Bear with Me (Bear Mountain Patrol Series Book 1) (20 page)

Chapter 30

Tag spent a day and a half searching for Jensen with no luck. Camilla worried he was too hyped and needed to employ more patience. That sage piece of advice had been their last conversation three hours ago. But, the man had vanished. After wasting the morning waiting for someone to open the travel agency, Tag left to search the buildings Jensen owned. When searching for Camilla, he had visited the first four locations on the list so he took up where he left off. The first two were vacant residential homes in moderate income subdivisions.

Driving south, he reached the next property on the list. The address belonged to a series of buildings identified independently with an alphabet beginning with A and, from what he could see, ended with M.
Great
. Less than 10 cars were in the parking lot which he thought strange considering the number of buildings and today being a weekday.

The large, two-story, masonry buildings were equipped with roll-up doors, smaller side doors and high, narrow, rectangular windows. Ventilation systems created a large buzz in the air. Smoke curled and dissipated from a few areas. Asphalt walkways, surrounded by pockets of grass and rock beds, curved in various directions creating the means to locate the desired building.

Exiting his car, Tag strode toward the closest path, inhaled then coughed. Something in the air tickled his throat and burned his nose. He turned and walked back toward the parking area. Leaning forward, hands on knees, he snorted to clear his nose. When he inhaled clean air, he searched for human life in the buildings and found several which wasn’t surprising given the number of cars in the parking lot.

With slow precision, he broke down the scents and searched for Jensen then Green. The pungent odor of urine knocked him back. “What the hell?” he murmured wondering if the plumbing pipes failed somewhere nearby.

“Pee, piss, how could I forget how bad that place smelled?”
Tag jerked as Camilla’s accounting of the place where she’d been held rose to the surface. Inhaling again, he located the area containing the smell. It was in the back. He returned to his car, grabbing his pistol and ammo from the glove compartment. His adrenaline spiked as traces of Green’s scent reached him and were in the same direction. Heart pounding, he took off at a fast pace. Man and Grizzle both hunted their prey. The numbing odor assaulted his senses again and he lost his tracking ability. Rather than allow Green a second chance to escape, Tag continued and hoped the air would clear as he moved closer.

Four concrete, two-story, block buildings, the lengths of medium-sized churches, were surrounded by all the other buildings with one way in and out. The soft whirring of security cameras drew his attention as he stepped between the structures. Fortunately, the odor dissipated and the urine smell pulled him to the middle nondescript building. Pulling out his phone, he placed a call. 

Tag stood next to the building in front of the one he needed to enter when the door opened and Rex Green walked out. The man did a double take when he saw Tag. Green pulled out his pistol, fired and yelled for back-up.

Tag ran around the building and came up the side as he twisted his silencer in place. Inhaling, he inched closer to the edge of one of the buildings and took aim. He made two shots, taking out two men before he ran to the next building. Looking around he realized he needed to get up high. Pistol secured, he ran fast and leapt 23 feet in the air. One hand caught the edge of the rooftop. Breathing hard, he grabbed the hot metal with both hands and swung. His feet caught hold of the metal trim on the roof.

Fire shot through his palms as heat sizzled against his skin. He took another breath and half-rolled, half-climbed onto the top. Quickly he moved to the middle area as men scrambled below searching for him. Stooped, he moved to a position where he could find Green.

The coward either returned to the building or sat hiding in his car. Tag cursed the missed opportunity to put a bullet between Green’s eyes.

“Find that son of a bitch,” Green yelled.

Tag inhaled and moved to the far end of the building. Green stood beneath a small porch barking out orders. Tag lay on his stomach, inhaled and started to shoot when the bastard moved. Jaw clenched, his gaze never left Green. He pulled the trigger just as Green turned and the bullet slammed into his shoulder instead of his heart. Tag backed away as the men yelled and pointed in his direction.

Green’s scream of pain filled the air. Tag knew it wouldn’t be long before men poured out onto the rooftops. Leaping from building to building, he came to the end and jumped down. He fell and rolled right in the path of two men running with pistols drawn.

One Grizzle, one black bear.

Grizzle roared, wanting a chance to take them apart. Before he could draw his weapon, they opened fire, hitting him in the arms and legs. After a brief pat down, they took his gun.

None of the shots would kill him but they slowed him down if he didn’t shift. The grizzly grabbed him beneath his arm and dragged him inside the building. The black bear locked the door behind them. Away from prying eyes, an angry Grizzle took over.

Tag leapt forward just as the two men shifted into their beasts. Excited, Grizzle ducked the first blow and dodged out of the way of the running black bear who hit the brick wall and fumbled around slowly before sitting on the ground.

Tag took several blows to the side of the head and connected a few of his own. The fight was fierce, much different than anything he’d experienced in the past. Similar in height and size, his opponent was quick, his claws deadly and it was obvious from the start that killing Tag was his goal.

Locked in battle, Tag used his claws and huge incisors to gain traction. So did his opponent. Evenly matched, in the end it would come down to who tired first. Body battered and bruised, Tag’s energy waned. His opponent didn’t appear to lose any steam and connected more damaging blows. Blood ran down his chest. His face throbbed as the last blow knocked him on his ass.

Camilla
. Her image floated across Tag’s mind. What would happen to her if he failed? Pushing from the floor, he leapt forward and embedded his five-inch claws into his opponent’s chest, piercing his heart. The grizzly beat at Tag, trying to dislodge him. Tag began digging, going deeper. His opponent roared and rocked backward as if intoxicated. Curling his hand, he pulled it out and moved to the side as the grizzly dropped to his knees then returned to human.

Tag returned to his human form and said a prayer of thanks for his military training. The black bear, now human, shot him.

Not again.
He jumped and fell to the floor behind a large roll of aluminum. Where the hell was his gun? He couldn’t recall which of them took his weapons.

A voice came from the other side of the room where the black bear stood holding a tablet. “Tag Brewer, well, well. Something good in this otherwise dreary day. Where did you hide, my men have been looking for you?”

Tag smiled even as anger boiled in his chest. Sanchez, he hadn’t figured him into this equation. Was Sanchez dual-natured? That would explain why his father was on that last job and why the man was so successful. “For me?”

“Yes, you have taken something else that belongs to me. That’s a bad habit you have, taking my property,” Sanchez said in a hard tone.

Tag laughed to cover the sharp pain that ripped through his shoulder as skin and flesh tightened.

“This is funny to you?”

“No, your delusions are though.”

“I see you defeated Juan, that wasn’t nice of you.”

“Fuck you,” Tag said looking around for something to use against the bear.

“No but I will fuck the girl in your honor. Has Green found the girl?”

“No, Sir,” the black bear said.

“Incompetent asshole,” Sanchez murmured. “If you weren’t involved, I would release my claim on this Camilla. But you sealed her future as a whore in one of my brothels, the same place the senator’s daughter would be working if you hadn’t taken her.”

“So you blame me for your failure?” Tag eyed what looked like a metal disk and inched closer to it.

“No but you will die for it nonetheless. Shoot him then prepare him for the flight to bring the bastard to me. I have something special planned for you, Tag Brewer. ” Sanchez said.

“Yes, Sir.”

Tag heard the bear change guns and knew he had to act fast. He grabbed the metal disk and almost groaned aloud. It was chained to three others. Footsteps headed toward him, he needed to act now.

Rising, he threw the first metal disk as if it were a Frisbee. The black bear ducked, missing the first disk, but the chain and two other disks wrapped around his throat knocking him back.

His hand flew to his neck trying to remove the chain and he dropped the tranq gun. Tag leapt and grabbed his gun. After shooting him in the head, Tag grabbed the tranq gun. There were six darts, how many did this asshole plan to use on him?

Tag shot him again and searched for the tablet. He redialed the last number. Sanchez’s face appeared. They stared at each other for a few moments then Sanchez laughed. “So the rumors I’ve heard of Dragon are true? Would you like to continue this contest or call a truce?”

Tag spit on the floor.

“Is that your answer? Come now, I know how it is between mates, we should talk. You have won this round but, next time? I don’t think so.”

“And
your
mate?” Tag said playing a hunch.

Sanchez’s demeanor changed. They continued staring. “I see. This one, the human is your mate?”

Tag realized Sanchez had been speaking of his parents earlier and just made the connection that Camilla was his mate. “Yes, she is and under my protection. As you said, you know how it is between mates, so do I.”

“Are you threatening my mate?” Sanchez asked in a silky voice.

Tag had only played a hunch and it paid off. “You threatened mine.”

Sanchez’s eyes narrowed. “Mates are not to be involved, it’s an unspoken rule.”

“Which you broke,” Tag said.

“No, there was no record or indication she was mated. None of the women… taken are ever mated, it’s the rule.”

“Why do you –”

“What I do in business is just that, my business. A mistake was made, two of my clan have paid the price for that. We honor the mating bond. Your mate is safe from me.” Sanchez disconnected.

The screen blanked.

Stunned at what just happened, Tag stared at the screen a few moments longer. Sanchez was a fucking bear? What the hell was going on? Did Jackson know? Of course the man knew, he knew a lot more than he shared. At least Camilla was safe but that still left Green.

Tag unlocked the door, inhaled and headed in Green’s direction. The moment he turned the corner, gunfire erupted. Tag jumped back and leaned against the building. Counting heartbeats, five men were gathered in one area with Green in the middle. Tag ran back inside and picked up the black bear. Holding the man in front of him, he moved out as the bullets riddled his human shield. Inhaling, he locked in on their locations and picked off three shooters with his pistol. That left Green and one other.

By the time he reached the building where Green hid, waves of fear wafted from both men inside. Tossing his shield aside, Tag grabbed the tallest of Green’s bodyguards from the ground to use as a shield and kicked in the door. It shot forward and knocked the lone gunman over.

“Then there was one,” Tag said peering into the shadows of the dark room until he locked onto Green’s scent. Moving slowly, he walked to the back where Green sat with his back against a stack of wooden planks.

Blood seeped from his shoulder. Hand shaking, he pointed his gun at Tag. “What will it take to make you go away? How much?”

Tag shook his head and raised his gun. “That was my wife you stole motherfucker. There’s nothing you can say or give me that will stop this.”

Green pulled the trigger. He missed.

Tag didn’t.

Bending forward, he searched Green for a phone or something he could give Jackson as a form of payment for watching Camilla. Once he pocketed the contents, he tore a strip of fabric from Green’s shirt.

Next, he turned over a barrel of acetone, within seconds, it coated a large portion of the floor. Heading to the entrance, Tag lit a match, placed it on the strip of material and tossed it on the floor.

With a loud swoosh, flames danced through the place. Tag picked up the bodies outside and tossed them into the inferno with their boss.

“Dragon find prey, destroy?”

“Yes.”

“Mate safe?”

“Yes.”

“Good.
”

The police would arrive soon. Tag grabbed his gear and ran to his car. When he left the area, he heard the sirens and pressed on the gas.

Pulling out his cell, he made a call. “Lorenzo, did you kill the camera footage?”

“Sure did, glad you took those assholes out.”

Tag agreed and headed toward BMP compound to pick up Camilla. She hadn’t contacted him in a while to update him on Ryan’s progress and he hoped his friend was okay. More importantly now that he secured her safety, Grizzle urged him to hurry to gather their mate and take her home.