Chapter 750 Chapter 750
Oaklyn was a little disappointed that all Eaton had done was knock on the door, and the man let her right in. She didn’t know what was said or done after that until they had gone into the dingy, dank room the man lived in. She’d been desperate before, but not this bad.
The man’s name was Les or Lan, she wasn’t sure, he mumbled so badly she couldn’t understand a word he said. Right now, he was pacing back and forth so much she was going to get dizzy soon.
“Please sit down.” Eaton pulled off her hat and motioned to the worn chair.
He stopped pacing and looked at her. “You’re telling me all of you work for the Alliance?”
Eaton nodded.
“Then why aren’t you doing something? A man in that building is taking our kind, and they never come back.”
She watched Zain sigh and then took off his glasses. “We are doing something.” He pulled off the hat and wig at once and scratched his head. She smiled. They did get itchy. “What clan are you from?”
He dropped down into the chair and slumped back. “Lois White’s.” He shook his head. “It has taken me months to find this place and get on the inside, and now you want me to just go home?”
Oaklyn went to sit on the bed and then looked at the stained bed cover and decided to stay standing.
Zain had his head cocked to the side. “Have you talked to anyone from home since you left?”
He shook his head. “No. I don’t know if they have a way to listen in. I told my uncle I’d find them, and I’m going to.”
“Find who?” Eaton gave him a compassionate look.
“My aunt and cousin.”
“Eaton. Call Wynter.” Zain looked at her. “A few months back, the teams found two members of his clan.”
“Found?” The guy jumped up. “Alive?”
Zain nodded. “I don’t remember the names. We’ve rescued too many.”
Eaton was dialing her phone. “Hey, Boss. We have a gentleman here from your clan who has been in Chicago looking for family members.” She nodded and held the phone out to him.
He took it. “Wynter?” He nodded. “Lakin.” His eyes went wide. “They are?” It looked like months of worry and tension drained from his whole body at once. If he hadn’t been standing in front of the chair, he would have landed on the floor at their feet. “I can’t believe it.” He looked at Eaton and then Zain. “I can hop a bus and…” He frowned. “Oh. Okay.” He held the phone out to Eaton.
“What’s the plan?” She asked softly and then nodded. “I’ll get Bear to take him there.” She shook her head. “We’re good here. One task is complete. If luck is with us, we’ll find out about the other two tonight.” She turned and looked at Oaklyn and smiled. “They’re doing good.” She nodded again. “Okay, boss. Enjoy your downtime.” She hung up and tucked the phone in her pocket. She turned and looked at Lakin. “Grab your stuff. Bear is going to take you to someone who’s going to get you home without using public transportation.”
Lakin looked so relieved; Oaklyn bet he slept the entire way there. “Thank you.” He turned and started for the closet and then stopped. “How did you guys know about me working there?”
Zain went over to the mirror and started to put his wig back on. “We have someone on the inside.”
“Really? They must be good; it was a constant struggle to make sure I didn’t smell like clan. They have some of our kind helping them.”
Eaton nodded. “We know.”
Oaklyn looked at the floor. She hadn’t known but did now.
“When Bear is driving you to meet our guy, give him detailed descriptions so we can make sure we have them all.” Eaton smiled at him. “Now, go home and have a wonderful Christmas with your family.” She turned and looked at Oaklyn and then Zain. “Let’s wait outside.”
Oaklyn knew then that they hadn’t known about the shifters helping Aiden Tomas. That was going to be a complication.
As soon as they stepped outside, Zain looked like he was going to hyperventilate.
“This is a bit of a bump.” Oaklyn mused.
“Yes.” Eaton pulled out her phone again and taped the screen. “They’re going to have to be removed before the big party.”
“We’re supposed to be in the building tomorrow.” Zain looked at Oaklyn, and if she were being honest, she did feel more apprehension than she had early when Brock told them. Zain touched the earpiece. “Brock?”
“Yes.” He whispered. “I can’t talk.”
Eaton turned and looked at Zain.
“Why?”
“I’m following those other two,” Brock whispered.
“Sweet Jesus,” Oaklyn muttered. She pushed the button. “Following them where?”
“I don’t know.” Brock hissed. “If I knew where they were going, I wouldn’t have to follow them.” He scoffed.
Eaton lowered the phone and touched her ear. “Stay far back and wait for further instruction.”
“Oh. Okie. I can do that.”
Eaton shook her head and put the phone back to her other ear. She walked away from them.
“Don’t go into any building they do, Brock.”
“I’m not a silly nilly,” He scoffed again.
Zain touched his ear.
“This is getting messy,” Oaklyn said quietly.
“Yeah. Which shouldn’t be a big surprise, really.” Zain muttered. He looked at the door when it opened.
“We’ll take a cab. Get dropped off a block from Uri’s guy, and then I’ll see where you guys are.” He looked from Zain to Oaklyn. “Don’t do anything without Eaton.”
Zain nodded. “Get those descriptions and get them to us, and then Calum.”
Bear nodded and opened the door wider to let Lakin come out.
“Let us know when you’re there, Bear.” Oaklyn held his look. He nodded. There was a reason she worked alone—this was a good example. She couldn’t be doing one thing in one part of the city and be worrying about someone else in another area.
Eaton came back over. “Okay. We have some plans to make but let’s get to Brock for now.”
Zain motioned to the car. “Do you have a vehicle somewhere?”
Eaton shook her head. “No.” She touched her ear. “What’s your location, Brock?”
“They just went into a little all-night diner.” There was a pause. “One sec. I need to go find a street sign.”
“Find it. Tell us, and then find somewhere out of sight until we get there.”
“Got it.”
Oaklyn followed Eaton to their car.
Eaton went to the back door. “Kenzo is flying Jett and Luka here in the morning to deal with our new problem.” She opened the door and got in.
Oaklyn got in quickly. “How are they going to remove people that are always there?”
“Bigger problem.” Zain started the car. “If they’re doing it by choice.”
“What do you mean?” Oaklyn put on her seatbelt and then realized they couldn’t go anywhere until Brock gave them an address.
“Tomas collars males and makes them guards and servants. If they’re collared, that means they’re monitored.”
Oaklyn turned and looked at Eaton. “They collar them like pets?”
“Yes.”
Oaklyn knew her mouth was hanging open, but she was too stunned to function for a moment. She looked at Zain. “It’s a very good thing I didn’t know this when we were in the same restaurant as he was.”
“You were what?” Eaton leaned forward and looked at them. “With Aiden Tomas?”
Zain nodded.
“Oh.” She sat back. “This big party needs to hurry up and get here.” She pulled out her phone and started typing on it.
Oaklyn looked at Zain. “Shouldn’t we have heard from Brock by now?”
Zain frowned and touched his earpiece. “Brock?”
“I’m here. I stepped in something. It’s disgusting.” He sighed. “I am not walking to the end of this block to find a street sign. I’ll send you a picture of the diner with the name, and you can find it that way.” He sighed again. “I’m going to have to throw these boots out. For the record, I am not liking city life.”
Oaklyn closed her eyes and shook her head. The fact that he hadn’t been caught yet amazed her. Either they were dim-witted in that building of Tomas’ or Brock was a very good actor.
“Got it.”
She opened her eyes to see Zain typing into his phone.
“We’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Okay. I’m going to pout over my boots until you get here. Brock out.”
Zain touched the earpiece.
“I’ve never worked with him before.” Eaton mused.
“I don’t think anyone has except Mari.” Zain looked at the directions on his phone again and put the car into gear.
“Mari?”
Oaklyn looked at her and smiled. “Aunt Mari is hard to explain.”
“Well, anyone that’s helping is fine with me.” Eaton glanced at her phone again. “Your attendance at the luncheon tomorrow may be cut if we don’t get eyes on the ones that Lakin told us about.”
Oaklyn looked at Zain. There was no mistaking he was relieved with that news. If they weren’t going to be doing that, she planned to take advantage of the hot tub at the hotel and she was going to drag him along. How had the man survived this long when he was wound so tight, she had no idea. “I guess we’ll play it by ear.”