Forever's Fight (3 page)

Five days on the run had begun to take its toll on Clarissa. She wanted nothing more than a shower, a hot meal, and a comfortable bed. Two days and four states ago, she had tried to reach out to her brother, Dean, but he didn’t answer the phone. She couldn’t jeopardize him by leaving a message.

She glanced around the corner, eyeing the pay phone at the edge of the park. She hadn’t seen anyone suspicious, and she hated to take the risk, but it was the only way to contact Dean. If only he were in the states, instead of temporarily reassigned to Brazil. She needed his help to get out of this situation she was in.

With one last glance to ensure she was alone, she stepped out of the alley that had been her hiding place for the last hour and walked toward the pay phone. Not wanting to draw unwanted attention, she tried to keep her pace calm and act normal. If she ran, people would remember her. She knew she was being followed, and she couldn’t give passersby an impression of her that would remain in their minds. A quick phone call, and then she had to get out of the area and find somewhere to hide away again. Knowing rain was about to pound the city, she was prepared to head toward the abandoned warehouses on the outskirts of town and find somewhere she could hunker down for the night.

She took the phone in her hand and deposited the needed coinage before dialing the number. As it rang, she hoped he would answer. Finding another pay phone would take some time and she couldn’t risk coming back to the same place a second time. Pay phones had disappeared over the years so it wouldn’t be easy to get to another one. The past couldn’t survive with all the new technology, but she had ditched her cell phone before she started the journey. Carrying it would have given them a direct way to locate her.

“Hello.” Her brother’s sleepy voice echoed through the phone line.

“Don’t say my name,” she warned, taking a deep breath. “I’m in trouble. That place was just as awful as you heard.” She pressed her back against the wall and kept her head down.

“Where are you?” The sleepiness was suddenly gone from his voice.

“You know I can’t tell you that, but I’m not staying in one place long enough for them to find me. Just like Dad taught us. If they can’t find me, they’ll come for you. I’m sorry…so sorry.” She tried to swallow the tears that were threatening to fall. This was no time to get emotional. If she was going to live through this, she needed to keep her head clear.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. We’ll get through this. Can you get to
the place
?”

“Two days.”

“Stay safe.”

“You too.” Knowing that Dean would find a way to get to her and to meet her at their place, she hung up the phone. For the first time since she’d left, she felt more confident she’d get through this. That she’d be able to fight whoever was after her. She didn’t know why they were after her, or what they’d do to her once they caught her. If they caught her, she hoped they’d kill her quickly instead of tormenting her the way they did the shifters in their custody. She’d rather be dead than live through what she’d witnessed.

Watching over her shoulder, she headed toward the outskirts of town to the abandoned warehouses. She couldn’t run forever. Eventually, they’d find her and then there’d be hell to pay.

Again, she wondered why they were after her. She doubted they’d found the virus she put on their computers, or they’d have blocked it. She was still getting information from their system. Which meant they either thought she knew something or they had some use for her. The idea they had a
use
for her churned her stomach. There were other scientists they could hire to replace her. What could she do for them that someone else couldn’t?

Through the darkness behind her, she couldn’t see anyone lurking. She found a broken part of the wall in the derelict warehouse, and shoved the board aside. As she slipped into the opening, she was careful to keep her bag from getting stuck on the jagged edges. The laptop she carried was her only proof of what was happening, and though the battery had died, she knew it was still recording what was happening at Hathaway Medical.

Tomorrow, once she was halfway to the spot where she’d meet Dean, she would look for a place where she could plug the laptop in for a while to charge. Maybe something on their system would explain why they were after her.

She found a corner in the warehouse that allowed her to see the whole space. The opening that had admitted her was the only spot that wasn’t chained and padlocked. She had to be aware of her now limited escape options. She pulled the handgun from her bag, and set it down beside her. If someone found her, she refused to be taken. If she had to, she would take her own life.

With the gun close by, she tried to get comfortable. Exhaustion made her eyelids feel as if they had lead weights attached to them. Five days on the run meant she’d barely had any sleep, and the only food she’d gotten were from outside food vendors and vending machines. She couldn’t risk being caught in a restaurant or a store with a camera. It would leave a trail she was working so hard not to leave. Even with all the precautions, they were still on her trail. She had barely escaped two nights ago when they’d caught up with her. How they managed to find her was something she hadn’t figured out yet.

She leaned her head back against the hard metal and her eyelids sprung open as realization dawned on her. They weren’t just finding her by luck, it was her scent that was leading them to her. They were using their shifter captives, forcing them to comply.

Unlike ditching her cell phone or never returning to the same place, she couldn’t do anything about her scent. She didn’t know much about shifters. Most of the world didn’t, and the government used that fear to their advantage. What was she supposed to do to keep herself alive? And was being alive better than death? Maybe not, depending on what they had in mind for her.

The O’Riellys’ converted castle had not only became their operating center, it also became their home. The family gathered for dinner around the large custom table, with the uneven edges and lines in the wood telling the age of the tree it came from. Patrick sat at the head of the table. Austin found a seat to his right—the perfect place for Patrick’s right-hand man—while Jade sat at the opposite end, and Luke, Blake, and Chase took seats around them.

Patrick shoved a bite of pot roast into his mouth and glanced at Jade, who was eyeing him curiously.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I can feel your lion’s impatience, and I saw you whispering to Luke. Why don’t you just tell us what crazy mission you want us on now?”

“Not you, little sister,” he said. A shudder of fear went through him at the very thought of sending her back out into the world again. He’d rather have her here, where they could keep a close eye on her. He wasn’t willing to risk her again, and he knew she wasn’t ready for field action.

Underneath her innocent look, there was a kick-ass warrior just like her brothers, but right now it was hidden behind the fear and anxiety caused by what had happened to her. It wasn’t until recently that her outspoken, smart-ass attitude had begun to reappear. Though he wouldn’t admit it to her, he was happy to have that side of her back. They didn’t live in a world where they could afford to appear weak, and she knew it. Since he had rescued her from the lab, she’d gone back into her work for Shifters Underground and her training. She was learning to protect herself again, but even with how far she’d come, he wasn’t ready to send her back into the field. Not yet.

“Patrick,” she said. Austin adjusted in his seat, nudging his brother to let him know he had missed something.

“What?”

“I don’t have to be involved, but at least tell us what’s going on. I haven’t seen anything urgent come through Shifters Underground.” She leaned forward and tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “What’s so bad that you’re hesitating?”

“I’m going after a woman, Doctor Clarissa Greenwood. I need someone to cover my back on this mission.” He stabbed one of the potatoes on his plate and brought it to his lips. “Any volunteers?”

“That’s all the information we get, a woman and her name?” Blake dished more roast onto his plate and didn’t bother to look at Patrick. “Shifter?”

“She’s human, but she might have some information that could help us.” He side-stepped the full story while still doing his best to answer Blake’s question.

“You’ve got to tell them,” Luke said. When Patrick remained silent, Luke set down his fork. “We have to find her for information on how to get into a lab we’ve found. It’s the best way.”

The word
lab
stilled everyone at the table. Jade gasped. Her fork fell from her grasp and clinked off her plate. Each of the siblings looked at him for more information.

Seeing the fear spark in his sister’s green eyes, he wished he could refute it, but it would do them no good. Ignoring the situation would mean leaving the shifters who were being held there in danger, not to mention countless others could be kidnapped and brought there against their will.

He had a duty to his kind, his family, and Jade to ensure that place was destroyed.

“A lab…” She paused, wrapping her arms around her body. “You found another one?”

He nodded and watched as she retreated within herself. The memories that had returned to her were obviously playing out in her thoughts. “Don’t you worry, we’re going to take this one down.”

“What about this woman? How does she play into all of this?” Blake questioned before taking a sip of his coffee.

“She’s a scientist Hathaway Medical brought on, but from what I understand, when she found out what she’d be working with, she took off. As of right now, she has a five day lead on us, but Luke is working to pinpoint her location. We’ve got to get to her before they do.” He didn’t need to tell them what the goons behind Hathaway Medical would do to her if they caught her. Her simple betrayal would be enough for them to want her dead. Tortured and dead if they thought she had betrayed them in other ways.

“Do we even know she’s alive?”

He shook his head at Blake. “We can only suspect she is, from what Luke has found.”

“I’ve picked up a phone call from a pay phone to her brother. I believe it was her, and they’re meeting in two days in their spot. I’m not sure where that is, but I’ll find it,” Luke explained.

Chase pushed his chair away from the table and rose. “You can’t honestly be suggesting that we bring a human here? One who might have experimented on us?”

“She won’t be brought here if we even suspect she had anything to do with it.” He took another bite. “We don’t know what really happened there, or how much contact she had with the captives, but we do know this is our best chance to get into Hathaway Medical. If we don’t do this, we’re not going to be able to save the shifters who are being held there.”

“Excuse me.” A very pale Jade pushed back from the table. “I need…time.”

Before anyone could say anything, she spun on her heels and hurried toward the staircase. Patrick knew she didn’t like to think about the existence of the labs, that others were suffering the same things she had gone through. But it was a factor in their lives, one they’d have to deal with. At least until the day came that either the paranormal community stood up against it or the government put a stop to it.

“I’ll go.” Blake’s statement brought Patrick back to their conversation.

“Me too.” Austin nodded in agreement.

Patrick stirred his food around on his plate. “No, Austin, I need you here. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, and I need you in charge until we get back.”

“I still don’t like this, but I’ll go.” Chase still stood behind the table, his hands on the back of the chair he had vacated.

“Blake and I are enough. There are other things to be done. Focus on Hathaway Medical while I’m gone, find out everything you can about them. When I get back, I want to work on a plan and go after them straight away.” Patrick left his fork on his plate and stood from the table. He didn’t feel much like finishing his dinner. “I’m going to check on Jade. Blake,I want you ready at a moment’s notice
.
Once Luke has a location for Clarissa, we’ll go after her.”

“I’ll be ready, and I’ll make some devices in case we run into any trouble.”

Patrick nodded. He’d leave the explosive devices to Blake. If there was one thing the middle brother enjoyed more than fixing things, it was blowing them up. There was no one else who could come up with various ways to blow things up like he could.

“Patrick, wait a moment.” Austin cornered him at the bottom of the staircase before he could make his way up to his sister. “You should let me go on the mission, and you stay here. With the mention of a lab, it’s bringing everything back for Jade and she needs you here with her. You’re the only one she’ll confide in. What am I supposed to do if she starts retreating into herself, closing us off again?”

“No, she’ll be okay while I’m gone. I’m going to talk to her now. If things change, you’ll call me and I’ll come home. I need to go after Doctor Greenwood because if anyone has the ability to get through to her, it’s going to be me. I might be able to use my knowledge to get her to see our side of things.”

“What about the fact you’re supposed to break down the chemicals in this new drug? We need a way to combat that, or we’re all in trouble.”

He had almost forgotten about the drug the government had developed. He combed his shoulder-length hair from his face with his fingers. “Did you get in touch with your contact?”

“He’s going to get us some once it arrives on base. In exchange, he’ll be staying here with us. They’ve already warned that military personnel will be tested, so he has to get out of there. He’s made the arrangements so that he’ll be one of the workers unloading the cargo. Testing is to begin the following day, so he’ll get some samples and be gone before then. It’s set to arrive next week.”

“Very well. Just give me these two days to find her. If we haven’t found her by then, I’ll come back, and you can take over the hunt with Blake or Chase. I think I can convince her to help us. She obviously didn’t want to test on shifters, or she’d have stayed instead of putting her life in danger.”

Austin didn’t look convinced that Patrick would be back in two days, but instead of saying anything, he just glared at him. Patrick was their Alpha; he didn’t have to justify his actions to anyone. Instead of using that moment to show his dominance, he added, “You have my word. We need a counteractive measure, and I can’t find one to help us if I’m out hunting a woman we’re not even sure is alive.”

“Fine.” Austin crossed his arms over his wide chest. “See what you can do for Jade before you have to leave. No matter how much I try, she just won’t talk to me.”

“She finds comfort with Chase when he’s in lion form. That’s why I’m leaving him here. If she has a nightmare or a bad day, have him go to her and just lay beside her.”

Austin glanced toward the table where Luke, Blake, and Chase were still eating. “What is it about you and Chase? She won’t open up to the rest of us.”

“She doesn’t talk to Chase, either, just cuddles against his lion body. Each of them are running from something, maybe that’s why she relates to him.”

“What about you? Why you?” Austin turned his gaze back to him. “She was always close to both of us, but ever since you rescued her, she clings to you.”

“It’s only been a few weeks since we got her back.”
Nine weeks and three days.
He had been unable to forget the date, and even now that she was safe, he couldn’t stop keeping track. “She needs time.”

“She might not have time. We need her at her best
now
.” Austin tipped his head toward the steps, letting Patrick know he wanted to put more distance between them and the other brothers. “With each passing day, things are getting worse. Nolan, my military contact who’s getting us samples of the new drug, mentioned there are plans to start doing sweeps door to door once the drug comes out, testing
everyone
. For the past few weeks, they’ve been rounding up anyone they suspect of being a shifter and imprisoning them. There’s terror in the streets. While normally the military and police work to control the chaos, they’re only adding to it. Terrorizing citizens, imprisoning anyone they want. There seems to be no law and order any longer.”

“The world was going to Hell before the existence of shifters became known. Now it sounds like things have gotten worse.” None of them had left the castle since they rescued Jade so this adventure would be the first one in over nine weeks. They’d find out how bad things had really gotten. They’d have to stick to the shadows to make sure they weren’t caught up in any of the drama that was happening, and to be sure to stay away from anyone who might be in possession of the drug. “By the way, did Nolan mention a name for this drug?”

“I didn’t even think to ask. Didn’t the article Jade find mention it by name?”

“I was just double-checking the facts. I want to do some research online once I talk to her.” Patrick stopped at the landing on the fourth floor. “I think you should go back downstairs, see if you can help Luke or Blake, and let me handle her.”

“I hadn’t planned to follow you there.” Austin leaned against the wall, his hand on the banister. “Whenever one of us leaves the castle, we’re risking everything and everyone still here.”

He turned toward his brother and nodded. “There’s not much choice. Can you really just sit here, safe and sound, while there are others out there who need help?” When Austin remained silent, he added, “I didn’t think so. It’s not in your nature, just like it’s not in mine. We have to do something. I think it’s only a matter of time before we have to stand against the government.”

“We’ve been thinking that for months, but with this drug, and the way law enforcement is targeting people, everyone is scared.”

“All the more reason we need to build our army and be ready for whatever comes our way. We’re strong together, but we’ll be stronger with more shifters around us. Nolan joining us will be the beginning of it, but he won’t be the last.”

“A fight’s brewing and you’re gearing us up to be on the front lines.” Austin started down the steps, leaving him standing there for a long moment.

The fight was coming whether the siblings were ready or not, so it was better to be prepared. He’d rather see each of them dead than caught in a lab as Jade had been. The lion within him growled at the torture these so-called doctors and scientists were performing on shifters. What they were going through was pure Hell on Earth.

He climbed the last flight of stairs to the fifth floor and tried to put his thoughts together. He needed to go into Jade’s room to put her at ease, not make her more terrified of what the future held. Sometimes, he wished he could pass the job of oldest sibling on to someone else. Instead, it was his job to take over the family’s pride and the position of Alpha, leaving all the responsibility resting on his shoulders. Not that he’d be capable of being a follower. The beast within him was too controlling and dominating to be under anyone’s rule.

Halfway down the hall, and just across from his suite, he found Jade’s door open. When they’d moved into the resort, he had taken the center room because it had the best view and allowed him to watch over the grounds when he couldn’t sleep. They had decided Jade should take the room across the hall from him, so she’d be surrounded by the brothers if anything happened. Austin and Blake each had their own rooms on one side of Patrick and Jade’s rooms. Luke and Chase had rooms on the opposite side. All six of their suites were situated close together, allowing them to protect each other if the time came.