Chapter Sixteen

 

A phone rang. I had been under the impression that the power was off in the library. The sound echoed through the halls. A voice answered in soft tones. There was a pause, then footsteps hurried down the hall.

“Uh, Jaze?”

I rose. “I heard.” I followed Evan back up the hall to where Johnny held the phone.

“It’s for you,” Johnny said with trepidation in his voice.

I accepted the phone. “Hello?”

“Do I have the pleasure of speaking to the esteemed Jaze Carso?”

The hair on the back of my neck lifted at the man’s tone. I wanted to bare my teeth. “Yes,” I answered shortly.

“Kind of ironic that your last standing safe house is a decrepit old library, a relic the way your race is soon to be. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one stone.”

Other werewolves slowly drifted into the room. The telephone ring had been impossible to miss. All eyes rested on me. “Who is this?”

“Call me General Jared.”

“What do you want?”

“What I’ve got,” the man responded. “Werewolves gone entirely.”

I bared my teeth in a snarl. “I won’t let that happen.”

He chuckled. “Not in much of a position to bargain, are you?”

My eyes narrowed. “You left me alive to find my last safe house. Now you have it, yet I’m still here. What’s your goal?”

“Cutting to the chase rather quickly, aren’t you?” The general let out a breathy sigh. “Very well. What I want is Jaze Carso’s death on national television. I want to rip the last shreds of hope from any werewolf still alive. I want to let them know that we will hunt them down like the dogs they are and kill them the way we killed their leader. I will show the world how to deal with their little werewolf problem.” He sounded very satisfied with himself when he concluded, “How does that strike you?”

I wanted to throw the phone across the room. Well, first I wanted to throttle him with the cord, then throw the phone across the room. The plastic receiver cracked under my clenched fingers. I willed my muscles to relax. “Can I interest you in a little face to face chat?”

The general laughed outright. “No one ever said you were a coward, Jaze. Time for you to face the music.”

I looked around at the werewolves watching me. The little brown-eyed girl had an arm wrapped around Johnny’s leg. Darian held a hand on each of his son’s shoulders. Two young werewolves I hadn’t met yet stood near the door, their fingers linked like a couple in love. Martha and Mary stood next to two other women dressed in matching gray shirts. An older werewolf leaned against the back of a chair. Caden waited quietly by the other door, the only one who couldn’t hear both sides of the conversation.

“I have a dozen werewolves here I’m responsible for.”

“So few compared to your previous empire.”

I wanted to yell and curse, but I held my tongue. “I know you don’t want to bomb the library and just tell the nation I was inside. You want them to see me die. In order to do that, you need me to appear willingly.” Several of the werewolves protested, but I kept my attention on the phone.

“I’m listening.”

I grimaced at the suppressed eagerness of General Jared’s tone. “I need a reassurance that the werewolves with me will be allowed to escape without being harmed.”

He laughed. “You don’t have any bargaining chips. Why would I grant them safety?”

“You think I would enter a safe house with only the obvious exits?” I asked him, hoping he would take the bait. “I’ll disappear and you won’t be able to prove my death. How will that look on your little news broadcast?”

The general sat in silence for a few seconds. Everyone in the room waited, exchanging glances filled with concern. He finally came back on the line. “Fine. We have an agreement.”

“I want an armored Humvee parked at the back door of the library with the key left in the ignition. I’ll come out after they’ve cleared your perimeter without a tail. I have eyes in the sky and I’ll know if they’ve made it.”

The general sounded surprised but tried to hide it. “Very well. Give me a half hour to arrange for your demands.”

I hung up the phone. Arguing started immediately.

“You shouldn’t give yourself up.”

“If you think he’s going to let us go that easily. . . .”

“. . . . driving away through their barricade?”

“There’s no way I’m letting you give yourself up for us.”

That was Darian, his quiet words forcing their way through the others. I met his gaze, my expression calm. “It’s the only way to get you guys out of here.”

“You know he’s not going to let us get away.”

I nodded. “I’m hoping that when I step out front they’ll be distracted. Get out of the Humvee and run.” I met Caden’s eyes. “Don’t stop until you find Brock. He’ll be on his way shortly.”

He nodded.

“You can’t sacrifice yourself for us,” Darian protested.

“Better than dying for no reason,” I replied. “I won’t let another werewolf die because of prejudice.”

“Being the scapegoat to this annihilation isn’t the answer,” Darian argued.

“I won’t go quietly. I promise you that.” I glanced at the telephone. “I don’t expect the general to keep his word.” I smiled. “In fact, I’m counting on his betrayal.”

Darian shook his head. “I don’t think this is a good idea. You’re just putting yourself in danger.”

I set a hand on his shoulder. “I need to ask you to trust me.” I looked around the room, meeting everyone’s gazes. “For all of your sakes. If my plan works, I’ll be having that face to face conversation with the general. If not, at least it’ll buy you some time to get everyone out of here.” I held his gaze. “But I need to know I can trust you to carry through your end.”

He hesitated, then nodded. “I don’t like it.”

“I know.”

Johnny cleared his throat. “Isn’t there another way?”

I shook my head. “I wish there was, but this is the lot we’ve been given. I’m trying to make the best of it.” I looked at the dad and his sons. “Darian, Johnny, and Evan, I need to meet with you in the sitting room to go over some details.” I glanced at Caden. “Join us, please.”

He nodded and led the way out of the room. As soon as we left, talking erupted. I hoped the next few hours would see them all to safety.

“It’s a foolhardy plan,” Johnny said as soon as the door was shut behind us.

“It’s the only one we’ve got,” I pointed out. I took a seat on the couch and stretched out my sore leg. “You four will be in charge of getting everyone safely to Two.”

“Two?” Darian repeated.

“The last real safe house,” I replied.

Evan and Johnny exchanged matching grins. “I told you he had another one,” Johnny said.

“Do you think any of our people made it there?” Evan asked.

I replied honestly, “I have no way of knowing. I haven’t been in contact with Two since the killing started.”

“How do you know it’s still there?” Darian asked quietly.

I glanced at Caden. “Brock told me Mouse and some of the others left. Roger,” my throat tightened at the thought of him, “A Hunter friend of mine, hinted that they had only hit the safe houses on file. Two was the only place not on file because it wasn’t supposed to be a safe house. It was implemented as a temporary rehabilitation center when we freed werewolves from a place called Lobotraz. It’s been pretty much empty since they’ve gone back to their lives.”

“So you can guide us there.”

I nodded. “I’ll give you the coordinates. Brock can take care of the rest.” I met Caden’s gaze. “Make sure he gets to safety. I couldn’t forgive myself if he was hurt trying to help out.”

Caden nodded. “I feel the same way. Brock’s like a little brother to me. I’ll make sure he’s alright.”

“I appreciate it.”