"I have more bad news." The sharpness in her voice makes me tense. "I just hacked the security cameras at Data-X."
"Do you see Nash?"
"No," Kylie's voice sounds weird. I touch the earpiece, but it's not the device. It's her voice, filled with horror. "It's Layne. Smyth's got her. Sam, she's in the lab with you."
~.~
Layne
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I twist in my bonds, but they hold fast. Smyth walks around the gurney, smirking.
"What's the matter, Layne? Scared of becoming part of a research project? I thought the plan was to find a cure for your disease all along." He gives the IV a playful flick. "This should cure whatever ails you."
"What is it? What are you giving me?"
"Don't worry, Layne." His eyes suddenly shine otherworldly bright. "I'm going to make you better. I'm going to make you more."
~.~
Sam
KYLIE'S WORDS reverberate through me.
"Where?"
"She's strapped to a bed of some sort. She's alive."
Fuck. Forget all my plans. I have to get Layne.
"Did you find a blueprint of this place?"
"No, but I can piece together a route from the security cams. I also have depth readings from a satellite."
I don't question further. Jackson and Kylie love buying each other crazy gadgets as gifts. I wouldn't put it past them to own some sort of black ops satellite.
"I need you to guide me. Tell me how to get to Layne."
~.~
Layne
"DAMN IT, SMYTH," I struggle like mad until I'm out of breath. My chest feels bruised.
"Calm down," Smyth says. "This is happening, whether you like it or not. One day you will thank me."
His eyes glitter yellow. Just like Sam's. But the only reason they'd shine like that is…
"You're a shifter," I gasp.
"Such a bright girl. Shame to waste such potential. Another reason to hope my little experiment goes well."
"But…" my mind races. "Why? Why would you do this to your own kind?"
"They are not my kind," Smyth snaps, leaning over me. "Weak degenerates." Spittle flies from his mouth.
"That's not true." I tug at my hand, wondering if I can pop it through the cuff. Gotta keep the madman talking. "They aren't weak."
"Not all of them, Layne. Some of them are worthy. Nash Armstrong, the lion."
I try to blank my expression but Smyth nods. "I see you've heard of Nash. Fine specimen, isn't he?"
Until you tortured him, I almost mutter, but my former boss is still raving to himself.
"Out of his line, a Master race will be born."
Why the fuck did I ever go to work for this guy? I always thought he was creepy. I guess I put my research above all. But no longer. Sam was right, and in the few days I knew him, he gave me the strength to stand up for myself. The new Layne would punch Smyth's lights out for leering at her.
Smyth is still talking about his "Master race." Meanwhile, the weird green liquid is running into my veins. I jerk on the cuff until my eyes water with pain. Nothing. Whatever's in the IV is going in my arm, like it or not. "You're insane."
"I'm a genius. A visionary. Like you, Layne. Do you know the whole race of shifters is in danger of dying out? More and more children are born defective. Unable to shift. I'm going to fix all that."
I shake my head. Someone's been eating Delusion muffins for breakfast.
"It's possible, you'll see. You can help me."
"Never."
Smyth smiles. "You already have. Your decoding the DNA was exactly the help I needed. And now you'll help me with the next phase of the project."
"No-"
"When the serum takes effect, you won't have a choice."
~.~
Sam
"TURN LEFT HERE. THEN RIGHT," Kylie's instructions keep me moving. Originally, I planned to have more time to explore, hack their data. Find Smyth. Now none of that matters. I have to find Layne.
The power goes out. That was part of the plan. I can only hope Nash is all right.
I turn on my comms unit. "Nash, whatever you're doing, stand down. They have Layne. I repeat, they have my mate. I have to get her out."
Generators kick on almost immediately. The hall stays dark, but ahead, light streams out from under a door. The lab.
I hurry as alarms blare. After what happened at the other lab, they probably upgraded the emergency systems to put this place on lock down in the event of a black out. They're not messing around.
The lab has a window for me to peer in. Layne's there, strapped to a seat, an IV flowing into her arm.
"I found her," I tell Kylie.
"Roger that. Mapping escape routes."
The lab door is locked. Reinforced steel-to keep shifters out. Or in.
Fortunately, I have just what I need to blow the door.
In the smoky aftermath, I storm inside.
"Sam?" Layne's eyes go wide.
"It's okay, I'm here," I rush to her as she cries "No! It's a trap-"
"Well, well, well, look who it is." A man steps out from behind the operating room curtain, holding a gun to Layne's head.
Smyth.
"Stay where you are," he says, and I stop short as Layne's face twists in pain. "What the fuck are you doing to her?"
"It's just a little insurance. A culmination of my life's work. I knew someone was trying to stop me, Sam. I never thought it would be you." His gaze flicks over me. "I didn't think you were strong enough."
"Let her go." I snarl. My wolf doesn't know why I'm not across the room, tearing Smyth's throat out. The one thing I've dreamed of for the past eight years. But I can't. I can't harm Layne.
"I'm almost done. If you move, I'll blow her brains out. These are silver bullets designed to kill a shifter instantly. Imagine what they'll do to her."
"Shoot her and you're dead."