as it grew louder and more menacing.
Full-bloods.
Inhaling he smelled them. At least 50, maybe more. Silas shook his head, they didn’t need this bullshit. Security and soldiers ran about, fortifying the building and barking orders for people to basically go and hide inside their offices. Which made no sense in Silas’ mind. These soldiers had to know they couldn’t defeat those wolves.
Someone hurled a something heavy at the building. Yells, demands, and foul language followed. From bits and pieces of what he could hear and make out, the local gangs were united against the outsiders. They claimed the full-bloods inside had killed their two men. Silas snorted over the way the
y tried to make the decease sound like angels who were mistreated at home.
“Hawke, we have a situation.” Silas explained what was happening.
“The lab is under siege?”
“Yes, and my patience is running thin. I want my men out of here as soon as they are able.”
“Send the Knights to the base, there might be some bloodshed but they are soldiers, the elite.”
Silas thought about it for a few seconds. He straightened and watched as several full-bloods followed soldiers into the corridor. The soldier stopped them, told them to wait. Moments later, Major Franz and General Crall entered the area.
“I’m Major Franz this is General Crall,” Franz said.
“Are there full-bloods here?” an older wolf asked. No-one gets to be leader without scars and an embattled soul. Silas suspected this wolf was more a figure head than the one who made the daily rules and ran the pack. He looked at the wolves surrounding the older wolf.
A much younger wolf leaned against the wall a small distance from the others, his face neutral, as if he wasn’t particularly interested in the conversation. But the tautness of his body betrayed him, this one was primed and ready to attack. He vibrated in anticipation - anticipation as if something good were about to happen.
“Angus how are the Knights?”
“Much better. Ready to travel I believe. Where’s Crall?”
Silas told him about the escalating problem.
“Sir?” Crall called to Silas.
“Yes?”
“We have a situation.” Crall explained what was happening in front of Silas.
“The Knights can leave now,” Silas said. He watched Crall’s face slowly change into a half smile.
“Yes, Sir,” Crall said and then he spoke to the older wolf. “I sympathize with you on the loss of your pack mates but the soldiers recovering in this lab had nothing to do with their deaths. They were under medication the entire time they’ve been here. Ask those who visited the lab yesterday if they ever saw our soldiers walking around, they did not. These men have just been cleared by the doctor to travel.”