Page 37 of Act of Command

“I’m a lycan,” he said, posturing. He wasn’t bitten, dammit. There was a difference.

Ezra glanced at him. “You’re a hell of a lot more than just a lycan now after the Corporation got their hands on you and you know it.”

“The Corporation?” he asked and then stepped back. “The people who took me to start with?”

Ezra spoke, “I was planted with them, in one of their German facilities to start with. It became clear I was needed on this end more.”

Alice stepped closer to Ezra and handed him the glasses. “Tell Brad about the Shadow Agent Ops thing.”

Groaning, Ezra eyed her. “Announce it to everyone, why don’t you, little succubus?”

She was a succubus?

She looked him over. “Like he’s going to tell them. He wants them dead as much as me. Maybe more.”

Ezra stared in Brad’s direction. “I’m guessing much,muchmore, Alice. Brad has been held against his will nearly a year, at least from what I can tell by his paper trail.”

Brad touched the glass. “Do you know about Vic or Kimberly?”

Ezra glanced at the door and then back to the window. “Vic is still being held by the Corporation. They have him buried deep in one of the black sites. I suspect they intended the same for you, but you were liberated from their holding station.”

Liberated?

One bad situation to another was more like it. And odds were, he’d be auctioned off to the fucking Corporation and end up right back where he started from. “I’m not going back.”

“Didn’t think you’d want to,” said Ezra.

“Kimberly?” he asked, needing to know about his friend.

“Kimberly has been free for months. That is all I know. I’ve been in too deep to keep up on it all.”

Exhaling, Brad put his head against the glass. Kimberly was safe. Good. At least one of them had made it out. He looked to Ezra. “Get Mae and Alice out of here no matter the cost. Use me as a diversion if need be. I want them safe.”

“You don’t even know me,” snapped Alice. “Why would you sacrifice yourself for me? Are you stupid?”

“I still want you safe.”

Ezra stood tall. “I want all of you safe.”

Brad didn’t bother to get his hopes up. They’d been dashed far too many times in the past to bother and his spirit couldn’t take another letdown.

The door to Mae’s cell opened and another of the guards appeared. “Ezra, we have a problem. Something is happening at the other facility. Felix has given the green light on Operation Red.”

As Ezra tensed, Brad knew what Operation Red was. It was the call to eliminate all the prisoners. He’d heard the term used before. Ezra nodded and held a hand up. “Go to the main room. I’ll be there in a minute. I’ll deal with these two myself.”

The guard left and Ezra grabbed Alice’s arm. “Alice, you need to listen to Brad. Caesar isn’t responding to my calls, and with what Felix ordered, I know something bad has happened to him.” He looked to Brad. “Alice, I’m going to trust Brad to get you out of here.”

She stiffened.

Ezra kept his gaze on Brad. “I’m unlocking you. Can I trust you with her?”

“I’m not leaving this place without Mae,” said Alice, her stubbornness showing.

Ezra held her firmly. “An operative I trust is with her. I need to get there and make sure he’s come out of the drugs given to him before any of these assholes decide to start the killings with him. The two of you need to get out. If Felix has Caesar, he’ll find a way to break him. It’s what he does. Caesar is strong, but not that strong.”

Brad moved to the door of his cell and waited. It opened and Ezra was there, holding Alice. He thrust the woman at Brad. “Take her and go.”

Alice huffed.

---