Blood & Thunder (4 page)

“Then answer his goddamn questions, or I swear on my momma’s grave I’m gonna make you wish you were never born.”

“Simon!” the kid burst out. “My name’s S-Simon Russell.”

Ash dropped the kid roughly onto his ass before turning to bark at Dex, “Get on with it, Daley.”

Dex took a seat beside Simon who was looking rattled and miserable, his shoulders slumped, and his wary gaze going from Ash to Dex.

“I apologize for my teammate, Simon. He gets cranky when it’s time for his sippy cup of OJ and a nap.” Dex could have sworn he saw the end of Simon’s lips twitch. “My name’s Agent Daley, and despite what you might think, I’m here to help you.”

Simon looked Dex over, assessing him. “Dad says all Human THIRDS agents are traitors to their race.”

The words were low, but Dex could hear the uncertainty in them. Dex would bet his salary the kid never would have gotten involved in this kind of thing if his fuckwit of a father hadn’t filled his head with hateful nonsense. “I’m not a traitor, Simon. I’m just a regular guy trying to do the right thing. It’s my job to protect innocent citizens and help those who are feeling lost. I believe everyone has a chance to lead a safe, happy life, no matter their species. You know, I was an HPF officer before I became a THIRDS agent, just like my dad was.”

Simon tilted his head and shifted slightly. Dex knew everything he needed to know about the young man in that instant, and he continued while he had Simon’s attention.

“My dad was a homicide detective for the Sixth precinct. He and his best friend Tony were the best at what they did. I was so proud of him. My friends would get sick and tired of me telling them how great my dad was,” he said with a chuckle, still feeling a squeeze to his heart when he thought of his father. A day didn’t go by when he didn’t miss his parents. “He was my hero.”

“Was?” Simon asked with a frown.

“Yeah, he was killed during the riots, along with my mom.” Dex let out a sigh and shook his head. “He’d gone off to deal with the riots on several occasions while on the job, and then he goes out to the movies one night with my mom, their date night”—he swallowed hard, his gaze on his gloved hands clasped in front of him—“and there was a shootout at the movie complex. My dad tried to get everyone out, including my mom. She… got hit in the crossfire. My dad got shot in the chest trying to save her.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon mumbled, looking even more deflated.

Dex gave a sniff and blinked back the sting in his eyes. Twenty-eight years and it still felt as though it were yesterday. “Yeah, I miss them, a lot. But, soon after, Tony adopted me, and a few months later, I got me a baby brother. I wouldn’t trade him in for anything. You got any brothers or sisters?” He didn’t know what possessed him to share what had happened to his parents with Simon, but as soon as he started, it came tumbling out. Simon was young. He had his whole future ahead of him, if he would only stand up for what he wanted, not what his father wanted for him.

Simon nodded. “An older brother. Matthew. He lives in Boston now.”

At least Matthew had gotten away. “He a good big brother?” Dex asked, noting the way Simon’s eyes lit up. Dex tried not to curse. The kid was younger than he’d anticipated. Fifteen at most.

“He’s awesome. He always looked out for me, played video games with me. We got into fights, but brothers do. He never thought he was too cool to hang out with me, even when his friends teased him about it. What about you?”

Dex smiled widely. “Am I a good big brother? I don’t know. Let’s find out.” He turned his head, grinning at Cael. “What do you say? Be gentle.”

“Aside being really annoying sometimes,” Cael replied, his smile reaching his eyes, “yeah, you’re an awesome big brother.”

Dex turned back to Simon whose jaw was all but hitting the floor. When he recuperated, he sputtered. “
He’s
your brother? But… but he’s a Therian!”

“Tell me something, Simon. If something happened and you ended up… different, would Matthew turn you away?”

Simon opened his mouth then seemed to think better of it. His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head. “No. He’d love me no matter what. I know he would.”

“So why would I do that to my little brother? He’s a regular guy, just like you.” Dex shrugged. “Maybe his DNA’s different, but I love him just like your big brother loves you. He’s also the only guy who can kick my ass at video games. He’s a total nerd.”

“Pot meet kettle,” Cael snorted.

Dex put his hand on Simon’s shoulder. “Something tells me Matthew doesn’t share your dad’s views.”

“No. They fought a lot. Dad had always told us Therians were wrong. Abominations from hell trying to corrupt God’s children. Matthew believed it at first.”

“But then?”

“He met Jenny.”

“Ah,” Dex smiled knowingly. “Your brother fell in love with a Therian.”

“Yeah. I was so scared for him. When Dad found out, he went nuts. Threatened Matthew, but Matthew refused to leave Jenny, so Dad kicked him out of the house, said he was dead to him. Dad told me I no longer had a brother, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t act like Matt was dead. I wanted so bad to go with him, but Matt was only sixteen, and Dad threw him out without any money, didn’t even give him a chance to get some clothes.” Simon’s frown deepened, his voice growing angry. “How could he do that? How could he kick Matt out like that? I wanted to hurt dad so bad, but I was small and scared. I hated him.” He hung his head, tears in his eyes. “God, I’m such a pussy.”

“Hey.” Dex squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. There wasn’t much you could do, and your dad’s bad decisions are on him. It’s okay to be scared, but you’re not a kid anymore, Simon. You can make your own decisions. What your dad’s involved in will put him away for a long time. He wants to hurt innocent Therians, Therians like Jenny, like my little brother.” Simon’s gaze shifted to Cael before guiltily darting away. “Is that what you want for yourself? Do you want to give up any chance of a future, at seeing Matt again, for your dad’s mistakes?”

Simon bit down on his bottom lip, and after what seemed like an eternity, he shook his head. “No, I don’t want to go to prison, not for that asshole. I never wanted to do this, but he told me if I was going to be a Therian fucker like my brother then I should leave, that I’d be better off dead.” A tear rolled down his reddened cheek. He met Dex’s gaze. “Can you really help me?”

Dex nodded. “I promise, Simon. I will do everything in my power to get you to Matt, but I need you to help me.”

“Okay.” Simon gave him a curt nod, his expression determined. “What do I need to do?”

“I need you to tell me everything you know about Isaac Pearce.”

“W
HERE
ARE
we with those explosives?”

Isaac Pearce stepped up beside his disciple and placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. So loyal. His flock of sheep, ready to go wherever he led them, to do whatever he commanded. Finding his followers had been easy. All he had to do was find the right buttons and push.

“Nearly finished, sir. We’re waiting on last of the C4.”

“Excellent. Let me know when we’re ready to move.” With a smile and a pat on the back, Isaac continued his rounds of the small, once abandoned facility, checking that everyone was at their stations making the necessary preparations.

It had taken a few months to strengthen his flock, gather the necessary supplies, and put together his next course of action. He’d opened two new, fully operational branches, which housed the Order’s latest recruits. By now, the THIRDS should be closing in on IGD. With the right information leaked in the right places, it was astonishing how easily he could have those circus animals jumping through his strategically located hoops. He’d lose a few disciples, but war was filled with necessary casualties. It was a sacrifice he and his following were willing to make for the greater good.

No doubt those THIRDS bastards believed he didn’t have the balls to continue with what he’d started, but they’d soon come to realize he’d been biding his time. As a former HPF detective, he was well schooled in the art of patience. It had taken him months to meticulously plan the murder of those HumaniTherian cockroaches, followed by the kidnapping of Agent Brodie.

Isaac closed his eyes, remembering the brief moments of pleasure he’d had torturing that Therian filth. Brodie should have died in his hands, left a bloodied, carved, and burned mess. Instead, Isaac had been forced to use his contingency plan, detonating the strategically placed explosives under the metro line. He smiled widely at the memory. They’d believed him dead, thought they’d rid themselves of him, but like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he emerged as a humble servant of the great goddess Adrasteia, ready to fulfill his purpose. The Human race was in jeopardy, and he wasn’t about to go down without one hell of a fight.

He’d spent countless hours deciding where—or more importantly
who,
he would strike next. If he and his species were going to have any chance at winning this war, he would have to destroy the THIRDS, and thanks to Agent Morelli, Isaac had a solid lead. The Therian filth had managed to be of some use before Isaac put him down like the mutt he was. The information wouldn’t have seemed like much to anyone else, but he’d solved cases with less to go on.

Confident everything was running according to plan, he retreated to his office in the subbasement, not to be disturbed. Switching on his monitor, he let out a sigh, chastising himself for being such a sentimental jackass. How could he mourn the loss of a friend he’d had for such a short period of time? Of course, it felt as if he’d known the man longer. He’d been watching him, studying him for months. What an idiot he’d been, thinking he’d found someone who understood him, who might possibly join him at his side, a trusted partner, a position he had once hoped his brother Gabe would accept. Instead, Dexter J. Daley had chosen that diseased freak Sloane Brodie, just as Gabe had. Isaac clenched his fist on his desk as he stared into Dex’s smiling blue eyes.

Dex would have made the ultimate disciple. He was fiercely loyal, smart, audacious, skilled, and when he set his mind to something, would move heaven and earth to make it so. Goddamn that Therian bastard. He’d corrupted Dex just like he’d corrupted Gabe. Isaac launched to his feet and started pacing. If Brodie hadn’t gotten to Dex first, Isaac would have found a way to make Dex understand his worth, to show him where he truly belonged—here with him and his species, not with those animals. There was still time. Dex wasn’t completely lost to him, though his window of opportunity was growing smaller by the day.

He stopped pacing and returned to his desk, pulling out the layout of their first target. If all went according to plan, he wouldn’t have to worry about Sloane Brodie anymore. He finally had what he needed. Killing Brodie wouldn’t be enough. Isaac wanted to destroy him, take everything from him, and leave nothing of him but the remnants of a shattered husk, and
then
he would kill him. But first, he would stand back and watch the THIRDS crumble to dust as the city fell to chaos. When nothing was left, when the disease had been cured, Isaac would approach Dex once again, and this time, if he refused, Dex would join Gabe in the afterlife.

I
T
WAS
his lucky day.

Dex’s target was finished. The guy just didn’t know it.

He inched up to the doorframe, his weapon gripped tightly against his vest. One shot. That’s all he needed. He could do this. Silently, he crouched down and angled his head, trying to get as much visibility as possible without exposing himself. With the coast clear, he made a dash for the blockade, slid in behind it, and pressed his back against the smooth surface.

Deep breath
. It was now or never. By the end of this, one man would be left standing, and he had every intention of being that man. Popping out from behind the safety of the blockade, he aimed his weapon at the same moment as his enemy. Teeth gritted, Dex fired off a round, hitting his target straight in the heart. His enemy fell back with the impact of the blow before crumbling to the ground in a heap.

Dex waited. The only sound meeting his ears was that of his own ragged breath. Cautiously, he edged closer to the structure his enemy had fallen behind, making certain to keep his weapon at the ready just in case. He rounded the corner and grinned smugly, his gaze on his sprawled victim.

“‘Oh,
you’re
in charge? Well, I got news for you, Dwayne. From up here, it doesn’t look like you’re in charge of jack shit.’”

Sloane glared up at him. “Screw you.”

With a dopey grin, Dex held his hand out, laughing when Sloane smacked it away and got to his feet without help. A deep pout came onto his partner’s face when he looked down at the array of blinking red lights on his vest. Pressing the reset button, the lights flashed green before the sensor switched itself off.

“Have I mentioned how not fun it is playing laser tag with you? I never should’ve gotten you this stupid thing for Christmas,” Sloane grumbled, removing his vest as he left the kitchen and made his way over to the living room. He tossed the sturdy equipment onto the floor by his feet and dropped down onto the couch.