Heartfelt (12 page)

The stately three-story home sat on a secluded and beautiful piece of landscaped grounds, surrounded by acres of land in its natural state that gave the colony a second home.

When Jerry was colony leader the home had been its base. Now that Casey was leader, meetings were naturally held in his gorgeous home. But it was nice to meet here from time to time, and spend some time with the senior Mitchells.

Inside, Asia savored the interior environment. The home radiated peace and comfort. Everything about the home spoke in tones of acceptance, from the beautiful plush carpeting in the family room, the oversized couch and chairs, to the natural woodwork all around, and the gorgeous stone fireplace. Of course, the demeanor of Casey and Kennedy’s parents had a lot to do with the way the home embraced the were-cats.

“Hi, Asia, Conrad,” Jerry called from the living room. “Have a seat. We’re just about ready to start.”

Camille hugged her son, then her daughter. “So good to see you both. How are you?”

“I’m fine, Mom. Just busy. It’s good to see you and Dad, too.”

“I’m great. Busy, too.” Kennedy smiled wide at her mother.

“We’ll be in the den if you need anything.” Jerry hugged Casey and Kennedy, then joined his wife down the hall.

Blond-haired Tizzy pounced on Conrad as he and Asia walked into the room. “Hi guys! You’re late again, Conrad.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously as she leaned against him.

Quinn pulled at her arm and yanked her back to the floor where they’d been sitting. “Give the guy a break, Tizzy. He probably had a late night with some beautiful brunette. Am I right, Conrad?”

Conrad snarled at him, and pointed to the clock on the mantle. “Right on time.”

Quinn jumped up. He shoved his thick red hair back from his face and immediately started shadow boxing in front of Conrad. “Let’s go, Conrad. You and me.”

Conrad pushed him to the floor, with a low, raspy chuckle that tickled Asia’s stomach. Playfulness wasn’t a sign of immaturity for the were-cats. It was their wild side coming out.

Asia took a seat on the couch beside Booker and Conrad sat across the room in the loveseat next to Lara. Shaun sat on the floor in front of Booker, turning to nod to Asia. Despite Quinn and Tizzy’s playful antics, the mood in the room was sober. Asia’s mind whirled with thoughts, but they were her own, a result of anxiety over her mother, she guessed.

But she knew there was more to her unease. It was Conrad. Unaware of his effect on her, he enticed her to snuggle under his chin and drink in his scent.

Asia glanced at him and absorbed his demeanor. He held an air of being one step away from everyone else in the room, especially her. Had he noticed how she’d been reacting to him? Did he sit across the room from her because he needed space between them? If so, that was her doing. Every time he spoke, moved, laughed, even when he growled she felt drawn to him. Her fingers itched to touch the firm muscles beneath his shirt.

She turned away, grasping for a place inside herself that would remain indifferent. That would be tricky. She didn’t want to push him away, nor did she want him to feel abandoned.

Asia breathed in deep, calming breaths and set aside her attraction to Conrad. For now.

Casey raised his hand. “Okay, let’s get to business. There have been some disturbing developments regarding TNG and I want to make sure we’re all on the same page.” Casey surveyed the room and it was easy for Asia to read his expression. He was trying to gauge the cats’ resolve. “As we’ve discussed before, I feel it’s important that we continue our campaign to stop these people in their deadly pursuit of ruling the world. I also know our involvement has taken a toll on our lives. But we don’t have a choice. We can’t stand by and let them kill and plunder. We know we’re not cops or secret saviors of our world, but we have become a part of the struggle between what is right and what is harmful.” He dropped his gaze and was still for a few breathless moments. “But no one here is required or coerced or expected to contribute to the effort. I respect your right to choose.”

Booker looked down at his wife and stroked her hair. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we’re in this to the end, Casey.” Shaun nodded and grabbed her husband’s hand and placed a kiss on it. “We all understand what is at stake and if we don’t go after these nutcases, who will? They have their corrupt fingers in all kinds of powerful places.”

Quinn piped up. “Yeah, it’s either us or it’s over. Which would mean we’d have to at best move to Canada and at worst, die.”

Asia sat quietly as every cat in the room seconded Quinn’s and Booker’s words. Did they really understand how bad it could get? For her there was no choice. She had to find her mother and get her out of harm’s way. “I’m in,” she added softly.

“Thank you, each one of you. Now let’s get everyone caught up.” Casey knitted his brow and sat back to listen.

Kennedy and Conrad reported what they’d found, that a line of money led in different directions from TNG to prominent people, including Daren Sage, and various businesses, including Phoenix Biosciences.

“It’s very clear that the group has been under the radar for a few years, all the while working on means to change the world to their betterment through their Project Powering. A plan to seize control of resources and power and transform the world.” Conrad eyed everyone, stopping momentarily on Asia, lifting her heart into flip flops in her chest. “But we now know recent events have aimed at bringing TNG out of the woodwork and into the public as a legitimate, philanthropic organization.”

Kennedy continued, pointing out that Sage’s press conference did just that, with the animal preserve as the vehicle.

“TNG is now supplying study subjects to Phoenix Biosciences. They’re removing homeless people off the streets and the people don’t come back,” she said.

The room sat still, as Michelle detailed her glimpse and how it might be of a Phoenix facility where the homeless were taken for experimentation.

Casey pointed to Conrad and Asia. “Tell us about what you learned.”

Conrad exchanged a look with Asia. She gestured to him, and he told the rest of them what they’d learned from Candy. “Asia’s mother has problems and she has a habit of leaving her home with Asia and going to the streets to live for a time, sometimes days, weeks, sometimes months.”

Asia nodded. “She’s been gone now for three months. What Candy described sounded like kidnapping of homeless people. I’m afraid my mother is one of the people taken.”

“That’s terrible, Asia,” said Lara, and the others chimed in.

Booker let a snarl escape his throat. “We’ll get her back, Asia.”

Asia’s heart captured all the kind thoughts, and they were helpful. But she couldn’t raise her gloom until she had her mom back. “I’ve hired Sterling and Lacey to find her. But I appreciate the support of all of you. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”

“Sterling and Lacey will have their own way of investigating your mother’s disappearance, and we’ll have ours. To start with, we have two objectives.” Casey held up one finger. “One is to visit the preserve area, scope it out, get to know more about it.

“You mean do reconnaissance,” Asher added. “We’re not professional spies, but we do have our keen senses and abilities that make us pretty good at collecting information and staying out of harm.”

“He’s right,” Casey said. He held up another finger. “Second and concurrently, we need to find Cindy, Asia’s mother.”

“Right,” Conrad jumped in, “without attracting attention to ourselves.”

“I get it.” Quinn smiled widely. “We don’t want to awaken the beast that is TNG until we’re ready.”

“Precisely.” Conrad punctuated his response with a jab in Quinn’s direction. “It’s Saturday. I suggest we start our campaign this morning.”

Among themselves they worked out who would do what. Conrad took Asia aside. Despite the seriousness of the moment, the warmth of his touch on her penetrated long held beliefs. They were friends. Adding sex into a friendship ruins the friendship and any chance for a serious relationship. She’d felt so positive that what she wanted was a long term relationship with a human male. Her powers of telepathy had been affected by her interest in knowing all about humans. She couldn’t go back, but who or what was in the future for her?

Her insides squeezed sharply. She didn’t have answers to all those questions. All she knew was her feelings for Conrad were changing, rapidly.

“I want to work with you to find your mother. What do you say?” Conrad’s earnest request touched her.

“Sounds good to me.”

“I think we should go to the preserve, find out what’s there right now. If anything.”

“Yeah. I agree. When?”

“As soon as we can. I can leave right now and meet you at your condo in less than an hour.”

Her heart tugged. “Are we really going to do this?” It occurred to her like a flash of lightning in her face that the danger ahead could change their lives. She might lose Conrad.

“Yes, we have to. What’s the problem?”

She looked away, out the window to the serene setting out behind the house. Rows of flowering bushes, unique trees, and patches of spring flowers just blooming offered respite from the unrelenting awareness of the preciousness of life.

“Nothing. No problem,” she lied.

Conrad squared her. “I’ll have your back, and you’ll have mine. It will be okay.”

“Right. Let’s run it by Casey. He may go with us and use his cat burglar skills.” She chuckled at that idea. Casey was not one to stick to rules he didn’t believe in, but he believed in obeying laws, for the most part. His run in with crime took place years ago and he’d paid the price for stealing other people’s expensive jewels and knickknacks. But as a lynx his heightened senses and ability to see through walls and employ stealth went well with his skill for breaking into locked places and getting what he wanted.

The rest of the colony decided as a group to sneak onto the preserve property and see what they could find. With plans made, including who would be riding together to minimize the size of their intrusion, each were-cat left for their home to prepare.

With her mind even more stirred up, Asia took her moment alone in her Volkswagen to ground herself well. The impending activity would bring her within listening distance to very bad humans and possibly humans in pain. She knew she was getting better at separating out thoughts she didn’t want to enter her mind space, but what she was about to face could be her biggest test.

• • •

Conrad filled bottles with water and stashed them in his Rover along with a couple of blankets and wire cutters. His mind naturally gathered input from past experiences of his own and whatever sources available to him: information he’d read, heard, or just picked up from his environment. But he couldn’t yet see a path for today’s endeavor. His muscles drew tight. He suspected the goals were too vague for his ability to present one. But it rarely failed him, and he had faith it would present something useful soon.

He knew the colony would be breaching the preserve property as humans, therefore he slid a knife into the sheath hidden in his pants leg, and a flashlight in his pocket. He didn’t need the flashlight to see into dark places, but it would make a decent alert if necessary. There was no sense in the cats trying to gather information in lynx or bobcat form, but the knife would be useful in a confrontation.

His body tingled with adrenaline, ready to shimmer at any moment.

He suspected Asia would be just as eager to get to the preserve, so when he pulled up to her condo he honked the car’s horn. The front door opened immediately and Asia dashed to his Rover.

She opened the passenger door and leaned in. “I’ve got a knife, a few zip ties, and a roll of duct tape in my backpack. Can you think of anything else we should bring?”

Her words came out clipped and energized. It made him smile half-heartedly. Asia was a trouper, and thanks to her past, she always prepared for contingencies. But with TNG, no one could predict what the colony might run into. “No. I think we should just go.”

She slid into the passenger seat and Conrad steadied his senses. Dressed in dark jeans, boots, and a dark, long-sleeved top, Asia incited a desire to protect her. She could hold her own, but she’d done so for so long, this time he wanted to spare her the burden.

Conrad studied her.
Of course, she’d rather kick me in my shins than let me take care of her
.

“So I expect you have the coordinates for the preserve on your phone?” Her eyes snapped, full of determination.

“Yes. You probably have them, too. Did you see Kennedy’s text?

“Yes. I didn’t load them into my GPS, though.”

He passed her his cellphone and in the process felt her soft, warm skin against his hand. A low moan rumbled unbeckoned from his throat.
This is ridiculous. Get a grip, man.
He glanced at her expression, but she was intensely focused on the map directing them to the preserve.

“It will take us about a half hour to get to the spot.”

“Yeah, I see that.” She scanned the passing scenery. “Do you have a plan for getting on the property unnoticed? I’m expecting tall fences and guards.”

Why had conversation become so stilted between them? They’d always had an ease with each other that made conversations casual and silence comfortable. He didn’t want to lose that.

He shook his head.
You’re thinking too much
, he told himself. It’s probably just the tension of the mission they were on. It stood especially grave for Asia. She had to be unnerved by the prospect of finding her mother a prisoner at the preserve.

“Yeah. I brought wire cutters for fences and I hope we don’t encounter guards. At least not until we have a better idea what’s there.”

She chuckled. “Conrad the Boy Scout. That’s fabulous.”

“You thought to bring duct tape and zip ties. That was good planning, too. But I don’t see you as the Girl Scout type.”

She cuffed him softly. His eyes collided with hers, sending his pulse racing. She held his gaze for a moment before he turned his eyes back to the road.