“Look, Jonash, I’m not hearing what I want to.” Alec raised his voice as if in anger. What he really wanted, standing here in the now well-lit hallway with the sleazy reporter, was to make sure Nella heard him and got out—since choking the guy unconscious still wasn’t an option. Alec had had to sign in with security, too. “Do we have a deal?”
“It’s a definite maybe.” Jonash gave Alec a smile as broad as the Capitol rotunda. That was part of why the guy was so successful. He looked so damned trustworthy. Short dark hair. Big blue eyes that oozed sympathy and reliability. A face as youthful as a choirboy’s.
No wonder people, especially women, all over the country seemed to believe every word he said, despite the ridiculous lies he often told.
But those lies were, in fact, interspersed with truth that he had excavated from politicians and film stars and even ordinary folks by using his charm, sincerity and all the lowest, filthiest contrivances imaginable. Thievery was one of the nicest tricks he engaged in.
“You know how it goes, Alec,” Jonash continued affably. “You’ve been in politics long enough to know that everything you tell me has to be substantiated before I can use it.”
Yeah, sure he substantiated everything. Like meeting aliens from outer space face-to-whatever passed for a face.
But all Alec said was, “I understand. But that computer memory stick that you…well, that’s now in your possession. Doesn’t it substantiate everything?” What Alec really wanted to know was whether Jonash had already gotten beyond the password and into the meat of what was on the drive—such as the existence of Alpha Force. And its shape-shifting members.
“It helps,” said Jonash. “But anything else you can add would be great.”
That sounded vague enough to let Alec hope the contents remained unaccessed.
“Of course.” Alec tried to sound convincingly eager.
“So, to repeat what you said on our way up here, Congressman Crowther somehow blames you for allowing me to…borrow that memory stick, and he fired you. You’re pissed and willing to do what it takes to blow the whistle on the congressman and the military unit that’s his favorite project.”
“You got it.” Alec watched as Jonash reached for the door to his office. Was Nella there, or had she left? Had she found the thumb drive, retrieved it?
Before the door opened, Jonash pivoted to look at Alec. His youthful appearance was supported by his slight physique. He was shorter than Alec. Thin. But strong, or so it had appeared on the news segments he had filmed where he participated in everything from triathlons to benefit offbeat charities, to martial arts, to faked wrestling matches.
“We could make a really good team here, Alec,” he said, “if you’re not pulling my leg. You might even be able to work for me. Act as my political adviser. Help me dig up stuff on the people who run this country so we can make sure the American public isn’t kept in the dark. But if you’re lying…”
“I’m sure we can work together.” It killed Alec to try to sound frantic, as if he really needed to convince this guy.
“We’ll see.” Jonash turned his back and pushed open his office door, flicking on the lights.
At first Alec felt relieved. No indication of a cat anywhere on the desk or furniture. The desktop appeared a mess, though. Had Nella done that, or was Jonash a slob?
But then…he saw a pair of feminine legs on the floor beyond the desk. “What the hell?” Alec shouted.
At the same time Jonash yelled, “Hey!”
Alec pushed by him. Nella, in human form, lay on the floor. Naked. Barely conscious, although her eyes opened slightly.
She looked hazily toward Alec. “What happened?” she asked softly.
And then she looked over Alec’s shoulder, toward where Jonash stood—and screamed.
It was the best she could think of to do under the circumstances. She had the feeling, thanks to what she had found here in Jonash’s office, that this impulse would save her. And Alec’s reputation.
And, most of all, Alpha Force.
She quickly curled herself into a ball. She hated being nude, knowing that these men stared at her. Jonash, especially. She knew what he was, and his eyes on her made her shudder.
“What are you doing here?” the reporter demanded.
“I…I’m sorry. I just woke up. The drugs…I know I promised I’d leave before, but what you gave me…”
“What the hell is she talking about?” Jonash demanded. He was looking at Alec as if he had all the answers.
Alec probably didn’t know what she was up to, but bless him, he’d removed his shirt and quickly draped it over her. He clasped her shoulders briefly in support before standing again and glaring angrily at Sherman Jonash.
“What drugs?” he asked in a calm but furious voice. He was a damned good actor. Or maybe it was his fear that they’d been found out, that his boss, the congressman, could be blamed, that made him so tautly emotional.
“I have no idea what she’s talking about.” Jonash crossed his arms. In anger—or to protect himself?
“Do you have a cell phone?” Nella asked Alec calmly, although her voice shook. She couldn’t believe what she was going to ask him to do, but she did it, anyway, when Alec nodded. “Take some photos here. Of Mr. Jonash, and his office…and me. This way. Although I want to keep your shirt on, if I may.”
“Sure,” Alec said, and quickly started doing as she said.
“Hey. No!” Jonash lunged at Alec and tried to grab his phone, but Alec shot a picture of that, too, and kept the cell away from his attacker.
“No more stealing,” Alec said with a smile as feral as any Nella had seen on her fellow Alpha Force members. He turned to Nella. “Would you like for me to call the police, miss?”
Good. He wasn’t acknowledging that he knew her, at least for now. That might work better in the long run.
“Not yet.” Nella made sure the shirt covered her as well as possible as she stood. “Although it might make sense to call building security. Make sure they let the OIC executives know exactly what happened here.”
She caught the momentary glance of fury on Jonash’s face as he pushed himself off his desk and toward her, hands outstretched as if in attack.
Calling on her military training, she prepared to utilize her most effective self-defense techniques—but Alec, thrusting his cell phone into his pocket, interposed himself between Jonash and her. Hell, he was a lawyer, a politician, nonmilitary. Even so, he maneuvered around till he was behind Jonash, his arm tightly around the journalist’s throat as the man ineffectually tried to beat at Alec with his fists—until Alec tightened his grip.
She couldn’t have done it better herself. She grinned at Alec but saved her questions for later. But damn, his smug smile over Jonash’s shoulder was sexy.
Nella walked around the desk and took a seat in the chair behind it, intending to appear in charge. “Okay, Sherman,” she said, “as you know, I am a member of Alpha Force, and I was sent here to retrieve the computer memory stick you stole.”
“I know no such thing,” he retorted stonily. She’d always thought he looked like such an innocent young man on news broadcasts. Now he looked older. Angrier. Devilish.
“Then you chose to sexually assault a total stranger for the fun of it?”
“I never—” He started to struggle, but Alec’s grip around his neck tightened even more.
“But you did steal the thumb drive, didn’t you?” she asked calmly.
“I…borrowed it. Congressman Crowther wasn’t answering all my questions, and the public has the right to know about the boondoggles he’s trying to get funded.”
“And what did you learn from it?”
“Not a damned thing!” he exploded. “I put it into my computer and the message that came up on the screen said it would not only self-destruct but destroy the computer if the right password wasn’t given. I was going to get one of the company’s best techs involved but haven’t had time. When Alec, here, approached me, I figured he could help. But I take it that you haven’t been fired by Crowther, after all.”
He tried to turn toward Alec, who didn’t let him. “Nope. The congressman and I are on the best of terms.”
He glared next at Nella. “And you found the thumb drive?”
She raised her brows and shrugged. “Could be. One more thing. What did you think you’d find on the drive?”
“I didn’t know. Crowther claimed that his favorite military project, Alpha Force, was just developing some top-secret new technology to combat terrorism. But I’d heard rumors of…well, shape-shifting.”
Nella burst out laughing and was glad when Alec again followed her lead. “Like I told you before, Sherman. I’m a member of Alpha Force. Do I look like some kind of wolfwoman to you?”
“No,” he replied gruffly.
“Good answer.” She stood and walked to the side of the desk, retrieving the sack she had brought to the office from the floor. “In case you’re wondering, I did manage to find some of the paperwork on and in your desk from your employer, warning you not to get into any more trouble or you’d be on your own. Fired. Out of here on your ass. You’ve got those pictures on your cell, Alec?” she asked. No problem now acknowledging that they knew each other.
“Sure do.”
“So Alec and I are leaving with the thumb drive and photos. If we ever hear of your bothering Congressman Crowther or making claims about his pet projects—especially Alpha Force—the classified report I’m about to make about what you did to me, including photos, will become unclassified and sent directly to the OIC powers that be. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” he said angrily.
“Then I think you can let him go now, Alec.”
Alec complied, although he clenched his fists as if eager to use them on the journalist if he made any further threatening gestures. But all Jonash did was gingerly rub his neck.
“See you, Sherman,” Nella said, and headed toward the door.
“Wait,” Jonash said as Nella and Alec were poised to step into the hallway. “One question.”
“Which is?” Nella asked.
“How did you get around building security? How did you get in here?”
“You’re the one who drugged me and brought me in,” Nella said sweetly. “You tell me.”
“Besides, that’s two questions, Jonash,” Alec said, and led Nella out the door.