As he watched the proceedings, he couldn’t believe how much better he felt already. It was as though the pendant had instantly washed all traces of Malik from his body. He suspected it was more like the blessed disk was protecting him from the effects rather than curing him, but he’d take what he could get for however long it lasted.
Nick paced at the head of the table, agitated. “No contact from Jax and Zander for the past twenty minutes. We give them five more. Then we head out.”
“What about Malik’s cover as Kerrigan?” Ryon asked. “Has anyone been able to pinpoint where ‘Kerrigan’ likes to hang out?”
“According to the employees at NewLife Technologies, Kerrigan continues to be a silent force behind their biological research,” Nick said, letting the last word drip with sarcasm. “In other words, he’s the man with the money, and they don’t care who he is or where he is as long as the green keeps rolling in.”
Aric spoke next. “What about other facilities where they’re doing their nasty little experiments on humans and shifters? Any word on more locations?”
“None so far. With Dr. Bowman missing, and Chappell and Beryl dead, our leads on those have gone cold.”
Rowan, Aric’s mate, winced. She’d been the one to kill Orson Chappell, and Aric had taken out Beryl when the witch attacked both Rowan and Sariel. Maybe she felt a little guilty, though there was no need. “I suppose it’s too much to hope for that we’ve already found and destroyed all the labs.”
“I seriously doubt that,” Nick said. “Wherever Dr. Bowman is, his heinous work continues. I don’t think he’s in it just for the money.”
“He’s not.” Aric’s eyes went cold. “Trust me, the motherfucker totally enjoys his work.” He’d spent weeks under the crazy doctor’s knife before Rowan and the team rescued him and Micah. They’d been fortunate to survive.
“If there are more labs, there might be more survivors like me,” Micah put in quietly. All eyes swiveled to him and his gaze dropped to the floor—right about where his self-worth was located. One side of his face was like melted wax from the torture Bowman had inflicted on him, the other side unmarred, serving to remind him of the handsome man he’d never be again. He wasn’t near healthy enough to go on their assignments yet, but the group had started including him in the meetings.
Mulling over Micah’s speculation, part of Kalen hoped the other Pack members were dead, no longer suffering. The other part had witnessed a miracle when Micah was found and prayed for another one.
“If they’re out there, we’ll find them,” Nick assured his newest member. Even though Micah had known the Pack since their days as Navy SEALs, he was new to Nick. Their commander was about to say something more when his cell phone blasted out George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone,” breaking the tension. Several of the guys snickered as their boss answered the call. “Whatcha got?”
After a brief exchange and a couple of questions, he ended the call and briefed them. “That was Jax. He said three Sluagh showed up and hid at the park while they were watching the east end of the town, obviously sent to keep an eye out for us since Kalen spilled the beans. Jax and Zan took them out.”
“Just three?” Ryon asked. “Where are the rest?”
“Malik changed his plan, no doubt in hopes of avoiding us joining the fight, the cowardly bastard. The Unseelie is sending about a dozen Sluagh to the west end of town as we speak, where they’re planning to attack the citizens. We need to move, now.”
Chairs scraped on the carpet and a murmur of conversation ensued as the men began to file out, checking weapons and slapping each other on the back in support. Kalen was surprised when Micah stopped him.
“Be strong, man. If I can walk away from my hellhole, so can you.” A half smile pulled at his ruined face. His brown eyes were glazed with whatever shit he was on to help him cope, and he was far too thin. But as fucked up as his life might be, here he was trying to reach out and reassure someone he didn’t even know.
Kalen stood a bit taller and managed a smile. “Thanks, Micah. I’ll remember that.” Giving the man a nod, he headed after the group.
In the huge hangar that housed their land and air transportation, Nick led them to two of the sleek black SUVs for the trip. As the others loaded up, he turned to Kalen.
“I don’t suppose it would do any good to order you to stay here?”
“Mackenzie already tried, so no. I’m in.”
Nick’s scrutiny fell on the pendant. “At least you had enough sense to accept protection.”
“I didn’t want to, but the doc wouldn’t hear of me leaving without it.”
“You need it more tonight. She’ll be fine in the meantime, trust me.”
“Easy for a PreCog to say.”
“Isn’t it? Come on, let’s go kick some ugly Unseelie ass.” With a half smile, he climbed into the SUV his best friend, Hammer, was driving.
His words so closely echoed Mackenzie’s that Kalen wondered how much the man knew about what people said and did around the compound. It was freaky as hell. In the next instant, it struck him that Nick was joining in this time when he normally remained in command at the compound. From the looks some of the guys exchanged as they got into the vehicles, they thought it was unusual too, but no one questioned him. The more fighting on their side, the better.
Or maybe Nick foresaw something they didn’t. Kalen got into the SUV Ryon was driving, and tried not to dwell on their boss’s visions or his own part in the whole mess during the ride. On the outskirts of town, Ryon pulled over on an overgrown country road, parking behind Hammer. Kalen, Ryon, Aric, and Rowan piled out of one vehicle, Nick, Hammer, and A.J. out of the other.
Nine Pack soldiers against a dozen Sluagh. Not horrible odds, but it could’ve been better.
Rowan and A.J. carried plenty of hardware loaded with special bullets. Rowan was a newly turned wolf, A.J. a human, and as former cops they were both more comfortable with guns than fangs and claws. A.J. had also been a SWAT sniper years ago, and that skill had come in pretty damned handy once before—on the night Rowan had killed Chappell and they’d apprehended Beryl. The others would use a variety of man-made and supernatural weapons, whatever worked best in the situation.
“We’ll cut through here,” Nick said, raising his voice to be heard. “We’ll meet Jax and Zan near the clearing about a mile away and intercept the Sluagh. Capture one alive if you can, but don’t take unnecessary risks. Everybody be careful and get home in one piece.”