Shifters Gone Alpha (14 page)

Chapter 5

Take-out containers littered the conference table. Ties had long been removed, and shirt buttons undone. Another security cam video played on the screen. After inspecting the remains of the building and discovering the scents were too mingled to differentiate, they returned to the station to review notes.

“I still don’t see anything that stands out,” Solis said stifling a yawn.

“Anyone,” Karney corrected taking another sip of coffee.

Solis glanced at Tyrese. “Don’t see anyone that stands out either, other than the brown coat.”

“We’re missing something then,” Karney said sitting forward staring at the tape.

Asia agreed. “Problem is they are all coming from different angles and it’s hard to catch everything. Is there any way to see them play together, like a movie?”

Karney sat back rubbing his chin.

Asia looked at Tyrese. “What do you think?”

“It can be done. Are there editing facilities here or nearby?” He looked at Solis.

“Not at the station but I know someone who owns a place we can use. They aren’t too far.” He stood.

“Wait,” Karney said. “Late as it is, shouldn’t you call first?”

Solis’ glance slid to hers as he picked up his tie. “No, she said I could drop by anytime.”

“This late? Are you sure this place has an editing studio?” The skepticism in his voice made it clear he didn’t believe his partner. Considering Solis couldn’t say he spoke to the person through their mental connection, placing a call to placate his partner prevented awkward questions.

They disposed of the litter while Solis talked briefly on the phone. Tyrese placed all the tapes in his bag and walked toward the door.

“She’s waiting,” Solis told Karney with a smug smile.

“Good, let’s do this,” Karney said heading out the door.

A car pulled up with the security detail La Patron assigned to Asia and Tyrese. Solis gave the address and they made the drive in silence. She sensed Solis and Tyrese spoke through their links and tamped down the aggravation of missing the opportunity to hash out ideas with her team.

Ten minutes later the car stopped in front of a large, non-descript, brick building. A tall, dark haired, female, full-blood stood in the door. Asia sensed two other full-bloods in the building. She threw out her senses and realized full-bloods were in nearby homes and businesses.

“Welcome, I’m Nayla,” the female said. “Come this way, the technician is here and will edit the tapes.”

Asia nodded and followed the others inside. Karney took a second glance at the beautiful woman, almost tripping over his feet. Nayla’s eyes widened and then looked away. They entered the office and Tyrese spoke with the technician while Nayla escorted them to another room and offered refreshments. Karney was the only one to accept.

“
Mistress
?” Asia called out to Jasmine hoping ten o’clock wasn’t too late.

A few moments later she received a response. “
Asia, is everything okay?”

“No. I need my links re-opened to talk privately with my team
.” She didn’t mean to complain, but the three of them could discuss pack protocols, the rebel situation, or any number of things right now if she could mind-link with them. With Karney in the room, she was the only full-blood mentally and physically silent.

“
Silas mentioned that earlier. Any luck with the Goddess? My guess is she’s the one to handle that. If Silas could, he assures me he would’ve re-opened them long ago. He prefers to talk to you personally without riding my connection.”

“I know. Patience is a virtue I don’t have
.” She updated Jasmine on the case.

“
Good idea to see all the angles at the same time, it’ll give a better picture of what happened. Asia, I haven’t been onboard with the Goddess that long and how everything works through Her. But, everything happens for a reason. At the brink of death, you stepped through that door and then stepped out changed. For the better I believe. If you cannot link with others, it’s for a reason, don’t know what, but there’s a reason. Master what you can without the link
.”

Asia frowned. “
What do you mean
?”

“
Right now, you’re waiting for the tech to create whatever. Instead of talking to your team, you’re talking to me. Maybe we’ll say something that helps you in some way, not in terms of solving your case, I’m not that good
.” She chuckled.

Asia smiled.

“
But if speaking to a limited audience, me, Hawke, or your mom is all you have right now, then that’s all you need. Find a way to use those connections to get the job done. The rest, talking to your teammates or Silas, isn’t your first line of communications. Don’t get frustrated over something you cannot change. Change the way you view the situation.”

“Life for me changed in so many ways lately, I hadn’t considered this as a part of those but you’re right. Limited voices in my head isn’t bad, especially since I would give my life for those voices I hear.”

“See, that’s what I’m talking about. Change isn’t always bad, look at me and Silas. When we met he hated humans, and wasn’t too particular about me. Now his pups are half human and his mate is one hundred percent, non-shifting human
.”

Asia smiled. “
And he is irrevocably in love with you, Ma’am. As you say change is not always bad
.” The lights dimmed. “
Thank you for taking the time to hear my complaints, my thoughts are clearer now. The tape is starting.”

“Okay, let me know if you find anything
,” Jasmine said.

The tape rolled to its conclusion for the third time. “Play it again, and slow down when I close my hand,” Asia said holding her hand in the air watching the screen. As the image of a shadow of a man came into view, she balled her fist. The frame stopped. She stood and walked closer to the screen. Something about this guy tugged at her memory. The way he moved and stood seemed familiar. Given she had been around over a hundred years there was a lot of data to dig through.

“What you got?” Tyrese said coming to stand next to her.

“Look at how he’s standing, the way he moved, he never looks up, seems he’s looking everywhere even though he’s still,” she said.

“Military? Formal government training,” Tyrese said slowly. “I see it. Let’s play it again, this time I’ll look at him differently.”

Asia agreed.

The tape ran again. A sense of rightness settled on her shoulder as she watched the man’s movements, he glanced at the store several times and then walked off when the brown coat walked into the store.

“I know this guy,” Asia murmured as she rifled through her mind for more clues about his identity.

“You do?” Solis asked.

“Quiet,” Tyrese said.

“Play it again,” Asia murmured, certain now that she had met this man at some point while working as a spy-enforcer-terminator for the Liege.

The tape rolled. This time when the man moved, recognition clicked. She jolted in confusion. “What’s Xavier doing there?”

“Xavier?” Tyrese asked.

She shook her head as memories flowed; Xavier rose like a specter. The man had been pronounced dead a long time ago. But then again so had she.

Asia returned to the table as her thoughts settled. Munitions and weapons expert, spoke and read five languages, excelled in hand to hand combat, Xavier’s resume read like something out of a Marvel comic, except the man was real and deadly.

“
Hawke, I need you to find someone for me.”

“Give me a name, I’ll find you a location, love
.” She told him the name and everything she remembered. “
Chances are he’s deep under cover, new identity, everything.”

“Got it. The Liege had me find people like that all the time and I failed once. I couldn’t find you.”

“Be glad you didn’t. I doubt I would have ever turned up at your lab to meet you.”

“Good point. Since Damian’s here with Sarita watching a cartoon, I’ll go down to the lab now and get this for you.”

“Thanks, love you.”

“I love you too
.” Sexual energy rolled through their link accompanying his words. Aware she had an audience, she cleared her throat and told them what she knew of the man.

“Xavier Rush, former CIA agent, formally classified as deceased.”

Chapter 6

Henry looked at the wolf laying on the long wood table in the barn with a raised brow. When they reached the area where they’d seen wolves before, his older brother Vern had pulled out some device he got from some group online and searched the area. They had to move fast since only one wolf was alive. He had no idea what happened to the others, must’ve been something they ate or something tried to eat them. Either way, the dart gun hit the animal from a long ways off and worked really fast.

Vern spent a lot of time online following what Henry termed, conspiracy theories. The latest being men who turned into wolves. His brother had a membership in a group and received their hunting kit to track these men.
Wolves
he corrected. Hunting men was illegal.

“Are you sure he’s one of those shifter’s they been talking about online?”

“He’s bigger than any wolf we ever seen, aint he?” Vern said walking around the table taking pictures with his phone and poking the wolf with a short stick. “Told you, Werewolves are real.”

“Stop that, he might wake up.”

“Not with that elephant serum I got in my kit. It’ll knock anything out, guaranteed.” Vern hitched up his pants and then grabbed his bag. “We need to get some of his blood and send it in for the reward. You have to record everything for proof the blood came from this wolf. Hope him being black don’t cause a problem.” He pulled out alcohol swab packs.

Stunned by the amount of supplies, Henry gasped. “Where did you get those?”

“I bought a venipuncture kit online. Cool, huh?” He grinned.

“Yeah.” Kind of creepy too, but Henry knew better than to say that.

“I got capped hypodermic needles, container tubes and everything else to get a good sample.” He handed Henry a pair of gloves. “Just in case there’s something… well, can’t be too careful.”

Silently Henry agreed. Vern connected the needle to a tube and held it to the light. On the table there were several empty tubes. How much blood did Vern plan to take? Henry prayed the large animal remained unconscious, otherwise… they’d be dead.

Henry started recording.

“No need to clean the area,” Vern said in a low voice and then he stuck the needle into the underbelly of the animal. Within seconds, blood filled the tube. Vern disconnected the tube and handed it to him.

“Place this in that container while I fill these.” He replaced that tube with another empty one. When they had ten tubes of blood, Vern pulled the needle out, tossed it into the haystack and then repacked his kit. Henry turned off the recorder and slid the phone into his pocket.

“Let’s go. I need to process the paperwork and send these in.” Henry picked up the needle kit while Vern carried the container holding the vials of blood. When they reached the door, Henry looked over his shoulder at the wolf lying on the table. A chill rippled down his spine. All his life he followed his older brother, and couldn’t stop now if he tried. But something told him they’d just crossed a line that would impact their lives forever.

Turning, he moved swiftly into the sunlight and headed for the car. Vern sat in the passenger seat waiting.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have done that,” Henry said turning the key, unable to shake the chill.

“Too late, it’s done. Let’s go, time to make some money,” Vern said, his tone hard.

Henry did what he always did, he followed his brother’s orders.

Chapter 7

Asia and Tyrese pulled up to the brick home located in the middle of the block. She looked at the address Hawke had given her and verified they were at the right place. Xavier Rush, now known as Herbert Green, resided in a middle class neighborhood with children playing outside, and older couples working in their gardens. Interesting place for a former assassin.

Using her chameleon bracelet, she altered her appearance slightly so he wouldn’t recognize her, opened the passenger door and stepped outside. They agreed she and Tyrese would go in alone initially. After confirming Xavier and Herbert were the same, back-up would be available if necessary.

Solis and Karney had returned to the store to seek other clues and finish interviews.

Tyrese knocked on the door. Someone was inside. The older man who opened the door reminded her of Rush but she couldn’t be sure. Hawke had hacked into a secure database and gave her more than Rush’s location.

“Can I help you?”

Tyrese grabbed the man by the neck and pushed him back into the house. Asia had stood close to Tyrese to block the movement from prying eyes, and walked in behind them, closing the door. Tyrese held Xavier by his neck, his feet off the floor.

The pistol he’d been holding hit the carpet. Asia kicked it to the side, walked around behind him and pulled down his pants. She smiled when she saw the birthmark on his right cheek.

“Hello Xavier, we came to talk to you about the grocery store bombing yesterday. My friend here can smell a lie, and he hates it when people lie to him, so be very careful how you answer,” Asia said while scanning his home for cameras and other devices.

“You’ve got the wrong man,” Xavier said, his voice a ragged whisper.

Tyrese dropped him and then lifted him by his shirt. “Wrong answer.” He slapped Xavier across the face, leaving an imprint. Blood trailed down his chin.

“I checked your birthmark, you’re Xavier Rush, former CIA, and so much more. Right now tell us about the bombing yesterday,” Asia said.

“Who are you with?” he looked at her and then at Tyrese.

“Not important,” Tyrese growled.

“Of course it’s important. You shouldn’t be here, or know who I am, there’s been a breach somewhere and I want to know what’s going on. I’ve done everything I was told and never had a problem before,” Xavier argued.

This was the Rush she remembered. By the books, solid, not easily shaken. “You know the drill, we can’t tell you. But by your own admission, us being here had to come from higher up. Something’s not right, yesterday wasn’t supposed to happen. We need to know why you were there. Who sent you?”

Tyrese allowed Rush to stand but held onto him.

“Yesterday had nothing to do with any op. I was just in the area.”

“You’re lying,” Tyrese said. “We’ve been ordered to discover what happened yesterday by any means possible.”

Xavier’s neck pinkened. His lips tightened and then relaxed. “I was asked to watch the store, that’s all.”

“Did you know about the bomb?” Asia asked.

“No.”

“Lying,” Tyrese snapped.

“No one told me exactly, I suspected a bomb,” he corrected.

“Why did you walk off when the bomber entered the store?” Asia asked.

“That’s all I was supposed to do.”

“Watch to make sure he went inside?” Asia clarified.

He nodded.

“And then what?”

“Then I came home, fixed supper.”

“So the bomb didn’t surprise you?”

“Not really.”

“Who sent you to the store?” Asia walked to them and looked in his eyes.

“Not sure.”

“Lying, again,” Tyrese said.

Asia placed her hand on his shoulder and activated her chameleon. She didn’t want to exchange bodies, she would only access his memories.

“Who sent you to the store,” Tyrese asked, his palm stretched around Xavier’s neck.

At the question, Asia saw a woman talking to Xavier. In the conversation he called the woman’s name. Ruth. Asia searched his memories and collected everything on her.

“I don’t know,” he said gasping for breath.

Asia signaled Tyrese that she had the information. Tyrese picked him up and walked into the back. Asia sifted through the memories until she found a location. Ruth lived in Maryland, she accessed as much pertinent information as possible. Rush lied to protect this woman, which made her a person of interest.

Tyrese returned, wiping his hand on a paper towel.

Asia’s brow rose in question.

“I put him to sleep in the bathroom, although I didn’t sense any cameras, if there are some, they won’t be any in there. Had to wash my hands.” He tossed the paper towel into the trash. They locked the front door on the way out.

When they were backing out the driveway, Asia punched Ruth’s address into the GPS. “There’s a woman he wants to protect, Ruth. Let’s go talk to her.”

Tyrese agreed.

An hour and a half later, Tyrese parked at the bottom of the hill. Ruth’s house was situated behind an electronic gate in a clearing through the trees. They had been seeking a way in without alerting her of their presence. Neither thought she would just open the gate and invite them in. Asia scanned the area and noted one body signature. She hoped it was Ruth.

When they exited the car, the two of them ran at blinding speeds through the woods and jumped the high fence. Before a minute passed, they were on the side of the barn.

“That’s a good girl,” the female voice said in a calming tone. Asia motioned for Tyrese to allow her to go in alone. He nodded.

Inside the dim barn an older woman with short brown hair dressed in jeans and a tee shirt stood next to a cow. The top of the woman’s head wasn’t much higher than the cow’s that she rubbed. Asia scanned the area again and didn’t sense anyone else.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

The hand stopped and the woman turned slowly to look at Asia. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for Ruth.” Asia scanned the woman as she walked toward her and didn’t sense a bomb.

“What do you want with her?”

“I can’t say, Herbert was specific.” Asia took a chance mentioning Xavier and hoped he hadn’t wakened from the sleep Tyrese put him in.

Her cheeks whitened and she faced Asia. “What happened to him?” Frowning, she looked behind Asia. “How’d you get through the gate? I didn’t hear the alarm.” She pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Asia. “Who the hell are you?”

“A friend of Xavier’s.”

Ruth fired.

Asia leapt to the side, avoiding the bullet. Tyrese ran in and knocked the woman to the ground. Asia picked up the pistol, walked over to the woman, and helped her stand. “Sorry about that, my friend has a problem with me being shot,” she said while activating the chameleon and searching for information.

The woman tried to jerk free but Asia held tight.

“Let me go,” she yelled. “I don’t know who you are but you’ve no right to touch me.”

“What’s your name?” Tyrese asked in a low, calm voice.

“What?”

“What’s your name,” he repeated.

“Why? What’s yours?”

“Rese. Now what’s your name?” he asked again.

“Ruth. What do you want with me?”

Disturbed by the memories she’d just seen, Asia released the woman, stepped aside and sent them to Jasmine to share with La Patron. And then she sent them to Hawke, she knew he would be interested. “Let’s go inside and talk, Ruth.”

“Not until you tell me what this is about.” She crossed her arms, looked at Tyrese and then Asia.

“Corrina Griggs,” Asia said watching intently.

“What?” Tyrese said.

Ruth’s face blanched and then she smiled slowly. “This is about the bombing? You worked fast, we didn’t expect you to figure anything out for a while. What tipped you off?”

“Where did you get the bombs? Did you buy them from Griggs before she died?” Asia asked.

Corrina Griggs had been a human breeder who believed half-breeds should rule and full-bloods exterminated. She used flesh covered bombs to target her victims. With a special procedure, some could be placed internally. Two bombers had made it into La Patron’s compound before Tyrese tracked Griggs down and terminated her.

“Before she was murdered you mean. That bastard murdered her to keep his damn secrets. Well the lid’s being pulled off and soon everyone will know about that son of a bitch,” Ruth said through gritted teeth.

“You were in her group? You knew Merriweather, the son?” Tyrese asked.

“Silas Knight killed them too. He’s a cold-blooded murderer and he’ll pay for what he –.”

“Stop,” Asia interrupted. “Where are you getting this information from? Were you there? Did you see any of this?”

Ruth’s jaw tightened. “No, but someone who was there, someone related to the family, he was there and told us all about it.”

Asia was confused. Ruth spoke the truth, as far as she knew it anyway but it wasn’t true. “So an eyewitness saw Silas Knight kill Griggs and Merriweather? Is that what you’re saying? And because of that you sent a bomb into a grocery store to kill innocent people?”

Ruth’s face dropped. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. It was a test, that’s all. We needed to see if the… equipment worked.”

Asia’s heart clenched. “We’ll get to the information on Silas Knight in a minute. First, where are the rest of the bombs?” she asked in a low tone. Something wasn’t right here, she couldn’t put her finger on what troubled her about this woman, but this whole situation smelled wrong.

Ruth’s head snapped toward her. “What are you talking about?”

“Since that was a test, you have others. Where are they?” Asia asked, sorting through the information she had just taken and found nothing. Strange, the chameleon hadn’t picked up certain information.

“I don’t know.”

Asia and Tyrese looked at each other and then back at Ruth.

“Tell me what you do know?” Asia said trying to inject warmth and patience in her voice when she wanted to strangle the woman.

“Not much. Griggs was the real deal, her sons were dumb, stupid but they were her kids. She didn’t deserve what he did to her. She didn’t need to die like that,” Ruth said, sorrow entwined in her voice.

“Like what?” Tyrese asked. “How did he kill her? I’m curious.”

Ruth looked at him. “Why are you curious?”

“Because I was there when she and both her sons died. I saw their deaths. So I’m curious.”

Her face paled. “You were there and didn’t stop him?”

“First off, Silas wasn’t there when Griggs was killed. Anybody who says he was is lying. Second, there were just the two of us from the compound at Griggs that day, and her son, Tomas still alive. The rest cannot speak from the grave. Leon works with me at the compound and has not told anybody shit about Silas. Her son Tomas has been adopted and doesn’t have anything to do with this bullshit.”

“How did she die?”

“Does it matter? You’re not going to believe that Silas had nothing to do with her death, your group wants a reason to kill innocents and is using an innocent man as a scapegoat,” he said.

Ruth laughed. “Innocent my ass. Even if he didn’t pull the trigger, he approved it. My sister was a breeder and she died giving birth to those animals. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll expose full-bloods to the world and bring them down.”

“So you’re a breeder?” Tyrese asked.

Ruth’s lips tightened but she didn’t speak. Asia hadn’t read anything about the woman’s sister or Ruth being breeders just now. Were breeders able to manipulate information? There were still so many things they didn’t know about human breeders. Hawke would be interested to know about this.

Asia stared at the woman a few seconds. “Did the suicide bomber get his bomb from here or someplace else?”

Ruth sighed and shook her head. “He had it when he came here.”

Asia released a breath and looked around. Ruth just lied which could mean the bombs were stored somewhere on the property. “Call it in, Rese,” Asia said inhaling deeply.

“
Hawke, the bombs may be hidden somewhere on this property, what should I look for? How does it smell
?”

“Damn-it,” Tyrese said moving forward.

Asia spun around to see Ruth on the ground, digging in the hay. The next moment the gun went off and Ruth dropped to the ground.