Agent Dune
IT'S COMPLETELY FUCKING out of character for him to let anything get personal. Yes, the search for the secret of the labs was personal, but it was more of a gnawing curiosity. A need to understand his past.
It never detoured into caring about something. Desiring a certain outcome.
But somehow, somewhere, he aligned with these misfits. These people who have been experimented on and turned into wolves. Or were they werewolves to begin with and the government was studying them?
Either way, he picked sides. He chose them.
And they were missing one of their own. A small, defenseless child.
And he fucking stood there and watched it happen.
So yeah, it's now become his duty to get that boy back.
He calls Agent Gray. "What do you have for me?"
"You're applying a lot of pressure for someone who's asking a favor."
"A little boy got kidnapped." There. He went for honesty for a change. "I need to get him back."
He hears Gray draw in a breath. Agents don't know much about other agent's lives. That's on purpose. But he always suspected Gray had kids and that's why she didn't work in the field.
The clacking of her rapid fire key typing comes over the line. "I have a location on Santiago. It was redacted but I found a way in. He has a villa in Honduras, near La Ceiba. I'm sending the coordinates. He departed the U. S. for Honduras yesterday on a private jet, but there's no record of a boy. Of course, a kid would be easy to hide."
"Right. Thank you."
"You need help getting there?"
He smiled. "No. This is what I do best."
"That I know. Good luck, Dune."
In all the years she'd been his handler, she'd never wished him luck. "Thanks, Gray. I might need it."
"Dune?"
"Yeah?"
"Someone else has been trying to get into that information-searching for Santiago. An outsider-a hacker on the darknet."
A flush of knowing runs through him.
The wolves.
"Let them in."
She draws an audible breath. "Okay."
Damn. Either Agent Gray also knows their government is on the wrong side of this story, or she has way more trust in his decisions than he would've thought.
He ends the call and grabs his things. Time to head to Central America.
14
Nash
I'M in a room full of wolves. Half are huge tattooed bikers, the other half brawny miners murmuring to each other in Spanish.
My motley pack is at my back.
"Kylie hacked the government files. We have the coordinates for Santiago's villa. Here." Jackson points to a satellite view map. "From what it looks like, a private compound near a landing strip outside La Ceiba."
"Nash," Jackson calls. "What do you think? You're lead on this." I know what the words cost him. His wolf is more dominant than any I've ever met. Almost too dominant to run a pack. Maybe that's why he focuses his energy into running a billion-dollar company.
I straighten as all eyes fall on me. My lion is calm. He's relishing the chance to spill enemy blood, but more than that, he wants to be in charge. It makes sense-I'm the one with a military background. I haven't used battle strategy in years, but it's all right here, easily accessible. "We attack in waves. The first line will take out as many guards as they can by stealth. When the alarm is sounded, we switch to a full-scale attack to breach the compound. The helicopters will provide cover."
Around me, wolves nod.
"Garrett, you'll lead the second wave. Sam, is there a way we can signal him to start the attack?"
"We can get intel," Sam says at the same time Laurie speaks up, "I'll do it."
"That'll work," I approve. "Carlos, your men know the jungle. I need a handpicked contingent for the first wave."
Carlos nods, yellow eyes gleaming. Of all the wolves here, he and his men most desire revenge. I have no doubt the Mexican alpha will be on the front lines.
"I'll be the first inside," I say. "I'll scent out Nolan if I can, but my priority is Santiago."
"You want him dead or alive?" one of Garrett's wolves asks.
"Muerto," a Mexican wolf mutters.
"We keep Santiago alive until my son is found. After that, I'm happy to turn him over to you and your men, Carlos." I smile enough to show my canines as approving mutters break out around me.
"Before we break into groups, let me say this." I wait until the room goes quiet. "I'm a soldier. I never asked to be alpha. I never thought I would lead." I glance at Jackson, who nods. He knows what it's like to be deadly and dominant.
"But there's only so much a man can take. I'm not a man. I'm a lion. A man-eater." I get a few startled looks at that admission. I sweep the room and Garrett returns my stare. I'm sure he exacted revenge on the men who kidnapped his sister. He knows the price of freedom, of keeping loved ones safe. "I've spent years suppressing that side of myself and let evil spread. But no longer.
"The evil has been rooted out, but there's one final stronghold. We've waited long enough." The shifters nod in unison as I declare, "It's time to go to war."
DENALI
I STRIDE out to the Jeeps in front of the hacienda, past the waiting wolves. They're loading up, getting ready to head to the landing strip and fly out to Santiago's place. As soon as Nash sees me he heads my way.
I meet him boldly, squaring off with him. "Layne just told me the plan. I'm coming with you."
Instead of answering, Nash takes my hand and draws me aside. I wait until we're a ways away from the rest of the group to repeat myself. "I don't care what you think. I'm coming with you."
Nash nods. I'm not fooled. The minute he thinks my guard is down, he'll lock me in a dungeon to make sure I'm safe. I'm told the hacienda has one.