| |
Julia crept slowly away from the golden wolfish eyes. She scooted further behind the dumpster, and it released a low growl. She stopped and clung tighter to Felicia. Her daughter muffled cries against Julia’s chest, trying to be quiet.
Bane studied her with strange curiosity as she did him.
Then, his eyes narrowed and he bore his teeth. Although he wore a TransGenCorp uniform, he was far from being a human soldier. She held no doubts that Idris had sent it to kill her and Felicia. He was definitely more animal than human.
Blood dripped from his teeth and claws. He reached for Felicia’s hair. Julia pulled her daughter out of his reach. He snarled. Her rejection of his touch brought a grim smile. Again, he reached for Felicia with a timid hand. If his intention was not innocent, all it took was a second for him to crush Felicia with his strength. She didn’t trust him. Should anger suddenly consume the beast, there was no way to know what he might do. She had seen what he was capable of.
Julia pushed away from him and hurried out from behind the dumpster. He growled and gnashed at her. An orange ball of fur blazed between Julia and the beast. Without looking back, Morton said, “Run to Daniel. Get out of here.”
Julia turned to run when Felicia said, “Cuddles?”
Julia ran into the thick fog and glanced back over her. Morton was no longer a cat. His eyes glowed red and his face was hideous. His jaw was filled with rows of sharp, jagged teeth.
Neither Julia nor Felicia had seen him in his true shifter form. Only Daniel had. Felicia’s eyes widened. Her face paled.
A fierce growl roared in the alley. Morton answered with a dark cry of his own.
Julia ran for Daniel, and he shortened the distance between them. He wrapped his arms around them and kissed them.
“Thank God you’re safe.”
“Where’s Cuddles?” Felicia whispered.
“He’ll be here soon,” Daniel replied.
The dumpster rattled and shook. A few seconds later, Morton’s little body rolled beside them. He limped and shook his head. He frowned at Daniel. “Get them out of here. I’m not sure I can stop it.”
A laceration along the cat’s side mended slowly.
“You come with us then,” Daniel said.
“No.” Morton shook his head. “It will catch and kill you. Get them to safety.”
“But it may kill you.”
“Doubtful,” Morton hissed. “Even so, you three will be alive. That’s what matters to me.”
“You’re important to us. Think of Felicia.”
Morton’s red eyes narrowed. The fierce anger in his eyes pierced into Daniel’s soul. The cat seethed through sharp teeth. “I am thinking about her. I’ll die to protect her, if necessary.”
Daniel nodded. He turned and took Julia’s hand. They disappeared into the fog, and something dropped on the pavement with a gentle thud. Morton recognized the bag as the one he had given Daniel. The antidote syringes.
A strange idea loomed in the cat’s mind. The denaturer bullets didn’t harm this creature. Perhaps its strangely created genome protected it from those degradation elements, but his cat curiosity made him wonder if the antidote might counteract those properties.
Morton smiled. “Only one way to find out.”
The wolfish man stood over him. With swiftness only a shifter cat possessed, Morton yanked a syringe from the bag, pulled off the cap with his teeth and stabbed the needle into its arm when it reached down for him. No evident pain came from the injection.
The creature grabbed Morton around the throat. Morton noticed the nametag on its uniform.
Bane.
Odd, he thought. It has a name.
“Bane?” Morton said.
Bane grunted.
Morton taunted, “Wow, they didn’t bother to teach you how to talk? It must be the weakness of the canine genes. Or simply plain stupidity.”
Bane’s brow furrowed. He might not be able to talk, but he understood the insult. He gnashed teeth and tightened his hand around the cat’s neck. Morton bit into its meaty wrist. Bones cracked. Bane howled and flung the cat against the brick wall.
Morton landed between the two dumpsters. The world blurred around him. He squinted and shook his head. His only danger was losing consciousness. If he did, Bane would track down Daniel and the others.
Morton opened his eyes. Bane came closer.
The cat tried to stand, but his lack of strength prevented him from rising quickly enough. Thick fingers wrapped around his neck and squeezed. Morton’s growl was embarrassingly soft and muffled. Bane shook him and flung him further into the fog.
Morton’s muscles tightened when he hit the pavement. He rolled into a ball to lessen the impact. His nemesis roared. Morton rose to all fours and then collapsed. His strength was gone. He fell to his side, panting.
Bane advanced, and Morton wondered if the injection had any effect at all. Nothing seemed to change due to the antidote. Morton had never felt weaker. Trying to morph, he discovered his body suddenly denied him the ability. He looked at his forepaw and flexed.
No change.
No huge nails.
Nothing.
“Dammit!” he whispered.
Bane towered over him with eyes blazing victory. Morton made no attempt to flee. He didn’t have enough energy. Had the denaturer he had been shot with caused permanent damage? He didn’t know, but his current situation looked bleak. For the second time in less than a day, he believed he was going to die.
Bane’s muscled hands reached for Morton.
A gunshot blasted through the silence. Bane clutched at the huge hole in his chest. Blood seeped through his fingers. Morton took a couple steps back.
The massive shotgun blast wasn’t healing. Blood spilled freely without any signs of stopping. The antidote must have made the creature weaker, preventing his tissue regeneration.
A second blast echoed. A chunk of Bane’s head exploded. He fell forward, dead.
Daniel lowered the shotgun. “You didn’t think I’d just leave you, did you?”
Morton smiled. “Where are Felicia and Julia?”
“I sent them in the van to go to the FBI headquarters. We’ll be with them soon.”
Morton sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Letting Felicia see what I really am.”
“She saw you, but I don’t think she believes it was really you.”
“All the same. I didn’t think before I shifted.”
Daniel picked Morton up and rubbed the bottom of the cat’s chin. “It’s okay. You put your own life at risk to save them. That’s what matters the most. Felicia will be fine. She’s seen worse on television.”
Morton closed his eyes but didn’t purr. “I have another problem though.”
“What?”
“I can’t morph anymore.”
Daniel frowned. “What?”
“Watch.” Morton flexed his paw and again, he failed to alter his claws or digits.
“What caused that?”
Morton shook his head. “I think maybe it was the denaturer I was shot with, or perhaps the antidote itself. Some component of it must have altered my DNA to where I cannot shift my metabolism anymore. That’s the only reason you killed Bane with the shotgun. I injected him with antidote.”
“So? It’s not a big deal. You’ve never shifted that much around the house anyway.”
“Yes, Dan. I know. But, what if I lose my ability to talk? What if I become a . . . blah . . . normal cat?”
“I hadn’t thought about that.”
“We need to find Helmsby and get him to examine me.”
“We will, but first let’s get to Julia and Felicia.”
“Yes. They’re more important.”
Daniel hurried through the alley to their car. He tapped his earpiece. “Carpenter, everything is under control here. We killed the creature that killed your agents.”
“Good. Give me the details later. Dr. Helmsby, Nancy, and Yvonne were picked up on the river earlier. Lucas and Lydia are on their way out of TGC as well.”
Daniel looked at his watch. “Shouldn’t the Meltdown be complete by now?”
“The time is up, but he said that they are in an outer mine shaft that leads to the sewer system. They are no longer in the facility itself. So the Meltdown won’t affect them.”
“And his clone?”
“No idea. I’ll meet you at headquarters soon. We’ll discuss further details then.”
“Okay.”
Morton was reciting poetry as Daniel drove.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to keep my voice intact. You never know when . . . meow.”
Daniel turned toward Morton with a stern look. Morton smiled and stuck out his tongue. “At least I still have my sense of humor.”
“God forbid you lose that, smartass.”
***
Lucian carried Kyle over his shoulder until they reached the corridor that led to the underground bunker from the inside of TGC. He opened the door and set Kyle inside. He reached to shut the door, and Brockton placed a gentle hand on Lucian’s shoulder. Lucian turned with his gun.
“Easy, Lucian. It’s just me.”
Lucian lowered his weapon.
“I brought more injections for you and some I believe might help Kyle heal somewhat, though he may never be what he once was.”
Kyle studied Brockton with genuine interest. Kyle’s vision grew clearer, and he seemed more alert.
“Thanks,” Lucian said. “We need to get out of here unnoticed.”
“With all the Guard on the surface? That may be impossible.”
“People must believe I died here.”
Crashing sounds rattled in the room ahead of them. Lucian clicked off the gun safety.
***
Kat cringed after she knocked over a garbage can near one of the bunks. She held her breath and listened. She didn’t know if more soldiers lingered behind, but since they were mercenaries, it was doubtful anymore remained inside the bunker.
She took a deep breath and held her gun to the side of the corridor entrance. The overhead lights flickered and dimmed.
Something more than shifters had kept TransGenCorp alive, she told herself. She wondered what else Carpenter had kept hidden from her. When she returned to headquarters, she planned to dig through files until she discovered what they hadn’t shown her. Idris must have had partners somewhere, and even though he was dead, TransGenCorp wasn’t necessarily dead. The Meltdown had completed but experiments could be moved, or they perhaps some projects had already been shipped elsewhere. Data files were easily transferred or stored at other facilities. Other labs possibly existed elsewhere.
The dim lights faded and emergency lights flipped on approximately every thirty feet down the corridor. She bit her lower lip and stepped into the darker hallway. Some answers might be found further inside.
The eerily, quiet corridor edged her nerves. She expected something to bolt from the shadows and attack. Witnessing Morton’s transformation had unnerved her, and had she not seen it, she wouldn’t have believed it possible. But being in the darkness now and knowing how quickly shifters transformed made her suddenly uneasy.
Kat turned to head back and thought of Tyler. Her heart grieved. She tried to recall how he looked when they were together, but those memories were overshadowed by his death, the gunshot to his head, and his blood splattered across the interior of the car. Her hand tightened on her gun, and she stormed into the hallway. Midway, a voice from the shadows caused her to raise her gun and aim.
“Who’s there?” she asked.
Lucian stepped beneath an emergency light.
“Lucas?” Kat asked.
“No.”
Dr. Brockton stepped beside Lucian with Kyle at his side.
She raised her gun. “You’re his clone?”
“Lucian will suffice.” He aimed his gun at her head.
“What’s further down the hall beyond you?”
Lucian shrugged. “All that’s left of TransGenCorp. You do know you can’t go in there now? Lucas shut it down.”
Sweat beaded Kat’s brow. The gun in her hand weighed heavier the longer she trained it on Lucian.
“Where are Lucas and Lydia?”
“I assumed he’d be with you by now. He headed out some time ago.”
Kat’s eyes darted to Brockton. He looked unarmed, and Kyle looked more curious than dangerous, in spite of his hideous appearance.
“Who’s with you?” Kat asked, clearing her throat.
“Dr. Brockton, my physician, and Kyle.”
“They’re free to leave,” she said. “But I’m taking you into custody.”
Lucian laughed.
“I’m serious. We have orders to arrest you for the murders of the senators and guards.”
“Shoot me if you must, but I’m coming past you.”
He took a step toward her and a lump swelled in her throat. “Please, don’t make me shoot you.”
“Ma’am,” Brockton said. “Lucian will die if you take him into custody. Authorities won’t administer the medicine he requires to stay alive. He needs me and you need him even more than you can imagine.”
Kat frowned. “I don’t need him. He’s a killer.”
Brockton nodded. “Yes, but it goes far deeper than you know. Blackmail forced his hand to kill. I’ve worked with him for the past six years.”
“Sorry,” she said. “He’s coming back with me to face justice.”
Lucian shook his head. “I’m not going with you.”
He took another step.
She fired.
The bullet struck his left shoulder. He winced and then he smiled.
Kat took a step back.
Lucian shook his head. “Your bullets are useless.”
Under the light, he pulled back his shirt. The wound healed and shut.
A hand slipped around Kat’s throat while another pressed a gun barrel against her temple.
“Should’ve taken her up on the offer, Lucian,” Magnus said. “She wants you taken alive. We have orders to kill you.”
“And they sent you?”
Donovan grabbed Kat’s gun. He smiled, looking her up and down. “We’ll have fun with you later,” he whispered in her ear.
Magnus’ cold, black eyes glistened like polished obsidian when he glared at Lucian. “Your companions are free to go. We don’t give a damn about them. The reward is for you. But if you try anything, she’s dead, too. Now drop your weapon.”
Lucian narrowed his eyes. “Idris hired you to kill me?”
“No, not directly.”
“Well, Idris is dead,” Lucian said. “I killed him. So if he’s to help with your payment, you’re out of luck.”
“GenTech will honor the kill contract. Just like you proved to be a failure to Idris, Idris became useless to them.”
Kat struggled to wiggle free, but Magnus pressed the gun to her temple and clicked off the safety. She stopped moving.
“Another biotech company is involved?” she asked.
Lucian trained his gun for a clean shot at Magnus’ head, but Magnus was cautious. He crouched low to keep Kat in the direct line of fire.
“Yes,” Lucian said. “But nowhere as big as TransGenCorp.”
Lucian glanced at Brockton and said, “Whatever happens, make certain Kyle gets out alive.”
“I will.”
Lucian studied Magnus and said, “Let the lady go. Then kill me or take me to them. No need to make her suffer, too.”
Magnus laughed. “She’s FBI. It would be foolish to let her go since she’s seen us. She’d hunt us down.”
“They don’t know who we are or what we look like, but she does,” Donovan said. “Now, dammit! Put your gun down!”
Kat’s fearful eyes stared at Lucian. With a faint smile, he nodded. Extending his hand outward with his fingers wide apart, Lucian acted as though he’d comply, but instead, with incredible speed; he shot out the emergency light nearest them.
Lucian rolled, grabbed Kyle, and pulled him to the floor. Magnus fired two blind shots where Lucian had been standing. Donovan tried to fire Kat’s gun but failed because she had the safety on. Lucian fired and shot Donovan’s right knee. He recoiled in pain and fell to the floor. Kat’s gun slid across the floor.
“Stay down,” Lucian told Kyle.
Brockton was gone.
Kat grabbed Magnus’ free hand and twisted. He raised his gun to shoot and she rammed her fist into his sternum. The impact expelled air from his lungs and cracked bone. He lost his balance, and Kat pinned him by pressing her knees into his chest. She grabbed her handcuffs.
Donovan crawled for Kat’s gun. Lucian stepped on the man’s shattered knee. Donovan wailed. Lucian aimed his 9mm at the man’s head.
“No!” Kat screamed. “Enough people have died today.”
“There were going to kill you.”
“They didn’t, though, now did they?”
“No,” Lucian said, smiling. “Because I saved your ass. You still want to take me in?”
“I have no choice.”
Kat clamped one side of the handcuffs around Magnus’ right wrist, and he shoved. Off balance, she lost her hold and flung her arms to catch herself. He swung a swift right, striking her in the face. The free cuff followed the blow and cut her left jaw. She rolled and shielded her face from a second strike. Magnus grabbed her gun off the floor and fumbled to get his finger on the trigger. She swung an elbow and knocked the gun from his grasp. He rolled and slid across the floor toward the 9mm.
Kat tasted blood. She rubbed more blood from her cut cheek with the back of her hand. The cool air made the stinging laceration burn. She tried to ignore it. She pulled herself to her knees and scrambled to stop Magnus. His hand was only inches from the gun when she dove onto his back. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his face onto the concrete floor several times.
Magnus reached back to pull her off. She caught his wrist and twisted upward. He groaned. She crushed his nose and mouth against the floor again, and then held down his head. A pool of thick blood formed beneath his nostrils. He exhaled and blood bubbles skimmed across the viscous, crimson fluid. She tightened his arm until he cried out and pulled back his other arm and locked the cuffs.
Donovan shifted on the floor. Lucian noticed the bullet wound was meshing closed.
“You do realize they’re like me?” he asked. “You can’t hold them with normal cuffs. Besides, he’s already healing and will be back to full strength in a few minutes.”
Brockton rushed into the room and yanked the lid off a syringe. He thrust it into Donovan’s shoulder. Then he hurried to Magnus and did the same.
“What did you inject him with?” Kat asked. “Will it kill him?”
Brockton gave Lucian a nervous glance. “It will disable them so we can get out of here safely.”
Kat frowned. “A tranquilizer?”
Brockton shrugged. “You could say that.”
Lucian helped Kyle to his feet. “Let’s get out of here.”
Kat picked up her 9mm and pointed at Lucian. “I’m sorry. I know you saved my life, but I have to arrest you for murder.”
Lucian smiled. “I can’t allow that. Not when there are dozens of other soldiers out there like them. Some are worse. By letting me go, I can do more to help you than anyone else can. That is, if you want to stop what Idris created.”
Kat lowered the gun. “You’re going after them?”
He nodded. “No one else can stop them.”
“Where is GenTech located?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been there. I have met some of the scientists when they came to TransGenCorp to get blood samples from me. I’m the prototype. Well, technically Lucas is, but after my advancements, I’ve become the new template.”
“All of you look the same?” she asked.
“No, thankfully.”
Kat holstered her gun. She ran her fingers through her hair. “God, I hope I don’t regret this,” she said. “But I’ll make a deal with you.”
Brockton steadied Kyle. Kyle was getting stronger, but his balance remained impaired.
Lucian replied with a look of confusion.
Kat took a deep breath. “You help me stop GenTech, and I’ll say that you disappeared.”
“What interests do you have with them?”
“It’s personal.”
“I’d do it anyway,” he said, putting out his hand.
She shook it. “Kat. My name is Kat.”
“You know mine, but understand that I won’t partner with the FBI on this. Only with you.”
“They’ll know nothing of it. I promise. I’ve been victim to enough of their lies. This time the projects will end.”
“You have my word that we’ll stop them,” Lucian said. “And after it ends, my life can begin.”
They returned to the stairs to the overhead parking lot. Kat peered out. Carpenter was headed toward the bunker.
“Shit,” she said. “I don’t know how we’re going to get you out without him seeing you.”
“Let him see me.”
Lucian headed up the stairs. She grabbed his arm. He turned and his face was completely different. Her mouth dropped open. He looked nothing like Lucian.
Seeing the surprise in her face, he said, “Details later. Right now, let’s get the hell out of here.”
Brockton walked Kyle ahead of Kat and Lucian. Carpenter stopped to talk to Kat, but she brushed past him.
“Kat, talk to me. I’m sorry about Tyler’s death. We didn’t know TGC was this bad.”
Kat waved him off. “I need some time to think.”
“Okay, but who are these people?”
Kat turned with tears in her eyes. “Survivors, Carpenter. They’re survivors. Something I wish I could say about Tyler.”
Carpenter dropped his gaze to the pavement and let her walk away.
***
A half hour of walking through sewer catacombs, Lucas and Lydia finally found their way to the riverside. Her strength had partially returned, but she remained distant and quiet during their journey out. Lucas wasn’t certain if she’d move on with her life or if she still wished to die.
A police boat picked them up. They met Daniel and the others at FBI headquarters. Kat, though, wasn’t there, nor did she attend the debriefing later. She refused to answer any calls from Carpenter at all.
Helmsby agreed to surrender all his data files that he had copied and stored at his home laboratory. He also agreed not to do any further research with shifter DNA unless the government requested. They did ask that he do several genetic tests on Idris’ remains. Tests proved that it was Idris. Though they could breathe easier knowing Idris was dead, Daniel remained somewhat skeptical, as did Lucas and Morton.
Whatever Brockton had injected into Magnus and Donovan had killed them. The genetic soldiers that fled on the river were never found.
Morton slowly regained his morphing abilities, which still didn’t deter his wisecracking demeanor. He was savvier than ever, and to his relief, Felicia never made the connection that he was the shifter that attacked Bane.
***
(Three days later)
The small wedding chapel was filled with roses and lilies. Lucas stood before the minister and Daniel was his best man. Julia stood opposite as the Maid of Honor. Johanna and Nancy were bridesmaids. Felicia stepped timidly down the aisle, dropping rose petals onto the carpet while soft music played. Morton followed with rings clenched in his teeth. A cat never walked prouder.
The music ceased and then the wedding march began. Lydia entered the back of the chapel dressed in an elegant wedding gown. Her arm entwined with Dr. Helmsby. When she reached the altar, Lucas smiled broadly. The radiance in her eyes made his heart swell. None of their party had a dry eye. Even Helmsby, who was seated beside Yvonne, wiped away tears. She squeezed his arm, and he patted her knee.
After the vows were exchanged, everyone met in the reception hall and ate cake.
Daniel approached Helmsby and shook his hand. “I’m sorry for my attitude during the past three years. I guess I saw everything all wrong. I misjudged you.”
Helmsby squeezed his hand. “No, Dan. I don’t blame you for any bitterness. I now see my errors, too. It wasn’t right for me to place you into the heart of danger just because I knew that you could survive it. I guess we’ve both learned a lot.”
Daniel nodded. “True, but still, I should have been there for Kyle.”
Helmsby smiled. Tears glistened in his eyes. “We learn too late about some things. Had I lost Nancy, I couldn’t have gone on. Take care of Julia and little Felicia. Treasure them. I might have found a lot of ways to preserve the longevity of life, but I learned the hard way. There are no guarantees. Take advantage of each day you have with them.”
“I know.”
“Are you going back to the apartment?”
“No, we can’t live there anymore. We hired a moving company to pack up our things. We’re buying a house further out in the country for more privacy. What about you?”
Helmsby looked across the room at Yvonne. She talked with Julia and Johanna. Nancy hugged Lydia.
“I promised Nancy I’d take a long vacation.” He pulled out plane tickets from his coat pocket. “How’s Italy and Germany sound for starters? London after that.”
Daniel laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Helmsby said. “I’ve missed so much over the years. My biggest regret is that Margaret didn’t get to venture to these places with me.”
“She’ll be with you in spirit, my friend.”
Helmsby squeezed Daniel’s shoulder. “You know, I believe you’re right.”
Julia took dozens of digital photos of Lydia and Lucas. They informed the crowd that they were spending their honeymoon in the Grand Canyon.
Daniel picked Felicia up and held her while watching his friends laugh, drink, and talk. Johanna rolled out the blueprints for her new workout studio.
Daniel smiled. After all they had faced together three years ago and the past week, they were still alive. The fight for survival was finally over. They could live their lives. He was thankful to have these people as his dearest friends and family.
***
At Tyler’s funeral, Carpenter placed a hand on Kat’s shoulder when Tyler’s casket was lowered into the grave. Lucian, with his newly altered face, stood on the other side of her.
“Kat, we need to talk,” Carpenter whispered.
“I quit, Carpenter,” she said. “I’m through with this. I can’t take anymore lies.”
“What will you do?”
“PI work. I’m a good investigator, so that’s what I plan to do.”
“You don’t plan to go after anyone formerly associated with TGC, do you?”
Kat smiled. “I have no idea who my clients will be, or who I’ll have to investigate.”
“I wish you’d reconsider. I like having you on my team, but I must warn you not to stay involved with any of this. If you leave, you’re no longer allowed to work on these cases.”
She turned and pointed a finger in his face. “Understand that I’ll do whatever it takes to stop those responsible for Tyler’s death. I don’t give a damn who they are, either.”
“We’re on that. They’ll be brought to justice.”
Kat leveled a stern glare at him. “One time I truly believed everything that you told me. I placed my full trust and confidence in you.”
“I know you’re bitter, Kat. I understand that. But, I’m still your friend. It may take you awhile to see that, and if it’s time you need, I’ll be here. I’ll wait. But we are working on it.”
She shrugged. “Not fast enough, if you don’t mind me sounding disrespectful.”
“Okay, Kat. You know how to reach me, if you ever need me.”
Carpenter walked away with his hands shoved in his pockets. Kat stood and stared at the grave long after they covered it with soil. Everyone except her and Lucian remained.
Across the cemetery, near a sepulcher, stood two men dressed in dark suits. These men weren’t part of a procession. They stood watching Kat and Lucian. They kept their guns visible as a silent threat. The overcast sky warned of darker things to come.
Lucian nudged her. “We have company.”
Kat looked across the cemetery. The men got into a red Jaguar and sped off.
“It’s not over,” she said.
“No, it’s just beginning.”
Kat nodded and handed him her business card. “I had these printed today. This address is where we’ll work. That’s my phone number.”
Lucian tucked the card into his shirt pocket. “Thanks. I’ll head after them, so you can leave without looking over your shoulder.”
“Be careful.”
“They’re more afraid of me than I am of them.”
“Maybe,” she replied. “But that can make them even more dangerous. Once we get set up, we’ll bring them down.”
Lucian nodded. “Yes, they’ll remain hidden for awhile until they feel more secure about our intentions. Otherwise, these two wouldn’t have fled. When we do flush them out, it will be outright war again.”
“I’ll be ready,” she said, checking her gun clip.
“I always am.”