Page 21 of Act of Command

A radio crackled and Denis turned, speaking on a handheld to someone. “Shit. We have a problem. Some shifter guy breeched the perimeter. They managed to sedate him but he’s a badass. They need more hands to help.”

“Go,” said Ezra. “I’ll handle her.”

Denis approached and grinned. “Gonna fuck her yourself?”

Ezra was quiet a moment before smiling. “Yes. That is my plan. Go help the others and give me privacy.”

Brad hit the window more. His shouts and rants combined into inaudible noises and growls.

Denis left and Mae cried, the pain still great, her fear even greater. Ezra bent and put his hands up. “Shh, no, I said what I did to get him to go. I’m not with them, hon.”

“You look pretty fucking with them to me,” said Brad harshly, seeming to pull himself together at least briefly.

Ezra glanced over his shoulder. “There are bigger things at work here. I won’t hurt her. Caesar called me in when he was pulled away on another matter. He didn’t want Mae unprotected here.”

Brad calmed somewhat.

Mae touched Ezra lightly. “Hot. I’m so hot and thirsty.”

“I know. You need medical treatment. You, wolf,” he said to Brad. “Calm yourself and allow me to see to it that Mae is cared for.”

“Hurt her and I will find a way free of this room,” warned Brad.

Bending, Ezra scooped her up in his arms and walked her out of the cell, down several halls and into a large room with medical equipment and cells with clear walls. Ezra set her on a bed that wasn’t in a cell and touched her forehead. He stepped away and when he returned he had a bag of something in one hand. Mae didn’t fight him as he stuck a needle in her arm and hooked her to the bag of fluid, hanging it on a hook at the top of the bed.

He vanished for a moment more and then returned, taking her vitals. She blinked through the haze around her, her head heavy, her body hot, and her vision blurry as her glasses were back in her cell.

He smiled softly and winked. “I sent Denis to find a doctor, knowing they’re all off site right now.”

She glanced at the IV drip and back at him, wondering how he’d managed that with ease.

He grinned again. “I’ve been through medical school more times than I can remember. And beyond that, I’ve had field medic training. Even without medical school I could have handled an IV. I’m going to give you something to help you sleep and I’ll be here to monitor you. Caesar is working with our contacts outside of here. We’re trying to get you all released.”

She touched his hand, closing her eyes. As she drifted off, she could have sworn she heard Alice’s voice. It was faraway and pissed. That couldn’t be. Alice was at school, probably worried about her. She wasn’t in this hellhole.

Chapter Nine

Striker entered headquarters and placed his hand on the scanner just inside the entrance. A second set of doors opened as his biometrics were read. He’d never understood all the new technologies. Just when he thought he had a handle on them, they up and changed. Sadly, he was quicker to embrace technology than most of the men he knew. Duke still hadn’t welcomed the advent of the cell phone and computers. Striker welcomed them both. They helped to alleviate some of the loneliness that came from living so long. He’d seen nations rise and fall. He’d fought in more wars than he could count and he’d lost too many people to even begin to hazard a guess at the overall count. To the others he might appear to joke and laugh, but inside all of it took its toll on him and his soul. There were days he had to reach for anything good he could to simply roll out of bed.

His teammates were his something good. His something to look forward to. Recently, three of them had found mates. And the odds were in Corbin’s favor that he’d found his now too. Striker didn’t dare to hope he had a mate out there. He wouldn’t be able to take the blow when it didn’t happen. For now, it was better he simply continue on his path, find laughter in all he could and when he was able, drink his worries away in several pints of ale and a few bottles of whiskey.

It was the Highlander way of it for him.

The doors to headquarters slid shut behind him and he took a long breath, worry over Corbin still gripping him. He’d been out of contact far too long for Striker’s liking. It wasn’t like Corbin. By now he’d have figured out they sent him on a wild goose chase. And he’d be pissed enough to let them all know. He wouldn’t fall out of contact.

Their search of the possible locations of the women being held for auction had yielded nothing. When the team had met at the predestinated rendezvous point, Corbin had been a no show.

They’d tried the channel they’d told him they’d operate on, but had gotten no response. Laney had been attempting to reach James the entire mission to alert him that she and Mercy had heard Corbin put out a call on his frequency, letting them know the locations were bogus, but there had been an issue with their communication gear. None could be reached.

Fucking traitors. Someone had tampered with their equipment.

PSI had rogues in its midst, and if they didn’t weed out the no good sons-of-bitches, and soon, more people would die. He’d have to bury more of his brothers-in-arms. They were as close to him as his family back home. Though, most of his friends at PSI were not nearly as rowdy as the McCracken clan. To his blood family, Striker was one of the more reserved males.

He nearly laughed at that.

He’d barely taken four steps when the elevators across the lobby opened. He set his tactical bag on the floor as Duke and Malik stepped out of the elevator, each looking more worried than the other. It was Duke who spoke first, “No signs of Corbin on campus?”

“No,” said Striker. He’d gone over the campus, trying to catch Corbin’s scent. He’d even asked students about his captain, flashing a picture he’d taken of Corbin on his phone after an explosion in the lab at headquarters had left Corbin’s hair tinted pink. No one had seen him in the last day. It wasn’t as if the pink hair would keep them from knowing it was him. After all, Striker had asked females. He didn’t know one female who didn’t think Corbin resembled a male underwear model. They’d have remembered him if he was around.

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