by Bianca D’Arc
Frank asked blunt questions about Georgio and received assurances from Sam about his background and intentions. Frank seemed to relax a bit, even putting the big handgun into a shoulder holster that he retrieved from the cabinet while he was talking.
By the time he ended the call, he seemed at ease as he hadn’t been since they’d arrived. He shrugged painfully into the shoulder holster’s straps and asked Georgio to hand him his coat.
“Are we going somewhere?” Georgio challenged with a grin.
Frank smiled a little. “An old Spec Ops guy like you should understand the value of a bunker. I’ve got one, but it’s not here at the homestead. We have to get into the old tunnels. And, for that, we need to get to the remaining outbuilding. Thankfully, the Belasco clowns burned the spare shed and not the one we need.”
“Do we need to pack supplies?” Georgio asked, all business, now, but Frank waved him off as he closed up the hidden compartment on his bedside table.
“All taken care of,” Frank assured them. “Food, water, comm gear, and surveillance toys. I only have clothing in the bunker for myself, though based on what Sam said, we only need to hide out until his mercs arrive.”
Matilda was really surprised by the change in Frank from old codger mountain man to decisive, sharp-eyed business tycoon, but she was glad of it. If the bad guys came back, she didn’t want any of them to be sitting ducks, and she wouldn’t have left him in danger.
Georgio led the way outdoors while Matilda helped Frank. They moved slowly, but at least they were moving. Frank had done a decent job setting up this place. There was a well-concealed path from the old cabin to the shed where Frank claimed the entrance to the tunnel was hidden. Strategically placed obstructions—a wash line and drying rack, shrubs and yard equipment—hid them from view for the most part. It was ingeniously devised, and Georgio was impressed. He’d have to ask Frank later if he’d come up with the arrangement himself or if he’d hired some kind of designer.
They reached the outbuilding with no incident, but Georgio didn’t breathe easier. Not just yet. He hadn’t seen or sensed anyone watching them on the way in, but he knew that could change in a hurry. He wouldn’t stand down until he saw what kind of defenses old Frank had on his bunker.
When they reached the outbuilding, Georgio went in first, doing a quick sweep of the small space with his eyes. He found nothing amiss, and even though he knew there had to be a secret access somewhere, he couldn’t spot it. He stepped back and stood in the doorway after Matilda and Frank came in. Georgio would stand watch—keeping his attention focused outside on any potential threats while also being able to observe Frank and Matilda.
Sensing no danger from outside, Georgio glanced toward Frank, who had used his palm on a hidden screen to lower a panel along the far wall containing a keypad and small video screen. He pushed in a code and then another, which caused lights to go on wherever the video pickup was located. Georgio could just make out a well-appointed tunnel with LED light panels stretching off in the distance behind the camera.
“Power grid is fully charged,” Frank said, satisfaction in his tone. “No incursions, which is good,” he went on to report. “Mattie, if you’ll just stand back a bit, I’ll open the door.”
Matilda did as Frank requested, standing closer to the wall where the old man was standing by the control panel. Frank hit a series of buttons, and then, the wooden floor lowered a few inches and slid backward, under another section of floor. The resulting opening was dimly lit, but showed a set of stairs going straight down into the ground.
Georgio wanted to go first and check things out for Matilda, but he also needed to be sure they weren’t followed. He was torn.
“I’ll check it out,” Matilda said, and without waiting for comment, she disappeared down the stairs, only to reappear a moment later on the small video screen. She looked up and waved, then came back up the stairs partially to help Frank down.
Once Frank was down the stairs, Georgio closed up the shed after one final gaze around what he could see of the property, then joined them at the bottom of the stairs. He scouted ahead a bit while Frank hit some more keys to close up the hidden entrance. Georgio could hear the floor of the shed sliding back into place. A moment later, he heard something else sliding and turned to find that the entire control panel that had been hidden above was now down in the tunnel with them.
“When I’m down here, I don’t leave access panels up top,” Frank said with a small grin. “Anyone entering the shed will find a blank wall and solid wooden floor. The steel plating that covers the access is well hidden and nearly impossible to detect.”
“Clever,” Georgio commented as they set off down the tunnel. He went ahead while Matilda helped Frank. Thankfully, the tunnel was plenty wide and tall enough for them all, and it was an easy trek that took them to a cross tunnel, where a small electric vehicle awaited them. It was hooked to an outlet.
“Unplug us, will you?” Frank said, gesturing toward the cord. Georgio complied, stowing the long cord in the small receptacle on the outside of the vehicle while Matilda helped Frank into the small backseat, sitting beside him to hold him steady.
Georgio got in the driver’s seat and checked over the controls and power readings. Everything looked good, and within moments, they were off. He didn’t go too fast, mostly because he didn’t know where he was going and wanted to pause every few yards and take stock of the changes in scent and view. They were in a gently sloping shaft that wound in a zig-zag fashion downward. He sensed they were going deep into the mountain.
A few times along the path, steel doors blocked their forward motion. Each time, Frank would give Georgio a code to input on the dashboard, and the door would slide aside long enough for them to pass through. Then, it would close behind them.
“Those are fire-rated doors, just in case anybody had thoughts of trying to smoke me out or something,” Frank said with a bit of humor as they passed the first set of doors. After that, they came to a crossroad, and Frank told Georgio to go right. After the next set of doors, they went left. Then, they went left, again. There were several turning points all along the tunnel system, and all the tunnels looked the same. It was a maze down here, Georgio realized. Another layer of protection for anyone hiding in the old mine that had been repurposed into an eccentric billionaire’s bunker.
“From the amount of work you had done here, someone must know about this place,” Georgio thought aloud, aiming his observation at Frank.
“This was all done over decades,” Frank replied. “And only by my most trusted people. The same people I have running my empire in my stead. If I trust them with my money, surely I can trust them with my other secrets. They know the bulk of my money will be theirs in due course anyway, since I have no one to leave it to, and I’ve already made them incredibly wealthy men and women. They don’t really need to kill me to live the high life,” Frank told them. “Plus, this is just one of several similar sites I own around the world. Nobody knows for sure where I am.”
“Sneaky,” Georgio commented. “I like it.” He personally thought, if he was a billionaire, he’d have devised something similar if he’d wanted to get away from it all.
Frank chuckled then coughed, clutching his injured ribs. Matilda scowled and put her arm around the older man’s shoulders. Georgio could see it all in the tiny rearview mirror as they puttered along farther into the old mine.
“The old mine shafts were perfect for what I wanted here, and the chamber where I put the bunker was a natural formation that we reinforced with structural members, though it really didn’t need it. Still, there is a slight possibility of earthquake, so we shored everything up and left multiple escape routes that have also been thoroughly supported with structural steel. There’s also a completely vertical escape shaft that we can blow in case of emergency.”
“You seem to have covered all the bases,” Georgio complimented the older fellow.
“Not much else to do when I’m in hiding from
the world,” Frank admitted.
“Why do you do it?” Matilda’s voice came to Georgio softly, her tone gentle as she questioned her friend. “Why do you hide away like a hermit?”
“People are too noisy. Most folks’ energy has always rubbed me the wrong way, and it built up to a point where I couldn’t take it anymore,” Frank admitted, his eyes closing in weariness. “You two are all right, though. You don’t have that edgy noise that grates on my nerves.”
Matilda met Georgio’s eyes in the rearview mirror. He could see his own questions in her gaze at Frank’s strange words. This would bear further thought, but not just at the moment. Frank’s strength was fading, and they had to get him into the bunker before he passed out completely.
“Which way, now, Frank?” Georgio asked as they came to another crossroads. This junction offered three different paths to take, all sealed with those heavy steel doors.
Frank sat up a little and looked around. “Right,” he finally said after a moment’s thought. Georgio started wondering if the man was in fit shape to be navigating. Only problem was that Frank was the only one who knew the layout of these tunnels.
A few more turns brought them to another door that didn’t look any different from any of the others they’d already passed through, but when Frank gave Georgio the code and the door opened, it was clear they’d reached their destination. There was a small parking area with a power outlet. Frank got out of the vehicle with Matilda’s help, and Georgio didn’t have to be told to plug in the little cart. He did so while Frank made his way slowly toward the wall of the small antechamber and input another code on a keypad he made appear from behind a hidden panel.
This opened a small door in the otherwise seamless wall, and Matilda helped Frank through before Georgio could take a look. He didn’t like that. His inner bear wanted to be the first through to check out any possible danger for her, but he had to remind himself that Matilda was a very capable and fierce lioness. She had the same protective instincts he had, if not the military training that made him possibly a bit more lethal.
He followed right behind, and once they were all inside, Frank hit a single large button that closed and locked the portal behind them. They were in the bunker, but as Georgio got a look around, he realized the word bunker was a bit inappropriate. It was more like a living room, with multiple doorways leading from it.
“Where’s your bedroom, Frank?” Matilda asked gently, supporting the older man. He pointed, and she led him in that direction.
Georgio went ahead and opened the door. This one locked from the inside, and he was able to simply turn the knob and reveal a large bedroom. The bed was already made, ready and waiting. Matilda helped Frank get to it, and he pushed a button to raise the back of the bed so he could sit up a bit as he reclined.
The man had, indeed, thought of just about everything. Even his bed was high-tech. Georgio peered around the rest of the large chamber and saw that Frank had his own attached bathroom. He went in, looking for a first-aid kit, and found the medicine cabinet stocked with supplies. He brought out some small bandages for the cuts they hadn’t had time to address, as well as some antibiotic ointment and cleansing wipes.
Matilda took charge of the supplies and set about making Frank more comfortable. While she was patching him up, Georgio went out to scout the rest of the so-called bunker.
Chapter Eight
Matilda tried to be glad when Georgio prowled out of the bedroom. She was much too attracted to the man, and her inner lioness was just about ready to lay down on her back and expose her belly to the big bear shifter. That was a huge sign of submission she’d never felt so compelled to give before to any man, up to and including the Alpha lion, head of her Clan and king of all lion shifters, her cousin Sam.
Not only was her lion ready to submit to the bear’s dominance, she was ready to purr for him. Something lions just didn’t do. Not for anyone other than their true mate.
No way could a bear shifter be her mate. No. Way. Right?
Matilda was confused by the big bear-man who had invaded her life and made her head spin. She concentrated on cleaning up all the little cuts on Frank’s face and putting antibiotic ointment everywhere. Shifters weren’t that susceptible to infection, but she was afraid for her human friend and made a point to slather that stuff on every little abrasion. She followed that with adhesive bandages everywhere.
She moved on to his hands and lower forearms, which were also scratched up and bloody. His clothing had protected the rest of his skin well enough, and Georgio had already seen to the bruised ribs, so when she was done, she tucked the old man into his bed and let him be for a little while.
“I’ll check on you in a few minutes,” she promised. “Is there anything you need before then?”
“Just a little shut eye,” Frank replied, already laying with his eyes closed. He looked so tired, but she knew they’d done all they could for him at the moment. It would take time to heal from the trauma of the day.
Matilda backed out of the room, pulling the door mostly shut behind her. She left it ajar just enough so that she would hear if Frank called out. She turned to find Georgio just coming out of one of the other rooms. He beckoned to her, and she took a deep breath for stability before going over to meet him.
“I found the communications center,” he told her. “You should see this.” He led her through the door behind him, and she gasped at what she saw there.
Screen after screen showing views of the mine, the cabin, the roads leading up the mountainside. Every route a human could take to get to the cabin was under close surveillance.
“He must’ve seen me coming a mile away,” she whispered.
“Half mile,” Georgio told her with a shrug. “Our friend, Frank, didn’t really take shifters into account when he set up his perimeter. He was thinking along human lines.” Georgio sat down at one of the consoles and motioned for Matilda to take the other rolling office chair and sit beside him. “He got some good shots of me in bear form,” Georgio said, hitting a few keys that brought up images of a giant grizzly bear prowling through the woods. She could see a time and date stamped on the lower corner of the image.
“He knew you were here. Did he see you shift?” Secrecy was paramount for the protection of all shifters in this age.
Humans were still way too afraid of things they didn’t fully understand or couldn’t explain with science, and few still believed in magic. It had been decided, long ago, that it was just safer for everyone if shifters stayed a secret held closely among their own kind. The only exceptions were mates. If a shifter found a mate outside of shifter circles, they could be brought into the secret. A true mate would never betray the love of their life. Never. It just wasn’t possible.
“I don’t think so, but I’m going to sift through these image captures and see if the automated bot sent him snaps of your lioness. It’s a pretty slick system. The cameras see something out of place, and they save an image or series of images to the server here and also send out an alert to Frank’s phone, so he can see it in near-real-time.”
Georgio was working his way over the keyboard as if he was its master. She hadn’t expected that. She had expected him to be a more hands-on sort of soldier, not an information warrior.
“I underestimated you,” she said softly. “I didn’t think you were a tech-head.”
Georgio looked up at her, grinning. “I’m a man of many secrets, but if you’re nice, I’ll tell you them all.” His wink was devilish, and the look in his eyes made her want to catch her breath.
Damn. He was potent up close like this. She needed to change the subject to something less filled with innuendo.
“I think Frank will sleep for a while. He seemed really done in,” she observed as innocently as she could.
Georgio smiled at her as if the sudden change in subject wasn’t fooling him at all. It probably wasn’t, but he went along with it, thank goodness.
“That’s probably for the best. Nothin
g like a little sleep to cure what ails you,” he replied. “I slept a lot after...” He trailed off then scowled, as if he hadn’t meant to reveal quite so much. “Damn, you do have a way to getting me to reveal my secrets. I was only joking before, but now, I suspect the joke’s on me.”
She chuckled, as he did. “Can I call Sam from here?” she asked after a moment.
“Yeah. My sat phone won’t work down here, but Frank has all sorts of stuff hardwired into this mountain. He’ll have a record of any number you dial, though,” he cautioned her.
“That’s okay. I’ll call Sam’s office number, and they can patch me through to him wherever he is. Frank already has that number. But what about you? I suspect the people in your town are keeping a bit of a lower profile among humans than Sam is.”
“We are, but there’s no way to hide a town the size of ours. We even opened it up to tourists, but anyone who wants to join the community is vetted by our Town Council. We don’t let just anybody move in. We get away with it through some kind of legal stuff one of our guys set up. I think, officially, we’re a privately owned commune or something. I don’t know the exact wording, but it gets around the federal laws that might otherwise make it difficult to control who lives in our town.”
“You must have a posse of lawyers, like Sam,” she observed.
“Just two. One of our guys and his new mate, who also happens to be a member of the legal profession, though she likes to keep a low profile these days. She’s human. One of three sisters who opened a bakery in town. In short order, all three sisters were mated to three of our guys. The oldest married the sheriff. The middle one is the lawyer. And the youngest married the deputy, who opened a restaurant in town. Best Cajun food I’ve ever had outside Louisiana.” He smacked his lips and grinned. “Speaking of which… Are you hungry? I’ll go see what kind of food Frank has stocked down here while you make your call. Sound good?”