“You’re being transferred to the Virginia facility.”
The news didn’t surprise him. They never kept the guards in the same place for too long. He had been at eight different facilities in the months he’d been working for the General. Never in one place long enough to become attached to anyone or anything. At least, he assumed that was the reason they switched the guards around so often. However, this was the first time they were sending him back to one he’d already been to.
“When?”
“Effective immediately,” was the response.
“I’ll get my things.”
“You will be going alone this time. We are sending Kyle to a different place.”
That did surprise him. Jerret Kyle had been his tag-along since he started, which could only mean one thing. He’d finally earned their trust. He was in. “Got it. I’ll leave within the hour.”
Standing, Jeremiah resisted the urge to send the bastard behind the desk a mock salute. Dan Masters was in charge of the place he was currently stationed at in Phoenix, Arizona. Masters had been in the military for over thirty years, and ran the facility with an iron hand. He was efficient, loyal to the cause, and a complete dickhead. Just like most of the men under Ebony’s command. Damn, that took some getting used to. Ebony, not the General anymore. He still couldn’t believe the asshole was dead. A part of him was thrilled. The part that loved his mate and wanted nothing more than the asshole to be gone after everything he’d done to Rikki.
Another part, the part that was ruled by his bear, was jealous because he was the one who’d wanted to tear out the General’s throat. But a bigger part of him, the man who had worked for the FBI for several years and had been around shit like this for so long it made his gut ache just thinking about it, knew there was going to be hell to pay after what happened. While the General may have been referred to as the devil in the past, Satan’s daughter was way worse than he ever was. She had her eye on the prize — as much power as she could hope to get — and was plowing her way to the top. She didn’t care who she hurt, or killed, in the process. There was going to be a lot of death and destruction in the future, even more than would have been caused by the General. Of that, Jeremiah had no doubt.
“Check in with Lenox Keaton as soon as you get there. He is expecting you sometime in the next couple of days.”
Jeremiah frowned in confusion. “I’m not flying out right away?”
“No, we need you to take one of the Hummers. They are down a couple of vehicles and need it to transport a prisoner somewhere.”
That didn’t make sense at all. Why the hell would they want him to take a Hummer when there were other facilities closer that would have them? “I don’t understand.”
“It isn’t your job to question the decisions of those above you,” Masters snarled. “Get your things and meet up with Kyle. You will be dropping him off in New Mexico on the way.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Jeremiah.”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t fuck this up.”
Jeremiah raised an eyebrow. Don’t fuck what up? What the hell was he getting at? What was there to fuck up? Shaking his head, Jeremiah turned and left the room after a muttered, “Yes, sir.”
Stalking down the hall, he quickly made his way to the room he shared with the other guards. Jerret was already there, throwing his things in a bag. Glancing up when Jeremiah entered, he grinned, “Looks like we are moving on. Just as well. This place is fucking boring compared to others I’ve been at.”
Which meant there weren’t as many prisoners to screw with. There were only two there at the time, both males. The lion, Cian, and a wolf who refused to give his name to anyone. Jeremiah didn’t blame him. Giving someone your name gave them power. He’d debated on using an alias when he first began to infiltrate the General’s ranks for that reason, but decided to keep his first name. It was easier than learning a new one, and he couldn’t afford any mistakes when it came to this mission. He did change his surname to Jenson. It was common and unobtrusive.
“Yeah. Sounds like I’m taking you to New Mexico. Never been there before.”
“Me neither. Hope it’s better than this one.”
Jeremiah grabbed his bag and shoved his guard uniforms into it. After packing his things from the bathroom, he picked up two books off the dresser.
“I don’t understand why you like to read that shit,” Kyle said, zipping up his duffle bag. “Hell, we live it. Why do you want to read it, too?”
Jeremiah glanced down at the thriller novels in his hand, then shrugged as he tossed them into his bag. Closing it, he grasped the handles and grinned. “It’s exciting.”
“Death turns you on?”
“It doesn’t you?” Jeremiah asked, raising an eyebrow. Yeah, death turned him on, as long as it was the death of a cold-hearted bastard like the one standing in front of him.
An evil smirk crossed Kyle’s face. “Hell yeah, it does.”
Shaking his head, Jeremiah let his grin linger, even though he wanted nothing more than to punch his claws through Kyle’s chest and show him how much he would like someone’s death right now. “Reading is good for the soul. Maybe you should try it sometime.”
“Screw that. I have other things I would much rather be doing that are a lot better for my soul.” Grabbing his bag, he stalked toward the door. “Let’s go. I’m ready for a change. Hopefully, New Mexico will give me that.”
Jeremiah followed him to the parking garage, his duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He was ready for a change, too. But not for anything Virginia had to offer. No, everything he wanted, that he craved, was in Colorado. Which was just north of New Mexico. They were giving him two days to get to Virginia. Would that give him enough time to sneak up to Colorado and check on his mate? It would be tight, but if he dropped Kyle off and then drove hellbent, he could do it. He would only have a couple of hours to see Rikki, but that was all he needed. Something in him was pushing him to Colorado. To his mate. He needed to make sure she was all right.
He and Kyle threw their bags in the back of the Hummer, and then climbed in the front, Jeremiah behind the wheel. Yeah, it would be tight, and there was every chance he wouldn’t make it to Virginia in time, but that wasn’t going to stop him. The pull to see his mate was strong. Stronger than anything else at the moment. Just to lay eyes on her. Make sure she was breathing. That was all he needed, all his bear needed. Then, he would jump back into hell. The driving need was something he couldn’t ignore.
Pulling out of the garage, he carefully made his way over the rough terrain until he hit the highway. He ran ten miles per hour over the speed limit until he hit New Mexico. After dropping Jerret off, he left, heading toward Virginia. When he was sure he wasn’t being followed, he pulled the vehicle over at a gas station. After a quick once-over, he began to look more closely at the Hummer’s undercarriage, until he found the tracker. Removing it, he very carefully dismantled it, just enough that it would look as if it were a technical malfunction, before reattaching it. When he was satisfied, he filled the tank with gas and then climbed back in. Soon, he was on the road headed toward the White River Wolves compound going ninety-five.