“Hey, this was a great plan. No one looks twice at a cleaner. And I got to stick my nose in a lotta places.” Hashtag’s eyes glinted. “Plus I got hold of one of these.” He fished in his breast pocket and removed a plastic card. “That’ll get us into most places.” He shook his head. “These fuckers are so arrogant. It’s like they assume no one would even think of breaking in. I mean it. The security is lousy.”
“What do you mean?” Rael asked.
“You know that glass door you went through on the top floor? There’s a remote for it hanging on the wall at the end of the hallway.”
“But someone might have seen you there,” Crank remarked.
Hashtag snorted. “I was the only one around at that time, trust me. That’s why I went there early. I figured I’d be able to see what I wanted without fear of being disturbed.” He sank onto the couch and took a long drink from his mug. “Mind you, I had to actually clean shit, in case I got spotted by a camera.” He met Horvan’s gaze and rolled his eyes. “Honestly. Whoever does their security is begging to be taken out and shot.” His stomach growled, and Hashtag glared at Horvan. “What does a guy have to do to get fed around here? I just worked a shift. Feed me.”
Horvan laughed. “You got it.” He went into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and scanned its contents for something he could prepare quickly.
Rael appeared at his side. “Why does Hashtag sound so disappointed?”
“Because he thinks this setup is beneath his skills. The jobs we do? They’re usually a lot more… interesting.”
Rael snorted. “So rescuing a 440-pound tiger doesn’t count as exciting?”
“Meh.” Hashtag stood in the archway, waggling his hand. “Try getting someone out who has a hundred armed guards and being told you can’t kill anyone because it would spark an international incident. That job was fun.”
Rael’s lips twitched. “I suppose that would depend on your definition of fun.”
Horvan thrust a packet of cheese, another of ham, and a stick of butter at Hashtag. “There’s bread in the cabinet. Feed yourself.” He smiled broadly. “You could make sandwiches for all of us if you feel so inclined. It’s almost lunchtime, after all.”
Hashtag’s scowl was response enough.
Roadkill came into the kitchen. “After lunch, Crank and I will go shopping for groceries for the trip. That way, our stops can be as brief as possible. Besides, we don’t want Crank running out of munchies, right? He’s gotta have his chips.”
“You forgot to mention your sodas,” Crank yelled from the living area. “Heaven forbid we run out of soda. You might have to drink water.”
“And meat for Dellan,” Rael reminded them. “Don’t forget that. Enough to keep him going.”
“Enough to keep a full-grown tiger going? And how much is that, exactly?” Crank asked.
“Maybe as many barbecue joints as you can find, okay?” Rael’s gaze flickered to Horvan. “Assuming he’s eating properly.”
Horvan said nothing. Instead he tried to project calmness, concentrating on sending it in a slow wave toward Rael, picturing it in his head. When Rael’s shoulders lost a little of their rigidity and he breathed easier, Horvan knew his first attempt had been successful.
That felt really good. Rael regarded him warmly. Thank you for that. I didn’t even know we could do such a thing.
Horvan smiled. Neither did I.
HORVAN HAD no idea what had woken him, but his heart was pounding, and his upper body was covered in a light sweat. His chest was tight and his breathing constricted.
“What is it?” Rael was awake mere seconds later, reaching for Horvan. “You’re agitated. What’s wrong?”
“Fucked if I know.” Horvan didn’t think he’d been dreaming. At least he couldn’t recall any details, just a feeling of dread that pervaded his whole body.
Rael switched on the lamp. “Is it Dellan?” His eyes were huge.
Horvan frowned, doing his best to force calm into his mind and body. “I don’t see how. He doesn’t even know about me, does he?”
Not yet.
Rael threw off the covers and climbed out of bed.
Where are you going? Horvan asked as Rael opened the door.
To grab the laptop.
Horvan saw little use in preventing him. He knew Rael would only relax once he’d seen Dellan for himself. Rael crept back into the room with the laptop and got into the bed next to him. He opened it up and logged in. After so many days of checking on Dellan, he clearly knew the log-in details by heart.
Maybe I’m just wound up before the mission. Horvan got like that sometimes, especially when the stakes were high. So it was understandable in the circumstances.
The stakes had never been higher.
When he heard Rael’s sharp intake of breath, Horvan knew it had been more than before-mission nerves that had awoken him. “Show me.”
Rael turned the laptop toward him, and Horvan groaned inwardly. There was a jaguar in Dellan’s cage, and the two predators were mating. The two guys from the earlier encounter were there, standing by the cage door. But what drew Horvan’s attention was the man standing beside the cage, watching the proceedings and smiling.
It was not a nice smile.
“Who is that?” Horvan asked quietly, except he had a sinking feeling he already knew.
“That is Anson Prescott.” Rael sounded numb.
Which opened up a whole new can of worms.
“Does he know that’s Dellan? Because if he does, it looks like he’s in on whatever is going on.” Like there’d been much doubt in Horvan’s mind.
“That bastard. I want to shift and tear that smile off his face.” Rael’s voice was grim.
“I promise you, if I ever get my hands on him, I’ll do more than that.” Horvan’s tone was equally grim. Once they’d gotten Dellan out, Horvan was going to pay Anson Prescott a little visit.
“I may not be able to read what you’re thinking right now,” Rael murmured, “but I sense how you’re feeling.” He shivered.
On the screen, the men they’d seen previously opened the cage door, and the jaguar strolled out. Seconds later, a tall dark-haired woman stood in its place, showing none of the fear they’d witnessed from the female tiger shifter. Her hair was short, closely cropped. She was calm but clearly exhausted. However, even via the monitor’s grainy image, the loathing in the looks she directed at the men was all too obvious. She stepped into the one-piece garment they held out for her and zipped it up before they led her away.
Anson remained by the cage, staring at Dellan. Horvan could see his lips moving, and wondered what the hell he was saying. Finally, Anson walked away, and Dellan was left in peace, licking his fur.
“Why bring him a jaguar?” Rael placed his hand on the screen as if caressing Dellan’s image.
“Maybe they’re just keeping him sated.” This mission was raising too many questions, and Horvan hoped to God they could find the answers. If not, that was yet another reason for paying Anson a visit. By the time Horvan was finished with him, he’d be singing like a canary.
Gently, he closed the laptop. “Well, that’s the last time they get to do that,” he said firmly. He placed it on the nightstand before lying down and holding his arm wide. “Now come here.”