Shifter Nation- East Coast Bears Collection

by Meg Ripley

  “Too much for you to handle, Mr. Bailey?” Alex joked, and Gerard chuckled before letting out a yawn.

  The meds must be starting to kick in. I rolled my eyes and stood up slowly, trying not to show my exhaustion.

  Ramon was staring at the cell, watching the suspect just sitting on the floor, glaring in our direction.

  “Well, did you get the blood samples?” a sleepy-eyed Gerard asked.

  We both looked at him and nodded. Little did he know, they weren’t the blood samples he thought we got.

  “I have to get them back to the lab to test, but the results should be ready in the morning, before Agent Gianni returns,” Ramon said as he started walking towards the door, “now, if you’ll excuse us…”

  “You boys have a great night and make yourselves at home,” I added, motioning around my office with a forced smile and walked out after Ramon.

  “Hey, man. Wait up!” I called, trying to catch up to him as he made a beeline for his lab.

  “Lo siento, but I have to get this back to the lab, Trent. I know that pendejo killed a bunch of people, but he’s obviously very sick.”

  “What do you think it is? There aren’t many things that can do us in.” It’s not like we were taught shifter biology in school; everything we knew was passed down by our parents and the rest of the clan, and I’d never learned anything about what I’d just witnessed in the cell.

  “You’re right. There aren’t very many things that can infect us—not viruses like the common cold or the flu, at least, but we’re susceptible to HIV/AIDS. We can develop cancer, too, but I’ve never seen any illnesses like this. I have to figure out what’s going on with him and more importantly, figure out if it can spread to our clan in any way.” Ramon’s face was filled with worry and as he explained how the information could affect the clan, I felt his same concern.

  “Is it okay if I come with you? Knox asked me to report anything we find back to him.”

  “Of course, amigo! Your company is always welcome.” With that, Ramon’s worry seemed to have vanished for the moment and was replaced by a smile—one I had missed for a while.

  The tragedy at Acadia was causing a lot of trouble, but I couldn’t help but think that it was bringing the clan closer together as well.

  * * *

  Ramon was munching on some microwave pizza in one hand and adjusting his microscope with the other. I was sitting across the room laughing hysterically at the sight.

  “Won’t that cause cross contamination or something?” I shook my head at him.

  “The only contamination happening here is your breath polluting the air!” Ramon joked, using a dropper to apply a solution to the blood on the slide. I couldn’t see what it was, but even if I could, I wouldn’t be able to tell what he was using. I was never really into science; there were too many exact measurements and calculations for me. The law was simple, and I liked it. Everything was there in black and white, plain as day, and all I had to do was enforce it. Plus, spending my day in a stuffy lab was not my idea of fun.

  Ramon squinted over the eyepiece and all went quiet for a bit. I had already watched him test the dried blood samples and there was no surprise there. We found the blood of all three victims on him and Ramon was able to give me a report stating that, so I could pass it on to agent Gianni in the morning.

  I looked around his lab and realized there wasn’t much there: a desktop computer in one corner of the room, some lab coats along the wall, a sink, some supply cabinets, and a big table in the middle of the room that currently had a bunch of science crap on it. I had no idea what most of it was or what he used them for.

  “Trent, you’ve gotta see this, man!” Ramon’s voice sounded both panicked and excited as he looked into his microscope. I jumped out of my seat, walking over to him quickly.

  “What’s up?”

  “Take a look.” Ramon stepped aside.

  At first, I didn’t know what I was looking at. It looked like a bunch of black and dark red dots just floating around on a lighter red background. Then something started to happen. The black dots were drifting closer to the red ones and once they reached their targets, it was like they were swallowing the red dots whole.

  “What the hell…” I guessed the red dots were the shifter’s blood cells, but what were the black ones?

  “Exactamente.” Ramon was shaking his head and I could tell he was thinking the same thing. “That is no cancer I have ever seen.”

  “So, what do you think it could be?”

  “I have no idea, but I’m definitely going to have to do more testing on this blood. Whatever that guy is infected with is swallowing his cells whole, which is why the sample is almost completely black. It has obviously affected the neurons controlling his shifting abilities, because he can’t even function as a human or a bear. Something is taking over his body, and I have to find out what it is.” Ramon looked worried—yet determined—and his eyes returned to the microscope. “I’ll tell Knox about what I found. You look tired, man; you should go home and get some rest.” Ramon slapped his hand onto my shoulder.

  “And something to eat. Not all of us can survive on microwave pizza,” I chuckled, and Ramon rolled his eyes.

  He seemed pretty concerned about whatever had infected this guy and it was starting to make me a little nervous, too. The situation was getting serious. All I knew was that when Agent Gianni came to interrogate the suspect in the morning, I was going to be there.

  * * *

  I jerked awake as I heard my cell phone going off. I looked at my clock and it was 3:00am.

  Who the hell is calling me?

  I groaned and checked the caller ID; it was Knox, so I answered immediately.

  “What’s up, Boss?” I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I probably wouldn’t have answered if it was anyone else.

  “Ramon just filled me in on what you two discovered, and I’m very concerned. We’ve found an unknown infection with unknown ramifications from an unknown source—and all those things need to get known, right fucking now. I think whatever we find at this point should be gathered and presented to the conclave.” Knox’s voice was serious.

  “I agree completely, but what are we going to do about the FBI?”

  “That’s why I’m calling you. Agent Gianni reported what happened here today and everything she found to the FBI, and they want the suspect to be transported back to their headquarters. They think it’s useless to hold the investigation here when the evidence is so overwhelming. They want to proceed first thing in the morning—”

  “What?”

  “—And I need you to convince Agent Gianni to keep the suspect here for further questioning.” Knox finished with a stern tone. He did not like being cut off.

  “How the hell am I supposed to do that?” Right then, I didn’t care about his attitude. He was asking the impossible of me. It wasn’t like Blanca and I were best buddies or anything; in fact, we were the opposite: two stubborn egos housed in incompatible personalities.

  Even if those curves of hers did call out to my ursine mind.

  “I don’t know? Tell her the blood samples you got have not been confirmed to belong the victims yet, so we still aren’t 100% sure if he killed those people. She lives by the facts, and if that guy committing a trio of murders isn’t a fact, she’ll want to make sure of it before she leaves.”

  “Okay, I’ll head over to her hotel in the morning and offer her a ride here to see if she can call them off.” I sighed. It wasn’t going to be easy; Agent Gianni and I had definitely gotten off on the wrong foot, so I was going to have to smooth things over if I had any hope of having her on my side.

  “Hey, being a little nicer could help, too. Make sure you work your charm; flirt a little,” Knox teased as he hung up. I shook my head and sighed as I ended the call. I threw my phone on my nightstand and fell back onto the bed. Wouldn’t she have been suspicious if I suddenly tried to be nice?

  Maybe my inner bear will be getting his way after all, I th
ought. Hell, it’s been awhile. And she is pretty cute…

  Either way, if I didn’t already have a tough day waiting for me, it had certainly just gotten tougher.

  8

  Blanca

  Do I have to leave today? I thought, still lying in bed. My alarm had just gone off and the clock read 7:00am.

  After getting back to the hotel, I made my report to the FBI. They decided to have the suspect transferred to headquarters immediately because of the overwhelming evidence against him. I didn’t exactly agree with that; I wanted to make sure we had the right guy before we brought him in, and I hadn’t even gotten a chance to meet him yet.

  Alex had called me earlier that night as well to tell me that Trent had been by to pick up some blood samples for testing. I was surprised; he seemed to be going above and beyond for this case, but maybe that’s how he treated all his assignments and I’d misjudged him. Either way, I’d hoped he would have those blood sample results for me in the morning, so I could confirm we had the right man and feel better about taking him to HQ.

  I spent the remainder of the night alternating between the hotel pool and jacuzzi. I cursed the fifteen-minute timer that alerted you to get out of the hot tub to regulate your temperature; if there wasn’t a lifeguard present, I probably would have spent the whole hour in there. It felt good to finally get a chance to relax after such a tense day.

  It was then that it dawned on me: I was actually dreading leaving.

  I hadn’t been on a vacation in a long time, and the perks of my accommodations made me feel so relaxed. I was staying in a room at Bar Harbor Inn’s Oceanfront Lodge with a plush king-sized bed, and the scene from my windows was spectacular. It was decorated in gorgeous beige and pale blue colors, with rustic furniture that was surprisingly comfy. I wasn’t ready to let go of that. The hotel room was paid up until the end of the week and I really wished I had an excuse to stay. But, the orders were given, and I had to follow them.

  I didn’t want to jump back into investigating three murders, but it wasn’t like I could leave it to Trent.

  Come on, you said you would be nice to him today.

  I did say that.

  With that, I took a deep breath and rolled out of bed. I had my outfit ironed and laid out already: another black suit with a white shirt. The ensemble was a little different, since I decided to go with a skirt instead of pants that day, and I wondered if I should wear heels to look more professional when picking up the suspect. I would probably be in an office until the helicopter arrived, so I didn’t see any harm in wearing them, but decided to bring flats in my handbag, just in case. I’d be in a national park, after all.

  I grabbed my handbag and briefcase, slipped into my heels, and headed out of the hotel room. I was glad the elevator was just around the corner and made my way to it, deciding that I would ask the receptionist for the number of a local taxi service.

  Once the elevator opened to the lobby, I spied Trent.

  Is he waiting for me? I stopped in my tracks and looked around. He was wearing his Ranger officer uniform, checking his phone; I had to admit, I never noticed just how good he looked in it. It fit in all the right places, with just the right amount of wear to make him look more rugged. His shortly cropped black hair looked damp, as if he’d just showered and the thought of him scrubbing himself down made my thighs clench together. I felt a blush sweep across my cheeks.

  Oh god, I must be so red right now! I looked away quickly, taking deep breaths to calm myself. What the hell is wrong with me? No pleasure with business, Blanca!

  Well…the case was potentially wrapping up soon…

  I shook my head. It’s not like you have time for that! Focus!

  “Good morning, Agent Gianni. I hope you slept well.” Trent was walking up to me with a bright, genuine smile and I immediately went on guard. Why was he being so friendly suddenly?

  I cleared my throat. “Good morning, Mr. Bailey. Are you waiting for someone?” I asked, a bit more coldly than I wanted.

  “Yes, I was waiting for you, actually. I thought you might like a ride up to Acadia. The taxis in Bar Harbor can be pretty expensive.” He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. When he laughed like that, his eyes almost closed completely.

  God, he is so hot…

  “Ms. Gianni?”

  “Huh?” I blinked and realized I had been staring at him again. “Sorry! Just spaced out for a moment. I had some trouble sleeping last night.”

  “Yeah, me too. It was a rough night,” he responded. When I said it, I was lying, but I could tell he was serious.

  “Bad dreams?” I asked, trying to soften the conversation.

  “Nah, just other stuff…Anyhow, can I give you a lift to the park? My Jeep’s just outside.” Trent’s smile was back, but I could tell there was something hidden behind it. He was being secretive, and I didn’t like that; I told myself I’d be nice to him to him, though, so I let it slide for the time being.

  “Sure, lead the way!” I returned his smile and followed him out to his Jeep.

  When we stepped outside, Trent’s two-passenger army-green vehicle was parked right out front. Its tires were covered in dirt, as was much of the rest of the vehicle.

  Just as we stepped up to his Jeep, Trent paused and turned to face me. “Hey,” he started, nervously running his hand through his hair again, “so…I realize I haven’t been the most…cooperative, Agent Gianni, and I wanted to apologize. After thinking about it, the bottom line is we both want the same thing: for this case to be solved and justice to be served. I know I’ve been a jerk, and I’m sorry…so…” He cocked an eyebrow and gave me a half smile. “Truce?”

  I certainly wasn’t expecting that, but I had to admit, it was always a pleasant surprise when a man could admit to his faults. I extended my hand out to his for a shake, “Alright, then. Truce.”

  Trent nodded and opened the door for me, offering his hand to help me up.

  “My lady…”

  “Why thank you, kind sir.” I made a bowing gesture towards him and laughed as I got in. Something was definitely different about Trent today—and whatever it was, I liked it.

  He got into the driver’s side and started the Jeep, steering us toward Acadia.

  “Any particular reason you decided to come pick me up this morning? Wanted to celebrate me leaving today?” I asked after a few moments of silence.

  “Well, I was actually supposed to deliver the blood results to you before you left, but I decided to pick you up after our resource manager, Ramon, told me he couldn’t confirm the blood was from the victims. He said he was having a difficult time separating the properties of four different people.”

  “Four different people?” I was confused. There had only been three victims. Was there a fourth that we didn’t know about?

  “He was able to identify the suspect’s DNA among the others’. His victims must have injured him in some way.”

  “Oh, I see.” I thought about it for a bit. It changed things for me, to not have the blood results confirm we had our killer. I had been counting on them to ease my conscious. What if we had the wrong guy? “How long do you think it will take for Ramon to decipher the blood samples?”

  Trent shrugged. “He didn’t give me a time frame; he just said it was taking him longer than he thought, and he wasn’t sure when he’d have the results ready.” It was hard to read him because he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were firmly planted on the road.

  Must be a Ranger thing.

  Either way, I decided he must be telling the truth. What reason would he have to lie? That complicated things, though. I didn’t want to bring the suspect to headquarters without knowing for sure he was at fault. That would be completely unjust.

  “Mr. Bailey, would you mind pulling over somewhere? I need to make a phone call.” I was all business again. I believed only in the facts, and the agency would just have to accept that.

  “Sure thing. Everything okay? We’re still about five minutes from the en
trance of the park.” Trent’s voice sounded a bit concerned as he pulled off to the side of the road for me.

  “Of course, it should only take a moment.” I smiled at him as we made eye contact and got out of the car.

  I pressed the number one on my phone and tapped my foot, waiting for someone to respond.

  An apathetic voice finally answered, “FBI. Caulwell speaking.” The man had been with the FBI for a long time and you could tell he was ready to retire.

  “Good morning, Chief. This is Agent Gianni.”

  “Have you secured the suspect? Our pilots are a little busy right now, but they should be heading to you in less than two hours for sure.” Chief Caulwell sounded dismissive, as if he had more important things to do.

  “Well, that’s actually why I’m calling. I was supposed to secure evidence today confirming whether or not our suspect is the murderer, but the labs weren’t able to be obtained this morning.” I winced. I hated delivering bad news to the chief. He was just like me: he expected things to go according to plan.

  “What do you mean?” Caulwell’s tone shifted to what sounded almost like annoyance. Whether it was at me for delivering the news, or at the situation, I wasn’t sure.

  “There are three victims, and the park’s scientist found four different blood samples on the suspect. He was only able to positively identify the suspect’s blood, and not the other three because the samples were so mixed together. He says he can separate things out, but it will take him some time. I’m calling to ask if it’s possible to hold off on transport until those test results are secured, sir.” I recoiled at the last bit, hoping not to annoy the Chief any further.

  “Hmmm…okay. Go ahead and wait, but I’ll only give you an extension for one week. If the results are not in by then, you are to return with the suspect and the investigation will be continued here. Understood?”