Changeling Dawn (24 page)
Authors: Dani Harper
Chapter Twenty-one
N
ikki was back for her late evening rounds, accompanied by one of Gessler’s men. Her face was dark with anger, and the security guard was armed to the teeth—no question about how the young vet’s visit with her boss had gone.
ikki was back for her late evening rounds, accompanied by one of Gessler’s men. Her face was dark with anger, and the security guard was armed to the teeth—no question about how the young vet’s visit with her boss had gone.
Kenzie sighed inwardly. When were they going to catch a break? She couldn’t just sit on her hands and wait to be rescued. And there was no guarantee that any rescue attempt would work. Not with someone like Gessler around.
“Hey, how’s Dempsey?” Roy called out to the veterinarian.
“No talking,” shouted the guard, brandishing a dart pistol. “Not a word out of any of you.”
Nikki went from cage to cage with a small cart, carefully pulling out bones and used dishes and replacing them with clean bowls. She paused in front of Roy’s cage, and a tear ran down her face. “Dempsey didn’t make it,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry—the doctor and I both worked on him, but they wouldn’t let us fly him out. And then he was gone.” Several more tears followed the first.
The guard took a step forward. “You can’t talk to the subjects, Dr. Yeung,” he said, almost apologetically. “Orders.”
“They deserve to know what happened to their friend, Carl,” she retorted, sniffing as she moved to Kenzie’s cage. She removed the old dish and picked up the last of the clean bowls in her hands. Before she set it in place, however, she rubbed its stainless steel side with her fingernail ever so lightly. The sound was faint for human ears, but Changeling senses picked it up easily. When Nikki and the guard had left, Kenzie resisted diving for the bowl, knowing that the cameras would pick up whatever she did.
Roy stood clutching the front of his cage, leaning his head against the mesh with his eyes closed.
“I’m so sorry about Dempsey,” she whispered. “It’s horrible, especially with help so close at hand.”
He shoved himself upright and appeared to pull himself together. “Thanks, but Gessler is the one who’s going to be sorry. I don’t know how, but the bastard is going to pay fHe or this. What did you get from Nikki?”
“I don’t know yet. I have to figure out how to grab it without being filmed. I’ll bet Gessler is actively monitoring every one of these damn cameras now.”
“Maybe we should give him a show then.”
“A diversion?”
He waggled his brows and whispered to his cell mate on the other side. The message got passed on down until it reached Shaggy Sam and Dan. A few minutes later, the pair of them began a wild air guitar rendition of a Metallica song—with full volume vocals.
“They’ve done this before,” she chuckled.
Roy rolled his eyes. “Sadly, yes. But if Gessler has this room bugged, he’ll never hear us now. And if anyone but him is watching the monitors, they’re likely to watch the more interesting prisoners instead of us.”
Suddenly howls and low drawn-out cries could be heard from somewhere beyond the massive room that housed the Changelings.
“Sounds like the wolves are singing along,” said Roy.
“Maybe they’re trying to help us. Or maybe they don’t like the playlist. Why the hell does IBC have
real
wolves?”
real
wolves?”
“They’ve got a dozen of them somewhere in the east wing. We think they keep them for comparison to us, maybe going through our bodies with a fine-toothed comb, searching for differences of any kind, including a way to identify us by our genes.”
Kenzie shivered. “Now I want to howl too.”
She sat beside the broad metal dish hanging low to the floor in its bracket and faced the wall that separated her from Roy. “Sit down here like we’re talking or something.”
He knelt close to the mesh. “Can you reach under the dish?”
“In a minute. We need to look like we’re having a conversation so they’re not watching my hands.”
“Ah. I’ll be Italian then so they’ll watch mine,” Roy said and began making hand movements as if explaining something. Gradually Kenzie squeezed her fingers between the dish and the floor and felt around until she found a tiny paper bundle attached to the bottom with what was probably duct tape. Dan and Shaggy Sam had moved on to cover Ozzy Osbourne before she was able to peel the little prize free. Carefully she gripped a corner of it between her fingers and turned her hand palm down. A moment later, the hand was in her pocket, where the treasure was deposited.
“So far, so good,” said Roy. “I don’t see any goons busting down the door to search you.”
“Now all I have to do is figure out where the blind spots of the camera are.”
“Easy. We figured that one out months ago. Guillermo used to install those things for a living.”
With his guidance, she moved to a spot near the opposite corner. “Here goes.” She pulled out her contraband and peeled the duct tape away to reveal a tiny envelope, containing far more than she had dared hope for. In it was a pair of key cards, what looked like a car key, and a series of numbers on a sticky note—a combination?—with a memo that read “cub on 2nd floor, unit 9.” “Nikki really outdid herself.”
Something Josh had said ran through her mind—
We should be pulling together, not pulling apart.
Now Kenzie had the means to make a contribution to the rescue effort.
We should be pulling together, not pulling apart.
Now Kenzie had the means to make a contribution to the rescue effort.
Josh studied the sky with satisfaction. It was nearly mission time and they’d have ample darkness to be able to use their NVGs—night vision goggles—inside the facility. Or rather,
he
would. Culley had explained to him that none of the Changelings would require the equipment, since they possessed natural night vision even in human form. He rolled his eyes, wondering if perhaps Kenzie saw humans as an inferior species. He’d bet that Nate Richardson did. The Macleod brothers seemed different, however. They’d accepted his plan and his leadership without a hitch, even James, even though none of them struck him as a natural follower. It had surprised him—after all, in human form the brothers were stronger than he and had enhanced senses. And in wolfen form, they were far more powerful than he could ever hope to be.
he
would. Culley had explained to him that none of the Changelings would require the equipment, since they possessed natural night vision even in human form. He rolled his eyes, wondering if perhaps Kenzie saw humans as an inferior species. He’d bet that Nate Richardson did. The Macleod brothers seemed different, however. They’d accepted his plan and his leadership without a hitch, even James, even though none of them struck him as a natural follower. It had surprised him—after all, in human form the brothers were stronger than he and had enhanced senses. And in wolfen form, they were far more powerful than he could ever hope to be.
His love for Kenzie, however, was no less deep and strong for its newness. And his determination to free her was absolute.
“We’ve got a vehicle, Tark.” Stanton’s voice in his ear made him jump. “Yellow Humvee approaching the gate.”
Christ.
What the hell was Nate Richardson doing here at this time of night? And how was it going to affect the mission? Josh got part of his answer right away.
What the hell was Nate Richardson doing here at this time of night? And how was it going to affect the mission? Josh got part of his answer right away.
“Vehicle’s inside the compound, and the driver’s on his cell phone.” Stanton hadn’t finished the sentence before a loud pinging sound echoed across the compound. The gate was closing, no doubt at Richardson’s insistence. So much for the quick exit they’d hoped might be available. Josh was glad now that James had made the hole in the fence extra-large. He looked at his watch.
“Let’s give this jerk a little while to finish up his business and hope he’ll leave,” Josh said into the headset to Stanton and to the Macleods sitting with him.
“What if he doesn’t?” asked James.
“We’re going in anyway.”
And I’m going to punch him out.
And I’m going to punch him out.
An hour later, they rose from their hiding place. It was as dark as it was going to get, and the yellow Humvee was still parked at the front of the main building. There were a few lights still on in some of the windows, but Josh wasn’t surprised by that. His own experience with scientist types had led him to expect that some would naturally press on with their work into the evening hours.
The four made their way to the back of the power shed, then slipped around the side. Culley reached around and tried the knob. “Locked,” he said and handed a small bag of tools to Devlin. “Thirty seconds, bro.”
“Twenty.” He had it unlocked in fifteen, but closed the door again. “I’m going to shut down their communications to start with,” he said, pointing at the satellite dish on the roof of the main building. “And then I’m coming back here. Call me when it’s time for lights out.” Devlin ran across the grassy terrain to the steel ladder mounted on the north wall.
Josh and the others headed for a small service door not far from the ladder. They’d be well hidden while they worked on the lock, and the door itself opened beneath a stairwell. With a little luck, they wouldn’t be seen when they entered the building.
It was one thing to have the key card and another to be able to reach the lock to swipe it. There was no chance of hiding what she was doing either. Dan and Shaggy Sam continued to rock on, adding some wild choreography to the act, hoping to keep all eyes on them. Meanwhile, KenMeance of hzie had tried for several minutes before she finally managed to squeeze her hand all the way through the slight gap between the door frame and the cage wall. It took even longer to try to slide the card through the slot, as her wrist protested not just the pressure of being wedged in a narrow space, but the unnatural angle of her hand. After the first two times Kenzie figured out she had the card backward. On the third try, the card slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor.
“Dammit.” She could have cried in frustration.
“It’s okay,” said Roy. “We’ve got a second card.”
Yeah, but I don’t have another left wrist.
She thanked whatever lucky stars helped her arm to go through the gap a little quicker this time. And then managed to swipe the card all the way through the slot.
She thanked whatever lucky stars helped her arm to go through the gap a little quicker this time. And then managed to swipe the card all the way through the slot.
She retrieved her hand as the door swung open.
“Keep singing, guys,” she called as she quickly stepped out and swiped Roy’s cage. She handed him a card and together they freed the rest of the prisoners. “We’ve got to move fast. Unless someone’s asleep in front of that monitor, we’ll be busted any second. My friends and family are on the north side of the compound—they’ve made a hole in the fence behind the power shed.”
“Aren’t you coming?” called Roy, as he and Guillermo dragged the unconscious Beau from his cage.
“I have to get Anya.” She turned to leave and froze—Nate Richardson had just stepped through the door. The sight of Kenzie outside of her cage enraged him and he leapt straight for her, knocking her to the cement, banging her head hard enough to stun her. Before she could recover, his hands were tight around her throat. She gouged at his face, his eyes, as her own vision darkened at the edges, but suddenly he jumped away from her.
She rolled to her knees, gulping air until her head cleared. At least she
thought
it had cleared—a strange pale shimmer of greenish gold washed over Nate’s skin. Suddenly she realized that every Changeling in the room had silently focused his gaze on Nate, and she could sense the
push
of energy from their minds. Nate began clawing and slapping at himself as if a thousand flies were biting him at once. Kenzie sprang to her feet and backed away as Nate’s face elongated and his body reframed in a forced Change. Just as he screamed, his golden skin erupted in the tawny fur of a giant wolf.
thought
it had cleared—a strange pale shimmer of greenish gold washed over Nate’s skin. Suddenly she realized that every Changeling in the room had silently focused his gaze on Nate, and she could sense the
push
of energy from their minds. Nate began clawing and slapping at himself as if a thousand flies were biting him at once. Kenzie sprang to her feet and backed away as Nate’s face elongated and his body reframed in a forced Change. Just as he screamed, his golden skin erupted in the tawny fur of a giant wolf.
He jerked a couple of times as if electrified, then scrambled clumsily through the open door. Kenzie turned to the others. “
Go
,” she yelled. “Get everyone out
now
.” She could hear a commotion somewhere above them, the sound of running feet.
Hurry!
She put every bit of energy she had into broadcasting her message to the rescue team outside as she ran down the hall.
We’re free but they’re after us.
Go
,” she yelled. “Get everyone out
now
.” She could hear a commotion somewhere above them, the sound of running feet.
Hurry!
She put every bit of energy she had into broadcasting her message to the rescue team outside as she ran down the hall.
We’re free but they’re after us.
Her senses told her she was heading north, and Stanton had said there was a stairwell at that end of the building. She had to get to Anya, but she could hear the pounding of boots beyond a double door ahead. Quickly, she ducked into a side room, a surgical-looking place of cold stainless steel and tile that reeked of formaldehyde and other pungent substances. Kenzie managed to hide behind a big wheeled garbage can just as the lights went out.
The boots, about three pairs of them, stopped dead amid curses. Someone yelled for the emergency lights, but Kenzie knew that her brothers would have been thorough. Suddenly there was a crash from further down the hall and an immense commotion. “Drop your weapons!” shouted a familiar voice—it was oic beCulley. A shot was fired high along the ceiling and there was a few seconds’ silence, followed by the clash and clatter of weapons hitting the tiled floor.
Hey Kenzie. The good guys are here. You okay?
Fine, Culley, thanks. Follow the hallway and help the others get outside, okay?
Gotcha.
Her eyes had easily adjusted to the darkness, but when she stood up, she wasn’t ready for what she saw. She’d thought she was in a lab but the cloying stench of the chemicals had blocked her ability to scent what the room actually was—a
morgue
. The steel tables closest to her were empty, but farther down, two had bodies. One was in a black bag, probably the ill-fated Dempsey because it was human shaped. The other was different, and it lay beneath a heavy sheet—
morgue
. The steel tables closest to her were empty, but farther down, two had bodies. One was in a black bag, probably the ill-fated Dempsey because it was human shaped. The other was different, and it lay beneath a heavy sheet—
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