New Species 11 True (35 page)

“How can you look in a mirror?” She really needed him to
start pacing again but wanted to get more information before she hit him. “You
knew those New Species were suffering. Hell, you knew I was being used as a
guinea pig for a drug trial but you let it go on for months. What about the
Gift? Is her life miserable too? Is she being abused? What kind of monster has
her? What does he do for a living?”

“I couldn’t care less if any of those animals suffer or that
you did. It was funny as shit, actually. Stupid people deserve it. I dragged it
out to angle for more money when I realized they’d pay the big bucks. I’m sorry
you didn’t enjoy the drugs your boss gave you but whose fault is that, Jeanie?
You chose to take that abuse to save your favorite dog. You could have avoided
it all and just quit at any time.”

“I couldn’t. I have a heart.”

“And it will get you killed.” He snorted and began to pace,
glancing at his watch again. “They need to hurry, damn it. I don’t like it down
here and they better not be late. As much as I enjoy giving the NSO some grief
over what they did to me, dank, dark places aren’t my thing. I’ve seen rats
down here.”

“What did the NSO ever do to you? Are you one of those
morons who dislikes them because they are genetically enhanced?” She purposely
curled her lip, sneering at him. “You sure aren’t.”

“I was in charge of Homeland!” He turned, furious. “I helped
make it what it is today. This place was my baby and what did they do? I got
fired and was told to get lost. The only reason I acquired the warden job at
Fuller was because I was able to blackmail my way to get it.”

“Blackmail?”

He grinned. “Yeah. I found something out and used it.”

“What did you find out?”

He shrugged. “I discovered they can have babies. I didn’t
tell that to Senator Hills but I implied I could make a lot of waves if I wasn’t
handed Fuller Prison. That was the cost for my silence.”

Boris knew New Species could have children. It meant he
could go to the press. She felt sickened by the ramifications of that classified
information being leaked.

He leaned in closer. “How do you think I found out where you
were staying? They locked me out of the back door I had into the computer
systems but only on the security level. They didn’t classify their stock
records of the supplies being ordered for Homeland and Reservation. Diapers,
prenatal vitamins, and a whole list of other things were delivered. It was a
dead giveaway. They had clothing and food delivered to a home that was
previously empty right when you were returned to Homeland. It was so easy to
find you, Jeanie. You thought they could protect you? It’s a joke. I’m ten
times smarter than they are.”

“You’re wrong.” She decided to bluff. “Some of the human
staff has babies but not New Species. I would have been told otherwise.”

He snorted. “Right. Fury married Ellie and I know where he
lives. That cunt had his baby. The diaper deliveries went straight to them. You
never see them on television anymore, which is good because they make me sick
after what they did to me, but it’s because she’s probably a fat cow after
birthing his puppies.”

“You’re wrong. I’ve met that couple,” she lied. “I spent a
little time with them. They don’t have any children.”

He stepped forward and slapped her. The sting of his palm on
her cheek stunned her but he backed away before she could react and attack in
retaliation.

“These catacombs go under their house. At least one of those
brats was a screamer when I checked it out. How many do they have? Tell me.”

She was done. “I’ve never seen a baby here.” That was
honest. “I bet you’re wrong about that Gift too.”

“I have pictures of that little cat bitch.”

He wasn’t going to tell her more. She was pretty sure of
that as he turned his back to stare into the tunnel and glanced down at his
watch.

“Those slow, incompetent assholes. Two hours. I really hate
them. Maybe I won’t kill them. I’ll just have them hauled into Fuller. Just
leave their cell doors unlocked and spread a rumor that they’re informants,
there to gather information. The prisoners would kill them the first damn
night. I could plant that idea with Jeff. That asshole can’t ever keep his
mouth shut. He’s too nice.”

Jeanie rose as quietly as possible, hoping he wouldn’t turn.

“And just for spite, once I’m far away and out of New
Species’ reach, I’m going to cause them more shit.” He chuckled. “Do you want
to know how people will react when they discover there’s a human woman who can
pop out little New Species babies? Talk about making those anti-New Species
groups blow their minds. They always preach about how the New Species will
disappear in time. New Species will never die out as a race if they are
breeding more little animals with sluts.”

She tensed and stepped to the side. They’d chained her right
arm, the one she used the most and she swung with all her might. The chair was
a little heavier than she’d guessed. It only made the slightest scraping noise
as the legs skidded on the floor before it sailed forward.

Boris turned but it was too late. He was bigger but she had
rage on her side.

* * * * *

True used a flashlight to stare down the hole. A ladder was
at the bottom, partially visible in the standing water, but it appeared
damaged. It had to be a good twenty-foot drop but he didn’t care. Jeanie was
down there. He slid his feet over the edge and just dropped into the hole. The
water softened his fall and he remained on his feet. He inhaled, picking up no
scent of Jeanie but the water smelled bad. Males dropped into the water behind
them with more flashlights.

“Wait,” Darkness ordered. “We need to go in quiet and catch
them by surprise.”

It took control for True to listen to that order. There were
two openings but he wasn’t sure which way to go. One had a grate over it but
the other didn’t. He slogged through the water to the opening and sniffed. All
he could pick up was stagnant water and a moldy stench.

“Over here,” Justice whispered.

True spun, quickly moving to the opposite side of the room.

Justice pointed the beam of his flashlight on the inside
wall of the tunnel. “Blood. It’s faint but it’s there.” He muscled the gate
open. It squeaked but it wasn’t too loud.

True stepped up, climbed out of the water and sniffed. “It’s
hers.”

Tiger chuckled. “She’s smart. I think she is purposely
marking where they took her.”

True fought tears. “She’s everything to me. What if they’ve
killed her?”

“They would have done it in the house and not bothered to
take her with them,” Darkness rasped.

True clenched his teeth, stifling a snarl.

“You didn’t have to point that out,” Justice stated.

“He needs to know they want her alive. That’s logical
because taking her with them would only slow them down.” Darkness pushed past
True. “I go first.”

True wanted to protest but the male spread his arms,
blocking the narrow passage. He’d have to fight him and that would ruin the
plan to sneak up and attack the humans to get his mate back.

The tunnel ended with a metal plate on the floor. True
attempted to lift it but it wouldn’t open. Frustration rose. He looked at the
team of New Species. Darkness crouched next to him, studying it with his
flashlight.

“Shit. There must be a lock on the other side.” He waved to
one of the men. “We came prepared. Give me the jack I told you to grab from one
of the vehicles.”

It took too long for True’s antsy nerves but Darkness
managed to use an edge of the jack to force the edge of the plate a little and
then pried it open. It snapped the flimsy lock as they pulled it back. A ladder
was attached the wall beneath the grate.

“Here we go.” Darkness sighed. “I hate being underground and
it seems we need to go deeper.”

“Get out of my way.” True tried to climb down first.

“Calm.”

“My mate is down there. I smell her blood.” He could. She’d
touched that ladder. “It’s there. My sense of smell is much better now that we’re
away from the water.”

“I go first and you take orders or you’re topside,” Darkness
stated firmly.

He wanted to argue but that would just waste more time. “Then
go.”

They came to a place where it branched off to two smaller
tunnels. Darkness paused and glanced back at True. “See if you can pick her up.”

He had to bend over to fit beneath the low ceiling and
sniffed. He didn’t pick up her scent at all but he used his flashlight to try
to spot blood on the walls.

“You could do that just as well,” Tiger whispered.

“He needs to,” Darkness whispered back.

True ignored them as he backed out and stepped into the
other tunnel. It was just as low but he caught a whiff of Jeanie’s blood. “This
one.” He found smudges of it on one of the walls a few feet in as if she’d
brushed against it with her hand.

He led the way until they reached a curve and he saw light.
He came to a halt, his ears straining. Darkness was suddenly there, pushing
against him until they both were shoulder to shoulder.

Jeanie’s voice was faint, along with male voice. The words
weren’t distinguishable but he was certain that was her. Darkness turned his
head and frowned at him.

“Wait,” he mouthed. He removed his phone and texted
something. He looked up and showed the screen to True and then touched it to
pull up another app. It was a locator. Darkness pointed up. “They are
surrounding the location. We know where we are and so do our males.”

He wasn’t sure if he had patience. He could hear Jeanie
though, she was talking, and a few words filtered through. Her tone implied she
was angry. Another male touched his back and he twisted his head. The male
passed a rifle forward. Darkness accepted it and leaned closer.

“I won’t miss the shot. Back up and allow me to proceed. I’m
going to go on my belly and crawl forward until I can reach them. I was trained
as a sniper.”

Darkness dropped down and did just as he’d stated. True knew
he should stay put but he couldn’t resist. He fell to his belly and scooted
after the male. The tunnel ahead wasn’t that long and Jeanie’s words became
clear. He couldn’t see around Darkness without lifting up, too worried he’d
reveal their location if he did. Shock ran through his system though when he
could hear all the conversation.

* * * * *

The chair slammed into Boris’ side hard enough to knock him
off his feet. Jeanie managed to grab the chair when it bounced back. She caught
it on the rounded edge of the back of the seat and on the side where the
handcuffs were locked on the bar of the chair. She lifted it and smashed it
down on him again.

He cried out and threw up an arm, trying to shield his head.
It wasn’t effective as she used the legs of the chair to ram downward into his
belly and chest. He gasped and she hit him again. Boris rolled onto his stomach
at that point and she hit him one more time just for good measure.

A lot of pent-up anger drove her to nail him a few more
times until she was out of breath from exertion. She only wished the chair was
heavier and more solidly made. She dropped the chair and kicked him in the
side. He rolled, curling into a ball. It hurt her a little when she kicked him
again, this time in the chest, but it had the desired effect. He ended up
sprawled on his back. She turned a little, used the last of her strength and
lifted the chair. She brought it down so the legs of it landed on each side of
his neck. The support bar along the bottom connecting the back legs pressed
against his throat and she leaned over, resting her weight over the seatback.

Jerry Boris, or as she’d known him, Terry Brice, stared up
at her with wide eyes as his face turned an ugly shade of purple.

“Can’t breathe?” She panted. “I know how that feels. Try
having some douche bag shove his dirty hand over your mouth and nose. That’s
what your asshole goon did to me.”

She eased up just a little so he didn’t die. He sucked in
air but his color didn’t improve. She glanced back and lifted her foot,
slamming it down on his groin. He squealed.

“I know how that feels too. It’s a bitch not being able to
scream, isn’t it? Does that hurt?” She ground her toes against the front of his
sweats, a little grossed out, but no way was she about to let him get up. He
outweighed her by a hundred pounds.
Plus, I have no damn sympathy for you,
asshole.

Jeanie looked at his face, saw his terrified expression and
the way his hands clawed at the bar against his throat. She eased a little of
her weight off the chair until he managed to suck in more air. She pressed down
again.

“You and I,” she got out, catching her breath a little more,
“are going to have a talk. And what I mean by that is, I’m going to talk and
you’re going to breathe when I say you can.”

She waited and let him have a little more air. It wasn’t her
intention to kill him but she was determined to get answers. He knew where a
Gift was and he’d put her through hell but she was mostly pissed about how he’d
allowed True and the others to suffer longer than necessary because it amused him
and he’d wanted to get more money.

“Those jerks you hired pushed me into a hole and let me fall
into dirty water. I smell. I had a gag shoved into my mouth and you planned to
poison me,” she reminded him. “I could kill you. Got that? Forget about your retirement
plan. Forget about getting another penny from the NSO. You’re going to tell me
where that Gift is or I’m going to watch you suffocate. I might take a nap
here.” She lifted enough to let him get air. He choked a little but she held
off until he took a few breaths.

“You bitch,” he wheezed.

She leaned over, putting her weight on the back of the
chair. “Fuck you, Jerry. Yeah. I know who your name. I saw your picture when
they showed me all the men who used to work for the NSO. Director Jerry Boris.
You got fired because you were an asshole to Fury’s mate. He said you almost
got her killed and tried to take her from him. You just can’t leave mates
alone, can you? You took me from mine and guess what? I’m furious.”