A Changed Man (Altered Book 1) (29 page)

Remington didn't like this plan one bit, but unfortunately he had already agreed to it before they had even left Jackie's house tonight. "Okay, but be careful. Do what you can for Rick and I'll be in your debt."

"They’re coming. I'll hold them off and take out as many as I can. Now get out of here." Jordan said turning around.

Remington watched as Jordan faded to darkness. He looked down at the delicate girl he had in his arms. "I'll take care of her Rick." He whispered, and ran off into the night toward the forest.

Tess thought she had somehow entered a war zone upon the elevator doors opening. She stepped out into the room and there were bodies laying everywhere. Some had their insides on the outside beside them on the bloody floor. It was the most gruesome thing she had ever seen. She turned in a slow circle surveying the destruction when she noticed a black mass just floating there in front of her. It was like a dark cloud but that couldn't be, this was inside. It started moving toward her and she took a step back, slipping in the blood and gore on the floor and falling flat on her back.

Jordan couldn't help but laugh. Anyone who worked in this place deserved to die. Watching this woman squirm in guts was just the perfect beginning to the end she was about to meet. He changed into his human form in front of her; about to put her out of her misery when he noticed the doctor badge she had clipped to her shirt.

"Get up!" He shouted at her. Tess was horrified at what she just saw. As if sitting in someone’s bodily fluids wasn't enough, she just saw this man emerge from a blob of nothingness.

"You're a doctor?" Jordan asked. Tess was still trying to stand up, too shocked to speak. Her legs wobbled as she tried to get her balance on the slippery floor.

"Hey lady! Are. You. A. Doctor?" He said to her like he was talking to someone who just had a lobotomy.

Tess was finally able to stand up straight. She raised her gaze to meet his. He was young, couldn't be more than twenty-three, twenty-four years old.

"Yes, yes, I'm a doctor." She answered her voice shaking.

"Well that just saved your life." Jordan said to her. "Come with me."

Jordan started walking down the hall toward the place he last saw Rick. He didn't hear her following him. He stopped and turned around. She was just standing there, in shock he supposed. Just staring at the dead guards all over the floor.

"Hey Doctor!" Jordan shouted. "I said, follow me!"

Tess jerked her head up toward Jordan. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"You're going to earn the reason I let you live. You're going to save my friend." He said.

Tess nodded her head and began walking toward Jordan. "Where is everyone?" She asked.

"Well as you can see, half of them are dead. The other half are probably on their way here right now. Jordan led her down the corridor until he spotted Rick lying in the floor unconscious.

"Rick!" Tess shouted and ran over to him dropping to her knees.

"You know him?" Jordan asked.

"Yes, he's a patient of mine." She answered.

"Give me your wallet." He demanded.

"My wallet?" She asked stunned. "Why do you want my wallet?" Tess reached into her lab coat and pulled out the small wallet she carried with her I.D., a credit card, and a few dollars for the vending machines. "You going to rob me?"

Jordan barked out a laugh. "No, do I look like a thief to you?" He asked grabbing the wallet out of her hand.

Tess watched as he flipped the small wallet open and took out her license. He read it aloud. Her address, she understood now; he was memorizing her address.

He handed it back to her. "Take care of him." Jordan said to her. "If he dies, so do you."

Jordan heard the shouts of more guards heading toward them. "I'll see you soon doctor."

Tess watched as the man turned back into the black cloud she saw earlier, and disappeared with a speed she had never witnessed before. She looked back down at Rick. His face was pale, and once she noticed the hole in his leg she knew why. She saw that someone had wrapped a belt around his thigh. Smart, she thought. Without it he could be dead by now. Just then a group of guards came running toward her.

"Dr. Morgan!" One of the guards shouted at her. "What are you doing here? What happened?" He asked looking down at Rick.

"I, I don't know. I stayed late to catch up on some work and I was just leaving when I saw this man laying here. He's hurt; he needs blood. I need you to take him to the O.R." She said.

The guard turned around to the group of men behind him. "Phillip, Dean, get this man to the operating room." He ordered.

"Why should we worry about saving his sorry ass?" The one that was called Phillip asked. "He's one of THEM." He said with his lip turned up in disgust.

Tess knew there was no love lost between the prisoners and guards here. She needed to think fast. "Mr. Smith is very interested in this one." She answered. "He had me put a rush on his lab work, he wanted to use him immediately. I don't think he would be very pleased if he knew you let one of his prize recipients die from a leg wound." She snapped.

"Take him." The first guard ordered again. Phillip and Dean picked up Rick and disappeared down the hall with him.

"I need to wash up before I operate." Tess said standing up.

"Fine." The first guard said. "But don't go anywhere. There will have to be a full investigation before anyone leaves. There was another escape tonight and a lot of my men are dead."

Tess mustered up the most surprised look she could. "Really? Another one? I saw your men. I'm so sorry."

"I'm afraid so. My men are checking camera footage now and backup is on the way. We have to go over every inch of this place. Everyone will be interviewed."

"I understand." Tess said. "When I'm done with the injured man I will be in my office."

"I'll let Mr. Smith know." The guard said.              

Tess nodded and headed for the O.R.

                        Chapter 20

Jackie was pacing the floor. It was late and the guys had been gone for hours. She put on a fresh pot of coffee; hoping the scent would ease her. Then she went to the living room to sit on the sofa. A few minutes later, the coffee pot let out three small beeps letting her know it was done brewing. Jackie got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen to pour herself a cup when she heard scuffling outside the front door. She set her cup down and ran to the door pulling it open.

"Remington!" She shouted. He had a young girl in his arms. He dropped to his knees, out of breath, and completely exhausted. It took him and Jordan a couple of hours to hike all the way to the den. It took Remington even longer getting back with the load he was carrying.

Jackie went to her knees in front of Remington. She put her arms under the unconscious girl, trying to take some of the weight from Remington. "Oh my god, is she okay?"

Remington took a second to catch his breath. "I don't know." He answered.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

Remington looked up at Jackie. He could see the worry in her eyes. "I'm okay." He assured her. "Let's get her inside."

Jackie stood with Remington, still taking half the weight of the small-framed girl in his arms. They went in to the house and laid her on the sofa. Jackie then realized a couple of people were missing. "Where's Jordan? Rick?" She asked.

"Jordan stayed to do some recon and cover our trail. Rick didn't make it out." Remington’s head dropped.

"Oh Rem, I'm so sorry." Jackie moved quickly into his arms. "Is he?"

"I don't know. He was shot in the leg. He lost a lot of blood. He passed out before we had to leave him, Jordan is going to try and help him." Remington tightened his arms around Jackie.

Jackie turned her head and looked down at the beat up girl lying on her couch. "Who is she?" She asked.

"Her name is Dillon. Rick made me promise to get her out of there and take care of her. She saved my life." He said.

"She saved your life?" She asked, having a hard time imagining how this frail, bruised, and battered girl could have done that.

"Yeah." Remington answered. "She stopped a bullet in mid air. It was the damndest thing I’ve ever seen."

Jackie looked at Remington, her eyebrows shot up and her mouth open. "Holy shit. She's pretty banged up. Let me have a look at her." Jackie opened up the first aid bag that was on the coffee table and knelt down next to Dillon. She put her fingers to the girl’s neck. "There's a pulse. It's weak, but it's there." She said.

"Her arm must be broken." Remington said pointing at the crude sling that was holding her right arm in place.

Jackie gently lifted Dillon’s head and placed a pillow beneath her. She applied antiseptic to her wounds and bandaged the worst ones. "She's burning up." Jackie said, her hand on Dillon’s forehead. She placed a cold pack on the girl’s forehead and used a thermometer to check her temperature through her ear. "One hundred and two." She looked up at Remington. "Not severe, but we definitely need to keep an eye on it."

"I'm worried about Jordan and Rick." Remington said. "I didn't want to leave Rick. He made me take Dillon and go. Said he promised her he would get her out of that place. I had to do what he asked."

"And now you feel guilty." Jackie stated.

"Yes. More guilt than I have ever felt in my life." He said.

Jackie stood up and walked over to Remington; he was just standing there with his head hanging. He looked defeated. Her heart broke for him. She put a gentle hand under his chin and raised his face so his eyes would meet hers. "You did the right thing." She whispered. "It's what he wanted. We don't know that he's not okay. Lets save the worrying for when Jordan gets back. We'll know more then."

"Okay." was all he said.

Jackie cupped his face and pulled him down to her. She placed a soft kiss on his tight lips. "Why don't you go get cleaned up? I'll keep an eye on her." Remington nodded in agreement then turned and headed down the hallway.

Tess was sitting in her office, waiting. It was getting close to dawn. She was trying to get her story straight so that she could convince her boss, Mr. Smith, why she had stayed late and how she hid under her desk when she started hearing gun shots. She was more worried about Rick. He barely pulled through. She had given him blood and she was able to rebuild his damaged knee with a new magnesium alloy that was both stronger and lighter than titanium. The technology this place was privy to amazed her. The downside was they experimented on human beings.

Last time she had checked on Rick he was sleeping comfortable and pain free thanks to an IV drip. She had to figure out a way to get him out of here before they decided to alter him. She would have to worry about that later. Right now it was time to figure out how to save her own ass.

Remington walked back into the living room, his hair was wet and he wore nothing but a pair of sweats that hung low on his hips. "How is she?" He asked Jackie.

Jackie had just taken the girls temperature again. She looked up and saw Remington standing over her in all his muscled glory. Trying to stay focused, she cleared her throat. "One hundred and one." She said. "A small improvement but an improvement none the less. You must be starving, let me make you something to eat." She said.

"That would be great, thanks." Remington sat down in the chair close to the sofa where he could watch Dillon.

A few minutes later Jackie came out of the kitchen with a huge roast beef sandwich, chips, and a bottle of beer. She handed it all over to Remington. She was headed back to the kitchen when she heard a soft knock at the door. Remington heard it too. He left the living room, setting his plate down on the dinner table, and met Jackie at the door.

"Jordan!" Jackie said excitedly. She put her arms around him and gave him a welcoming hug. "Are you okay?"

Jordan stepped back from Jackie when he saw Remington’s wide frame fill the doorway. "I'm fine." He smiled. "How’s the girl?" He asked.

"Still unconscious, but stable." Remington answered stepping back. "Come in."

They all three went back in the house and sat down at the dining room table. "I covered your tracks and stirred up the scent. If they try to follow again they won't have any idea which way to go. I also wiped the footage from the security cameras." Jordan said.

"How did you stir up the scent?" Jackie asked.

"Small tornado." Jordan laughed. "Those dumb dogs won't know which way to turn. It's in every direction. Up in the trees, down by the river. Whichever way they follow the scent will end within a half mile.”

Jackie gave him a big smile. "That is so cool."

"Did you see Rick when you went back in?" Remington asked nervously.

"Yeah, he's fine." Jordan said. "I found a lady doctor. Not sure where she was while everything was going on, but her being there was perfect timing."